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.
Our tour last week
To: Longboat Key Vice Mayor Mike Haycock
It was such a pleasure to have you tour our property and meet you in person. We are excited to be a valuable part of this great community. I look forward welcoming you and your grandchildren back often.
Winfred van Workum
General Manager
The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort and Residences
Our tour last week
To: St. Regis General Manager Winfred van Workum
I would like to thank you and your staff for our tour of your beautiful Hotel last week. The design, finishes and out door spaces are first class. The staff was very welcoming and knowledgable. You obviously have done a great job selecting and training them. Special thanks to Ian for spending so much time showing us all the amenities.
Lyn and I will be regulars and can’t wait to bring the grandkids to the outdoor pools and lagoon.
Chuck, you promised LBK a five star hotel and you delivered. Well done.
Mike Haycock
Vice Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
Thank you
To: Longboat Key Public Works Director Isaac Brownman
Isaac, a big thanks to you and your team for the flag deployment. It has a very symbolic meaning to all of us, particularly those who have and our serving in the public safety arena. I know the crew takes time out of their busy schedule to do this. It means an awful lot to all of our citizens. It’s just another example of how Longboat Key is now, and always has been a leader in the Florida communities.
Gary Coffin
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Thank you
To: Tom Mayers
Thanks for letting us know your concerns about “no motorcraft” markers south and east of Longboat Pass bridge. Perhaps more fine-tuning is needed in this area, to make delineations clear for the many folks who enjoy spending time there. I’m cc-ing our Town Manager, Howard Tipton, here: Tip, are any further signage revisions planned?
Sarah Karon
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act Delegation
To: Rusty Chinnis
As discussed at our Commission meeting yesterday, it is our plan to continue to discuss the questions of mangrove delegation and cooperation with the Anna Maria communities. I have attached a report by our Town Attorney to help define the issues involved, which has been or will be shared with the other towns. Please stay tuned.
Ken Schneier
Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act Delegation
To: Longboat Key Commission
Regarding the discussion around the Town seeking a delegation of authority from FDEP for mangrove protection, our Town Attorney has provided her research into the matter and our Planning, Zoning, and Building Director
has provided an update to the barrier island communities staff discussions on this subject. My thanks to both for their efforts. Provided as FYI and for future discussion this Fall.
Howard N. Tipton
Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act Delegation
To: Longboat Key Town Attorney Maggie Mooney
Thanks Maggie & Amy! Very thorough and informative.
Tip- Maggie’s memo is associated with a request from the Barrier Island Elected Officials (BIEO) group. I’ve attached a status update memo, prepared in June, on the BIEO’s consensus direction, to applicable staffs, to investigate a coordinated delegation approach. Based on the statutory delegation limitations noted in the Town Attorney’s memo, the ability to have a coordinated delegation among the 3 Anna Maria island jurisdictions and the Town is practically unachievable.
As noted previously, Town staff have the ability to halt unpermitted & non-exempt mangrove activity and we will continue to coordinate closely with FDEP on reported mangrove violations.
Allen Parsons
Director Planning, Zoning & Building Department
Town of Longboat Key
Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act Delegation
To: Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton
Attached please find a copy of a Memorandum that our office prepared in response to questions about the delegation of mangrove enforcement powers under Florida law. Please review the memo and let me or Amy know if you have any questions or want to discuss this in more detail.
Maggie D. Mooney
Town Attorney
Town of Longboat Key
ManaSota League
To: Longboat Key Commission
Update on ManaSota League meeting this week on Thursday, September 12, 2024.
League President Debbie McDowell asked that Board members to be informed the meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. as usual and end by 11 a.m. Our Vice President and Treasurer are both unable to attend and President McDowell has a commitment for which she must leave by 11:00 a.m. If your Commission/Council has developed their legislative priorities, please forward a copy to us.
To ensure a quorum is present, please respond right away if you are unable to attend our ManaSota League meeting on Thursday.
Please respond via phone call to our office ASAP at phone number 941-316-1999 or respond to this email if you will be present for the Candidate Forum on Friday, September 13. Forum begins at 1:00 p.m. You are welcome to invite others to attend. A notice of the event is attached.
There are several candidates who will be participating and we would like to have all our ManaSota League members attend if possible. We believe it will be a very good opportunity to hear directly from candidates running for Florida Legislature in Manatee and Sarasota counties.
We are pleased that Scott Dudley from FLC will be here to be the moderator of the forum.
Look forward to seeing you soon!
Gail Loeffler
Administrative Coordinator
ManaSota League of Cities, Inc.
Let’s Talk Longboat
To: Longboat Key residents
The Town Manager will be kicking off a new monthly series, “Let’s Talk Longboat!”
It’s designed as a relaxed, unstructured, “no agenda” afternoon, where community members (this means You!) can discuss issues, or ask questions about whatever is on your mind. A completely open dialogue, in a laid back format!
