Longboat Key News and Sarasota City News encourages Letters to the Editor on timely issues. Please email to: letters@lbknews.com or mail to PO Box 8001, Longboat Key, FL 34228. We also print letters sent to Town Hall that address Longboat Key issues. We reserve the right to edit.
Bridge compliance
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Sarah Karon
Richard Abuza, here. I made a comment at the Longboat North meeting about the proposed bridge you asked me to follow up on.
First, I want to thank you so much for your dedication to Longboat and being willing to serve our Town. I serve on two City Boards up in Massachusetts, and I know it sometimes is a difficult task. I appreciate your support of Longboat North and your participation in our meetings. I am the Condo president of Northgate of Longboat Key. Northgate has the homes most affected by the proposed bridge.
My apologies. I rechecked the slope formulas and the proposed mid-level bridge is technically within ADA slope parameters.
However, just because something is technically in compliance does not mean it is practically in compliance. Just ask anyone who has pushed someone in a wheelchair up a 3% grade incline for a short distance–let alone nearly 1/5 of a mile. That can be incredibly exhausting–but what can be even scarier, is trying to hold back a wheelchair going down a slope gathering momentum for almost a quarter of a mile–with no level place to bring yourself to safety.
There are other pedestrian and bike safety issues with any high bridge design which we detailed in our comments to FDOT. I can provide them if you want. On the ecological front, for the hundreds and hundreds of cars every day that cross this bridge, for every foot of elevation, an internal combustion engine has to strain to push thousands of pounds of steel up every foot of that incline. Very little of that energy is recouped on the slope down.
In traffic the ecological cost is even worse, since the physics of motion is that starting a body (car) from a stop requires far more energy than keeping it moving. Every time every car stops, extra energy is used and pollution is created overcoming the inertia of a resting body. With each stop in traffic, that energy cost and increase in pollution is magnified by having to push a car up a hill. Even electric cars have to exert extra energy in this same situation, and that electricity comes at an ecological cost. Every bit of raising the bridge height is a hidden tax on the citizens who use the bridge in addition to taxing the environment.
No new bridge of any size or height will do anything to solve our fundamental problem–gridlocked traffic. If the bridge has to be replaced (which I am not sure is a valid assumption) at least the low bridge does not create safety, and ecological and visual disaster.
Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.
Richard Abuza
Longboat Key
Bridge compliance
To: Richard Abuza
I appreciate your insights on both points. They add to the accumulating “common sense” data that will hopefully encourage FDOT to fully consider our community’s specific point of view. Accessibility, air quality, neighborhood feel, environmental sensitivity… all of these priorities can and should be part of the agency’s design considerations, along with traffic flow and safety. It’s a beautiful pass, let’s keep it that way.
Sarah Karon
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Two weeks later….how’s the bay?
To: Longboat Key Commission, Sarasota City Commission
On June 11th, our region was hit by a substantial rain event, as we discussed in the last Director’s Note. We are now about two weeks after that event, and it’s worth asking “How is the bay doing?’ Because in the first days after that rain event, it was not looking good, as described in that last communication. Stormwater runoff and algal blooms and fish kills are not good for the bay’s health, but there’s a difference between an episodic stressor and chronic ones. The large loss of seagrass meadows and fish habitat that occurred in the lower bay between about 2014 and 2018 didn’t happen because of a couple of days or weeks of bad water quality, it was because water quality was bad for years. Literally – years.
So how “normal” was that last big rain event? There are a couple of ways to investigate this. One of them is shown in the first graph, which plots the intensity of rainfall in units of maximum hourly rates. The dataset for this analysis comes from the SRQ airport, with a data set of 52 years (1972 to 2024). According to this data set, the 3.93 inches of rain in one hour recorded on June 11th is the highest value recorded in over 50 years. Note as well that over the past 52 years of data, 9 of the top 10 intense rainfall events have occurred within the past 25 years. This means that intense rainfall events are more likely to have occurred over the past 25 years, vs. the prior 25 years. This is consistent with rainfall expectations with climate change – warmer air can hold more moisture, and more moisture in the atmosphere can lead to more intense rain events.
