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SU Community News & Video Playlist

Woman Assaults Staff & Volunteers at Planned Parenthood in Sarasota Florida

A woman is seen attacking volunteers and employees of the Planned Parenthood in Downtown Sarasota Florida.

Commission Rejects Condo Owners Plans to Restrict Events Downtown

Last night Sarasota City Commission voted to dismiss a proposed amendment to the city ordinance which governs large events downtown by a margin of 4-1.

Commissioner Hagen Brody took a strong stand in support of large events stating more than once during his comments that this was “a solution without a problem.” Brody continued to challenge the idea of restricting the approval process for events downtown saying “I support any effort to simplify the events approval process, and I would be opposed to any effort which makes that process more difficult.”


The changes to the ordinance would have affected almost every major event taking place inside the downtown core by giving condo owners the ability to veto events that propose any street closings inside the city limits.

Here is a link to the agenda from last night’s meeting if you are interested in learning more.

Click here for a direct link to a PDF of the proposed changes.

Presented by Patrick Gannon on behalf of the Downtown Sarasota Condo Association, the proposed changes were a direct response to the city’s request for stakeholder input after deferring a decision on the same issue back in Feb of 2017.

Related – Watch our coverage of the process last year

Related – Our live video from city hall last year when the city voted to kick the can

During his presentation, Gannon stated that the proposed changes were “reached by a consensus of stakeholder organizations,” but a clever person might question the strength of that consensus upon discovering that it was made up of only 3 organization and was reached during a meeting which only 40 people attended.

Ron Sotto, Vice-Chairman of the Downtown Improvement District Board as well as an active member of the Downtown Merchants Association (one of the three organizations Gannon claims makes up his consensus) spoke out against the proposed changes. “We really have to question whether it’s worth putting some of these events on because of the costs…” he said in reference to the additional burden these changes would place on event organizers.

Commissioner Ahern Koch (the only vote in support of the proposed changes) along with Mayor Shellie Eddie and Liz Alpert, sought to clarify the confusion surrounding the wording of the proposed amendments on multiple occasions throughout the hearing. Specifically, they wanted clarification on section B of the proposed amendment which reads as follows:

B. Event-related street closures of any duration that prevent vehicular access, including limited vehicular access, to any residential building are prohibited under all circumstances except where 100% of the Affected Parties who are constrained by that condition have agreed to such closure.

The concern was that the language as written could be interpreted to restrict almost any event that proposed closing a street anywhere inside the city limits. Coupled with other concerns regarding the proposed changes, the end result was a vote to reject the proposal by a margin of 4-1.

During a conversation after the hearing Gannon sought to clarify his position. He claimed that the intention of the changes was to simplify the process of planning and approving events downtown. I told him it seemed that the opposite was true based on the presentation we had just seen and then asked why they never used language that clearly stated those goals in their presentation to the city. Gannon had no good answer.

I pressed further to try and understand their motives for the proposed changes. More specifically, I wanted to know if their true intention were to simplify the process of planning and approving events downtown, then why not reach out to the event planners themselves or bring in more than two other community organizations to come up with the proposed changes? Again, Gannon gave no good answer. This left me strongly questioning the real motives behind these proposed changes, and more than a bit relieved that the city voted to reject the changes.

What do you think? Should we support vibrant and diverse events in the downtown core? Or should we give the condo owners more control? Share your thoughts on social media, and share this message with a friend who might find this information useful. It helps us reach a larger audience, and gets us closer to our goal of Creatively Connecting Sarasota.

The History of Sarasota

Explore a video journey through the history of Sarasota

Matt Sperling Defends His Right To Drink And Drive

Explore a surprising string of emails that show candidate for Sarasota City Commission Matt Sperling defending his right to drive after drinking.

Sit Down With City Manager Tom Barwin

A deep dive into the state of Sarasota with City Manager Tom Barwin.

Why Millennials (Including Me) Are Staying in Sarasota

A response to Shelby Webb – “the more I thought about her article and the argument she presented, the more I started to realize that she got it all wrong.”

If You Could Change One Thing About Sarasota…

Fill out the short form below and tell us what you would change about Sarasota if you could instantly change one thing.

The Newtown You Never Knew About

Get the scoop on plans to redevelop the Newtown corridor in Sarasota Florida. Plans include an urban garden and mixed use office building.

Events

BOLD Lofts Sarasota Leasing Kick-Off Party and Lottery

Join us at BOLD Cowork Sarasota (3rd Floor) for an evening of drinks and hors d’oeuvre as we celebrate the leasing kick-off for BOLD Lofts Sarasota.


