County Commission approves outdoor displays

The long-awaited, citizen-initiated amendment to allow outdoor displays in Siesta Key Village has come to fruition. The Sarasota County Commission voted Tuesday to approve a zoning code amendment to allow business owners to advertise their merchandise outside of their storefront.

Per the amendment, outdoor displays cannot exceed a height of 7 feet, and they are limited to two settings, such as a table, mannequin or mobile cart (see box, right, for full list of regulations). The sunset date for the amendment was lowered from two years to one so the county could assess the amendment sooner.

County staff, Siesta organizations and Village merchants have discussed the amendment for more than a year. Some commissioners, including Nora Patterson, expressed concern the Village would look cluttered; merchants argued the loss of customer traffic was ruining business.

“We’re giving it a chance,” said Patterson. “It’s seldom that different groups with different goals can come together.”

Some commissioners worried the proposed changes would burden code enforcement officer John Lally to make sure retailers complied with the rules.

Business owners are pleased they can again place displays outside to entice visitors and tourists into their store.

“This is 12 months in the making,” said Mark Toomey, owner of Robin Hood Rentals. Toomey has been one of the leading merchants involved in the amendment process; he represented the Siesta Key Village Association at county meetings throughout the process.

“We’re over the moon,” he said.

Because the amendment was citizen-initiated, he and a handful of others helped pay the $2,650 bill — a combination of application fees and advertising for public hearing fees — to get the proposal to the commission.

“The Village is unique — a mini downtown of a small town,” Patterson said. “Maybe the ordinance reflects that.”

What’s allowed as an outdoor display?

• There must be a 4-foot-wide pedestrian zone from the parking area to store’s main entrance

• There must be a 5-foot-wide pedestrian-clear zone along sidewalks running parallel to the storefront;

• There must be at 2-foot-wide setback from parking area or street;

• Display must meet ADA accessibility requirements;

• Length of display must not exceed one-third of the length of the storefront;

• Maximum height of the display is 7 feet;

• Retailers will not hang merchandise on exterior portions of the building;

• Display is limited to two settings: a table, mannequin, clothing rack or mobile cart, each with separate size limitations;

• Signage on the displays must not exceed 1 square foot;

• No used or second-hand merchandise is allowed on the outdoor display.

Timeline

2002: Siesta Key Overlay District, a zoning district that contains development standards that are additional to the underlying county zoning district, is adopted.

May 2013: Sarasota County code enforcement officer John Lally holds an overlay district workshop for Siesta Key merchants and property owners to alert them to the prohibited use of portable signs and informs them of zoning code regulations.

July 2013: A Siesta Key Village Association subcommittee forms to draft an amendment to the overlay district that would allow outdoor displays.

November 2013: SKVA holds a forum to discuss what modifications should be included in the amendment.

February 2014: Siesta Key businesses reach a compromise and draft a proposed amendment. The amendment combines the needs of businesses and the desire to maintain the aesthetic appeal of the Village.

October 2014: County commissioners unanimously vote to pass the amendment on second reading.