The Lake Sarasota Community Blog

You can attend the Lake Sarasota meeting this evening at Alliance Church - North side of Bee Ridge opposite Chaucer - or via the TEAMs Link below.  The Topic is a development that is proposed to be built inside Lake Sarasota - the name of the future project is West Bridge at Lake Sarasota - More on that here . The Lake Sarasota Community is meeting on  Thursday 7/27 at 7 pm in Alliance Church.  If you are able to attend in person, please, do. If not, the attached TEAMS link should be clicked to virtually attend the LSCG meeting on 7/27 at 7pm. You  do not  need a subscription to any service. Just click and accept any permissions your computer asks for. Please, log in a few minutes early so that we may adjust any technical difficulties and start on time. Yours, Keith Russo Community discussion on what to do about West Bridge.  Microsoft Teams meeting Join on your computer, mobile app or room device Click here to join the meeting Meeting ID:  938 229 826...

Please share this with your Lake Sarasota neighbors: On Tuesday July 18, an online Neighborhood Workshop will take place. It's about a new proposed set of high-rise condos on the sliver of wooded land between Lake Sarasota and I-75. The developer will be going to the County with a new plan for 208 (or possibly more) dwelling units on  24.5 acres, to be called West Bridge at Lake Sarasota. Access to the land will solely be possible through roads within Lake Sarasota. Two bridges to cross over the creek (which is part of the Phillippi Creek drainage area) will be constructed.  The image below is taken from  the full proposal . The Zoom link to the 7.18 Neighborhood Workshop is: https://zoom.us/j/9336201982?pwd=VHA0dFZ3dVRmNS91UUJQeU1qemdLUT09 Meeting ID: 933 620 1982 Password: 123456 Government  »  Planning and Development Services PDS Calendar Print Share & Bookmark Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option Font Size: ...

Thursday, June 17, 2021: The Sarasota County Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend approval of TerraCap's proposed mixed-used project on North Mauna Loa Blvd. The Commission is a volunteer board appointed by the Sarasota County Commission. It reviews proposed plans and offers comments before deciding whether to recommend approval or denial of the project, which then goes to the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners for final approval. Planner Brian Lichterman presented an overview of the project, which is called The Enclave at the Bee Ridge Park of Commerce (BRPOC), which will be behind, and to the left and right of the RaceTrac at Bee Ridge Road and Mauna Loa Blvd. Lichterman shared some artistic renderings of what it can look like when completed. Here are three captures: Artistic rendering of commercial and residential buildings seen from the West Aerial view of the Enclave on the right and the area already built out (left) Rendering of The Enclave with Commercial i...

Letter to the Planning Commission June 11, 2021: Andrew.Stultz@ sarasotaadvisory.net , Colin.Pember@sarasotaadvisory. net , Kevin.Cooper@sarasotaadvisory. net , Laura.Benson@sarasotaadvisory. net , Teresa.Mast@sarasotaadvisory. net , Neil.Rainford@ sarasotaadvisory.net , Drew.Peters@sarasotaadvisory. net , Justin.Taylor@ sarasotaadvisory.net , Frank.Strelec@ sarasotaadvisory.net , The community of Lake Sarasota consists of more than 1,600 homes along and to the south of Bee Ridge Road immediately east of I-75. The Lake Sarasota Community Group has had constructive communications with TerraCap, the developer of the Bee Ridge Park of Commerce (BRPOC), since 2013. The developer voluntarily signed a 2014 Covenant by which it committed to certain constraints upon uses to avoid nuisance issues. The original of that Covenant and a newly revised version of it are in your packets for this public review, and a document with both the original Covenant and the developer's proposed revised vers...

The proposed Enclave project comes before the Planning Commission June 17. It could add as many as 270 apartments, more than 700 parking spaces, and several thousand square feet of commercial or office space on North Mauna Loa Blvd. on Bee Ridge Road  The developer is Terracap, based in Toronto. Background: Bee Ridge Park of Commerce (BRPOC) Enclave application This link goes to several maps, images and data points . A 2014 covenant  committed Terracap to willingly refrain from certain uses such as a car wash, package store, or outdoor entertainment that could produce noise or light disturbing to nearby homes. TerraCap has submitted a  revised covenant. This link goes to a document containing the original 2014 Covenant of 2014 followed by a clean copy of the proposed update.  To gauge community response,  please complete this quick survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/ r/LHZGHHC

