To the Sarasota city Commissioners, Manager, and staff: 

We hear that the School District wants to put tennis courts in the middle of Payne Park:

 

We, the  undersigned, implore you: 

Preserve our Payne Park as is.

 

We oppose any reduction of the Park's open space.  Commissioners, please vote no on any and all attempts to reduce what is left of Payne Park's open green space.

 

 

Further, so that we do not need to keep revisiting threats to the integrity of Payne Park, we ask you, the City of Sarasota Commissioners:  Please rezone Payne Park from "Government" to be designated as a "Park" and do whatever it takes to ensure that it will remain as open green space in perpetuity.  This is not the first time the integrity of Payne Park has been threatened and a specific Park designation will help stop future threats.

 

*               Please delay until after the Summer any meetings deliberating on taking Payne Park green space for tennis courts or any other use change, in order to allow the most residents to participate.  We are very concerned about this critical issue and want to ensure that everyone, especially all those who are currently unavailable, are given the chance to be heard by you, their Commission representatives.     

 

Please DO NOT reduce the open green space within Payne Park.

 

 Respectfully,

 Sarasota citizens