Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

FDOT construction on busy Bradenton road will require lane closures. What to know

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news...6771ca81&ei=48

The Florida Department of Transportation announced overnight lane closures as crews work to resurface parts of State Road 64 in Bradenton.

Crews are expected to begin the repairs Thursday on two different parts of State Road 64, also known as Manatee Avenue. The crews will repave the road from 10th Street West to 10th Street East. FDOT will also repave the road from 43rd Street West to 15th Street West.

The project to install new pavement spans a total of 2.8 miles, according to FDOT's project website.

Some of the work to repave Manatee Avenue has already been completed. Crews recently repaved one lane in each direction on the busy Bradenton road.

According to a news release, the overnight lane closures will be intermittent. FDOT said construction should be wrapped up by the end of spring.

Drivers are advised to expect delays or to take an alternate route.

[wondermint2]

Selby Gardens Ranks No. 3 on USA Today List of Best Botanical Gardens

The gardens recently completed Phase One of the expansion of its downtown campus, which includes the new Green Orchid restaurant.

For full article:

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/new...anical-gardens

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has placed third in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards contest for “Best Botanical Garden” in the United States.

Nominees for the award were chosen by a panel of experts, includidng editors from USA TODAY and editors from 10Best.com. Selby Gardens was one of 20 gardens selected for the Best Botanical Gardens Category; public voting narrowed down the list to the final top 10.

[wondermint2]

"People don't know:" Residents vow to watch North Port leaders in city rezoning (Video)

City leaders say it's in everyone's best interests to have a say in controlling local growth and development.

For full article & video:

https://www.fox4now.com/north-port-e...-city-rezoning

Several North Port residents say they aren’t happy with a planned citywide rezoning.

"They didn't find out from the city website; they found out from my Facebook post that their area is getting rezoned, and they're not happy," concerned resident Pam Tokarz said.

Tokarz isn't afraid to voice her concerns about the upcoming citywide rezone. She even helped start a group called No Rezone North Port FL.

“There are a lot of small neighborhoods getting rezoned, and a lot of people don't know," Tokarz said.

She told Fox 4 she supports some commercial rezoning. However, she worries how much, and where.

"Down the road, as the population increases, we're going to need more commercial," Tokarz said. "We're going to need that bigger tax base. We just want to make sure this rezone is done correctly."

City leaders are assuring the public the necessary measures will take place. They also said it's greatly needed.

"It's extremely critical that we increase our commercial base," said North Port Development Director Alaina Ray. "There's generally a rule that you should have 30% of your area as commercial so that your tax base is balanced."

Ray agrees the city rezoning has two goals, including improving that commercial base from 8% commercial to 20%. However, rezoning more land as commercial could also help protect parts of the city from flooding, which was a problem during Hurricane Ian.

City officials said commercial rezoning can also help make sure over-development doesn’t eliminate natural flood protections. They are working to build in protections for existing residents and homeowners that will ensure their properties won't be negatively impacted.

Fox 4 was told the current zoning map for the entire city should be repealed and replaced by this summer.

[wondermint2]

Ramirez to speak on hotels topic March 21

https://siestasand.us/ramirez-to-spe...opic-march-21/

Lourdes Ramirez, a Siesta Key resident who in 2023 won a pair of lawsuits in relation to the proposed hotels on Siesta Key, will be speaking on the topic of a new attempt by developers to have them approved. Her presentation will be held at 5:30 p.m. March 21 at St. Boniface Church’s community room, 5615 Midnight Pass Rd.

Ramirez is president of the Protect Siesta Key nonprofit civic group.

[wondermint2]

County commissioners to vote on agreement for reimbursement of hotel lawsuits-related legal fees

https://siestasand.us/county-commiss...ed-legal-fees/

At the March 19 Sarasota Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board members will be asked to potentially vote on a report submitted by County Attorney Josh Moye in regard to a legal fees reimbursement agreement reached between the county and two plaintiffs after a judge in August decided that Sarasota County was in violation of its own comprehensive plan when it approved several large-scale hotels.

Lourdes Ramirez was the winning plaintiff in one case, and the combination of Robert Sax, Marina Del Sol, and 222 Beach Road prevailed in the other. The ruling of Hunter Carroll, judge in Sarasota County’s 12th Judicial Circuit Court, applied to both cases.

If approved, Ramirez would receive $170,000 and the other party would receive about $101,000.

[wondermint2]

Nick Bollettieri’s former Bradenton condo on sale for $3 million. Take a look inside

The 6,900-square-foot home features a fireplace, a theater room, a private elevator and much more.

For full article & photos:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/nick-boll...181500799.html

A Bradenton home once owned by tennis coaching great Nick Bollettieri has gone on the market for $2.95 million.

Bollettieri built the five-bedroom, five-bath home at 78 Tidy Island Boulevard in 1984 and sold it in 1988. The tennis legend, who died in December 2022, rose to fame by founding the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in 1978 and developing many No. 1 ranked players.

