Longboat Observer 5.16.24

Happy hour hound

When it hits 4 p.m. and they are not at happy hour, Longboat resident Randy Coleman’s dog Daisy will bark.

“She got that from my mother,” said Coleman, who is a Realtor for Sarasota Trust Realty Co. “If we are not at happy hour when the clock strikes four, that is a problem with Daisy. And it shows because more people know her name than know mine.”

For the past 12 years, Daisy has been known as Longboat’s “happy hour” dog. The pair are regulars at Speak’s Clam Bar, Chart House, Lido Beach Resort’s Tiki Bar and other restaurants around the Key. Coleman inherited Daisy in 2015 from his mother when she died. He said his mother asked him to take care of Daisy as her final words. Because the dog meant so much to her, he took Daisy as his own and said that she has been his longest companion.

Coleman shared that Daisy took after his mother in the best ways. She had his mother’s love for happy hours and making new friends.

Daisy will bond with anyone who sits next to her, whether it’s a server at a restaurant, a regular or a new customer.

Reading between the cones

Petra Rivera Randy Coleman and his dog, Daisy

Carter Weinhofer

The building at 540 Bay Isles Road currently houses The Paradise Center, among other tenants.

Petra Rivera

Sami Hobbs and Sonja Kaiser practice their kickboxing skills during a mirroring exercise in

mother-daughter workout beach boot camp.

Police expansion stalls amidst funding gap

Longboat Key Police is looking for grants to fund a $1.3 million expansion to its headquarters.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Chief of Police George Turner hopes an expansion to the Longboat Key Police Department would add more space that could be shared with nearby departments.

Turner said the possible expansion of the department’s headquarters is in the works, but the department is still trying to find funding for the $1.3 million project after a recent grant opportunity fell through.

The existing building would be expanded by 1,300 square feet, providing more space for training simulations.

“It’s definitely something that’s needed for us,” Turner said. “We have no training room here.”

Currently, the department uses an old holding cell for de-escalation simulation training.

The building cost — including engineering and permit costs — is estimated to be about $1 million. With equipment and everything included, the total expansion would cost about $1.3 million, according to Turner.

Plans for the building are already complete and waiting for funding to move forward. A local architecture firm completed the plan for free, Turner said.

According to Turner, the mayors and police chiefs in Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach submitted letters of support for grants to pay for the expansion.

Turner said police departments from both of those towns could benefit from having a larger training facility nearby on Longboat Key.

“Everybody that we interact with would be welcome to use our place,” Turner said.

Longboat Police already invites the neighboring agencies to use the existing de-escalation simulation.

This joint effort was something that the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation noted in the department’s first accreditation review in February.

The town had applied for a federal grant for the project, but that grant was recently rejected because it wasn’t able to be used for building construction, according to Turner.

Now, Turner said he’s working with the town to see what other funding opportunities are out there to keep the project moving forward.

“We’re continuing to try to find other funding sources for this very important project,” Turner said.

TRAINING POSSIBILITIES

In the current situation, Turner said his officers sometimes need to go to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office for training, such as a driving simulator.

“It takes an hour to get there, an hour to get back without traffic,”

Turner said. “It limits the amount of training we can offer.”

For that reason, Turner said it would be easier for the department to have its own on-site facility to offer training before or after shifts and eliminate the drive time.

Not only that, but the department’s existing training room is not spacious enough, according to Turner. Currently, the officers go through de-escalation simulations in the building’s former holding cell.

“A larger room would allow us to train more people and run more peo-

“It’s definitely something that’s needed for us. We have no training room here.”

— George Turner, Chief of Police

ple through it,” Turner said

The simulator is something the department started using about a year and a half ago and is something that puts officers through real-life scenarios, like domestic disputes and dogs on the beach.

With more space, Turner said the department could implement training like first aid, large emergency response, active shooter scenarios and pursued driving.

“All those kinds of classes would be held on-site,” Turner said.

Though the funding isn’t currently available, everything else is ready to go and Turner said he is still focused on pushing for this expansion.

“It’s definitely not on the back burner. We’re still actively pursuing getting this done,” Turner said.

OTHER NOTABLE ADVANCEMENTS

In the past year, the Longboat Key Police Department has undergone some other big changes, including:

June 2023: Officer Justin Ramsaier is sworn in to join the Longboat Key PD after a 17-year career with the New York City Police Department. June 2023: Town commissioners approved a resolution for the purchase of new vehicles to expand the department’s fleet and allow for take-home vehicles.

June 2023: A resolution to increase police salaries was approved by the town commission, which helped Turner’s recruitment strategy. The increase in pay was about 29.7% for officers and 30.1% for sergeants, a total increase of about $396,400 for fiscal year 2024.

August 2023: Officers Adam Swinford and Mike Rizzo are sworn into the Longboat Key PD, bringing a combined 16 years of experience.

September 2023: The Longboat Key PD welcomes Officer Michael Mathis to the department.

February 2024: The Longboat Key Police Department was awarded state accreditation from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation. It was the department’s first accreditation.

File photo

The Longboat Key Police Department recently added some hybrid vehicles to the fleet, as well as assigning every officer a take-home vehicle.

FOLLOWING THE EYE

Bob Bunting, CEO and chair of the Climate Adaptation Center, thinks Floridians will see hurricane forecast graphics a lot this summer.

The CAC’s forecast for the 2024 hurricane season predicted 24 named storms, 12 hurricanes and six major hurricanes. That’s double the number of predicted major hurricanes in 2023.

Not only is the number of hurricanes increasing over time, but so is the intensity, according to Bunting.

“In general, the number of storms has really been increasing,” Bunting said. “But more importantly, the number of major hurricanes is on a tear … and it’s directly related to the warming climate.”

Bunting claimed that nowadays people don’t take an in-depth look at the forecast graphics that are flashed on a screen for a couple minutes. He said most people just look to see if they’re in the cone of uncertainty.

But this year, the National Hurricane Center is experimenting with a new version of the cone of uncertainty and advertising that Hurricane Threat Impact graphics could also be helpful for people to prepare for hurricanes.

Bunting met with the Observer to talk about some reasons why hurricanes are increasing in severity, and how to understand some of the common forecast graphics.

WHY THE INCREASE IN STORMS?

Bunting identified a couple of factors behind the CAC’s hurricane forecast, one of the most important being water temperature.

When waters are warmer, it gives hurricanes more latent energy to grow in intensity. As the storm rolls over warm oceans, it gathers energy and grows stronger.

Bunting said years ago it used to take tropical storms a couple of days to intensify into major hurricanes.

“Now, with this super warm, deep warmth that we see … those storms go over that same area and they can really spin up in a hurry, which is the frightening part of it, this rapid intensification,” Bunting said.

Another factor that impacts the intensity of a hurricane is wind shear. Hurricanes like to stay straight up and down, according to Bunting. With stronger wind shear, the storms are tilted, which causes them

to waste energy, Bunting said.

As hurricane season approaches this year, so will La Niña, a natural climate pattern that decreases wind shear, leading to larger, stronger storms.

With an active hurricane season approaching, Bunting said it’s important for the public to be informed about how to read forecast graphics, especially with the population living near the coast increasing.

“This is why communities have to switch from reacting to events to planning for them,” Bunting said.

CHANGING THE CONE OF UNCERTAINTY

One of the most common graphics associated with an approaching hurricane is the cone of uncertainty. It’s a simple graphic, but Bunting said people often get confused about one thing: What does it mean to be outside the zone?

“The cone is not a wrapper around the hurricane impacts; it’s a wrapper around where the center of the hurricane could pass,” Bunting said.

“And I think that’s one of the things that confuses people.”

On the new graphic, the “X” marks where the storm currently is. The yellow circle around the “X” indicates how large the storm is.

