The Sarasota County Commission has approved an exception for a 8.7-acre plot in Englewood to be the new home of a Buddhist forest monastery, just a few blocks from the Dearborn Street shopping district. The Sarasota Forest Monastery group had bought the land for about $200,000 ahead of an August 31 deadline but faced an uncertain wait as county officials considered the land’s use. With that use approved, the group now plans to continue fundraising efforts for the construction of a chapel, meditation center, workshop, and residences.
