Sarasota County kills controversial $18.1 million Boatyard deal over title dispute

The Boatyard waterfront property near the Siesta Key bridge was slated to become a public park before Sarasota County commissioners voted Wednesday to terminate an $18.1 million purchase agreement over unresolved title issues.(Christian Casale / Suncoast Searchlight )Sarasota County commissioners on Wednesday terminated the county’s $18.1 million deal to buy the Boatyard waterfront property at the foot of the southern Siesta Key bridge after a months-long dispute over a federal easement that clouded the property’s title.The board voted 3-2 to walk away from the purchase rather than accept a proposal from property owner Chris Brown of Big Main Street LLC that would have left the county responsible for potentially significant costs to resolve the title problems.Although commissioners had heralded the move as an opportunity to expand public waterfront access, some criticized paying for it by using funds earmarked for environmentally sensitive lands and neighborhood parks. Critics also qu