The Lake Sarasota Community Blog

TerraCap, the Canadian owner of the property opposite the Mauna Loa entrance to Lake Sarasota on Bee Ridge Rd.,  voluntarily signed a Covenant in 2014  to work with our community with regard to certain business uses it might wish to include on its 7-acre  property. The land lies behind, as well as both west and east of Racetrac. TerraCap recently asked whether the community would accept an automated car wash east of Ractrac on Bee Ridge, and multi-family housing behind the service station - both uses are restricted by the Covenant. The Covenant document is here . Next Thursday, Dec. 6, the community will meet to assess these proposals. A planner working with TerraCap will be present to discuss. Neighbors who live near Bee Ridge might be especially interested in seeing plans and discussing. Where: Meeting rooms behind Sarasota Alliance Church When: Thursday, Dec. 6, 7 pm If you cannot make the meeting but have concerns, share with Keith Russo, LSCG president, at ...

The Lake Sarasota Community Group will hold its quarterly meeting on Thursday Sept. 13, at 7 pm at Sarasota Alliance Church, on the north side of Bee Ridge Rd. across from Chaucer. The meeting rooms are to the rear of the church. The agenda will include: A representative of TerraCap, the Canadian owner of the land north of Bee Ridge at Mauna Loa, will attend. TerraCap has been approached by a number of businesses seeking sites on its property, and one or more of them could present a potential conflict with the  Declaration of Covenant signed by TerraCap in 2014 . That document lists a variety of kinds of businesses that might create a nuisance for residents of Lake Sarasota, especially those who live near Bee Ridge Road. The group might be asked to discuss and offer input on these potential neighbors. There will also be an update on the existing developments now on the site. HealthSouth, for example, could be expanding, and Ridgelake, a new apartment complex with something l...

Lake Sarasota - come out for the July 4 Picnic at Hina Park - where Palau meets Hina Dr. FREE hot dogs and hamburgers on America's Birthday! What could be better than that? Good neighbors. We still have plates and napkins and utensils and condiments left over from Fall Fest. If any of you want to bring a cooler and some drinks, that could round it out. No need for sign-up or anything. 4 - 9 pm

The Spring community garage sale is set for April 7, It will be advertised in the paper. We’re planning another neighborhood yard sale for April 7 at 8 a.m. The neighborhood group will place an ad for the community yard sale, but we won’t hand out maps or otherwise organize the event. Anyone who wants to participate is welcome to. In addition, if you have items to sell but don’t want to hold your own yard sale, you can donate them to be sold to benefit the neighborhood group. Feel free to drop them off anytime at 4032 Westminster Drive. Thank you! FPL update from Keith Russo FPL had a public forum six weeks ago. Power lines need to be connected. Along 75 between Proctor and  Fruitville. 40-80  foot tall power lines. One option would be straight down bee ridge, another goes along Clark, a third along Fruitville Rd. All end near the Hi Hat Ranch, a 10,000-acre area that is going to be developed in the near future. Maps and more detail on the three options are here . We’re go...

This Thursday, March 1: Everyone's welcome to our quarterly meeting in the main building at Alliance Church at 7 pm: 7221 Bee Ridge Rd, north side of Bee Ridge opposite Chaucer. Make your voice heard and meet some neighbors!   The proposed agenda: Community concerns Voting to renew our license Spring community garage sale date Fresh Start FPL Power line placement on Bee Ridge Bus Stop at Allan Place The men of Alliance Church want to know about any needy residents again. Note that the meeting will be in the Main Building.

CONNECT February 2018 The Impact of Neighborhood Relationships Social Disorganization Theory was developed in the 1940s by two criminologists, Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay. The modern theory proposes that crime prevention is significantly impacted by our social networks. A willingness of neighbors to trust one another and to intervene in a problem situation can help balance residents when other factors are tipping the scales. In a June 2007 article written for Old Dominion University's Quest, professors Ruth Triplett and Randy Gainey outlined three causes for the impact: Knowledge of our neighbors gives us the feeling that we have a responsibility to watch out for them. This same knowledge tells us when someone is out of place or something inappropriate is going on. Caring neighbors are more likely to agree upon common problems and work together to solve them. We've recently engaged in multiple conversations about a grassroots desire to form or strengthen neighbor...