The solid area on the old graphic shows the course over the next two days. The more solid the color the more reliable the prediction.

“The reason why they have it that way is they know pretty much where

this thing is going to go. The variance in the path is not that great,” Bunting said.

That means forecasters know with more certainty where the storm will go over the course of one to two days. When the prediction goes further out, to four to five days, that’s where more uncertainty comes into play, hence the less-than-solid color.

If you live within the cone, Bunting said you should take notice. But even if you’re outside of the cone but nearby, he said you should take notice.

“It doesn’t mean you’re going to miss the impacts of that hurricane, it means the center of that hurricane could be anywhere within that cone,” Bunting said. “But what happens around that hurricane is going to affect way more geography.”

This year, the National Hurricane Center is adding more data about the watches and warnings associated with the storm.

This new version of the cone of uncertainty will have more colors to indicate inland tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings that are in effect.

“Recommendations from social

science research suggest that the addition of inland watches and warnings to the cone graphic will help communicate inland wind risk during tropical cyclone events while not overcomplicating the current version of the graphic with too many data layers,” an announcement from the NHC said.

The new version of the cone of uncertainty will also use the solid white shading for the entire five-day forecast, rather than the different shading for different time periods.

When dealing with rapidly developing hurricanes, Bunting said it’s important to take into consideration the full extent of a storm’s impact and a certain level of unpredictability.

“That’s why, in a rapidly developing hurricane, we have to be so cautious that in the age of climate warning, we might not get the usual warning of days,” Bunting said. “That’s the scenario we have to be ready for.”

HURRICANE THREATS AND IMPACTS

The National Weather Service also issues Hurricane Threats and Impacts graphics, which break down impacts into four categories: tropical wind, storm surge, flooding rain and tornadoes.

These graphics show the range of a storm’s impact related to the different conditions. In some instances, it shows that although an area is out of a storm’s direct path, there can still be severe weather.

Bunting said that storm surge is one that can happen even if the storm isn’t traveling near the area.

“The water rises because there’s less pressure, so it doesn’t take the storm actually going on in your neighborhood for the sea level to rise,” Bunting said. “My point is that we could have two or three feet of sea level rise while it’s not raining, while the sun is out.”

All four of the graphics have a legend that uses purple, red, orange, yellow and gray to signify the severity of the impact. Purple is an area threatened by major hurricane impacts or the most severe.  Overall, these graphics show that it’s not only about what happens in the eye of the storm but the related impacts around the storm, according to Bunting.

Kat Wingert

A bench at Bayfront Park looking toward Ringling Bridge on Aug. 30, 2023, after Hurricane Idalia.

National Hurricane Center

The five-day cone forecast from the National Hurricane Center for Hurricane Ian on Sept. 27, 2022, at 11 a.m., is an example of the traditional model.

National Hurricane Center

The new version, set to debut in August — seen here for Hurricane Ian on Sept. 27, 2022, at 11 a.m. — is being tested by the National Hurricane Center. It will have more detail about inland warnings and watches, and will merge the potential track areas into one prediction.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

National Hurricane Center

Tidewell Foundation property listed for $3M

Tenants of the building include The Paradise Center and Fitness Quest Longboat Key.

Empath Health announced on May 13 that the company is selling its Longboat Key property located at 540 Bay Isles Road, which houses the Tidewell Foundation and other tenants.

The property will be listed for $3.1 million and represented by Ian Black Real Estate. Renée Stoeckle with Empath Health said the listing is expected to be live on May 14.

Tenants of the building, which is 8,369 square feet and zoned for office, include The Paradise Center, Fitness Quest Longboat Key, Bee Ridge Chiropractic, Doc Side Audiology and the office of Dr. Daren Spinelle.

According to previous reporting, The Paradise Center and most other tenants’ leases run through mid2025.

Going forward, Stoeckle said Empath is excited about expanding services that are offered on Longboat Key and in the Sarasota/Manatee community, like in-home hospice care, home health care and rehabilitation treatments in-home.

“Our commitment to the wellbeing of the Longboat Key community is unwavering,” said Chief Mission Access Officer Rhonda Sanders-Allamon in a news release.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that every resident has access to the highest quality healthcare services that support their well being and enrich their lives.”

3

Stoeckle said the organization began a close evaluation of its real estate last year. This evaluation stemmed from conversations the organization was having about modern workplaces and community needs. During that time, Empath consulted Gensler & Associates to talk about what Stoeckle called legacy companies, like Tidewell Hospice.

Stoeckle said the majority of Empath’s care is in-home and many of its employees travel to different locations to work.

“Because of that, we didn’t need the same real estate footprint we did 40 years ago,” Stoeckle said.

The organization then made the decision in March to list three properties: Clearwater, Englewood and Longboat Key.

On Longboat Key, Stoeckle said that Empath offers services like Tidewell Hospice and palliative care, Empath Home Health, Empath Grief Services and Blue Butterfly Pediatric Grief Services.

She also stated that Empath hired a new full life care liaison earlier this month who will support the St. Armands Circle, Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island areas.

The property at 540 Bay Isles Road was last purchased in 2019 by SCATA Real Estate LLC for $1.75 million. SCATA Real Estate LLC was the real estate arm for the former parent company of the Tidewell Foundation, Stratum Health System.

Stratum Health System merged with Empath in 2021, which made Empath the parent company of the Tidewell Foundation.

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Community cleanup effort

A Longboat Key North resident group is transitioning from regular beach-cleaning patrols to general education.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

In February 2021, Longboat Key North decided to start a pilot program to bring together volunteers from the north end community to keep the northern beaches clean and more presentable.

“It really was a community effort,” said Wendi Bundy, one of the organizers. “The folks from LBK North really stepped up. And we had people who didn’t live on the north end who were also involved.”

Residents of Longboat Key North felt they needed to step up to keep beaches clean and encourage positive beach behavior. The idea for a volunteer program stemmed from residents’ concerns about how the beaches — especially Greer Island (Beer Can Island) — were being used and left.

Bundy recalled that around 2021, beach activity was at a high due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said that Greer Island was heavily used for partying and that beachgoers would leave behind large amounts of things like beer bottles and Champagne bottles.

“At the time, it was pretty wild down there,” Bundy said.

Longboat Key North decided to step up and create the beach volunteer program. Bundy said the group met with the town to pitch the idea, which then began as a pilot program in 2021.

At the start, there were patrols going out almost daily with about two people each, according to Bundy. There were schedules for about 20

volunteers, each with vests, T-shirts, buckets and trash pickers.

Patrols went from the North Shore Beach access up to Greer Island, and also from the North Shore Beach access south to the Ohana seawall.

During the patrols, the volunteers picked up trash and watched out for beach violations like dogs on the beach or people disturbing nests.

Bundy and fellow volunteer Cyndi

Seamon said the group was intentional about not acting like police and making sure the public didn’t view them as that.

“By no means were we the police or the enforcers. We were more there as volunteers who were trying to continue to make it a nice place for everybody to be,” Seamon said.

Bundy said the group had discussions about the best way to approach people to educate them, and volun-

teers were taught how to properly report violations.

When the group was picking up garbage, Bundy said the majority of the trash was alcohol related. But there were also objects like mattresses, cribs, rafts and beach chairs.

“Just all kinds of garbage,” Bundy said. “The garbage was overwhelming. We found some camps, we found people who had literally camped there and had a bunch of stuff left there.”

Seamon said the group also reported graffiti on the Longboat Pass Bridge to the Florida Department of Transportation. She said the department was responsive and got the graffiti covered up quickly.

MOVING FORWARD

After the beach volunteers began the program, Bundy and Seamon both said the town and police department also helped out.

“Because we were able to get enough people together, I think the town realized that they also needed

to step up,” Seamon said.