The epicenter of the rain was right around St. Armands Circle and downtown Sarasota, as shown in the second graphic. Note how the data is presented in units of “return period”. The purple and bright purple areas indicate that rain of that intensity is not expected to occur more than once every 50 to 100 years. However, remember that our ability to predict the intensity of rainfall may be compromised now since 90% of the most intense rainfall events over the past 52 years (first graph) have occurred within the past 25 years.
But now, two weeks later, how is the bay doing? There’s no doubt we had an impact, but a survey of the bay this week suggests that we are recovering along the lines of how we thought we would. Attached here are some photos taken this week along the stretch of the bay where we experience the most intense rainfall. The photo from the 10th Street shoreline is just north of the boat ramp, where a massive amount of stormwater runoff came into the bay, as captured in the photos in the last Director’s Note. No dead fish were found, and no piles of decomposing macroalgae. Instead, there was about 3 feet of visibility in the water – enough to clearly see the rocks and gravel and shell bottom of this part of the bay. It’s not a pristine part of the bay – at all – but it’s not looking worse than a typical summer day.
The second photo is from Bird Key Park. The water has a greenish tinge, indicating a phytoplankton bloom. But the bay bottom is visible in about 3 to 4 feet of water in this part of the bay. No dead fish, and not much macroalgae either. The seagrass meadows and sandy bay bottom are clearly seen. The final photo is from the boardwalk at City Island’s Bay Walk. It was a very calm day (which is why you can see the reflection boardwalk’s railing in the photo. Visibility was over four feet, and the seagrass meadows and sandy bottom are clearly seen. Again, no dead fish, and no piles of macroalgae.
I’ve got similar photos from Palma Sola Bay, the Bradenton Beach Pier, and the Longboat Key boat ramp. Visibility was lowest in Palma Sola Bay, but no dead fish, and no large-scale piles of macroalgae by the dock on the north side of the causeway. Similar findings, but with better water clarity, at the Bradenton Beach Pier and the Longboat Key boat ramp.
Rain events as intense as we had two weeks ago used to be rare, and are still unusual, it would seem. But it also appears that intense rain events were not as rare during the last two decades as they were in prior decades. When they happen, our stormwater collection, treatment, and distribution systems will be overwhelmed – no question. But as long as we keep the bay as healthy as possible the rest of the time, it seems that our bay should be able to recover from such episodic events.
This past rain event was not without impact – but it did not seem to cause the widespread and severe impacts that occur with much longer-lasting stresses, such as we experienced during the years of 2013 to 2019. Bay-wide, our water quality is better now than it has been at any time over the past 10 to 15 years. Don’t confuse that sentence with us saying nothing more needs to be done, or that we are anything close to pristine. We’re not pristine and being better than the last 10 to 15 years is not the highest of bars to clear. But our goal of achieving the water quality conditions we had during the years 2006 to 2012 is not only reasonable, but it also appears that it was an attainable goal as well. Which is good, because episodic events such as we experienced two weeks ago are not likely to be as rare over the next few decades as they were the past few decades.
David Tomasko
Executive Director
Sarasota Bay Estuary Program
Two weeks later….how’s the bay?
To: Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Director Dave Tomasko
Dave, since my last report that concerning red rusty orange color has disappeared. The storm runoff did create the plankton Bloom as you mentioned, and an increase in seagrass accumulation. The only clarity issues we have are all the manatees under the boat, stirring the water up, I see is a great sign. My Ambient weather system recorded on that date a rainfall rate of 6.2 in./h. and a total rain accumulation for the day of 10.19 inches. The last time we had a rain like that was July or August of 2003 when our seawall collapsed due to the static pressure it created. Thanks for all the good work you and your folks do for our community. It’s greatly appreciated.
Gary Coffin
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Bridge
To: Jim Whitman
Jim, thank you for this info. Hopefully this presentation/conversation happens in the near future, seems like a logical next step.
Sarah Karon
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Bridge
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Sarah Karon
I’m writing to let you know that I spoke to the FDOT representative after his presentation to the LBK commission. He informed me that they have not yet presented to the Bradenton Beach commission, and he does not know what their position is on these issues.
