City Commission to discuss gun control

The Sarasota City Commission generally focuses on local issues, but Monday’s meeting will include a discussion regarding a hot-button national topic: gun control.

The agenda for that meeting includes consideration of a resolution that would ask federal and state officials to work toward "limiting the availability and use of military grade, high capacity magazine assault weapons to law enforcement agencies."

The resolution, placed on the agenda by City Manager Tom Barwin, is a response to this week’s mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Barwin and the city commissioners were among the hundreds of people gathered at a memorial Monday for the victims of that shooting.

“The increasing number of mass shootings involving military grade, high capacity magazine weapons represents an extremely dangerous risk and trend in American communities,” the agenda documents state.

Also on the agenda for Monday’s commission meeting, the board will consider a resolution formally denying the Woman’s Exchange’s plans for expansion. In May, the commission overturned staff’s decision to approve those plans in a 3-2 vote. Woman’s Exchange representatives have said they may consider legal action challenging the city’s decision.

If the city finalizes its denial of the Woman’s Exchange expansion, the city attorney is recommending changes to the zoning code to address portions that may be unclear or in conflict. The city attorney suggests those changes could help facilitate the Woman's Exchange if the nonprofit consignment shop were interested in remaining in its Orange Avenue location.

The full agenda for Monday’s meeting can be found on the city website.