Bundy said that Manatee County began more regular cleanups of Greer Island and the Longboat Key Police Department started patrolling Greer Island more frequently.

“The police really stepped up and started monitoring, walking down to Greer and seeing what was happening,” Bundy said. “Even having that presence helped a lot, too.”

Since then, the North Shore Beach access entrance has started looking much better, and the group feels like the town has a better handle on Greer Island.

The Longboat Key North beach volunteers decided it would be a good time to move away from regular patrols.

“We just kind of got to the point where we thought maybe we could back off,” Seamon said. “But by no means is anybody in that group not going to pick up trash or say something if they see something.”

In the future, Bundy said Longboat Key North hopes to utilize the upcoming Whitney Plaza Community Center as a venue to host educational talks to the general public. In a way, the group is zooming out on their efforts, from formal patrols to broad education about how to keep beaches clean and protect nesting wildlife.

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BEER CAN ISLAND POLICING

According to Chief of Police George Turner, Greer Island (Beer Can Island) is a Manatee County park but falls within the limits of Longboat Key and is under the jurisdiction of the Longboat Key Police Department.

Since about 2018, the LBKPD has received $60,000 a year in compensation from Manatee County for additional patrols of Greer Island. The police department began regular patrols of Greer Island by land on the department’s all-terrain vehicle and by water on its Zodiac boat.

Turner said the department’s high visibility on Greer Island was welcomed by residents and worked out well. Officers patrol almost daily in high season, and on weekends and holidays according to Turner. Now, the department is asking Manatee County for an additional $20,000 a year due to rising costs and to maintain competitive wages. This would bring the annual payout to the LBKPD from $60,000 to $80,000.

Beach volunteers Michael and Kelly O’Brien on the beach in Longboat Key.

Courtesy images

Trash at the North Shore Beach access shows some of the concerns that led to the beach volunteer program.

Groomer builds following, one doodle at a time

Jadyn Norton began a new chapter in his life by moving to Sarasota. That led him to start his own business, Puppy Pals Dog Grooming.

dog grooming business.

Four days after Jadyn Nor-

ton started Puppy Pals Dog Grooming, he opened up a fortune cookie at dinner.

“You will be successful in a business of your own,” it read.

He kept that piece of paper in the back of his phone case as a memento that he still carries with him.

Now a year into his own business venture, he’s almost at the point of needing to hire more people and get another van to help with his mobile

“Things have been going really good,” Norton said. “It’s only gotten busier and busier every day.”

Norton, 24, spends about two or three days a week on Longboat Key for appointments. He travels all over Bradenton, Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, too, in the old Amazon van he turned into his mobile dog grooming station equipped with a full tub.

In the van — which he built himself based on previous carpentry experience — Norton gets to do something he enjoys for a change.

Norton grew up in Racine, Wisconsin. As he described it, he didn’t see a future there for himself. Job opportunities were bleak, either working in factories or fast food.

For a little while, Norton said he got caught up with the wrong crowd and was surrounded by a rougher lifestyle.

“It’s very easy to get caught up in doing the wrong things,” Norton said. “And so I was associated with that stuff for all my life.”

A couple years ago, Norton decided to make a big change in his life. He packed up and moved to Sarasota with little in his wallet.

“I took this opportunity to really change my life, and be a bigger, better person than who I used to be,” Norton said. At first, he moved in with his friend

from Wisconsin. He worked mornings at a coffee shop, flipped over the “closed” sign and went straight to his other job serving at a restaurant.

It wasn’t long before his first living situation fell through, which left him homeless. Norton said he spent a couple of months couch-surfing while applying for apartments.

He continued working the jobs, managing the coffee shop and serving at night. But after awhile, he wanted something different, more of a career.

That led to his first business venture: carpentry. He entered the venture with a partner, which ended up turning sour.

The tension between him and his business partner took its toll. Norton said he often found himself complaining about work a lot to his friend, who has his own mobile dog grooming business.

The friend offered to have Norton shadow him and see what the dog grooming business is like. For about six months, North spent two or three days a week shadowing his friend before he finally decided he was ready to go on his own.

Norton sold his Mustang and invested the money in a beat-up truck and trailer that became his first “office.” His first client in his own business was a golden retriever.

About 10 months later, he

PUPPY PALS DOG GROOMING

To reach Jadyn Norton for mobile dog grooming services, call 941-735-2268.

switched to the van he uses now.

No matter what he went through to get to where he is, Norton said he always kept his chin up.

“Struggle is beauty,” Norton said. “It’s only going to make me that much stronger of a person.”

BUSINESS

BOOMING

So far, Norton has found success in the mobile dog grooming business. His schedule is packed. He wishes he had someone just to respond to all his calls and schedule his appointments.  His services include baths, haircuts, ear cleanings, nail trimmings and more. Most popular are haircuts, which also come with a bath. For small dogs, that would be around $70, up to about $150-$200 for large dogs.

Doodles are his most popular dogs. Most of the time, he has an average of one a day, he said.

About half his week is spent with appointments on Longboat, and he hopes to continue making a name for himself on the island.

The first Saturday of every month, Norton parks his van at Whitney Beach Plaza for walk-in appointments for washes and nail trimmings.

Norton spends what free time he does have working on starting his own clothing brand or spending time with his own dog, a corgi named Panda.

In all, he’s just happy to be where he is now.

“Even all the stuff I went through when I first moved here, that could break someone,” Norton said. “It didn’t kill my spirit one bit; I was the happiest person. I had so much drive and ambition.”

BEAUTY IN STRUGGLE

Photos by Carter Weinhofer

Jadyn Norton runs Puppy Pals Dog Grooming, a mobile dog grooming service.

Jadyn Norton brushes Charlie, the resident goldendoodle at Cannons Marina and one of Norton’s regular appointments.

Zoning: Killer of creativity

Truth is, zoning has created a disaster in the U.S. — unaffordable housing and high-rise columbariums.

Look at the view on Tamiami Trail looking south in the photo. With few exceptions, that’s everything. The same standardized, gigantic concrete oversized columbarians — with external touches here and there. Architects try to design those features to create something consumers will buy, and, equally important, that the neighborhood NIMBYs and central planning commissars will approve.

This look is everywhere. And you know what? It’s contrary to what used to be the American way. Americans used to embrace creativity and, dare we use this disgustingly overused word — “diversity.”

Look at the variety and creativity in the way people dress — all kinds of kinds and styles. Look at the variety in automobile brands and styles. The variety in foods and restaurant cuisine. Look at the different designs of single-family homes, inside and out. On one block, you can have a midcentury Frank Lloyd Wright gem next to a Mediterranean Revival palace, each painted different colors.

But no matter what in Florida, when anyone proposes to construct a multistory building, the NIMBYs come out from under the rugs, and the planning commissioners pull out their 2,000-page zoning codes.

“We can’t have that!” the chorus goes. “It will destroy the ambience of our beloved street (see photo.)

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But here is the truth: Zoning is anti-property rights. Zoning is discriminatory. Zoning has made housing unaffordable. Zoning has made so much of our landscape ugly. And, well, for the most part, zoning has created a disaster in America.

Zoning is why you see so many high-rise condos in Sarasota and Florida look like their designs all came from the same boring guy. What’s more, here is the irony: For more than 100 years, Sarasota prided itself on being a haven for artists and the arts — the essence of creativity. Sarasota has one of the most amazing art museums in the world (the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art). And Sarasota is the birthplace of a world-famous style of architecture: the Sarasota School of Architecture.

And yet, time after time after time, NIMBYs, planning commissioners and bureaucrats exert great efforts to squelch anything that falls a centimeter outside of the lines of the code (e.g. Obsidian/1260 N. Palm Avenue Residences).

Rather than squish and snuff creativity, consider embracing it and entrepreneurial capitalism. Look at all the amazing, life-improving innovations that individuals have produced because of their creativity and ownership of private property.

