- April 29, 2024
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As a part of two counties, Longboat Key is no stranger to intergovernmental relations.
So a joint commission meeting on Oct. 9 between the Longboat Key Town Commission and the city of Sarasota’s commission provided an opportunity for both parties to share updates on major projects and allow for questions.
The longest discussion of the agenda was about the Fruitville Road Corridor Plan proposed by the city of Sarasota.
Commissioners have brought up the plan in several recent meetings, and thought it was necessary to discuss at the joint meeting.
City Engineer Nikesh Patel presented the latest update on the project. The last plan was under review from 2017 to 2019.
In 2019, the plan to reduce Fruitville Road from four lanes to two, widening the sidewalk and adding a roundabout was struck down by the City Commission. But recently, Longboat Key commissioners were concerned about the possibility of the plan being revived.
A City Commission workshop is planned for November in which commissioners will discuss a new proposal for Fruitville Road.
“We remain committed to finding a viable solution,” Patel said.
Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier brought up what he said is the No. 1 concern for Longboat Key residents: whether a new proposal would reduce the lanes to fewer than four.
Sarasota City Manager Marlon Brown said the idea of repurposing the road from four to two lanes is off the table at the moment but that any future plans will be based on feedback from a future workshop.
Further discussion between commissioners showed opposition from some Longboat Key commissioners and mixed responses from city commissioners. Both sides exchanged opinions about pedestrian and cyclist safety and ease of access.
Brown mentioned that when traffic studies were conducted in 2019, plans with a roundabout and narrower lanes did function better.
City of Sarasota Vice Mayor Liz Alpert said she was the one vote for the narrowing plans in 2019.
From her point of view, the plans make perfect sense.
“We desperately need the connectivity between the traditional downtown we have and what is becoming part of the downtown,” Alpert said, “so that people can actually get to places by walking and biking and feeling safe.”
Longboat Key Commissioner-at-Large BJ Bishop rebutted by sharing her opinion that not many cyclists she knows would ever cycle on Fruitville.
Whatever the next steps are, most felt this would be a topic for much further discussion.
“Tread carefully, because once you lose it, it’s very hard to get it back,” Bishop said.
Other topics discussed at the joint meeting were updates to Longboat Key’s town center and the St. Regis Longboat Key.
Other topics on the agenda included:
City of Sarasota officials presented a synopsis of the project, which wrapped up construction in April.
Right now, work is being done to complete the landscaping component of the project. The total cost of the project came to $8.9 million.
This will be the first peak season with the roundabout complete.
At a recent public meeting, Sarasota residents explored different options, including a complete street, streetscape and no build. The survey said 44% of people were in favor of the complete street possibility.
Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier was enthused at the possible project.
“If there’s anything we can do to help you in lobbying for funds, we’d be willing to do that and happy to do that,” Schneier said.
The idea will also be on the docket for the November City Commission workshop.
City officials shared with all commissioners the latest on the New Pass dredging project, slated for summer 2024.
While the main purpose of the project is to make the channel navigable, an added benefit would be the use of sand from dredging.
That sand is mainly proposed for nourishment on Lido Key, but conversations are in the works for possibly sharing the sand with Longboat Key beaches.
Longboat Key Director of Public Works Isaac Brownman said construction is set to begin on Nov. 1, and is only estimated to last until Jan. 8.
The main purpose of the project is to tighten the rocks in the New Pass groin, not lengthen the groins. Overall, it will limit the amount of sand lost in that area.
The project will cost $489,415 and will be performed by Sea and Shoreline, LLC.
Seven major projects are under review, and four others were recently approved by the city of Sarasota.
Both municipalities contributed to discussions about affordable housing, bringing up some issues with affordable housing in the city.
City Commissioner-at-Large Jen Ahearn-Koch pointed out that in some of the future development plans, the city is trying to bring affordable housing out of District 1, where she said it has been traditionally concentrated.
The last item on the agenda covered the city’s collaboration for a water taxi service.
The city of Sarasota completed a feasibility survey and, with collaboration from the county, is planning to integrate the system into Sarasota County’s 2024 Breeze Transit Development Plan.
Commissioner Koch mentioned that Longboat Key at one time had a water taxi service, and asked Longboat Key commissioners to collaborate with researching where the service would once again be feasible on the island.
Commissioner Bishop said the water taxi is of great interest to the Longboat Key community, and expressed interest in supporting the efforts along with Mayor Schneier.
