The Lake Sarasota Community Blog

UPDATE: Late this afternoon, the attorney for TerraCap confirmed that the firm, which owns the Bee Ridge Park of Commerce, has asked the County to postpone a rezoning hearing previously set for Sept. 10th. The reason is to allow time to work on a mutually beneficial agreement between TerraCap and the Lake Sarasota. See below for details of the neighborhood's reasons for seeking such an agreement. === At a meeting yesterday with TerraCap and a land-use attorney it has retained, representatives from Lake Sarasota and the Bee Ridge Neighborhood Committee laid out neighborhood concerns related to the prospective development of the Bee Ridge Park of Commerce (BRPOC). The meeting was the first with corporate officers for TerraCap , which owns the land. Earlier discussions with its local agents had stalled . Key points of our presentation: - The 50-acre plot of land lies directly opposite the front entrance to Lake Sarasota, at an already difficult intersection that sees frequ...

Welcome to Sarasota County's community e-newsletter. If you have questions, ideas for articles, or feedback on the system, contact us at pubcom @scgov.net.     County office closures for Labor Day Sarasota County government offices, including libraries, recreation centers and Historical Resources will be closed Monday, Sept. 1 , for the Labor Day holiday.   Changes to Liberty Pass program on  Sept. 1 Effective  Monday, Sept. 1 , Liberty Pass, which provides unlimited monthly rides on Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT), will only be available through participating social service providers. Englewood Pioneer Days third annual Mad Hatter Kids' Fun Run set for  Sept. 1 The run will be held at  8:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 1 , on Dearborn Street in Englewood. Resident vendors wanted for indoor community yard sale at Laurel Park Registration for Sarasota County's first Indoor Community Yard Sale begins  Tuesday,...

The major hearing on the "Fiscal Neutrality" component of proposed changes to the Sarasota 2050 plan is this evening at the County Commission Chambers in the admin building on Ringling Blvd. Members of the public will have the chance to voice their views - each person is given 3 or 5 minutes. More here , and see links below. Cathy Antunes The Growth Machine: Sarasota’s USB, 2050 and Portland, Revisited Ron Saba on 2050: Putting New Development Costs on the Blood Sweat and Tears of Taxpayers is Unfair Bill Zoller: The Process is a Travesty Cathy Antunes: Free Market or Free Ride? County 2050 Plan Site County 2050 Maps William Zoller: Protect 2050’s “Fiscal Neutrality” Strong Towns Sarasota County Sustainability Factsheet Sarasota County Chugs Along with More Changes to 2050 It's not NIMBY, it's NIMP-B (Cathy Antunes’ video about infill) Observer: County Takes Another Look at 2050 County eyes changing ‘2050’ Eastern grow...

Members of the Board and other interested residents of Lake Sarasota will meet today with representatives of TerraCap in a final effort to negotiate a neighborhood-friendly agreement addressing the concerns regarding safety, tranquility, and property values. The results will be reported here. === A conversation about a legally binding Covenant between Lake Sarasota residents and agents for TerraCap Mgmt. has not progressed since a June 12 meeting . The community has concerns about traffic, nuisance noise and odors, and damage to property values that could arise from mishandled development of the commercial land opposite the front entrance of the Lake S. community at Mauna Loa Blvd. and Bee Ridge Road. Agents for TerraCap , the Canadian owner of the Bee Ridge Park of Commerce who sold the front property to Racetrac, were approached in April about a Covenant, but ignored the Community's overture. After the developer's latest rezoning plan failed to receive County app...

  There were a total of eight incidents, up from three in June.  I attribute this to school vacation time--young people with time on their hands and mischief on their minds.   There were two incidents of vandalism, two burglaries, three thefts, and two juvenile disturbances.  Vandalism and juvenile disturbances are more typical of young people than career criminals.  Therefore, four incidents are more typical of criminal behavior, and actual crime increased by one.   The two vandalism incidents occurred at the following times and locations:               7/2    Reported  3:29 p.m.   4114 Westminster             7/8    Reported  4:01 p.m.   3934 Wake   The burglaries occurred at the following times and locations:     ...

Welcome to Sarasota County's community e-newsletter. If you have questions, ideas for articles, or feedback on the system, contact us at pubcom @scgov.net.     One Night Rodeo back by popular demand SATURDAY :  The local country music sensation, One Night Rodeo, is bringing its full-throttle sounds and high-octane show back to the Venice Community Center on  Saturday, Aug. 23 , at  7:30 p.m. Changes to Liberty Pass program on Sept. 1 Effective  Monday, Sept. 1 , Liberty Pass, which provides unlimited monthly rides on Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT), will only be available through participating social service providers. Englewood Pioneer Days third annual Mad Hatter Kids' Fun Run set for Sept. 1 The run will be held at  8:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 1 , on Dearborn Street in Englewood. Bandana to rock Englewood Sports Complex Join the outdoor Rockin' Tailgate Gate Party with Bandana at the Englewood Sp...

This is one perspective on the County's ambitious plans to change the 2050 Comprehensive Plan for the rural areas of Sarasota - mostly East of the highway. The comments have been submitted to the County planning department. If others have comments that they wish to share, they can send them to LakeSarasota at gmail dot com and we'll post them. An important public hearing about these changes to 2050 is set for Wed. Aug. 27th, 5 pm at the County Commission, Ringling Blvd., Sarasota. August 19, 2014 Anyone who looks back at how Sarasota County’s 2050 Comprehensive Overlay was developed has to be impressed by both its inclusiveness and its methodical approach. The county took years to work with residents, developers and commercial interests to produce a vision for East Sarasota County looking out to 2050. It hired the distinguished Urban Land Institute to provide a broad perspective and in-depth analysis. The result didn’t please everybody, but it brought order to ...

Welcome to Sarasota County's community e-newsletter. If you have questions, ideas for articles, or feedback on the system, contact us at pubcom @scgov.net.     Fitch Ratings gives county bond 'AA+' rating Fitch Ratings upgraded Sarasota County's utility system revenue bond rating this month to "AA+" from "AA" based on an improving local economy. Down Payment Assistance Program to open in September   In anticipation for the Sarasota Down Payment Assistance Program's opening  Tuesday, Sept. 2 , the Sarasota Office of Housing and Community Development is hosting a workshop  Thursday, Aug. 21 , at  9:30 a.m.  at 1565 1st St., City Hall Annex, Sarasota.  Sustainable Communities Workshop scheduled for  Oct. 29 Sarasota County will hold its ninth annual Sustainable Communities Workshop  Oct. 29, 8 a.m.  - 4:30 p.m. at the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida Event and Conference Center, 4740 C...