The results have been far, far superior to what you’ll ever get out of that 2,000-page zoning code.

‘THE ZONING THEORY OF EVERYTHING’

The following are excerpts from “The zoning theory of everything,” by Christian Britschgi, a reporter for Reason magazine:

■ Zoning regulations control what kinds of buildings can be constructed where, and then what activity can happen inside them. They effectively socialize private property while controlling even the most mundane features of our physical environment and daily routines. Zoning rules flip property rights on their head, curtailing the owners’ ability to do what they wish on their land. In exchange, they sometimes give people near–veto power over what happens on their neighbors’ property.

■ The immediate costs of zoning are straightforward: By limiting new housing construction, zoning drives home prices up in—and drives people out of—the most indemand neighborhoods. By micro-

managing commercial activity, zoning prevents entrepreneurs from trying new things, making everyone poorer in the process.

■ On a macroeconomic level, zoning slows economywide growth and dynamism by wrapping the most productive urban centers in red tape.

■ Zoning not only gives busybody politicians the ability to affect everything; it gives them power to stop everything, making it the goto tool for those trying to restrict everything from abortion to chain stores to goat yoga. It’s only a little bit of a stretch to say that American political debates always come back to zoning—and that zoning makes everything worse.

■ In “The Housing Theory of Everything,” a 2021 essay for Works in Progress, Sam Bowman, John Myers and Ben Southwood cobble

together the most recent research to estimate that zoning restrictions cost the average American somewhere between $8,800 and $16,000 a year in foregone income.

■ While zoning makes our economy more unstable and our politics more deranged, it keeps everything else much more boring. When people want to try new ideas on their property, whether it’s a startup business or just a fresh look, they are stopped by a litany of rules aimed at separating “incompatible uses” and eliminating “out-of-context” designs.

■ By constraining those property rights through restrictions on use, density, and more, zoning controls the physical substrata on which free markets are built. It is central planning brought down to an almost elemental level. It has made individuals and society poorer, less dynamic, more unstable, less interesting, less welcoming—and a little crazier too.

Red tide and you is a great place to START

If you are not familiar with the local nonprofit Solutions to Avoid Red Tide, you should be. It is doing yeoman’s work to reduce the scourge of red tide in our community.

I’ve seen its public presentations a couple times and spoken with its staff. It has a terrific presentation called Red Tide and You (hence my title for this column) that gives the average Gulf Coast resident a much more basic understanding of what is Red Tide; why it happens; and what our community and we as individuals can do about it.

If you belong to a local organization that needs speakers, you should reach out to get a speaker from START to give this presentation (www.Start1.org).

Red tide lives in the Gulf of Mexico. It doesn’t affect coastal sea life, coastal residents, tourists and our economy unless there is a “bloom.” A bloom is an explosive growth in red tide organisms that

kill ocean life and turn our beaches into horror shows and tear-gas coastal neighborhoods. They come from inordinately large sources of nutrients in the form of nitrogen and phosphorus.

To draw a straight line: Whenever we humans on land create large flows of nitrogen and phosphorus into our waters, which all flow into the ocean, we feed blooms of red tide, which in turn kill sea life, reduce our quality of life and drive away tourists to the detriment of the local economy.

Obviously, it is good for the environment and in our own interest to reduce those flows of nutrients into the water wherever we can. Sarasota Bay is particularly vulnerable to red tide blooms because of its salinity. And that is because it does not have a major fresh water river flowing into it, and there is a lot of movement of water between the Gulf and the bay that makes it easy for red tide blooms to enter.

WHAT START DOES

Which is where START comes in. Consider a few examples of how it’s working to reduce the flows of nutrients into our waters:

START works with the Legislature to deal with polluted Lake Okeechobee releases; fund major water quality infrastructure projects; and fund clam and oyster seeding projects on the Gulf Coast.

START itself works with clam and oyster seeding programs in the Sarasota area. These shellfish

are amazing filters, each oyster, for example filters nine-20 gallons of water per day, pulling nitrogen and phosphorus out of the water and turning it into shells so the nutrients cannot go out and feed red tide. Particularly impressive is START’s project to improve the vast numbers of stormwater ponds in Sarasota County. Stormwater currently accounts for about 65% of the nitrogen that flows into Sarasota Bay.

A huge amount of that water flows through stormwater ponds — you know those scenic little lakes that dot every neighborhood and development in the region. Ninetyfive percent of stormwater ponds are on private property. They are a necessary byproduct of development in the area, providing a means to collect and control stormwater before it flows into creeks and ultimately into the Gulf of Mexico.

The problem is most of these ponds are impaired. As a result, they pass tons of nitrogen and other nutrients into Sarasota Bay.

To provide filtering of those nutrients and help prevent red tide blooms, these ponds need to have an unmowed strip about 3 feet wide around them and allow natural water plants to grow in them.

START points to one stormwater pond improvement project that reduced phosphorus 26% and nitrogen 23%.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Besides helping to arrange for

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START to present all of its useful information to your group, there is a lot you can do. First, if your neighborhood or development has stormwater ponds, get START and your governing body together to figure out the simple steps to insure they are pulling as many nutrients as possible out of the stormwater flows into the Gulf.

Use less fertilizer (which is loaded with nitrogen and phosphorus). Don’t use it in the rainy season; water less right after you apply fertilizer; and don’t fertilize within 10 feet of a pond or stream. Clean up pet waste, tree leaves and grass clippings, all of which are also loaded with nutrients if they get into the water.

Arrange your rain gutters and downspouts so the water that flows out of them can flow onto a permeable surface and soak in, rather that washing nutrients into the ponds and streams.

Don’t pour greases and sauces down your sink or flush items other than waste and toilet paper down the toilet. All of that creates nutrients in the sewage system and must be filtered out and makes the system less efficient, increasing nutrient flows into the waters.

Taken together, these actions can dramatically reduce red tide blooms, save our sea life and keep our beaches lovely and fun.

Dr. Adrian Moore is vice president at Reason Foundation and lives in Sarasota.

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MATT WALSH

ADRIAN MOORE

Photos by Matt Walsh

High-rise columbariums line Tamiami Trail. Below: Preserve this?

FRIDAY, MAY 3

ALL CHAIRS ACCOUNTED FOR

11:54 p.m., 2200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Noise Disturbance: When an officer first responded to this call, it was in reference to a possible beach chair theft. The complainant thought that nearby fishermen were using his property’s beach chairs. The officer went to talk with the fishermen, who did not have any beach chairs. But, the group did have a loud radio, which warranted a verbal warning from the officer. The group said they were done fishing, packed up their trash and left the scene. Following the interaction, the officer returned to the complainant, who realized no chairs were missing.

FRIDAY, MAY 3

NEED A DIFFERENT MARKETING

STRATEGY

10:14 a.m., 500 block of Schooner

Lane

Suspicious Person: An officer responded to a report of a man going door to door. At the scene, the officer located the man, who was going door to door soliciting for his window-cleaning business. The officer told the man soliciting was not allowed in the area, and asked him to leave.

SATURDAY, MAY 4

MARINE RESCUE

COLLABORATION

2:39 a.m., 4700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Assist Other Agency: Police responded to a marine rescue call of a woman lost in the Gulf of Mexico. The caller said she and her friend were swimming after having a few drinks, and her friend decided to venture into deeper waters. She lost sight of her friend and searched for her for about 30 minutes before calling 911. Longboat Key Fire Rescue took command of the search, with assistance from Longboat Key Police patrolling on the beach. The Coast Guard responded with a helicopter about an hour later. Around 7 a.m., an officer was flagged down by a

vacationer who said there was a woman sleeping on a couch by the condominium pool. The woman was confirmed to be the missing person. She was not injured, and the search was called off.