Jim Whitman
Longboat Key
Bridge
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Sarah Karon
Thanks for your update at yesterday’s LBK North meeting. Glad to hear that there seems to be general opposition to a high (whether 65 or 78’) fixed bridge. Do you happen to know which bridge option the Town of Bradenton Beach would prefer? If we’re all on the same page, it would be great to present a united municipal front to FDOT.
Jim Whitman
Longboat Key
Bridge
To: James Haft
Jim just for clarification on the Longboat Pass Bridge, it is what mariners call ‘on request, or, on demand’ opening. Meaning that when a vessel is approaching, due to the heavy tide action and narrowness of the opening, the bridge tenders are required to open it on demand. All the other bridge openings in our immediate area are by a specific time and schedule.
Gary Coffin
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Bridge
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Sarah Karon
Pages 10 and 11 of the FDOT presentation has data on the expected reduction of bridge openings for the two Bascule bridge options.
However, as those of us on the north end know, it’s a mistake to think that bridge openings exacerbate traffic when cars are backed up all the way to the Bridge Street circle in Bradenton Beach. After the bridge closes, you move maybe 200 yards before traffic comes to a halt again.
Bridge openings only slow traffic on days when there is otherwise no traffic on Gulf of Mexico Drive, and then only for the 5-10 minutes opening cycle. That cycle could hopefully be improved with a modern bridge and better training for bridge tenders who sometimes will start opening the bridge when they see a vessel on the horizon, rather than just in front of the bridge!
James G. Haft
Longboat Key
Longboat Pass Bridge – Updated to include comments
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Sarah Karon
Thank you Commissioner for your request for consideration in the FDOT letter. It will be a part of the discussion at the Board meeting Friday as there are several schools of thought on it. From a traffic flow perspective, the higher bascule bridge would open less and offer more opportunities for traffic to flow. Agree it’s not as desirable as the lower bascule option but as with everything there are tradeoffs – in this case more frequent bridge openings. Traffic is a top consideration island-wide and that’s why will discuss this point in the letter on Friday.
The good news is that both bascule options are better than the fixed span
Howard N. Tipton
Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Pass Bridge – Updated to include comments
To: Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton
For the record, I hope we will keep in mind our North End residents’ strong preference for the lower-height bascule bridge if it proves to be a sensible choice.
I notice that Ken’s letter to FDOT states the higher bascule bridge will significantly reduce the need for openings compared to the lower alternative. Have we seen any data on this? If so, sorry to have missed it but please re-send if possible.
Sarah Karon
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Hi Mike
I read the excellent exchange between you and Eric Brenner regarding GMD, safety and funding.
Regarding funding, would it add any value to know what percent of GMD traffic is contained within LBK versus used as a pass through? Am always surprised by the number of cars that follow me from Sarasota to the north end of the Key and continue right over the pass to AMI. Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised, because the thousands of AMI tourists that want to go to St Armands, Sarasota, Siesta Key and/or back – will find the quickest and recommended route by Maps is through LBK. Same for any service vehicle serving the Bradenton -Sarasota area.
There is a reason GMD is a state road – and priority safety improvements (the Broadway /GMD intersection being at the top of my list) should be fully funded and prioritized by FDOT / USDOT. It makes little sense that we would spend hundreds of thousands of LBK dollars to get these designs to 90% / shovel ready (twice, in the case of the roundabout) – and not have the DOT follow-through with the investment required.
Thank you for all of the work you are doing, as our LBK Vice Mayor, with the MPO. Am hopeful some of the ideas the Commission and Town Staff are working on, and that Mr Brenner put forward, will come to fruition.
Please let us know if there is anything we can do from the community’s standpoint to support this work.
Maureen Merrigan
Longboat Key
More frequent collections
To: Longboat Key Commission
The picture on the left is from our beach access on LBK at 6399 GMD.
The picture on the right is from the very popular Coquina Beach, just North of here, taken on a Sunday.
The one on the left has cans filled to overflowing, with NO separation of recyclables.
The one on the right is for recyclables only; there are other cans provided for regular trash.
Can it be that we are satisfied with the one on the left?
How is it that Manatee County can do so much better than we, an aspirational high-end community?