We invite you to the very first of the monthly series – 3 p.m. on October 15, 2024 at the Bayfront Park Recreation Center. Hope to see you there, and let’s talk Longboat!
Susan Phillips
Assistant to the Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Longboat Key Budget
To: Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton
For the record, I wasn’t questioning the numbers, only the conclusions drawn from them and the comparisons with other municipalities. Apples to oranges at its worst.
Ken Schneier
Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
St. Regis lighting
To: Longboat Key Turtle Watch Cyndi Seamon
St. Regis lighting continues to be an issue as they roll open. The Town is working hard to try and remedy the problems as they arise, recognizing that fines don’t seem to do the trick (Magistrate’s hearing next Wednesday). We appreciate your continued attention to this and look forward to seeing you on Monday.
Ken Schneier
Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
St Regis lighting
To: Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier
It appears the St Regis still has lighting issues. White lights in photo from what might be the Monkey Bar. Photo 7820 is from a nest by SeaPlace looking south to white lights. I plan to attend your commission meeting this coming week.
Cyndi Seamon
Longboat Key Turtle Watch
Buttonwood
To: Longboat Key Public Works Director Isaac Brownman
Thanks Isaac. Additional feedback from Building:
Michele inspected the site. The under construction pool groundwater drainage is functioning as it should & is being filtered to prevent sediment discharge. Nothing problematic was observed.
Allen Parsons
Planning and Zoning Director
Town of Longboat Key
Buttonwood
To: Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton
Guy and I visited the site separately and here are our notes:
The site under construction is draining groundwater onto the surface to build a pool. The groundwater appears to be running to Winslow Place in the back and potentially some to the front on Buttonwood (meandering).
Grounds are still saturated from a very rainy August, so percolation is very slow and surface water is remaining in areas, including near inlets. Our Town rain gauges recorded a total of 26.63” at our mid-island rain gauge for the month of August. August averages at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport are normally around 5.4” to 7”, with some years being higher (9”) and some years being lower (2.5”). This year has been very wet relatively to these values.
Inlets have water, typically both due to their relative position with tides and the high groundwater and daily heavy rains.
So, yes, because of a pool under construction and groundwater is being pumped to the surface. And because the ground appears to be saturated, it is not percolating runoff nearly as fast nor as efficiently as a typical August/September. Otherwise, the inlet and pipe system itself is doing what it can.
Isaac Brownman
Director Public Works
Town of Longboat Key
Buttonwood
To: Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton
Thank you Tip, we will check it out as well. There may be necessary erosion controls in place as well, but we can check along with PZB. Copied Guy.
Isaac Brownman
Director Public Works
Town of Longboat Key
Buttonwood
To: Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Director Allen Parsons
The large white single family home under construction (adjacent to the upcoming commercial development) may have dug or otherwise impacted the private street that runs north off of Buttonwood. This digging may have impacted the drainage pipes under the road. Water has not been draining lately as it has historically.
If someone can get out and take a look and just check to see if the system is working correctly, it would be much appreciated.
Howard N. Tipton
Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Congratulations
To: Unicorp President Chuck Whittall
Congratulations on opening the St. Regis at Longboat Key. As a party to this process from the Planning Board through the Commission over 10 years, I know how hard it has been. But having had a tour this week with Winfred and Heather, I share pride in the wonderful result you have accomplished in moving Longboat’s most iconic property into the future.
Ken Schneier
Mayor
Town of Longboat Key
Congratulations
To: Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier
Thank you Ken! It’s been quite the journey and I’m super pleased the way it turned out. Many great memories will be made here. Thanks for all your help in the process. Cheers!
Chuck (Charles) Whittall
President
Unicorp Companies
Congratulations
To: Unicorp President Chuck Whittall
Hey Chuck, we just took a nice long beach walk down to the “Monkey Bar” from the Bay Isles Beach Club for the first time. As an old Theme Park / Resort Developer and Operator I can really appreciate this stunningly successful facility development that you have achieved, Congratulations!
We also chatted with your beach staff. All exuded warm and sincere guest hospitality, not easy to find these days. All are excited about how things are going with this new operation. Kudos to the Hotel GM!
One comment about the Monkey Bar, well done, but in season, I am sure you know, it will require surrounding umbrella tables or additional, (Temporary?) shade structure in order to meet the high demand. When you have a full house and with hundreds of daily neighboring condo beach walkers to the South and North, the Monkey Bar will be slammed, a good thing! Just like the good ‘ol days at the Colony.
Anyway, well done Chuck, an amazing effort, savor it! Warm Regards and Continued Success,
Bob and Shannon Gault
Longboat Key
Congratulations
To: Bob Gault
Thank you very much for the kind email. It’s funny that you mention the tables and chairs as I am on my iPad right now ordering more because we definitely will need them. Let me know next time you’re here I’ll buy you a cocktail.