STILL LEARNING ABOUT THE NEW HOUSE

6:42 p.m., 7000 block of Firehouse

Road Lock Out: Dispatch sent an officer to respond to a resident who locked herself on her second-story porch.

The officer arrived on the scene and opened the door from the other side for her. She said she just moved in and did not realize the door would lock behind her.

DRUNK WITHOUT DIRECTIONS

10:55 p.m., Broadway Street

Officer Public Service: An officer responded to a report of a possible missing person. At the scene, the officer located three men who said one of them was yelling due to being lost. The man was intoxicated and turned down the wrong street. The three said everything was OK and that they were going back to their boats to keep an eye on the man.

TUESDAY, MAY 7 NOT THE RIGHT LICENSE

12:05 p.m., Longboat Pass Bridge

Vehicle Stop: A marine patrol officer noticed a vessel operating at a high speed in a minimum wake zone. After stopping the vehicle, the officer spoke with the operator, who could only provide a German driver’s license and not a boater identification card. The officer let him off with a warning for the wake violation, but issued a citation for not having the boater ID.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

CRASHING ON THE BALCONY

9:24 p.m., 6600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Trespassing: While conducting a property check request, an officer noticed a vehicle parked in the driveway. The vehicle was known to be driven by a former caretaker of the home. The officer then proceeded to check the property and found the vehicle’s owner sleeping outside on the second-floor balcony. He said he is currently homeless and had permission from the property owner to stay on the property, though he did not have keys to enter. Then, the officer contacted the property owner’s daughter who said hasn’t been a caretaker for a year and did not have permission to be on the property. The man was issued a trespass warning and left the property.

County library will improve Longboat

As the team of volunteers currently staffing the Longboat Library, we are writing to express our full support for Sarasota County’s plans to build a library on Longboat Key.

Our library has welcomed thousands of guests over its history. Residents and visitors alike have supported the library through annual memberships and book sales.

Although our world is becoming more digital, many people still enjoy reading a physical book. They enjoy coming into the library and perusing the stacks, asking for book recommendations, and getting a bargain.

Each year, we sell hundreds of memberships and hundreds of books.

While the current library has served the community well, it is housed in a fairly small, outdated building. We are in need of a new roof, electrical work and a new air conditioning unit.

It is a great time for Sarasota County to give us a new home. The county library will provide us with a larger facility, more books and many more resources.

A “Friends of the Longboat Library” room will allow interested volunteers a chance to continue serving the community.

MARY BAKER

BARB TORRENCE

ALICE EDWARDS

APRIL STRATTON

DEBBIE CALPIN

LONGBOAT KEY

SUMMER ADVENTURE

Longboat Key disaster prep seminar set for June 5

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Mark your calendars for the town of Longboat Key’s 22nd Annual Disaster Preparedness Seminar on June 5.

Following the theme of “Stay Informed and Be Prepared,” the event will feature Brian LaMarre as the keynote speaker. LaMarre is the meteorologist-in-charge with the National Weather Service in Tampa and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Gulf of Mexico Regional Collaboration Team Lead.

The event is from 3:45-5:30 p.m., with registration from 3-3:45 p.m., hosted in the Longboat Key Harbourside Ballroom. Admission is free, and light refreshments will be provided.

Embark on adventure at Sarasota Jungle Gardens Summer Zoo Camp! Each week offers a thrilling theme, from ‘Reptiles Rule!’ to ‘Super Senses!’ Campers enjoy two daily snacks, and lunch options are available. Plus, they receive a cool T-shirt to commemorate their exciting summer with their WILD new friends. Space is limited, so sign up today!

Camp Times

Weekly options available from June 3 – July 8 Monday – Friday • 9AM to 4PM

Cost Just $299/week

Learn more and register for Zoo Camp at SarasotaJungleGardens.com/zoo-camp

According to a press release, there is a lineup of speakers to help attendees understand risks and how to prepare for storms.

Last year, the event drew a crowd of more than 100 people and featured speakers from local and state emergency management leadership.

Also at last year’s seminar was Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce President John Lai, who showed a video of what the area looked like a month after receiving a direct hit from Hurricane Ian in

2022. In the presentation, speakers stressed the importance of evacuating if a hurricane were predicted to make a direct hit on Longboat Key. The message was that Longboat was lucky with Hurricane Ian and, if it made a direct hit, Longboat may have looked like Sanibel.

The 2023 hurricane season brought Hurricane Idalia to Florida.

Though Longboat Key didn’t receive a direct hit, the hurricane’s storm surge caused flooding around the island.

Recently, the Climate Adaptation Center released its forecast for the 2024 hurricane season; it predicted 24 named storms and 12 hurricanes, with at least six major hurricanes.

For this year’s event, the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce began promoting the event to businesses specializing in disaster planning and recovery.

The chamber is still open to vendors and is offering vendor tables for $250. Vendors will receive recognition during the event, advertising on marketing materials and more.

For more information about becoming a vendor or sponsor, the chamber can be reached at 941-3832466.

To RSVP for the seminar, call 941-383-2466 or email Info@ LBKChamber.com.

TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING & HEARING ORDINANCE 2024-07 MAY 21, 2024 – 9:15 AM

Please take notice that a public meeting and hearing of the Town of Longboat Key’s Planning and Zoning Board will be held to consider proposed modifications to Title 15, Land Development Code, Chapter 158 Zoning Code, Article X, Definitions and Section 158.144, Definitions, of the Code of Ordinances of the Town of Longboat Key, as more particularly set forth in Ordinance 2024-07:

ORDINANCE 2024-07

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY CODE OF ORDINANCES, TITLE 15, LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE; AMENDING CHAPTER 158: ZONING CODE; AMENDING ARTICLE X, DEFINITIONS; AMENDING SECTION 158.144, DEFINITIONS; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

The public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Board on proposed Ordinance 2024-07 will be held on May 21, 2024, at 9:15 a.m., or as soon thereafter as may be heard, in the Town Commission Chambers at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, Florida.

All interested persons may appear and be heard with respect to proposed Ordinance 2024-07 Copies of Ordinance 2024-07 and related material associated with the amendment may be viewed at the Planning, Zoning & Building Department, 501 Bay Isles Road, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. weekdays prior to the hearing. Questions may be directed to the Planning, Zoning & Building Department at 316-1966. The proposed amendment will affect property within the corporate boundaries of the Town of Longboat Key as shown on the map appearing at the bottom of this advertisement. No verbatim record by a certified court reporter is made of these proceedings. Accordingly, any person who may seek to appeal any decision involving the matters noticed herein will be responsible for making a verbatim record of the testimony and evidence at these proceedings upon which any appeal is to be based (see Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes). In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 286.26, Florida Statutes, persons needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact the Town Clerk’s office at 941-316-1999 seventy-two (72) hours in advance of this proceeding. If you are hearing impaired, please call 941-316-8719.

David Lapvosky Vice Chair

Planning and Zoning Board

Published: 05/16/2024

Damage on Longboat Key after Hurricane Ian.

Live, work, plays

ANDREW

WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

What began in 2018 as a plan by Florida Studio Theatre to build a parking structure has morphed into an expansion to accommodate the recent growth of FST and secure its long-range future.

If all goes as scheduled, thanks in part to a new $4 million challenge grant from Ed and Susan Maier, work will begin by the end of the year on what is now a gravel parking lot on First Street next door to FST to build the Florida Studio Theatre Arts Plaza, a multiuse theater, parking and residential complex.

The Maiers seeded the campaign to name the Arts Plaza in honor of longtime patrons Dennis and Graci McGillicuddy. Dennis McGillicuddy is also president of the FST Board of Trustees.

The building was originally planned to be named for megapatrons Patrick and Mary Mulva, who are relocating to Texas but are leaving behind their $6 million gift for the plaza. They also donated the naming rights of the building back to FST.

In all, FST has received donations and pledges totaling $35 million toward its approximately $57 million project. A campaign has been mounted to raise the $4 million for the match.

“We’re in a pretty good shape,” said FST CEO Richard Hopkins. “The gift has given us a huge boost.”

The Florida Studio Theatre Arts Plaza will add new theaters, parking and residences for performers and arts workers.

WANT TO CONTRIBUTE?

Giving levels to Florida Studio Theatre’s Arts Plaza are:

$500: Recognized with a paver outside the plaza.

$1,000: Recognized with a seat plaque in the new mainstage theater.

$5,000: Recognized on a permanent display in the plaza lobby.

Naming opportunities are also still available. For information or to make a contribution, contact Melody MoraShihadeh, director of individual giving, at 941-366-9017 or Melody@FloridaStudioTheatre. org.

Planning to replace and expand the parking began pre-COVID, and the resulting delay prompted FST to look further into the future than its parking needs. First came the prospect of consolidating its visiting actor housing program into one building above a parking garage. Over the years, FST has acquired 18 houses scattered throughout downtown to house the performers while in town.

“They’re all paid for. They’re nice little houses,” Hopkins said. “They’re for visiting actors who are coming in for six weeks to six months. Ones with two bedrooms and two baths have two actors in it, three actors in

a three-bedroom and so forth.

“It’s pretty expensive and very difficult to maintain, very difficult to operate. The good news is they have grown in value.”

That’s a boon for FST because the organization intends to sell those properties to help pay for the Arts Plaza. The building will offer 18 two-bedroom, two-bathroom units and 39 studio units. The studios will accommodate visiting actors for up to six months. The two-bedroom units are for arts workers.

“We’re building affordable housing for our staff as well as first staff members of other arts organizations downtown,” Hopkins said. “We can rent below market value to our fulltime, year-round employees and to other arts workers who are looking for a place to live downtown that is affordable.”

With parking and residences included in the building plan, FST further examined its future performance space needs, noting that its cabaret theaters were selling out as popularity grew at an exponential rate.

“This year will be the last year

WORSHIP directory

we’re able to add any new subscribers to that program,” Hopkins said.

“It’s already over 14,000 subscribers. Those are beautiful little cabaret theaters that seat only around 100 people, so those cabaret shows are running 20 weeks at nine shows a week. That’s all fantastic news for us, but we said ‘Well, let’s build another cabaret theater.’”

Make that two. And while they’re at it, how about a second mainstage theater?

HOTEL, APARTMENT AND THEATER OPERATOR

The combination of growing ambitions and post-COVID construction costs more than doubled the anticipated $28 million 2018 price to $57 million.

The Arts Plaza will be built in phases, addressing each of FST’s needs in order of priority. The first phase will include the entire structure, with only the parking and residences opening by mid-2026. The two new cabaret spaces will open one year later and, by mid-2028, the new mainstage theater.

“The primary reason we can’t

open it all at once is because we can’t manage it all,” Hopkins said.

“We have to grow the organization and grow the staffing. It is going to be a big new management task for us to manage all of the housing. We’re accustomed to managing the housing, but the difference here is we’re literally going to be running an apartment complex and then we’re going to operate the studios as a hotel.”

The garage entrance will be accessed from an alley behind the current facility between First and Second streets, the garage ramping and the mainstage theater designed to work in harmony. The ramp up to the third level will form the ceiling shape of the theater.

“The mainstage is built on an arc, and the stadium-style seating can be lower on the north end but it has to be higher on the south end in order to get vehicles to the third floor,” Hopkins said.

When complete, FST will add a second mainstage theater and two new cabaret theaters occupying the first two floors below 150 new parking spaces with three floors of residences above that.

Courtesy image

Florida Studio Theatre’s Arts Plaza will include three new performance spaces, a three-level parking deck and apartments for arts workers and guest performers.

YOUR NEIGHBORS

GOING GREEN

Linda Velazquez shares her lifelong love for plants, benefits of green roofs and tips for starting your own living architecture on Longboat Key.

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

Growing up, Longboat resident Linda Velazquez inherited her green thumb from her mother. But she didn’t know that being surrounded by plants all her life would impact her until her 30s.

She started her career as a flight attendant, working for Delta Airlines for 33 years. Velazquez said it was during one particular flight flying over Germany when she noticed dozens of vegetated roofs that piqued her interest.

“That’s what got me,” said Velazquez. “It was like the proverbial light over my head. I was like, ‘What is this and how can I do it?’ So, I just learned everything I could about it.”

Velazquez started GreenRoofs. com in 1999 with the help of her husband to spread information on how plants on roofs will better the planet. Now, the online media company serves people worldwide, providing a one-stop shop for research and information relating to landscape architecture and green roofs.  Velazquez was introduced to the profession through a family friend who was an architect. Feeling inspired, she got her bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia.

“Usually, we build with impermeable materials, like tile, concrete, asphalt. If you can replace it with permeable material, such as plants, which are living and breathing, there are so many advantages.”

— Linda Velazquez

After graduating, Velazquez still felt like she had more to learn. Starting in 1997, she interviewed leaders in the industry around the world to create an independent research study on green roofs. What she thought was going to be a small project spanned more than 7,500 pages. This research project became GreenRoofs.com.

“It was a family effort for sure,” said Velazquez. “But even though it’s international, we have done it all ourselves. I’m the writer and speaker. I travel all over the world talking to different experts and giving talks of my own. My daughter edits our videos. My son did the code for the website. My husband has helped

with everything. I love that it sort of became a family business.”

This year, GreenRoofs.com hit 25 years and has grown immensely. Users can discover different studies, projects and connections related to green infrastructure, sustainability, biodiversity, etc. From this, Velazquez has had the opportunity to become an important name in the industry and lecture around the world about the benefits of green roofs, plant migration and sustainability.

“Usually, we build with impermeable materials, like tile, concrete, asphalt,” said Velazquez. “If you can replace it with permeable material, such as plants, which are living and

breathing, there are so many advantages. Plants clean the air, filter the pollutants and lower the temperature of the surrounding ambient air. It also catches the rainwater so it doesn’t allow the temperature to fluctuate and affect the materials of the building. This helps prolong the life of your roof. There are so many positives.”   Velazquez also started Sky Garden Studios in 2004. While GreenRoofs.com has a more international focus, this company designs local sustainable plant communities and enhances the varied ecosystems with Florida-friendly plants as a way to promote living green architecture.  Her family moved to Longboat Key because of the great access to ten-

nis and the beach. Velazquez joined the landscaping committee of her complex, Bayport, and has helped design most of the landscaping for her neighborhood.

Velazquez also has done a few talks for her community to learn more about the green roof opportunities in Florida. She shared that she would love to start a green roof movement on Longboat.

According to Velazquez, vegetated swales and rain gardens are the easiest ways to start learning about green architecture. Her top tips are picking plants that are drought tolerant and making an engineered soil mix with soil and inorganic material. She recommended for beginners the book, “Small Green Roofs: LowTech Options for Greener Living” by Nigel Dunnett.

After years of hard work on the website, Velazquez is now in the early stages of writing her first book, “99 Ways To A Healthier Planet With Living Green Architecture.”

It will cover the basics of how green architecture will improve the Earth’s health. The book will be broken into 10 categories of different advantages, tips and reasons why green architecture will cool down the warming Earth.

Velazquez hopes her book will convey that sustainability is for now and not reserved for the future. With every work she has done, she hopes that it will lead to a cleaner, cooler and greener planet.

Courtesy image

Petra Rivera Linda Velazquez

Courtesy image by Harris Hatcher

Linda Velazquez designed this green roof pavilion in the Trial Gardens Of Rock Mill Park in Alpharetta, Georgia.

“Asian Crossroads Over the Sea” in Fukuoka, Japan, by green architect Emilio Ambasz.

Connections on the Circle

The Gauthiers will host monthly parties on their private balcony to spotlight local organizations and talents.

ith

Co-owner Sonia Gauthier shared that Tania Arce who works downstairs at Settimi’s Gelato is a great example.

“She has the most beautiful voice,” said Gauthier. “She can sing in Spanish, English and Portuguese. I told her that she had to come to sing on our balcony and share this beautiful gift with everyone. She is one of many people on the Circle and in the area that we want to showcase.”

After a few private events, Sonia Gauthier saw how the salon’s balcony, the only private one on the Circle, was the perfect place to mingle and highlight people of the area. Starting in June, Gauthier plans to hold events for people in the community to learn, connect and share their talents.

These events will be a collaboration with local businesses and organizations. Currently, she is partnering with Alliance Francaise de Sarasota, FemCity of Sarasota, the “I Love Downtown Sarasota” Facebook Group, Jazz Club of Sarasota, and the Residents Associations of Lido Beach and St. Armands for these events.

With these partnerships around

the area, the events will span from listening to jazz, learning about the French culture, mingling with professionals, teaching young parents self-care, happy hours and decadethemed dance parties.

This past Halloween, the Gauthier employees threw candy from their balcony for children trick-or-treating for Fright Night on St. Armands Circle. The Gauthiers also paid homage to the French-Canadian dessert shop, Sugar Shack, on their balcony to honor their roots. They hosted 50 people from the St. Armands Residents Association in February and provided different Canadian maple syrup dishes to share their culture with the locals. These events inspired Gauthier to host balcony parties regularly at the salon.

Gauthier said she is still finalizing details but plans to throw the first event in June. It will be once a month for now, but she hopes it becomes a bi-monthly or weekly event. Anyone who wants to attend is welcome but must RSVP.

Gauthier and her husband, Serge, opened the salon in 2022 after falling in love with Sarasota during the pandemic. Moving from Quebec, they were featured on the French Canadian reality show, “Le Grand Move”

GAUTHIER SALON AND WELLNESS

SPA

Gauthier Salon is located at 369 St. Armands Circle on the second floor. The salon is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Call 941-388-5500 or visit Gauthier. Salon.

or “The Big Move.” The show followed the couple and other Quebec natives moving from their hometowns to places all over the world.

The Gauthiers were on the third season of “Le Grand Move,” which focused on people moving to the U.S. Since its camera debut and opening, the salon has grown from just providing hair services. Now, it offers nail, makeup and massage services.

Gauthier said providing community events is the final puzzle piece of their dream.

“Our dream, this was handed to us,” said Gauthier. “The universe, God, call it as you want it, handed us the salon here in St. Armands Circle. We discovered this paradise, these people, just this dream life. But for us, it’s even more than the salon. Having these events is part of our dream, so we can share a part of who we are. I think it will open a lot of doors for everyone who attends them.”

Sonia Gauthier owns Gauthier Salon & Wellness Spa with her husband. The couple moved to Florida from Montreal.

Julie Wilson and Sonia Gauthier throw candy from the balcony of Gauthier Salon & Wellness Spa during a Halloween event.

Janet and Curt Mattson Owners

The mother-daughter bond

Three mother-daughter pairs — and one son — got up early to celebrate Mother’s Day in a way that would honor their bond and their bodies.

Kathryn Adelman, founder of local Facebook group Move Sarasota, led the free mother-daughter bootcamp class May 12 at Lido Beach, to which she invited her mother, Christine, and brother, Westley. Kathryn Adelman started the group to provide more female support in the local community.

With her mom in town, Adelman wanted to lead a workout class for other mother-daughter pairs to celebrate together.

Because it was her first time teaching a class on the beach, Adelman incorporated components, such as having the pairs compete in crab races and giving mother-daughter pairs the chance to create their own exercises.

Adelman, who moved to Sarasota from Illinois during the pandemic, is a certified independent trainer who leads free outdoor workout classes around the area, mostly in Payne Park in Sarasota. She also hosts a Run Club that is open to everyone, including men. Adelman’s friend Sami Hobbs and her mother, Sonja Kaiser, also participated. Hobbs is founder of the Facebook group Movers and Shakers, which is a networking group for women entrepreneurs in Sarasota. Adelman joined Movers and Shakers to meet other businesswomen in the area and found a good friend in Hobbs.

Shannon Hill was working out on the beach that morning on her own when she was invited by Adelman to workout with the class. Hill is here from Georgia for the month and said she was looking for a workout community. That is just what Adelman is hoping to provide.

PETRA RIVERA

Photos by Petra Rivera

Kathryn Adelman founded MOVE Sarasota to form a local community of women who encourage each other in their fitness journeys. Jamie McDermott-Galles and Jill Gilfillan Bower encouraged each other while doing “plank high-fives.”

Sami Hobbs, Jamie McDermottGalles, Kathryn Adelman, Westley Adelman and Shannon Hill do squats while their mothers do lunges across the sand.

Jamie McDermott-Galles and Jill Gilfillan Bower switch off during a relay race.

This teambuilding exercise involved passing the cones to each other as fast as they could while squatting. Once all the cones were passed, the women went into planks.

Chez Garden Club

Next fall, a Garden Club cookbook will be available for purchase with members’ favorite nature-themed recipes.

PETRA RIVERA STAFF

The Longboat Key Garden Club will be spilling all its secrets, but they won’t be about plants or gardening. Instead, members will share their best tips and tricks in the kitchen.

Coming this fall, the club will be releasing a cookbook with a compilation of the members’ favorite recipes.

The Garden Club announced the project to the public at its annual Arbor Day Picnic on April 25. The idea has been in the works for twoand-a-half years. It was originally proposed to the club in 2022 as the latest fundraising project. Members hope that this book will be a “legacy” keepsake of the Garden Club and its impact on the Key and the area.

President Melanie Dale and member Kimberly Roberts are leading a team on the project. Dale said they recently collected all the member recipes that will be included and are not accepting any more. The committee will take the summer to prepare the book for the publishers.

The cookbook is a fun spin on how they usually approach fundraising. Dale took on the project because she thought the idea was unique. She hopes it will bring members together by sharing their favorite recipes with their friends and bring different people to their cause.

“I love to cook, so that is the reason that I took it on,” said Dale. “As president, I want us to start reaching in different directions when it comes to reaching people here and speaking the word on what the Garden Club does.”

The Garden Club has chosen Morris Press Cookbooks to print the

books. Morris Press Cookbooks is the nation’s largest cookbook publisher and has been used by fundraising organizations across the country.

With their efforts in environmental education and impact, Dale said that the book is focused on recipes that incorporate natural and plant themes to create awareness for the club’s mission.

Dale shared that the book will also be a memento for members to look back on Garden Club memories and to share with their loved ones. She said it reminds her of the cookbooks that her mom passed down to her. Dale hopes that it will turn into a special tradition for the members.

The book will be available for purchase in the fall, with Garden Club members getting priority first. Dale will be partnering with local businesses to sell them around the Key as well. Sales on the cookbook will be launched in time for the holiday season to be the perfect gift for residents and Longboat lovers.

The club is hoping to raise several thousand dollars from the book in the coming years. The proceeds will be going to its scholarship program and other club initiatives such as its beautification projects around the island.

Garden Club member Susan Phillips said, “I’m looking forward to trying recipes from our members and sharing some of my own favorites too.”

File image

Longboat Key Garden Club officers Susan Loprete, Sharon Meir, Susan Mason, Melanie Dale, Lyn Haycock and Susan Phillips at the 2023 club’s Arbor Day Picnic & Annual Meeting.

