Youth sailing building crests final regulatory wave

Sarasota Youth Sailing is turning its tack toward construction of a new facility in Ken Thompson Park on City Island with two unanimous approval votes of the Sarasota City Commission. 

That’s where Sarasota Sailing Squadron, the SYS parent organization, holds a recently renewed 30-year lease on 9.3 acres of city property. The sustainably designed two-story, 4,230-square-foot building will replace a metal boat storage shed and an office that's currently operating out of an RV parked on a crushed shell parking lot.

That parking lot was part of a two-vote approval on July 20 for which SYS sought a Government Zone waiver to keep it as crushed shell rather than paving it with a surface that results in stormwater runoff. 

“The proposed G Zone waiver would allow the applicant to continue maintaining their crushed shell parking surface since 1958,” City Planner Camden Jenkins told commissioners. “It's been that way since the inception of the site, and to pave it over with asphalt not only could arguably decrease the perviousness of the property, but also creates an expense that could limit the applicant's ability to succeed in this project.”

It may remain crushed shell, providing it can support a 38-ton fire truck, according to a condition in the application. Should it wash away, rut and not be repaired, SYS must pave it.

In a separate vote, commissioners approved the building's site plan application and a major conditional use as a non-government function on government property. Not only will the use remain as it has for decades, but the new building will not exceed the footprint of predecessor. There plan includes open-air boat storage and, above it, climate-controlled restrooms, classroom and office space.

The commission also approved an eighth amendment to the lease agreement, which is necessary to permit construction.

The SYS building, at a cost of about $3 million, is designed to provide ample shade and its roof structure will funnel rainwater into a cistern for washing boats before they are stored. The roof will also have solar panels. The design of the building has been awarded by the American Institute of Architects twice.

SYS, which serves more than 400 students per year up to high school seniors, offers educational and competitive programs to its members. Upward of 30% of its students attend on scholarship, a program SYS President Travis Yates told commissioners the organization seeks to expand.