Due to high-demand for leasing, and only 97 units available, BOLD Lofts Sarasota will be holding a lottery to ensure fairness in opportunity. Because some units are more desirable than others (better view vs lower price vs pool deck level, etc) we have decided to use a lottery to keep the selection process as fair as possible. The lottery will be held during the first hour of the event for only tenants of the building, co-work office numbers, co-work campus members and VIP ticket holders. Once you have your place in line, the party will be opened for general admission so that the quick presentation can begin. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session and then pre-leasing will be begin in the order dictated by the lottery. Terms of the pre-leasing are below, be sure to read the details.!

Make sure to “Like & Subscribe” to the BOLD Lofts Sarasota Facebook page to ensure you don’t miss any details / updates about this event!

Click on either of the links below to get your ticket(s)!

PARTY SCHEDULE

5:30pm – 6:30pm / “First Dibs” Lottery Hour:

  Free admission for current BOLD Cowork Sarasota members and tenants (with advance RSVP using secret coupon code). Speak with Stephanie at BOLD Cowork for the secret code.
  Non-members/tenants: $50 in advance ticket / $100 at the door. Each paid ticket includes one lottery ticket plus admission for up to one additional guest.

6:30pm – 8:30pm / Kick-Off Party:

 Free for the first 100 people with advance ticket
 After first 100 tickets are claimed, $20 at the door. Includes heavy hors d’oeuvre and drinks (beer, wine, select cocktails, and soft drinks).

PRE-LEASE LOTTERY

BOLD Lofts Sarasota features 97 modern rental apartments, ranging from studio to 3-bedroom. Starting at 5:30pm lottery tickets will be distributed to prospective tenants, upon entry, with the drawing to be held at 6:30pm sharp! The drawing will be to determine unit selection order. Prospective tenants will be able to submit a lease application and place a deposit ($500) to secure the unit of his/her/their choice. Deposit must be delivered at the time of selection (check or debit/credit card).*

TERMS OF THE PRE-LEASING*

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold the unit of choice.
Personal check, credit/debit cards will be accepted.
Move-in must be between middle-August thru November.
Apartment unit selection cannot be guaranteed past this date range.
All applicants must pass a background and credit check.

ABOUT BOLD LOFTS

BOLD Lofts is a new community of modern apartment rentals and amenities, located in Downtown, Sarasota; directly adjacent to the BOLD Cowork building. BOLD Lofts features luxurious and spacious apartments built above a secure and private parking garage. All apartments are pet-friendly (deposit required), include high-speed Internet, top-of-the-line appliances, and energy-saving fixtures. Building amenities including a rooftop pool and lounge, spacious outdoor bar and grilling area, modern fitness center, and more. Residents will also receive a complimentary membership to the BOLD Cowork Sarasota shared-workspace.

Make sure to “Like & Subscribe” to the BOLD Lofts Sarasota Facebook page to ensure you don’t miss any details / updates about this event!

*additional terms and conditions may apply.

Click on either of the links below to get your ticket(s)!

SU Community News & Video Playlist

Woman Assaults Staff & Volunteers at Planned Parenthood in Sarasota Florida

A woman is seen attacking volunteers and employees of the Planned Parenthood in Downtown Sarasota Florida.

BOLD Lofts Sarasota Leasing Kick-Off Party and Lottery

Join us at BOLD Cowork Sarasota (3rd Floor) for an evening of drinks and hors d’oeuvre as we celebrate the leasing kick-off for BOLD Lofts Sarasota.


Due to high-demand for leasing, and only 97 units available, BOLD Lofts Sarasota will be holding a lottery to ensure fairness in opportunity. Because some units are more desirable than others (better view vs lower price vs pool deck level, etc) we have decided to use a lottery to keep the selection process as fair as possible. The lottery will be held during the first hour of the event for only tenants of the building, co-work office numbers, co-work campus members and VIP ticket holders. Once you have your place in line, the party will be opened for general admission so that the quick presentation can begin. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session and then pre-leasing will be begin in the order dictated by the lottery. Terms of the pre-leasing are below, be sure to read the details.!

Make sure to “Like & Subscribe” to the BOLD Lofts Sarasota Facebook page to ensure you don’t miss any details / updates about this event!

Click on either of the links below to get your ticket(s)!

