Briefs

+ Commission selects police panels members
The two police panels created to advise the Sarasota Police Department are now complete.

City commissioners appointed four members to each panel, along with the sitting chairmen.

The Independent Police Advisory Panel includes Chairman Elmer Berkel and members Dedra Anderson, William Fuller III, Kelvin Lumpkin and Eileen Normile.

The Police Complaints Committee includes Chairman Ronald Riffel and members Frank Brenner, Sandreanna Everett, Jerry Meketon and John Rivers.

+ City to defend its code enforcement practice
One of the tools the city has to help it enforce code violations is placing a lien on “any real or personal property owned by the violator.”

But a ruling in the 5th District Court of Florida against a similar measure the city of Palm Bay uses could place Sarasota’s code enforcement at risk.

The Florida Supreme Court could decide soon whether to take on the district court case.

Commissioners voted 5-0 in favor of city attorney Robert Fournier filing a legal brief that defended the city’s code-enforcement tactics.

+ City considers drafting rental ordinance
With a legislative bill expected to take effect July 1, the city will look into the possibility of pushing through an ordinance before then, so it can be eligible for the grandfather clause.

The Legislature is continuing its work on a short-term-rental bill that would allow any home to rent individual rooms like a hotel.

The county has ordinances in place that would protect many coastal areas, such as Siesta Key, because the bill would honor all existing local laws.

However, the city has no such ordinances.

City attorney Robert Fournier said the bill currently treats time-share properties as multi-family homes instead of hotels, like the city currently considers them.

Commissioner Terry Turner raised the possibility of the commission creating short-term rental restrictions before July 1.

Fournier said because zoning codes would have to be changed, which is a lengthy process, the city would likely have to enact an emergency ordinance.

He said he wasn’t sure if the issue met the criteria for an emergency ordinance.


MEETINGS & AGENDAS
• Bird Key Improvement Association — 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 21, Bird Key Yacht Club, 301 Bird Key Drive, Sarasota

• Development Review Committee — 9 a.m. Thursday, April 21, Conference Room 2, 1001 Sarasota Center Blvd., Sarasota

• County Commission Budget Workshop — 9 a.m. Monday, April 25, County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota

• County Commission — 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 26, County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota

• County Commission — 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 27, County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota