Who needs another food market? We have Fresh Market, Publix (three in a 4-mile radius), Ditweiler, only to name a few around here. Another tree-covered area will be another beautiful parking lot. I could cry to see all those trees go. The whole University Parkway corridor from Interstate-75 to Tamiami Trail will be one store and restaurant after the other. Not to talk about all the shops and restaurants in the UTC area. Then we have the 'diamond circle' on I-75. We live on University Park and try to avoid the eastbound direction already as much as we can. It's getting worse every day. My point is, this area was once green, nice and quiet. Now it is one traffic nightmare after the other. And the last green spot will be gone too. But who cares? Business is what's important, right?

“Garrison noted, though, that the environmental impact will be mitigated by the purchase of land in a preserve that will boost the Manatee River Basin.”

How wonderful. I would be interested where this is. On the site for Whole Food,s there is no River basin, but that might be only me who doesn't see it. Maybe he means the retention pond he has to build. Certainly a beautiful pond, I am sure.

When does this madness end? When there is nothing left to cut down. How sad.

Olaf Maly, Sarasota, responding to the "Whole Foods to Change Customer Market" article in the Feb. 1 edition of SRQ Daily.