PARTY SCHEDULE

5:30pm – 6:30pm / “First Dibs” Lottery Hour:

  Free admission for current BOLD Cowork Sarasota members and tenants (with advance RSVP using secret coupon code). Speak with Stephanie at BOLD Cowork for the secret code.
  Non-members/tenants: $50 in advance ticket / $100 at the door. Each paid ticket includes one lottery ticket plus admission for up to one additional guest.

6:30pm – 8:30pm / Kick-Off Party:

 Free for the first 100 people with advance ticket
 After first 100 tickets are claimed, $20 at the door. Includes heavy hors d’oeuvre and drinks (beer, wine, select cocktails, and soft drinks).

PRE-LEASE LOTTERY

BOLD Lofts Sarasota features 97 modern rental apartments, ranging from studio to 3-bedroom. Starting at 5:30pm lottery tickets will be distributed to prospective tenants, upon entry, with the drawing to be held at 6:30pm sharp! The drawing will be to determine unit selection order. Prospective tenants will be able to submit a lease application and place a deposit ($500) to secure the unit of his/her/their choice. Deposit must be delivered at the time of selection (check or debit/credit card).*

TERMS OF THE PRE-LEASING*

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold the unit of choice.
Personal check, credit/debit cards will be accepted.
Move-in must be between middle-August thru November.
Apartment unit selection cannot be guaranteed past this date range.
All applicants must pass a background and credit check.

ABOUT BOLD LOFTS

BOLD Lofts is a new community of modern apartment rentals and amenities, located in Downtown, Sarasota; directly adjacent to the BOLD Cowork building. BOLD Lofts features luxurious and spacious apartments built above a secure and private parking garage. All apartments are pet-friendly (deposit required), include high-speed Internet, top-of-the-line appliances, and energy-saving fixtures. Building amenities including a rooftop pool and lounge, spacious outdoor bar and grilling area, modern fitness center, and more. Residents will also receive a complimentary membership to the BOLD Cowork Sarasota shared-workspace.

Make sure to “Like & Subscribe” to the BOLD Lofts Sarasota Facebook page to ensure you don’t miss any details / updates about this event!

*additional terms and conditions may apply.

Click on either of the links below to get your ticket(s)!

Commission Rejects Condo Owners Plans to Restrict Events Downtown

Last night Sarasota City Commission voted to dismiss a proposed amendment to the city ordinance which governs large events downtown by a margin of 4-1.

Commissioner Hagen Brody took a strong stand in support of large events stating more than once during his comments that this was “a solution without a problem.” Brody continued to challenge the idea of restricting the approval process for events downtown saying “I support any effort to simplify the events approval process, and I would be opposed to any effort which makes that process more difficult.”


The changes to the ordinance would have affected almost every major event taking place inside the downtown core by giving condo owners the ability to veto events that propose any street closings inside the city limits.

Here is a link to the agenda from last night’s meeting if you are interested in learning more.

Click here for a direct link to a PDF of the proposed changes.

Presented by Patrick Gannon on behalf of the Downtown Sarasota Condo Association, the proposed changes were a direct response to the city’s request for stakeholder input after deferring a decision on the same issue back in Feb of 2017.

Related – Watch our coverage of the process last year

Related – Our live video from city hall last year when the city voted to kick the can

During his presentation, Gannon stated that the proposed changes were “reached by a consensus of stakeholder organizations,” but a clever person might question the strength of that consensus upon discovering that it was made up of only 3 organization and was reached during a meeting which only 40 people attended.

Ron Sotto, Vice-Chairman of the Downtown Improvement District Board as well as an active member of the Downtown Merchants Association (one of the three organizations Gannon claims makes up his consensus) spoke out against the proposed changes. “We really have to question whether it’s worth putting some of these events on because of the costs…” he said in reference to the additional burden these changes would place on event organizers.

Commissioner Ahern Koch (the only vote in support of the proposed changes) along with Mayor Shellie Eddie and Liz Alpert, sought to clarify the confusion surrounding the wording of the proposed amendments on multiple occasions throughout the hearing. Specifically, they wanted clarification on section B of the proposed amendment which reads as follows:

B. Event-related street closures of any duration that prevent vehicular access, including limited vehicular access, to any residential building are prohibited under all circumstances except where 100% of the Affected Parties who are constrained by that condition have agreed to such closure.

The concern was that the language as written could be interpreted to restrict almost any event that proposed closing a street anywhere inside the city limits. Coupled with other concerns regarding the proposed changes, the end result was a vote to reject the proposal by a margin of 4-1.