Chuck (Charles) Whittall
President
Unicorp Companies
Tree Canopy Funds Transfer
To: Sarasota City Assistant Manager Pat Robinson
Just coming back to this subject. What I am trying to understand is that with the changes in the budget allocation process, was the Green Canopy and Street Tree Planting program budget value reduced from $989,000 to $587,000, and the lower number is what will be available for tree planting in the upcoming budget?
Christopher Naese
Sarasota
Tree Canopy Funds Transfer
To: Christopher Naese
The information sent below was not the complete amount. I asked staff to send you the correct information on the total amount available. If that was not done I will forward the information to you. There’s over $1m available for the program. Information forthcoming.
Marlon Brown
City Manager
City of Sarasota
Tree Canopy Funds Transfer
To: Sarasota City Assistant Manager Pat Robinson
Thanks for your response to my question. A bit confusing for someone like me who is not intimately involved in the various funding programs and allocations that are set by the city. So am I correct in concluding that the net result for the Green Canopy and Street Tree Planting Program is that its funding value was reduced from $989,000 to $587,000 or was the $587,000 derived from the Tree Replacement funding source added on top of the remaining $500,000 that was left over after the $489,000 was taken out of the program’s $989,000 from the Penny 3 funding source?
Christopher Naese
Sarasota
Tree Canopy Funds Transfer
To: Sarasota City Mayor Liz Alpert, City Manager Marlon Brown, Christopher Naese
I spoke with our Finance Director and asked her to provide a brief overview of the topic.
The Green Canopy and Street Tree Planting Program originally had $989,000 from Penny 3 funding source appropriated.
This amount was reduced by $489K ($97K to Streetscape Lighting Improvements and $392K to Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS)).
The reduction in Penny 3 funding source of $489K to the Green Canopy and Street Tree Planting Program was replaced with $575K from the Tree Replacement Fund funding source. This is represented in the 5-year CIP Program.
The Public Hearing on 9/3/24 was specifically for project funding changes in the Penny 3.
Hope this is helpful! Have an excellent rest of your day.
Patrick Robinson
Assistant City Manager
City of Sarasota
Tree Canopy Funds Transfer
To: Christopher Naese
Yes, you heard right. I was going to ask about it myself, but Commissioner Ahearn-Koch asked.
I am copying the city manager so that you can get clarification on the funds transfers.
Liz Alpert
Mayor
City of Sarasota
Tree Canopy Funds Transfer
To: Sarasota City Mayor Liz Alpert
I was able to watch much of the city commission meeting yesterday and first want to say I was pleased on the positive outcome of the Colson Hotel discussions. Fingers crossed that an ownership and a rehabilitation plan for the building is determined soon.
I do need to ask for clarification on the remarks made about the funds transfer out of the tree canopy program. Did I hear correctly that the funds will somehow be placed back into this important project? It is more apparent than ever, after a couple of very hot summers, replacing and adding high quality canopy trees to the city is key in helping to moderate the urban heat island effect.
Christopher Naese
Sarasota
Dangerous trench across North Shore Drive
To: Sarasota City Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch
Somebody dug a trench (Sewer? Or?) completely across North Shore Drive, just a few feet west of Bayshore Road. But they did not fill it in well and I nearly broke an axle driving there!
When you dig a trench across a public road it seems to me the city should make sure it is filled in properly by the builder — or whoever dug it! (I suspect it might have something to do with the empty building lot there.)
Right now, it is a serious road hazard.
Could you please contact whomever inspects city roadways and see if they can get it fixed ASAP?
Thank you. All of us here on North Shore Drive appreciate your help.
Pete Tannen
Sarasota
Dangerous trench across North Shore Drive
To: Pete Tannen
Thanks! I’ve copied the City Manager and Deputy City Manager to address asap.
Jen Ahearn-Koch
Vice Mayor
City of Sarasota
Photos
To: Sarasota City Assistant Manager Pat Robinson
I will be happy to provide a response to the concerns raised by the Jefferson Center. The lift station located at the intersection of Cocoanut Avenue and 10th Street is identified as Lift Station #8 (LS 8). This station is a duplex station which means there are two pumps in the station to provide redundancy. So while one pump (Pump #2) was out of service, the other one (Pump #1) was still functional. In addition to fully functional Pump #1, Lift Station crews deployed a bypass pump to the site to provide redundant pumping capacity. Crews also used tanker trucks to ensure proper flow from the station was maintained at all times.