Isn’t it in our Goals and Objectives to meet a higher standard?
I believe we need to do better, investigate how to improve this, whether it be more frequent collections, dedicated recycle cans, etc.
Jim Whitman
Longboat Key
Sea turtle
To: Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Director Allen Parsons
When we met this morning on LBKTW Zone C, I had no idea what was happening on Zone B, 6529 Gulfside Road (GSR).
Complicated situation. I know you are aware of the rocks and “old house foundation” at 6529 GSR.
As Charlie, Issac, and the Town of Longboat Key (Town) are well aware, there is critical erosion in this area.
This am, we had a female loggerhead nest in this specific area of concern. It appears that she tried to nest, encountering multiple rocks and block foundations. She did indeed nest, but based on her multiple tracks in and around the rocks and housing foundation, she used a lot of time and energy (hours?) to get in and out of this area of concern. See photos below, including the data sheet submitted to Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program (STCRP).
So, could the Town think about stopping the sea turtles from nesting in this specific area via a fence of some kind? I have no idea, but re-nourishment is definitely needed, and we need to figure out how to protect the sea turtle nesting females from encountering this situation in the mean time. Thank you for your consideration.
Terri Driver
Longboat Key Turtle Watch
Sea turtle
To: Terri Driver
Thanks very much for sending the info. That was one unbelievably determined and agile mama turtle! Town staff is following up on the questions and concerns raised in your email.
I did want to pass along, as an FYI, the map excerpt immediately below that shows the location of the Erosion Control Line (ECL) established in this area. The ECL distinguishes between public and private property. As a reminder, volunteers (and Town staff generally) need authorization from property owners to go onto their private property. Just wanting to make sure volunteers avoid any kind of possible trespassing issues. Thanks for all you do.
Allen Parsons
Planning and Zoning Director
Town of Longboat Key
State of FL Annual Financial Report FY23
To: Longboat Key Town Finance Director Susan Smith
Your certification is authorized.
Ken Schneier
Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
State of FL Annual Financial Report FY23
To: Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier
Each year we have to electronically file the Town’s financial statements in an electronic format.
It requires your certification and have attached a copy of the format required.
If you could kindly respond to this email to authorize my certification on your behalf.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Susan Smith
Finance Director
Town of Longboat Key
Canal question
To: Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton
I just had a question from a homeowner. His particular canal needs no dredging #45. Will the crew come down and dredge closer to his seawall if he pays the extra, even though the rig will not be in that particular canal at all? I’m sure they’ll be many more of these types of questions. Do we want to set up a procedure for them to be collected and submitted at a later date?
Gary Coffin
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
CCS Turn Lane
To: Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton
Tip I know I’m a little late to the game here, but would it be possible to get an update on the Country Club Shores turn lane project for the June 28th meeting?
Gary Coffin
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Draft Letter to FDOT
To: Longboat Key Commission
At the last Board meeting after the FDOT discussion, there was consensus that a letter should come from the Mayor (on behalf of the Commission) summarizing the key points of the discussion. Included in this correspondence would be recommendations from the Commission that reflected the community’s input.
Accordingly, attached is a draft letter to FDOT that would be from the Mayor to the District Secretary. It’s a high-level discussion as FDOT is still early in the planning process and many details have yet to be fleshed out, however it does hit the major decision points. I plan to bring this up under my report on June 28th to ensure that it accurately reflects the Board’s position on this important project.
If you’d like to discuss any changes or additions to the letter, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Howard N. Tipton
Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Bridge
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Sarah Karon
I wanted to thank you for your thoughtful questions during the Commission meeting on the bridge. My family and our community has been very thankful for the response and care you’ve demonstrated since learning about the issue.
If we’re going to spend $100 million and forever change the quality of life in our community, I’d like to think FDOT can do better prep work and should not be relying on you to search for simple answers. I’m still optimistic that with your and others help we can provide guidance to make this project one that we can be proud of. Thanks again for your work!
Ben Ghosh
Longboat Key
Bridge
To: Ben Ghosh
Thanks, Ben, and right back at you. I hugely appreciate your (and your family’s) sensible, logical analysis of the bridge issue. Monday’s session with our FDOT representatives felt like truly constructive dialogue; hopefully we can all keep taking steps in the right direction, together. I can assure you that the Town is committed to a best-case (bascule) solution. May common sense prevail.
