BRADENTON – In April, we told you about a Sarasota activist who was being sued for a million bucks by politically-connected developer Carlos Beruff in what is commonly referred to as a SLAPP suit (strategic lawsuit against public participation). We’re happy to report that Beruff has dropped the case.

John Garcia didn’t think the Sarasota County Commission should allow homes to be built on a piece of land adjacent to a garbage dump that had a long history of causing environmental problems in the surrounding area. Neither did the commission until Beruff took over the project and was able to win a shocking approval for a site-development plan.

Garcia felt even more strongly that potential buyers should be aware of the location’s history and compiled video testimony from land use hearings and planning commission meetings, along with test data, on a website he’s since taken down.

Beruff didn’t show for an April 12 pre-trial conference, and his attorney, in securing a continuance, indicated he hadn’t been available to be deposed and wouldn’t be anytime soon. Last week, one day before Garcia’s hearing on a motion to compel discovery, Beruff dropped the suit.

"Medallion Homes filed a lawsuit to shut me up, so they could sell homes without having to look for and remove previously located underground toxins," said Garcia, who has long advocated for deep soil boring and reasonable testing prior to putting homes on the land.

Garcia says he's glad that part of the ordeal is over, but is still troubled by the fact that homes are continuing to be sold.

Click the link below to read more about this ongoing story.

Beruff Suing Activist Over Claims on Landfill Adjacent Development

Click here to read.