News Briefs

+ Key’s 30-day rental rule appears to be safe
It appears that the town of Longboat Key’s 30-day, single-family-home rental rule is not in jeopardy.

An aide to Florida House Rep. Jim Boyd informed Longboat Key Mayor Jim Brown in an e-mail Wednesday, April 6 that an amendment to a bill being reviewed by the Legislature has been filed and would “grandfather” in municipalities that already have ordinances in place.

The bill, which has already passed through two committees in the state’s House of Representatives and is now being reviewed by a Judiciary Committee, would allow residential property owners to rent a residential home for one day, if they wish.

Without the amendment, town attorney David Persson advised that the town’s 30-day rental rule would be null and void.

+ Port Dolphin money deposited in account
Port Dolphin LLC solidified plans to build a natural-gas pipeline on the Gulf floor by depositing $1 million into an escrow account.

The money will be split evenly between the town of Longboat Key and Manatee County, as reimbursement for placing the pipeline in an area full of white sand on which the communities depend for beach renourishment.

The town can now request reimbursement when it begins permitting and searching for the sand for future beach projects.

+ Saivetz seeks Key Club density referendum
Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Board member Bradford Saivetz sent a letter to the Longboat Key Town Commission April 11, urging it to look into a report he sent to town attorney David Persson.

The four-page report questions the changing of density numbers in both the Longboat Key Club Islandside and Harbourside planned developments, questions a density report performed in 2002 by attorney William Pomeroy and urges the town to hold a referendum to approve the Islandside renovation-and-expansion project, which would confirm there are still 1,872 units allowed in both planned developments.

Wrote Saivetz: “If the electorate goes along — great. I will drop this opposition.”

In an email Tuesday, Persson maintained his belief that the Islandside project does not require a referendum, because the density limits of the planned developments have not been exceeded.

Meetings & agendas
+  Zoning Board of Adjustment Regular Meeting — 9:30 a.m. Thursday, April 14.
+  Planning and Zoning Board Regular Meeting — 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 19.
All meetings take place at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road.

What you missed on the Web
The top-five most read stories online last week were:
• Firefighters, lifeguards rescue three from the Gulf (April 7)
• Storm damages Longboat Key community (April 6)
• Burn victim thanks firefighters, flight crew (April 6)
• Squatters pay cash for keys to the Colony  — April Fools (April 1)
• Longboat Key Cops Corner (April 6)

See all photos from this week’s events online:
• Cocktails Courtside (April 5)
• Operation Kindness fundraiser (April 6)
• Village Kentucky Derby party (April 6)
• All Angels good-bye party (April 7)
• Temple Beth Israel Cabaret Night (April 7)
• Longboat Library luncheon (April 9)
• Sanctuary good-bye party (April 10)
• Tea to Tequila (April 10)
• PIC 25th anniversary (April 11)
• Garden Club annual picnic (April 12)
• St. Mary Women’s Guild annual luncheon (April 12)