 Bring a coat to the LSCG January 16th meeting in Hina Point Park at 3 pm. See the attached map. It will be sunny and brisk, but it's COVID compliant. The park has some seating, but bring a camp chair JIC. Any business is welcome, but our agenda:  Repairs are needed to Hina Park and schedule a work day We also need to find a way to keep the LSCG operating Any news on the development across Bee Ridge Hina Point Park

Virtual Neighborhood Workshop Notice: PLEASE NOTE: The previous Zoom Meeting for July 15, 2020 is Cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience. The New Date is Thursday, July 23, 2020 at 6 pm. This Rezoning/Special Exception will allow for the creation of a mixed-use development consisting of a maximum of 270 multifamily units and 8.87 Acres +/- of PCD commercial uses on four parcels fronting along Bee Ridge Road. The entire project is contained within two PID Nos. 0240100030 and 0240140010. Please visit the following scheduled Zoom Meeting: Topic: Proposed Small Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment; Rezone Petition/Special Exception for the Enclave at BRPOC, Sarasota, Florida 34231 Time: 6:00 PM (Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting :  [Click link above or type the entire link into your browser] https://zoom.us/j/9336201982?pwd=VHA0dFZ3dVRmNS91UUJQeU1qemdLUT09 Meeting ID: 933 620 1982 Password: 123456 Call-In Number: 1 646 876 9923 T...

NOTE: This meeting has been postponed to Thurs. July 23, 6 pm, on Zoom. A plan for the land behind the Racetrac at Mauna Loa Blvd. - and for four commercial parcels along Bee Ridge - has been submitted to Sarasota County.  See the data below for some detail. It appears that TerraCap, which owns the property, intends to build 270 multi-family apartments - with allowance for more than 500 parking spaces. Additionally four commercial buildings on Bee Ridge Rd. are planned - no uses specified. Lake Sarasota and TerraCap have a Covenant that places limitations on lighting, noise, kinds of businesses that are acceptable.  Use this link to ccess the Covenant . A few residents may have received notice of a Neighborhood Workshop on Wed. July 15 at 6 pm. ONLINE. The Workshop is an opportunity for neighbors to ask questions, express concerns. How will this impact traffic, noise, lighting, and more? More details about accessing the Workshop will be posted o...

Residents of Lake Sarasota and nearby communities are welcome to attend a community meeting this Thursday to discuss what kinds of uses would be welcome, and what uses might be unacceptable in the 83,000 square feet of commercial and possible residential space planned for the land behind and east of the Racetrac at Mauna Loa and Bee Ridge Rd. Below is the latest site plan - the buildings would fit behind the Racetrac, between it and the hotel, retention pond, and wetland area. Some considerations:  Traffic generation: S ee table below showing trip generations for different sorts of uses. Nuisance issues : Excessive noise, light (at night), potential for odor or waste. Compatibility with area: A slaughterhouse would probably be incompatible. What about adult entertainment? Package stores, bars, vape shops? Site Plan 

Commercial Center Planned around Racetrac Thursday, Aug. 22 - 7 pm - there is an important meeting to look at the plan for a commercial center behind and East of the Racetrac at Mauna Loa. Why does this matter? For one thing, whatever is built there will be visible, audible, and potentially smellable for the residents of Lake Sarasota who live along Bee Ridge Road. Also, our community has a  legal Covenant  that gives us some say over what kinds of businesses can be there, and their hours of operation. But if we are not watchful, if we do not participate in the planning process, we could lose that power forever. Come to the meeting in the offices at the rear of Sarasota Alliance Church Thurs. 7 pm. A version of the proposed commercial site Meeting Thursday 8.22.19 7 pm Sarasota Alliance Church -- offices behind church 7221 Bee Ridge Rd. Sarasota, FL 34241 To help understand the issue, here's the County's Zoning Use Table that clarifies what can...

Residents of Lake Sarasota - not all, but a few hundred - have received a letter notifying them of a lawsuit. Apparently someone wishes to develop more than 100 lots between the current western boundary of Lake Sarasota and I-75. Below are comments from NextDoor regarding what it all means: The letter, as people have pointed out, is confusing and difficult to understand. But here's what I've gathered from reading it: There are a bunch of people who own undeveloped wooded lots in Lake Sarasota abutting Route 75. These landowners (of the wooded lots) want to sell their properties to developers. A "Development Review Committee" has already met (on July 19, 2018) and seemingly approved the development of the wooded lots. BUT...residents of Lake Sarasota had created the "1988 Declaration of Restrictions for Lake Sarasota, the 1995 Amendment to the Declaration of Restrictions for Lake Sarasota, and the 1996 Declaration of Restrictions for Lake Sarasota", wh...

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 ...