Meeting Dec. 13 to discuss new developments

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The Lake Sarasota Community Group - a volunteer group for the neighborhood - plans to meet on Thursday, Dec. 13th at 7 pm at Sarasota Alliance Church - the meeting rooms are in the building behind the church, which is at 7221 Bee Ridge Road, across from Chaucer.

Three items up for discussion address potentially significant changes to the area east of  I-75:

1. New Look for Front Entrance

The existing entrance to Lake Sarasota at Mauna Loa and Bee Ridge Rd. will be removed when Bee Ridge is widened, beginning a year from now. County planners working on the project wish to meet with representatives from Lake Sarasota to get a sense of what our community would like to see at that entrance after the project is complete. Walls? Fencing with landscaping? Signage?  
We welcome ideas and want to know your thoughts. If you can't make the meeting, please share your input with us at lakesarasota@gmail.com.

2. New Commerce

Several proposals for a new RaceTrac gas station and convenience store, retail stores, restaurants, a drug store and possibly a hotel are being presented this month to the county's development oversight board. All would be built on the land north of the Lake Sarasota entrance at Mauna Loa and Bee Ridge. 
The proposed developments will impact the intersection at Mauna Loa - there will be heavier traffic, slower traffic signals, as well as the glare, noise etc. from the commercial area. The RaceTrac plans to be larger than current examples we see, as for example on Fruitville Road, and it will be a 24-hour operation. 
As the planning goes forward, the county is likely to seek input from Lake Sarasota at a public meeting. 

3. New SCAT Route Possible

Sarasota County is willing to consider expanding its public bus route to go through more of Lake Sarasota, if it has enough feedback from our residents to think an expanded route would actually serve more users. Do we have enough residents who would benefit from buses to make it worth doing? 
What do you think? Use the poll on the upper right to voice your opinion. If you want to say more, drop us a note at lakesarasota@gmail.com.





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