Sarah Karon
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Canal
To: Longboat Key Commission
I’m wondering if anyone can help me to read the “permitted channel dimensions “
Especially docking. Don’t understand 1/2 at the dock. If the tide is at .7 or below MLW my lift is on the bottom. I am unable to launch or retrieve my boat. I don’t know if this has anything to do with dredging. Thanks for any info.
Mike Stone
Longboat Key
Please keep The “Town Green” Green
To: Longboat Key Commission
First, this is not an argument against having a Sarasota County
Library on Longboat Key. This is a simple argument expressed by many during the County Library Town public “Input Sessions” early this year and most important, in the LBK Citizen’s Survey responses in answer to the Town’s Citizen’s Survey question “What do you want to see in Town Center / Green Improvements?”
Out of a few thousand responses, (published April ‘24), to this open ended question, by far, 72%, said they want more of the type of shows and Community gathering events already provided on the Town Green like the “Market on LBK, Arts and Craft, Music Festivals and “other Community Events like these.” A Library was far down open ended response priority list.
The recent newspaper article showing the County Library Architectural Renderings strikingly illustrate the large mass, height and scale of the 11,230 sq ft structure which will loom over and crowd up against the Town Green ellipse Pavilion Stage audience area. It appears “shoe horned” into the space which it was. It is unquestionably way out of scale with the adjacent Green and eliminates our Citizen’s researched priority for keeping the Town Green green, allowing flexibility to provide Citizen requested types of event options sited in the Town survey. This is not just our opinion, it’s the Town Survey’s opinion as well as evidenced by strong attendance participation of previous popular events held on the Green over the past couple of years that required using the proposed Library site area.
Now, regarding the magnanimous Sarasota County offer to build and operate a Library on Longboat Key and the “Town’s decision” to move ahead on the project leasing 12 acres to the County giving up control of this important Town Green land for 50 years.
How and when was that decision made and by whom? No one, including several respected past Town Commissioners and the LBK Observer Editor seem to know.
There is an Orwellian Halo over this project in that “The Town and County Commissions seem to know what’s best for LBK’s Town Green and you are moving ahead ignoring your own Town Citizen Survey Guidance”.
Who is it that really wants this $11.1 million taxpayer funded Library plus another $2 million Community meeting room and $1.5 million “Terrace” private money funded or even on this particular site? You do.
The other confounding and logical question many people have is Why do you continue to ignore, not even study and seriously consider siting the County Library on the larger Town parcel of land next door to Town Hall in order to keep the Town Green and available for Community events? It is knee jerk logic and common sense to site it next to Town Hall as many have suggested. Even highly respected Past Mayor and Architect Jim Brown testified to you in support of the optional site and was publicly ignored. Outside of your bubble of power most people do not understand the decision-making process of this project. Town Citizens deserve answers to these questions.
Please, slow down, it is not too late to reconsider and seriously study options to achieve ALL your Town Center objectives and most important, your Citizen’s objectives. You have a logical County Library site option next to Town Hall. As our County Commissioner told us recently the County does not care where the Library site is located, “That is the Town’s decision”.
There is also is another viable option worth consideration. The LBK Foundation, could possibly raise $3.5 M of private money to buy and gift the Tidewell Building adjacent to the Town Green to the Town creating a real Community Center to include the popular Paradise Center, leased space for the Education Center‘s expansion needs and provide even more Community Meeting space.
Private money will not then be needed for the Library enhancements. These options unquestionably achieve a much bigger bang for the buck that meet ALL Town Center needs and keeps the Town Green for Citizen, asked for, Community events.
Overall and most important, it will clearly demonstrate that the Commission listens to and meets the needs and wishes of the people of Longboat Key, the core Mission of the Commission. Thank you for your serious consideration and service to our Community.
