CONA workshop teaches residents how to move from concern to action.
By Ifhmalee Caceuis
Original Air Date: June 10, 2026
Host: Are you worried about overdevelopment, but don’t believe you will make a difference? The umbrella organization of neighborhood associations in Sarasota County begs to differ. WSLR News intern Ifhmalee Caceuis explains.
Ifhmalee Caceuis: What began as a workshop on zoning and planning quickly became a broader conversation about growth, development and public participation.
Residents from neighborhoods across Sarasota County on Tuesday gathered at the Jacaranda Library in Venice for a meeting hosted by the Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations, also known as CONA.
Susan Schoettle
The workshop was led by former Assistant County Attorney Susan Schoettle, who walked attendees through the county’s development review process. She explained how residents can become involved before projects reach the Planning Commission or County Commission.
The discussion reflected a growing concern: Residents often learn about proposed developments too late in the process.
Lourdes Ramirez is the president of CONA.
Lourdes Ramirez
Lourdes Ramirez: Number one is the fact that we have no public notices, or hardly any public notices. You have to go on the county website to look for what’s happening in your neighborhood.
IC: She says one of the biggest challenges is simply staying informed.
Ramirez says residents can sign up for notifications through the county website, but many people are unaware of the option or don’t regularly monitor county agendas.
As Sarasota County continues to experience growth, attendees discussed how development proposals can affect everything from neighborhood character to infrastructure and quality of life.
Public commenters during a Sarasota City Commission meeting. | Photos via Suncoast Searchlight
Throughout the evening, residents shared concerns, asked questions and exchanged information about issues affecting their communities.
Ramirez says understanding the planning process helps residents become more effective advocates.
LR: They need to get the information from us. They’re getting information from staff and from the developers, but they need to hear the other side.
IC: One attendee was Conni Brunni. The Englewood area resident is a Sarasota chapter leader of Moms for Liberty and is known as a rabble rouser challenging the Republican party’s leadership. She says community education is critical because local government processes are often more complicated than many people realize.
Conni Brunni: It’s extremely complex. Sometimes folks from the outside look in and they think it’s all very simple. It is not at all.
IC: Brunni says workshops like this can help residents feel more confident participating in public meetings and speaking before local boards.
CB: That’s what I’m hoping comes from this kind of activity—that the public feels more comfortable, more competent to go in front of those boards and make presentations.
IC: The meeting also challenged a common assumption that development projects are already decided before they reach public hearings.
Ramirez says that perception can discourage residents from participating.
LR: Everyone thinks it’s a slam dunk—it’s already approved before it even gets there—and I think that’s a mistake.
IC: According to Ramirez, residents often have the greatest opportunity to influence projects when they become involved early in the review process.
Still, many attendees expressed broader concerns about growth and development throughout Sarasota County.
Brunni says those concerns are one reason she believes public participation remains important.
CB: In a place like Florida, where water is so critical—where our environment is a huge part of our economy—I do not understand how infrastructure is not required in order to have one stick go up in the ground. I don’t get it.
IC: For more information on upcoming meetings and neighborhood resources, visit conasarasota.org.
For WSLR News, this is Ifhmalee Caceuis.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.