SIESTA SOUNDS
FOOTBALL GAME CAPITAL
Mike Kach playing more than ever this fall
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Siesta Key Bar becomes The Destination to watch every game!
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SGT. ARIK SMITH Sergeant Arik Smith answers questions during the SKA meeting
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OCTOBER 2019 | 941.349.0194 | ISLAND VISITOR PUBLISHING, LLC | www.SiestaSand.net | COMPLIMENTARY
Proposed hotel and parking structure on Old Stickney Point Road By Bob Stein In the August edition of Siesta Sand, Dr. Gary Kompothecras of “1-800-Ask Gary” discussed numerous topics from his arrival on Siesta Key, his background in starting his business to the newly acquired Bank of America building. To read this article you can go online at http://siestasand.net/a-conversation-with-dr-garykompothecras/ Siesta Sand followed up with another Q&A session with Kompothecras, zeroing in on the new proposed parking structure and hotel on Old Stickney Point Road.
PARKING STRUCTURE In the August edition of Siesta Sand, you discussed converting the old Bank of America building located on Stickney Point Road next to CB’s into a mixed use commercial and parking structure. How tall will this structure be? Also, where would the commercial area be located in this structure? Currently the zoning district permits a height of 35 feet, and our preliminary design is guided by that limit. However, we have spoken with Sarasota County Public Works, and as a stakeholder in their parking study we sought to explore whether the County would be interested in modifications that would result in additional parking
or that would better move traffic to Stickney Point. Unfortunately it is too early in their study efforts to provide me with any guidance. Any increase in parking spaces would require an increase in height. Because the garage will be part of the application for the hotel special exception I am concerned that adding another special exception request will only complicate matters and give opponents something else to latch onto. I am willing to consider further investments which will assist with parking challenges, but the bureaucracy associated with zoning doesn’t help to get a mutually acceptable plan. Will you be leasing out portions of the structure? The concept that we are working with contains 5000 square feet of commercial space. How many parking spots will be available in the new structure? Approximately 180 spaces within current height and setback limits. Will the parking structure be able to be accessed from both Stickney Point Road and Old Stickney Point Road? The site is narrow which makes ingress and egress
Site of the proposed hotel on Old Stickney Point Road, former site of the old Fandango building
planning for a building of this type a challenge. The concept currently shows ingress and egress off of Old Stickney Point, but I prefer to have the egress be on Stickney Point. This creates some design challenges and is one of the issues that we have spoken with County Public Works transportation planners about. Continued on page 37
Beginning our 10th year
Waste Water plant
By Bob Stein
Demolition of Siesta Key Water Reclamation Facility equipment likely to get underway late in spring 2020
This October, Island Visitor Publishing heads into its 10th year since publishing its first edition. As Siesta Key residents, my wife Emy and I currently publish four monthly papers: Siesta Sand, The Landings Eagle, Del Tura Tower and Tara Woods Columns. We also update the six metal map boxes located in the Village. The Landings Eagle is a community specific newspaper dedicated to covering the news and events of The Landings while the Del Tura and Tara Woods’ papers are community newspapers located in Fort Myers. Back then, when we purchased the Island Visitor map paper from Jim Russell, who purchased it from the original founder, Howard Partain, the Island Visitor paper
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was a rack publication published four times a year and consisted of all the maps and business listings of the island. Our intent, when acquiring the Island Visitor, was to convert the publication to a monthly newspaper dedicated to the news and events of Siesta Key, delivering it via postal mailing, and distributing it to the condos and businesses on and around the island. We wanted to make sure it conveyed that small-town feel, but with a beach flair. The transformation took place in steps. When we were ready to roll out the next design change, we pondered a new name for the paper; something that would make it clear, at a glance, what the newspaper would cover. Continued on page 36
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Fire Department inks lease for temporary quarters
• Village Map/business listings PAGE 22 • Crescent Beach Map/ business listings PAGE 24 • Gulf Gate Shops PAGE 28 • Island Humor PAGE 27 • Accommodations Map/ Listings PAGE 43
Siesta Promenade, Contrary to Facebook post, construction did not begin in early September
By October 2020, if all goes according to Sarasota County plans, the structures that functioned as the Siesta Key Water Reclamation Facility at 5200 Oakmont Place will have been demolished. Since April 2018, a master pump station constructed on the same property has been sending wastewater from Siesta to county facilities on the mainland via a pipeline under the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). The water reclamation operation was decommissioned after the pump station proved it was performing smoothly. Those facets of the past and future of the county complex were just part of a
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By Rachel Brown Hackney SarasotaNewsLeader.com
presentation John Saputo IV, construction project manager for the Capital Projects Division of the Sarasota County Public Works Department, made to Siesta Key Association (SKA) members in September. The design work for the demolition of the water reclamation equipment recently reached the 90% mark, Saputo noted. With that initiative expected to be completed by next month — at an expense of $90,230 — staff hopes to begin advertising for demolition bids in December, with a contract awarded in March or April of 2020, Saputo continued. Continued on page 38
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Traffic Advisory Council opposes petitions for lower speed limits and multi-way stop signs
Detert casts lone ‘No’ vote on Coastal Setback Variance requested by south Siesta Key couple
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