SOUND OFF: Cell towers and sand

Sound Off
There are other key issues facing Longboat Key beside the proposed expansion at the Longboat Key Club and Resort.

Consider, for instance, cell towers and what kind of sand should be used on the beach.

What’s your opinion? Let us hear from you.

CELL TOWERS
Is it a tree? Or a cell tower?

Now imagine this tree-like cell tower on Sister Keys.

Or, for that matter, imagine a 150-foot flagpole on Sister Keys waving the American, Florida and Longboat Key flags 24-7 and serving as a cell tower. What a great signature marquee for boaters and Longboat Key residents alike.

What’s your opinion:
Would you support erecting a camouflaged cell tower as a tree or flag pole on Sister Keys?

WHITE OR DARK SAND?
The Longboat Key Town Commission decided two weeks ago to renourish Longboat Key’s beach in 2011 with a “mulatto” sand — a dual layer of less white and dark sand.

The estimated cost: between $28 million and $35 million.

The commission rejected adding a layer of sugar-white sand because of cost.

What’s your opinion:
Would you support adding a layer of white sand above the high-tide line to keep our tradition of white-sand beaches?

At what point would the cost be prohibitive to you — 10% more than $35 million, or $38.5 million? Or would be 20% more, or $42 million, be too prohibitive?

The last beach renourishment, at $21 million, added less than a mill to individual property taxes.

E-mail your response to [email protected] or add your comments below.