March LSCG Meeting Notes

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The Lake Sarasota Community Group meeting of 3.13.14 took place at Sarasota Alliance Church. Here's a brief summary:

1. Tax Attorney Mary King presented some tips on what to do if you're audited by the IRS, and gave out a copy of each of her books: Resolve IRS Problems, and Protect and Defend.

2. The Board will ask the Treasurer to renew the LSCG's 501(c)3 status and its CONA membership. The Group also noted that the Treasury is running low and some means of replenishing it need to be found. This will be an agenda item for the next meeting, set for June 12th.

3. The Garage Sale is set for March 29th. So far some 35 homes are on the Neighborhood Garage Sale Map.



Sandy has asked for volunteer to help distribute the maps on the day of the sale. To get on the map, or to help hand them out anytime between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., contact her at Sarasotadreams@gmail.com.

4.  A letter to the County Commission expressing a desire that the County proceed cautiously with any plans to connect Mauna Loa Blvd. to roads heading north (via Spine Rd., for example) all the way to University Parkway. The impact of cumulative development in the Bee Ridge Park of Commerce will already put pressure on our entrance intersection. The letter calls for a new, comprehensive traffic study. A copy of the letter is here.

Residents who wish to support the idea of a comprehensive traffic study (in view of (1) the widening of Bee Ridge, (2) the expansion of development at the Bee Ridge Park of Commerce including Racetrac, hotel, drugstore, restaurants, condos and offices, and (3) potential north-south road alignments) can express the hope that the County will carefully examine impacts, do the traffic study, and avoid negative impacts upon Lake Sarasota and communities south of Bee Ridge Road in letters or emails to the County Commissioners. Always write to all five. Names and contact info here.

Potential North-South Corridor via Spine Rd.


5. The widening of Bee Ridge Rd. is expected to begin in May. It was agreed that a group of us will plan to meet at the front entrance at Mauna Loa and Bee Ridge in late April to rescue the wooden neighborhood signs (they will be stored until the roadwork is complete) and some of the plantings around them.

Also, a prototype of what the new entrance sign will look like was shared. Those interested will help finalize design details (color, font, etc.) and if a meeting with the County is needed, one will be scheduled.


Comments

Anonymous said…
Thank you for keeping everyone updated on the various projects. As someone who lives on Mauna Loa, I am not very concerned about the Spine Road connection. There is already a roundabout path between Clark and Fruitville through Lake Sarasota and the golf course, and there are already three north/south routes between Clark and University via 75, Cattlemen, and Honore which are more direct with higher speed limits. Sure, an additional route may add a few cars into the mix, but the imminent commercial and residential developments will well overshadow anyone coming through as a north/south route. I'd argue that having Spine Rd. completed north to Fruitville would allow more traffic to/from these developments to have another way in/out and actually ease the load on our main intersection. I do think it is wise for the County to proceed cautiously in either case, however.
12:50 PM
Lake Sarasota Community Group said…
Thanks for your comment. One additional point to consider is the eventual (and torrential) growth patterns we'll see to the North (Villages of Lakewood Ranch), to the South (Clark Rd) and to the East (Hi Hat Ranch, etc.) These will put pressure on drivers East of the highway to seek ways of moving north and south. The County might be better off to develop roads like Iona sooner rather than later, rather than look to create corridors that impact existing built-out communities.
1:57 PM
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