Bob and Shannon Gault
Longboat Key
Comcast work in Sabal Cove area
To: Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier
Regarding your question about Comcast work within Sabal Cove, it is not related to the undergrounding project. Please see response to our inquiry from our Comcast representative below:
The area you called about this morning is part of the equipment upgrade project currently underway on Longboat Key, this is separate from the underground project. These upgrades are scheduled to continue thru June, July, and August.
Isaac Brownman
Director Public Works
Town of Longboat Key
Comcast work in Sabal Cove area
To: Longboat Key Public Works Director Isaac Brownman
Thanks, Isaac. I hope their project is consistent with the mechanics and the timing of our undergrounding work.
Ken Schneier
Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
Bike path
To: Longboat Key Vice Mayor Mike Haycock
Being a long-time visitor to LBK (50+ years) with family who are permanent residents, and someone who has biked, walked, and driven frequently on LBK throughout the decades, there was one missing piece in the recent Observer story where you were quoted that I want to mention. This may have come up during the council discussion, and not made it in the story, but the best way to avoid e-bike conflicts with pedestrians will be to entice/encourage more of them to safely use the shoulders that already exist on the Gulf of Mexico Dr., where faster and more confident bikers already prefer to ride.
The speed limit on GMD is higher than it should be, but I am well aware of past controversies lowering the limit even in small increments, even after some well publicized crashes and fatalities.
My sense is that police enforcement of cars speeding on GMD is better than in the past, but with the high allowable speeds, this may not be enough to entice new e-bikers off of the sidepath.
Instead of just talking about enforcement of e-bike speeders on side paths (something I have not experienced, I find the sidepath users on LBK, however they are moving around, to be unfailingly considerate), please broaden the discussion to include ways that bikers on the road can be made to feel more comfortable.
Florida DOT and the many state and local bike organizations are well versed on a variety of treatments that could be added to Gulf of Mexico Dr. that enhance safety for everyone. Rather than start listing options here, maybe pull in the Town Manager to the discussion and have him broaden this conversation, which is caused by the positive result that more people than ever are now choosing to both bike and walk on LBK.
This is a good thing (even if it has been partly due to increased driving congestion). Everyone cooperating to determine what works best on LBK can benefit from recent changes made elsewhere. Florida has the unfortunate distinction of having the highest number of bike and pedestrian fatalities in the nation, with the only positive result being that other communities have a lot of fresh experience trying to improve these outcomes.
Many of these design accommodations are very low cost and surprisingly easy to implement. Many of these improvements are also very recent, so maybe not something that your local staff are fully aware of. Having them reach out on a peer-to-peer basis will be more beneficial than just having a (sometimes) constituent just typing out examples.
Given that I mentioned the Town Manager, I will cc’ him on this note. Thank you for your concern and interest.
Eric Brenner
Longboat Key
Bike path
To: Eric Brenner
That you for your thoughtful note. Like you, my wife and I have been biking on Longboat Key for 30 years. We used to use the bike path on the road when we had skinny tire road bikes. As we got older we graduated to e-bikes and feel much safer on our multi-use path. We use it to grocery shop, go to post office, CVS and exercise. We have bells and are able to coexist with pedestrians safely.
Last year the Commission completed a visioning study for the future design of the 10 miles of Gulf of Mexico Drive. It includes a 12-foot multi-use path and a 7 foot bike lane on the road with a 2 foot buffer from the car lane. Since this is a state highway the funding needs to come from the FDOT and is in the current 30-year plan.
What many of us have observed in the last year is e-bikes using the multis path and going well over the 10 mph speed limit. We are afraid this will eventually result in someone getting seriously hurt. While we wait for the long term plan we are hoping better signage, education and an occasional police warning with change the behavior of the few e-bike users that are going way too fast.
Mike Haycock
Vice Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
Bike path
To: Longboat Key Vice Mayor Mike Haycock
Thanks for the quick and educational response…a seven-foot bike lane with a two foot buffer would be a lot better than the short term fixes that I was thinking about, and the fact that this is already in the FDOT long term plan is an unexpected surprise, and something that might present opportunities for the state (and LBK) to move this project higher up the queue given other recent developments at USDOT.
In the past, anything like this on LBK would fall into the strictly “recreational” category, but no more.