The City responded to the initial notice that there was a spill at the Jefferson Center and upon arrival at the site I observed the customer side clean out discharging into the green space. I personally checked the City clean out in the right-of-way at the intersection of 9th Street and Cocoanut Avenue next to the bus stop. The level in the City clean out was down which indicates the issue was on the customer side rather than the City side of the sewer lateral coming from the building. Next step was to check the manhole located on the east side of Cocoanut Avenue just south of 9th Street. That manhole was not overflowing.
The lateral coming from the Jefferson Center to the sewer main on Cocoanut Avenue operates by gravity. If the issue at the Jefferson Center had been related to a failure at LS 8 the manholes on Cocoanut Avenue as well as the City cleanout would have overflowed before the private cleanout on the customer side of the lateral. City crews weren’t privy to any activity that had taken place at the Jefferson Center to cause the overflow from their cleanout but, in the interest of public safety, they responded to the spill, erected a berm to contain it, and cleaned the site.
The next morning City crews inspected the site to verify that everything was okay, and the site was still dry from the day before. A contractor was observed setting up a pump in the area, but he told the City technician that he was not going to do any pumping that morning. Later in the day the City received a call from the Jefferson Center stating the spill was happening again. When crews responded to the site they saw the area that was dry in the morning had reached a point where it was about to overflow the temporary berm that the City crews had set up the day before to contain the spill.
During a conversation with the Collection Superintendent, the plumbing contractor stated they broke the clean out cap the day before to stop flooding in the building. He further stated that he needed to pump the area down so they could make repairs to the lateral. The contractor also stated he couldn’t get the water to flow initially in the lateral and had to jet the line clear to make the repair. To our knowledge there has been no other issue with this lateral since these activities were completed.
Several of these activities bring serious concern to the Utility. The Jefferson Center representative indicated that they clear their storm drains every year. How is this done? Do they pump into the sewer lateral? The plumber stated they were pumping water from the building. Was that storm water being pumped into the sewer lateral? Did that pumping cause a blockage in the lateral on the customer side of the cleanout?
It should be noted that pumping storm water into a sanitary sewer collection system is illegal. Pumping sewage out onto the ground, even in a previously erected containment area is illegal. If either of these scenarios are true, the Jefferson Center and/or their contractor could face enforcement action from the Department of Environmental Protection.
Verne Hall
Utilities Director
City of Sarasota
Photos
To: Sarasota City Utilities Director Verne Hall
Please have staff reach out to the Jefferson Center management to discuss their concerns as it seems as though they might not understand was occurring and inform them that the actions of the contractors was/is potentially a violation of state law. Let’s see if we can assist them in getting their management staff up to speed on what they need to accomplish from a regulatory standpoint.
Patrick Robinson
Assistant City Manager
City of Sarasota
Photos
To: Sarasota City Assistant Manager Pat Robinson
We will make contact with them and provide them with the necessary information.
Verne Hall
Utilities Director
City of Sarasota
Photos
To: Sarasota City Utilities Director Verne Hall
The Jefferson Center has additional information related to the “Spill” that they had. They are still claiming the pump station failed. Could you please tender an official response so I can provide it to the complainant and the Vice Mayor. Be cognizant that this appears to be heading towards a risk management scenario based on the first sentence of the last paragraph.
Patrick Robinson
Assistant City Manager
City of Sarasota
Photos
To: Sarasota City Assistant Manager Pat Robinson
Please see the attached info and photos as discussed. Let me know when I can get an update and/or a meeting.
Jen Ahearn-Koch
Vice Mayor
City of Sarasota
Photos
To: Sarasota City Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch
I was a pleasure meeting you last evening. Thank you for such an informative meeting and for hearing my concerns.
Again, I appreciate your interest in getting to the bottom of what has occur with the city’s failed lift station which resulted in sewage spilling into our green space. I gathered from your response when you found out about the incident, you are equally concerned. Thank you for that! Attached are some of the pictures that I have. Kindly note, the Boiler Room pipe picture was taken after the June 11th flash flood and prior to the letter sent to you and others on July 15th, also attached for your reference. It shows the silt that made its way into our pipes and became almost like concrete. We clear our storm drains every year and this was the first time we were unable to get through the pipes due to all the silt.
As I mentioned in the meeting, Jefferson Center and its residents sustained quite a bit of damage to person and property during these floods. We have in the past gotten heavy down pours but never has it impacted us to this degree. It has increased since building commenced on Cocoanut. I look forward to working with you and the city’s teams to achieve a best result for the health and safety of our residents.
Suzanne Geoghagen
Administrator
Jefferson Center
Photos
To: Suzanne Geoghagen
Hi Suzanne. Thank you all for hosting the meeting yesterday, I really appreciate everyone’s participation!
I am reaching out to out to see if you could send me the photos you have of the sewage spill during Hurricane Debby and other impacted items along with any photos you have of the silt curtains not being used during construction and the blocked storm
Drains as a result.
Jen Ahearn-Koch
Vice Mayor
City of Sarasota
