Siesta Key Association Board Meeting Minutes

March 6, 2008
St. Boniface Meeting Room “F”

CALL TO ORDER AND DETERMINATION OF QUORUM:

Ann Kaplan called the meeting to order. Present: Ron Flynn, Deet Jonker, Ann Kaplan, Joyce Kouba, Robert Schennum, Mark Smith, Bob Tripp, Paul van Deventer, Peter van Roekens, Bob Waechter. Excused: Matthew Burnett, Lourdes Ramirez, Gayle Wardner. Absent: Daniel Bechtold.

MINUTES – Joyce Kouba: February minutes were approved.

TREASURER'S REPORT – Bob Tripp: The treasurer’s report was accepted. SKA received approximately $30,000 in membership and $19,000 for legal fund donations. Deet will review membership payment via PayPal.

SHERIFF'S REPORT – Sgt. Scott Osborne:
The concessionaire at the Siesta Beach pavilion hardened his shops and vending machines as recommended by the Sheriff’s Department and has had no further burglary incidents. There has been an arrest for graffiti. A night shift has been added until 3 a.m.: 2 officers in the village and 2 at the beach.

PUBLIC/AUDIENCE COMMENT (21 Guests):
J. R. Ayers, Manager of Lifeguard operations, provided details about 2007 lifeguard activity, including: 63 water rescues, 38 major first aid, 1200 minor first aid, 236 lost persons, 550 no pet enforcements, and no 990 glass container enforcements. His office received a grant for an inflatable rib catamaran to assist with operations on Turtle and Siesta Public Beaches.

Diane Erne, president of the Villa Navarro Condominium Association, conveyed the association’s concerns about the increased intensity of use at the corner of Ocean Boulevard and Avenida Messina: traffic and parking is becoming hazardous due to the increased capacity at the new restaurant, delivery trucks obstruct lanes and vision, cars stop in the middle of the street for valet parking, noise has increased from refrigerated delivery trucks and people yelling late at night. They anticipate that the Broken Egg reopening will exacerbate the problems. Commissioner Patterson said that human voices do not register on the decibel meters used for noise ordinance enforcement. She said that adjustments to the zoning code could possibly improve some of the issues and suggested that the association contact all commissioners to request action regarding their concerns. She added that she would get the County’s traffic engineer to work with the businesses to establish safer staging for valet parking.

Joe Veglianti again requested removal of parking at Beach Access 12 due to early a.m. noise and graffiti. Commissioner Patterson said she doubted he could get support for that request but if cars are at the access after hours, he should contact the Sheriff’s department. Vegliante said the Sheriff did not provide a timely response.

Mario Manfredi recommended signs on Midnight Pass stating that the road does not go through to Casey Key.

During a discussion of speeding boats in Little Sarasota Bay, Commissioner Patterson said she would research making a permanent minimum wake zone around the Bird Islands. It was suggested that the manatee protection organization might help.

David St. John of Weatherflow provided information on the hurricane-hardened weather vanes that will be installed at the beach as part of the National Hurricane Mesonetwork that spans the coast from Boston to Texas. Further information is available at www.WeatherFlow.com

AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Midnight Pass - Bob Waechter: The Midnight Pass consulting engineer and County Staff went to Tallahassee in January to meet with the Dept. of Environmental Protection. The DEP is reviewing the most recent submission. A presentation to the BCC is anticipated on April 23.

Turtle Beach - Ron Flynn: Turtle Beach has become very popular since the beach nourishment, however the overflow parking is leading to road blockage problems. During peak beach hours cars are parking on both sides of Turtle Beach Road. Cars illegally park in areas along Blind Pass Road as well. The passage of larger emergency vehicles will be hindered or blocked in the event of an emergency. Ron recommended installation of "No Parking" signs on both the sides of Turtle Beach Road and along Blind Pass Road. Also recommended that Turtle Beach Road be widened by removing the south-side rail-road ties and plantings.

Inlet Management - Peter van Roekens: FDOT is planning to clean up the debris under the Ringling Bridge by summer. Replacement marks for Big Pass still have not arrived; Mike Solum will install them as soon as they appear.

Code Enforcement - Gayle Wardner: – No Report.

Adopt-A-Road/Village - Mark Smith: FPL should begin moving utilities underground by end of April. Right of way improvements should begin in August. Work is expected for 12 to 14 months.

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Nominating/Board Development - Paul van Deventer: No report.

Zoning - Lourdes Ramirez: No report.

Membership - Deet Jonker : The second mailing to 645 property owners will be sent next week. One third of the members made donations to the legal fund.

OLD/NEW BUSINESS:

Ann Kaplan attended the Summit for Environmental Action, hosted by SCOPE. Ideas to improve the local environment were discussed. Scope has pledged support for the five best ideas: 1) develop infrastructure to capture water runoff for reuse, 2) require low-impact development techniques, 3) equip 50% of County building with solar hot water heaters, 4) attract green businesses to local area, 5) redesign transit system to coordinate with mixed-use redevelopment zones. Further information is available at scopexcel.org.

ADJOURN: – President Ramirez adjourned the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,
Joyce Kouba
Secretary, Siesta Key Association

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Previous Board Minutes (February 2008)
Next Board Minutes (April 2008)

For more information, please contact us
phone 941/364-4880
email info@siestakeyassociation.com