County commissioners are expected to hear how a judge’s ruling on D.R. Horton’s Celery Fields-area application could affect other Live Local Act cases.
Sarasota County commissioners are expected to hear Nov. 17 how a court ruling involving D.R. Horton’s proposed development near the Celery Fields could affect other disputes over Florida’s Live Local Act. County Attorney Joshua Moye is expected to present an analysis of 12th Judicial Circuit Judge Hunter W. Carroll’s ruling and its implications for similar lawsuits.
For Sarasota County residents, the distinction between processing an application and approving a development is central. Carroll’s order requires the county to process D.R. Horton’s Live Local Act application for the Smith Properties, across Raymond Road from the Celery Fields. It does not approve the proposed 864-unit project or waive remaining county development and building requirements.
The Nov. 4 order found that Sarasota County’s land-use code allows certain commercial and industrial uses as of right in the Open Use Rural district. Carroll determined that this made the property eligible to be treated as mixed-use for purposes of the state law. The ruling challenges the county’s effort to block the application on the basis of its interpretation of the act, while leaving other legal and regulatory criteria for county staff to apply.
The Live Local Act, passed in 2023, aims to encourage attainable housing on land not typically zoned for residential use. Qualifying developments must keep at least 40% of homes affordable for households earning up to 120% of area median income for at least 30 years. Its application in rural districts has become a point of contention between Sarasota County and developers.
D.R. Horton’s case is the first major legal test of Sarasota County’s interpretation of the act. Five other developers have filed similar lawsuits, and four remain pending before Carroll. Suncoast Searchlight has reported at least 18 large-scale apartment proposals in rural Sarasota County under Live Local, potentially totaling more than 7,600 apartments. Those figures describe countywide proposals, not the Smith Properties project alone.
The county’s next steps remain unsettled. As of Nov. 6, Moye said his office was reviewing the order; Sarasota County had not announced an appeal. The commissioners’ Nov. 17 discussion is expected to address the ruling’s effect on the county’s legal position and how officials will proceed in pending cases. The order concerns the Smith Properties and does not decide the separate lawsuits.
The parcel has been the subject of several development proposals. Alongside the 864-unit multifamily application, D.R. Horton proposed a 170-home subdivision. In an earlier negotiation, commissioners rejected an 80-home proposal, and the county’s overtures to buy the site were also rejected.
At their Nov. 4 meeting, Commissioner Teresa Mast urged Moye and County Administrator Jonathan Lewis to reserve significant time to discuss the ruling’s ramifications. Commissioner Tom Knight said the county needed guidance from its attorney on how to proceed. The planned discussion could clarify how officials intend to handle this application and the other pending Live Local cases.
For the Celery Fields area, the immediate effect is procedural: Sarasota County must review D.R. Horton’s application rather than deny it on the basis addressed by the court. The outcome will depend on that review and on how county staff apply requirements the order did not preempt.
Deborah Cole serves as a Senior Correspondent for Just Right News, where she spearheads the network’s coverage of Housing, Infrastructure, and Mobility. With a career defined by a commitment to rigorous reporting and a focus on the fundamental pillars of American community life, Deborah brings a principled perspective to the complex issues that dictate how and where we live. Her work is grounded in the belief that sound policy, fiscal responsibility, and respect for private property are the essential foundations of a prosperous society.
Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Deborah’s upbringing in one of the nation’s oldest and most historically significant cities deeply influenced her professional trajectory. Growing up amidst the architectural legacy and dense urban planning of New England, she developed an early appreciation for the importance of durable infrastructure and the role of local tradition in shaping neighborhoods. Her perspective is informed by the classic American values of her hometown—hard work, community cohesion, and a healthy skepticism of top-down bureaucratic mandates that often overlook the unique needs of individual citizens.
Today, Deborah operates from her base in Austin, Texas, a city that serves as a primary laboratory for her reporting. Austin’s rapid expansion and its status as a hub for innovation and migration provide her with a front-row seat to the most pressing challenges in modern infrastructure and housing. From the Lone Star State, she chronicles the tensions between rapid growth and the preservation of the American Dream, often highlighting how market-driven solutions and deregulation can address the housing shortages that plague many of the country’s metropolitan areas.
At Just Right News, Deborah is perhaps best known for her signature feature series, “Where We Live.” Through this platform, she explores the intersection of public policy and private life, moving beyond mere statistics to tell the stories of families, small business owners, and local developers. Her reporting frequently highlights the importance of mobility—not just in terms of transportation and transit, but as a vehicle for economic opportunity and social stability. She remains a staunch advocate for the taxpayer, consistently scrutinizing government spending on large-scale projects and advocating for transparency in how infrastructure dollars are allocated.
Deborah’s beat is more than just a collection of policy topics; it is an investigation into the physical and legal structures that allow families to flourish. Whether she is reporting on the impact of zoning laws on suburban development or the necessity of maintaining the nation’s highway systems, her work is characterized by a dedication to the facts and a respect for the constitutional principles that protect the rights of homeowners.
As a Senior Correspondent, Deborah Cole continues to be a vital voice for Just Right News, providing the audience with the clarity and context needed to navigate an ever-changing landscape. Her reporting ensures that the values of individual liberty and local sovereignty remain at the forefront of the national conversation regarding the future of our cities and towns. Through her tireless efforts, she remains committed to informing the public on the issues that hit closest to home.