Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Manatee business owner concerned over dangerous portion of U.S. 41

For full article:

https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2...rtion-of-us-41

What You Need To Know

- Longtime business owner Jonathan Greenlaw is concerned with the amount of crashes on U.S. 41 in Palmetto

- He says the issue is drivers heading north on U.S. 41 in Palmetto don’t see the drivers merging left from Business 41

- He hired a traffic engineer to look at the issue as well

[wondermint2]

Sarasota County ends legal fight for Siesta Key hotels as opponents ready for next round

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sa...277e6864&ei=25

After two years of courtroom wrangling with opponents of two proposed hotels on Siesta Key and legal bills running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, Sarasota County commissioners directed their attorney to finally end the fight.

County Attorney Joshua B. Moye recommended on Tuesday that the commissioners not appeal a judge's recent order in a lawsuit brought by Siesta Key resident Lourdes Ramirez concluding that the board's approval of the hotels on Siesta Key was inconsistent with its growth plan.

He also advised the commission to drop an appeal of a another legal win by Ramirez before Florida's Department of Administrative Hearings, rescind a development code amendment found to be inconsistent with the county's growth plan and to accept the "eventual final judgement" in a second Siesta Key hotel lawsuit.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Sarasota County Commissioners could approve ordinance impacting charter captains

For full article:

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/10/2...outputType=amp

Sarasota County Commissioners will hold a meeting on Oct. 24 where they could approve an ordinance that would manage unauthorized commercial activity at public docks and boat ramps.

The ordinance would stop charter captains from using public docks to pick up and drop off customers. According to the agenda, those found violating the ordinance could face a $500 fine or jail time.

Matt Fueyo has been using the same public dock in Sarasota County for 20 years. Fueyo and other captains are confused about the ordinance.

“We’re trying to figure out why they won’t let us pick up guests here anymore or any of the other park facilities,” said Fueyo.

According to documents attached to the meeting agenda, “the County’s water access and boat ramp parks lack the space, parking capacity and supporting infrastructure to support the management of a commercial vessel permit program.”

Charter captains raise concerns about dock access; Sarasota Co. leaders postpone discussion of ordinance change

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/art...277e6864&ei=52

Several local captains and fishing guides spent the day off the water to voice their concerns about possible changes to a county code relating to commercial activity at public parks.

For years, charter captains say they’ve picked up and dropped off customers at waterfront parks, such as Nora Patterson Park just off Siesta Key. Up until about a year ago, they never had any issues doing it.

County officials say conducting business at a county park without a permit has been prohibited for a long time. That’s why staff proposed updating language in the code to clarify the restrictions.

Commissioners heard testimony from numerous business owners Tuesday and ultimately decided to table the discussion until after the first of the year. The county administrator will come back before the board with a list of options including a possible task force to address the issue. At that time, the board will give direction on how to move forward.

In the meantime, enforcement will be limited to warnings and voluntary compliance until any official changes are made to the language of the ordinance.

[wondermint2]

Bradenton to negotiate a contract with NDC Construction Co. to build a new police HQ

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/br...277e6864&ei=60

The NDC Construction Co. has never built a police station, yet the city of Bradenton is negotiating a contract with the company for the new multi-million dollar police department headquarters.

The decision comes months after council members agreed to sell the waterfront city hall and police station property for $14.1 million to the L&L Development Group and construction partner, the NDC Construction Co., for the construction of a new downtown high rise that could reach 20 stories.

[wondermint2]

Student calls for end to Sarasota County hiring freeze

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/st...277e6864&ei=72

"The Sarasota County School Board’s blanket hiring freeze is harming our public schools. As a student at Sarasota High School, I am experiencing its consequences firsthand.

While it is meant to account for a decline in enrollment due to private school vouchers, it unfairly hurts students who cannot afford to switch. The reason for this is that the hiring freeze does not allow for filling vacant positions."

[wondermint2]

Changes could be coming to Cortez Road Corridor

For full article & QR codes for survey:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news...77e6864&ei=106

Opportunities to improve the safety and capacity of the Cortez corridor are actively being considered. Manatee County is asking for resident feedback.

For more information about this project, click here:

https://www.swflroads.com/project/44...ao0ZAqMWQfJfNc

Scan the QR codes below to complete the survey. The survey will be open until Nov. 9. (view full article to get QR codes)

[wondermint2]

Sarasota County asked to end ties to library associations over 'ideology, explicit' books

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sa...43867e81&ei=37

The culture war against the American Library Association landed in Sarasota Tuesday, as several speakers urged the County Commission to end its affiliation with and financial support for the American Library Association and Florida Library Association because of concerns raised over reading materials available to youth in libraries.

The speakers who addressed the board during the board's public comment period asked that the issue be brought up for a vote at its Nov. 14 meeting.

A Sarasota County spokeswoman said via email Tuesday that Sarasota County pays annual dues of $1,300 to the American Library Association and $2,673 to the Florida Library Association.

Neither association dictates media stocking decisions in libraries for Sarasota County; all of those decisions made by local librarians.

Severing those ties would mean the loss of “discounts on job posting services, publications, and professional training opportunities,” the spokeswoman said.

The American Library Association is the largest professional organization in the world focused on libraries.

It advocates against the banning of books and promotes the "Freedom to Read." as well as "Banned Books Week," which this year was Oct. 1-7.

[wondermint2]

Speaking of spooky, look at those population numbers

For full article:

https://www.amisun.com/2023/10/24/sp...ation-numbers/

Halloween is next week, so as you’re decorating your home with spooky and creepy stuff from the Dollar Store, think about the spine-chilling increase in population right here in Manatee County.

There’s a good reason why the traffic on the roads never seems to take a break and why your favorite doctors are all of a sudden working weeks out for an appointment.

So far this year, the population of Manatee County is reported as 429,125. We grew by 29,420 in three years, per the U.S. Census. In April of 2010, the population was 322,833 per the U.S. Census, an increase of over 100,000 residents in not quite 13 years. Manatee County is the 15th most populated county in Florida out of 67 counties.

The above numbers, of course, do not include the scary number of visitors and part-time residents flowing into Manatee County every year. They also do not include the many thousands of residents that will be added to the county when the large construction projects are completed.

[wondermint2]

Sarasota Preservation Program Unveils Innovative New Tools to Help Homeowners Protect Historic Homes

For full article:

https://www.srqmagazine.com/srq-dail...Historic-Homes

The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation (SAHP) has launched the Sarasota Preservation Program to save and protect historic buildings through a suite of tools that have never been deployed in the region.

These include historic preservation easements; low-cost financing for maintenance and restoration of historic buildings; and technical assistance for repairs and upkeep. The goal is to combat the Sarasota region’s rapid loss of historic buildings through tangible help to homeowners – including low-cost loans and help for those who own even modest-scale older dwellings.

To learn more, visit:

https://www.preservesrq.org/

[wondermint2]

What’s Going on at the Corner of University Parkway and U.S. 301?

A lot on the northwest corner there was recently cleared. Here’s what’s planned for the property.

For full article:

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/hom...ty-parkway-301

Along with all the new residential projects popping up in the area, commercial developments are also taking hold—projects like a massive food distribution center headed to the corner of University Parkway and U.S. 301 on the border of Sarasota and Manatee counties. If you’re wondering what all that land-clearing work is for, it’s about to be home to UNFI.