Your example (shared by many others) of LBK residents using bikes and the sidepath for transportation purposes (shopping, etc.) and with the St. Regis in the midst of their hiring efforts (some of these employees will inevitably be using bikes, many on e-bikes) to commute to work, and the recent extension/completion of the Legacy Trail into downtown Sarasota (extending an already long ride from Venice up LBK to Anna Maria and Bradenton is already something that people do…but more would partake with these kind of improvements on GMD)…all presents an opportunity.
Add in the public safety concerns that you voiced–with some e-bike users crowding/scaring pedestrians on the already busy sidepath, but not feeling comfortable enough to move onto the shoulder, and a lot more e-bikes on the way–and it sounds like the makings of a terrific grant application for one of the new/creative programs offered by USDOT to design/finance/build innovative multimodal projects.
Given Cong. Vern Buchanan’s past interest in bike projects, particularly those with a tourism/economic development aspect, his staff might also have some ideas on how to get FDOT (and USDOT) interested in making this a higher priority than might currently be the case…seeing if funding could be found from a source that doesn’t compete with their other project priorities.
With the information shared in your initial response, none of this will be news to you. I really can’t think of any examples around the country of a project that could blend together so many different goals (senior health, pedestrian safety, car congestion relief, tourism promotion, connecting long distance trails where recent investments have been made, economic development by providing better commuter options to existing jobs).
Even the design of the new Longboat Pass bridge on the north end of the island can allow FDOT to do some real long range planning; more than just a bridge replacement. Keep up the good work!
Eric Brenner
Longboat Key
Bridge lights
To: Sarasota City Commission
Did you seriously not stand up to DeSantis this year like you did last year by not lighting the bridge for Pride month? I just read that. I’m really disappointed. Your constituent?
Austin D. Nichols
Sarasota
Bridge lights
To: Austin Nichols
Good night. The bridge is owned and the lights are operated by the State. The City makes annual requests of the State to light the bridge in awareness colors and the State reviews and programs the lighting accordingly. The City has no control of the lighting even if we defied the directive from the State. I hope this helps clarify the situation.
Marlon Brown
City Manager
City of Sarasota
Bridge lights
To: Sarasota City Manager Marlon Brown
I wonder why the bridge was lit rainbow last year and not this year. Must be an erosion of support for human rights. Thank you for your responses.
Austin D. Nichols
Sarasota
Bridge lights
To: Austin Nichols
That directive from the State was only done this year (in May). There was no directive in previous years. I hope this further helps.
Marlon Brown
City Manager
City of Sarasota
Bath & Racquet
To: Peggy Shanahan
Thanks for your call today per the stormwater run-off into your property and those around you recently.
Even with the acknowledgement of the extreme rain event last week, this does seem to be an ongoing issue you have experienced in the past since the redevelopment of Bath & Racquet.
You shared with me your concerns with the lack of stormwater retention and flow on the property, especially to the south. Given that we are now entering Hurricane Season, I do understand your interest in the timeline and plans for stormwater treatment now, during construction, and in the future post development.
I have copied the City Manager, Deputy City Manager, and Staff (and County Commissioner Mark Smith, whom I believe, is your representative) who can direct this to the appropriate department. I look forward to an update and response very soon.
Jen Ahearn-Koch
Vice Mayor
City of Sarasota
Bath & Racquet
To: Sarasota City Deputy Building Official Mat Taylor
Danny Shanahan from 2113 Mill Terr. We met last week in your office the day after the big rain. I’m just checking to see if you were able to get ahold of any one from Bath & Racquet? I have not witnessed any active on the property. Please let me know, thanks.
Jen Ahearn-Koch
Vice Mayor
City of Sarasota
Bath & Racquet
To: Sarasota County Commissioner Mark Smith
Thank you so much for the follow-up and for responding to our constituent’s concerns.
Much appreciated to you and all Staff who will look into this issue.
Jen Ahearn-Koch
Vice Mayor
City of Sarasota
Bath & Racquet
To: Sarasota City Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch
I have copied Spencer Anderson, Director of Public Works on this email to make him and his department aware of the former Bath & Racquet property stormwater issues so he can get back to us.
Mark Smith
Sarasota County Commissioner