Among them were Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Jim Courier, Martina Hingis, Jelena Jankovic, Marcelo Rios, Monica Seles, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and Venus Williams.

“This residence seamlessly combines two oversized condos into an expansive grand bayfront home with 6,900 square feet of living space. Renowned for training some of tennis’ biggest stars, Bollettieri created this commanding residence for his family, long-term guests and rising star students,” the real estate listing says.

The waterfront home boasts impressive views of Sarasota Bay. Tidy Island is south of Cortez Road and west of 53rd Avenue West.

“The cantilevered Florida Room, suspended over the pool brings 180-degree views of Sarasota Bay from Longboat Key to downtown Sarasota,” the listing says.

“Presenting itself as Manatee County’s largest condominium, this opulent residence stands as a testament to unrivaled ambition and visionary design,” the listing says.

Take a look at pictures of the extravagant home, which features a dual-sided fireplace, a theater room, a private elevator and more.

[wondermint2]

Florida Power & Light plans to cut power bills as natgas prices slide

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/flori...140605300.html

Florida Power & Light (FPL), one of the U.S.'s biggest power providers, said on Wednesday that its customers could see a decrease in their electricity bills from May onwards, in part due to lower natgas prices.

The NextEra Energy-owned company has sought two rate decreases - one in April and one in May - from the Florida Public Service Commission, and if approved, a typical 1,000 kilowatt-hour (kWh) residential bill would be nearly $14 lower in May than today.

Natgas prices have fallen nearly 35% this year to their lowest since June 2020 on Feb. 27, as near-record output, mostly mild weather and low heating demand this winter allowed utilities to leave significantly more gas in storage than usual for this time of year.

However, low prices could boost U.S. gas use to a record high in 2024 despite gas production dropping, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) latest outlook.

Apart from lower projected prices for natural gas, the rate decreases are also in lieu of the temporary surcharge of restoration costs ending on March 31.

The utility serves nearly 12 million people.

[wondermint2]

Downtown Sarasota boom: $780 million of construction projects in development

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...df9448a6&ei=29

Inside the nearly 15 square miles of usable real estate in the city of Sarasota, several construction cranes soar high above downtown, remaking the skyline with large new buildings.

The sites under construction — along with others planned for the near future — could add more year-round residents than at any other point in the last 40 years, inviting a population influx that could soon see 1,000 more people living in Sarasota's urban core.

The new development won't just add traffic and people to the city center.

It could pave the way for more rental housing, as two large projects in downtown will add more than 650 apartments.

While there have been several recent examples of successful luxury condo towers, the addition of 420 rental units in Aster & Links next to the downtown movie theater on Main Street, and another 240 in The Quay's Cordelia Apartments, could be the proof of concept that spurs even more such projects, depending on how quickly they fill with tenants.

Together, apartment projects account for more than half of the total new units in the construction boom reverberating in downtown Sarasota. A review of construction projects reveals a minimum of 1,900 residential units across more than a dozen projects, totaling an estimated construction cost of $786 million, according to active city building permit data.

[wondermint2]

Appeals court: No new trial in Venice discrimination case levied by Black officer

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime...df9448a6&ei=32

A U.S. appeals court has denied a motion by the city of Venice for a new trial after a jury found an African-American officer had suffered discriminatory actions against him by fellow officers and superiors.

Venice filed an appeal following a jury’s decision in February 2022 in favor of Officer Kenite Webb, who filed a lawsuit in 2019 saying there were several discriminatory actions taken against him by Venice Police Department officers and superiors in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Florida Civil Rights Act, according to a federal complaint.

The lawsuit, which was filed on Dec. 11, 2019, stemmed from multiple events spanning from 2017 through 2018 in which Webb alleged he faced discriminatory actions and followed a complaint filed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in November 2018. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Tampa.

[wondermint2]

North Port senior named 2024 Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota/DeSoto

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties recently presented its 2024 Youth of the Year title to North Port High School student Bianca D. during its annual Steak & Burger Youth of the Year Celebration.

Four other outstanding teens were in the running for Youth of the Year. Each exemplified the Boys & Girls Clubs’ mission and are proof of the impact the Clubs make in transforming lives:

· Ashley V., Venice High School, 12th grade.

· Ava M., Pine View School, 11th grade.

· Nishalle U., Pine View School, 12th grade.

· Sierra M., Riverview High School, 12th grade.

Since 1947, Youth of the Year has been the premier recognition program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America that fosters a new generation of leaders. The program celebrates the achievements of Club members across the nation. Candidates compete at the local Club, state, and regional levels before attending the national celebration.

Bianca is a senior at North Port and a member of the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club. She joined the Boys & Girls Clubs in 2021 through the Students Taking Active Roles (STAR) Leadership Program.

“The relationships, lessons, and opportunities that Boys & Girls Club has bestowed upon me changed my life and ignited my passion for service," Bianca said. "I am committed to showing my gratitude by uplifting communities like those impacted by the Club, enabling others to discover the power of their voices.”