Lido kayak operators support rule change

After outlining a plan to allow private companies to accept payments at Ted Sperling Park on south Lido Key, Tricia Wisner got asked an unusual question at a community workshop Monday.

Although the City Commission will need to approve the proposal before it can take effect, Lido resident Nancy Mina failed to grasp a possible downside to the rule change.

“What’s the risk?” Mina asked. “Why is this a discussion?”

Wisner, a county operations coordinator, outlined the county’s desired change to city regulations. The county started a program regulating private water vessel operators at Ted Sperling Park in 2013, which allowed companies to offer tours and rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.

The city does not allow companies to take payments at parks, and the county began more stringently enforcing that rule earlier this year. Based on feedback from customers interested in walking up and paying, the county now wants to allow cash and credit card transactions in the park.

Kayak companies shared their support for the proposal Monday. Bob Nikla, the owner of I Kayak Sarasota, said a growing number of visitors seek out rentals or tours because of the rising popularity of eco-tourism. Currently, those visitors have to go off-site, book an appointment and return an hour later before their tour.

He dismissed the idea that allowing on-site payments would result in a dramatic change at the park — because the demand is already so high.

“We’re not soliciting people to go kayaking,” Nikla said. “They’re going there to kayak.”

“We’re not soliciting people to go kayaking — they’re going there to kayak.” — Bob Nikla

Carl Shoffstall, president of the Lido Key Residents Association, agreed that the regulation barring on-site payments is unnecessary. Still, he and other residents had questions about the proposal. Most importantly, how would the activity at the park impact residents going forward?

“We have a traffic problem, and we have overcrowding,” Shoffstall said. “I’ve talked to several people from the association that say they can’t get out there with a private kayak.”

Pete Garcia oversees the county kayak program and says there’s been a concerted effort to ensure public access. Currently, the launch at Ted Sperling Park is set up to act as two separate access points: one for private use, and one reserved for the public.

Laurel Kaiser, the owner of kayak tour company Island Style Sports, was the only person to voice opposition to the plan — and the broader private activity. 

“My initiative is, don’t occupy the park,” Kaiser said. “Don’t park your trucks on county property; don’t take up that much parking.”

Gretchen Schneider, the city’s planning and development general manger, said staff will endorse the proposal based on public feedback. The topic will likely come before the City Commission this fall.

If the city approves on-site payments, Wisner said staff would continue to monitor operations at the park to ensure the system continues to run smoothly. 

“We work to revise the rules every year,” Wisner said. “We work to make them better every year.”