During a conversation after the hearing Gannon sought to clarify his position. He claimed that the intention of the changes was to simplify the process of planning and approving events downtown. I told him it seemed that the opposite was true based on the presentation we had just seen and then asked why they never used language that clearly stated those goals in their presentation to the city. Gannon had no good answer.

I pressed further to try and understand their motives for the proposed changes. More specifically, I wanted to know if their true intention were to simplify the process of planning and approving events downtown, then why not reach out to the event planners themselves or bring in more than two other community organizations to come up with the proposed changes? Again, Gannon gave no good answer. This left me strongly questioning the real motives behind these proposed changes, and more than a bit relieved that the city voted to reject the changes.

What do you think? Should we support vibrant and diverse events in the downtown core? Or should we give the condo owners more control? Share your thoughts on social media, and share this message with a friend who might find this information useful. It helps us reach a larger audience, and gets us closer to our goal of Creatively Connecting Sarasota.

The History of Sarasota

Explore a video journey through the history of Sarasota

Sarasota Seafood & Music Festival

At Sarasota Seafood & Music Festival, hungry festivalgooers will flock to enjoy a delicious array of seafood ranging from Cajun-style crawfish to raw bars. Over the course of two days, thousands will flock to the Destination Downtown Sarasota! The festival’s beer garden, live music, arts & crafts as well as a variey of attractions for folks of all ages.

FREE General Admission!
HOURS: 10 am – 6 pm
LOCATION: Downtown Sarasota Historic District

LIVE MUSIC featuring: Ari and the Alibis, Sarasota Steel Pan Band, Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’ Blues, Twinkle and Rock Soul Radio, The Hard Luck Society, Kettle of Fish, Greg Billings Band, Reverend Barry & The Funk

32nd Annual Holiday Boat Parade of Lights

The 32nd Annual Sarasota Holiday Boat Parade of Lights will be held on Saturday December 9, 2017 beginning at 6:00 p.m. The best areas for viewing are Marina Jack Restaurant, Bayfront Park, City Island and Centennial Park.

The Parade route has been expanded by an additional turn marker at the southwest side of Bay front Park. All boats must now pass approximately one third of the Sarasota Bay side of Bay front Park within a few yards, to be considered for judging. The Bay front Park spectator viewing area has been expanded to include the entire Northern tip of island near the fountain. The VIP viewing area has been moved to the Marina Jack’s fuel dock to allow additional space for spectators. This will improve spectator viewing from Bay front Park considerably. The SNN 6 local news staff will be covering the event throughout the evening at several areas throughout Marina Jack.

There is no entry fee for boats registering for the parade. Each parade participant will receive a commemorative gift. Vessels must be over 21 feet.

Entries will be judged in 4 categories including:
Private (P1): 21-35 ft
Private(P2): 36ft and over’
Corporate (C1): 21-35′
Corporate (C2): 36′ and over.

Cash prizes, awards and trophies will be awarded at a ceremony at Marina Jack’s fuel dock at 8:30pm following the parade.

All Proceeds Benefit Suncoast Charities for Children, Inc.

New Years Eve Pineapple Drop

Bring in the New Year at the Sarasota’s Pineapple Drop Celebration!
This FREE annual downtown Sarasota event attracts between 20,000 to 25,000 Floridians. There will be amusement rides, food & beer concessions, live music and a pineapple drop at midnight followed by a fantastic firework display on Sarasota Bay.

A road-trip-worthy event, visit http://www.VisitDowntownSarasota.com for more information to plan your trip.

This event (excluding fireworks) is brought to you by the Sarasota Downtown Merchants Association (SDMA). Learn More: https://www.sarasotadowntownmerchants.com/

#destination #newyears #fun #downtownsarasota #sarasota #bayfront #fireworks #pineappledrop #newyearseveparty #newyearseveevents #livemusic #thingstodo

Stop the Dispensary Ban

City planners and police have been considering new rules to regulate and allow dispensaries in Sarasota, in certain limited circumstances, since before voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 2 to legalize medical marijuana last fall.

They then imposed a nine-month moratorium on the development of any dispensaries while they and state leaders vetted their proposed rules.

But under the new state law implementing the amendment, signed by Gov. Rick Scott last week, cities and counties are given an option to outright ban new dispensaries within their boundaries, and City Attorney Robert Fournier is recommending the city take it.

 

http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20170629/sarasota-to-consider-banning-medical-marijuana-dispensaries