SATURDAY, MAY 18 ST. ARMANDS CIRCLE CARS AND COFFEE

8-10 a.m. at Lynches Pub and Grub, 19 N. Boulevard of the Presidents. Join Lynches Pub for Cars and Coffee on St. Armands Circle. Free coffee is provided. No need to register. All makes and models are welcome. Call 388-5550.

THURSDAY, MAY 23

MUSIC BY JEFF JAMES

2-3 p.m. at Whitney’s, 6990 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Born and raised on the islands of Hawaii, Jeff James’ music is perfect for an island atmosphere. His musical roots come from his father, Chuck James, who is a famous jazz drummer in Hawaii. He is an accomplished singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He plays the guitar, ukulele, piano, drums and a variety of other instruments. He is a full-time professional musician and music educator. Call 383-4606.

RECURRING EVENTS

TUESDAYS MAHJONG

From 1-3 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Fun time for experienced players. To check availability at the tables, email Amy@ TheParadiseCenter.org.

ROTARY CLUB

Meets at 5 p.m. on first and third Tuesdays in All Angels Parish Hall, 563 Bay Isles Road. To learn more, call Nancy Rozance at 203-6054066 or email Info@LongboatKeyRotary.org.

WEDNESDAYS BEGINNER TAI CHI

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Class is outdoors, weather permitting. Cost is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 3836493.

MARIACHI MUSIC

From 5:30-8:30 p.m. at La Villa Mexican Grill, 5610 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Enjoy dinner and a serenade by Mariachi Contemporaneo. Call 383-8033.

THURSDAYS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Cen-

BEST BET

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22

MEDITATIVE SOUND BATH WITH AMY STEINHAUSER

6-9 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. The Paradise Center presents a fully immersive experience using singing bowls, a gong, chimes and more. Steinhauser’s sound bath promotes healing, improved sleep, pain reduction and lower stress. It is suitable for all ages and abilities. Cost is $25 for members; $40 for nonmembers. Space is limited. Call 383-6493.

ter, 546 Bay Isles Road. This class is mostly seated and great for all fitness levels. Focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 3836493.

KIWANIS CLUB OF LONGBOAT

KEY At 8:30 a.m. at Lazy Lobster, 5350 Gulf of Mexico Drive. This service organization meets every first and third Thursday of the month for breakfast and a speaker. Breakfast is $15. Email Lynn Larson at LynnLarson@comcast.net to register.

FRIDAYS INTERMEDIATE TAI CHI

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Reuben Fernandez teaches Chen style class. Outside if weather permitting. Free for members; $15 for others. Walkins welcome. Call 383-6493.

Beach Residences condominium

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Acondominium in The Beach Residences tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Carmine and Shari Cacciavillani, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 1001 condominium at 1300 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Fun Fish LLC for $5.7 million. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 4,194 square feet of living area. It sold for $5.5 million in 2022.

L’AMBIANCE AT LONGBOAT KEY CLUB

Deborah Ware, of Ontario, Canada, sold the Unit G-401 condominium at 435 L’Ambiance Drive to Martha Murphy, of Longboat Key, for $5.5 million. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, three-andtwo-half baths and 3,220 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.55 million in 2008.

EN PROVENCE

The Isaacs Family Partnership sold the Unit 5 condominium at 2151 Gulf of Mexico Drive to 2151-5 GMD LLC for $4.45 million. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,400 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.7 million in 2002.

DREAM ISLAND

Jonathan and Barbara Grimes, of Greenbrier, Tennessee, sold their home at 648 Dream Island Road to Andrew Hislop and Mary Hislop, trustees, of Longboat Key, for $3.5 million. Built in 1991, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,631 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.45 million in 2012.

COUNTRY CLUB SHORES

Emmanuel and Laura Charron, of Sarasota, sold their home at 552 Ranger Lane to Victor Mitchell and Anamaria Mitchell, trustees, of Longboat Key, for $3.45 million. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, two-and-two-half baths, a pool and 2,430 square feet of living area.

LONGBEACH

Robert and Kathleen Gariepy, of Baldwinsville, New York, sold their home at 7100 Longboat Drive E. to Brian Menickella and Kimberly Becker-Menickella, of Swedesboro, New Jersey, for $3.45 million. Built in 1957, it has five

bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,798 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.4 million in 2017.

LONGBOAT KEY TOWERS

Kevin Mauger and Danielle Mauger, trustees, of North Wales, Pennsylvania, sold the Unit S-1101 condominium at 601 Longboat Club Road to Mark Burke and Stephanie Crochet, of Longboat Key, for $2,701,000. Built in 1970, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,420 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.35 million in 2018.

EMERALD HARBOR

Sean Paul and Cziffer Paul, of Sarasota, sold their home at 6389 Hollywood Blvd. to Gregg Rozman, of Troy, Michigan, for $2.6 million. Built in 1999, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 4,216 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.1 million in 2021.

Michael Peter Harris Murphy and Kerry Jean Murphy, of Westfield, New Jersey, sold their home at 691 Old Compass Road to Michael Madden, trustee, of Longboat Key, for $2.06 million. Built in 1971, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,290 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,295,000 in 2021.

JOHN RINGLING ESTATES

Janet Murphy and Bryce Blair, trustees, sold the home at 510 N. Washington Drive to Charles Haff Jr., of Sarasota, for $2.45 million. Built in 1996, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,374 square feet of living area. It sold for $120,000 in 1986.

CEDARS EAST

J. David and Linda Green, of Highlands, North Carolina, sold their Units 19 and 20 condominiums at 824 Evergreen Way to Patrick and Cheryl Carr, of Birmingham, Michigan, for $1.75 million. Built in 1991, it has six bedrooms, four baths and 2,813 square feet of living area. It sold for $900,000 in 2017.

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

in order of dollar amounts.

GRAND BAY

Joseph Battista and Pamela Schultz, trustees, of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, sold the Unit 153 condominium at 3060 Grand Bay Blvd. to Colleen Tracy Harrison, trustee, of Elmhurst, Illinois, for $1,675,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,369 square feet of living area. It sold for $900,000 in 2015.

SUNSET BEACH

Charles and Kerry Desfosses, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the Unit 3503 condominium at 2105 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Linda Curran, trustee, of Liberty Township, Ohio, for $1.65 million. Built in 1984, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,463 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.65 million in 2023.

BIRD KEY

Jean Lexton, of Sarasota, sold her home at 329 Bird Key Drive to MRP Properties Sarasota LLC for $1.54 million. Built in 1961, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half

baths, a pool and 2,190 square feet of living area.

COREY’S LANDING

John Joseph Burgess and Rosemary Burgess, of Longboat Key, sold their home at 3475 Byron Lane to Jeffrey McKee, trustee, of Longboat Key, for $1.5 million. Built in 1989, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,508 square feet of living area. It sold for $640,000 in 2017.

WESTCHESTER

Joseph and Eileen Tombasco, of Wall Township, New Jersey, sold their Unit 203 condominium at 4825 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Casey and Shayla Ahern, of Tampa, for $1,129,700. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,393 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2013.

KEY TOWERS SOUTH

Patricia Mayernik, of Clinton Township, Michigan, sold her Unit 3-C condominium at 1750

Benjamin Franklin Drive to Lenore Savio and Brian Moran, of Lavallette, New Jersey, for $985,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,364 square feet of living area. It sold for $790,000 in 2021.

THE BANYAN BAY CLUB

Gerald Cable and Mary Judith Welsh sold their Unit 304 condominium at 5265 Gulf of Mexico Drive to James Francis Voelzke and Emma Geimer Voelzke, of Washington, D.C., for $925,000. Built in 1974, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,453 square feet of living area. It sold for $160,000 in 1988.

INN ON THE BEACH

Jennifer Gelfand Church and Christopher Church, trustees, sold the Unit 6106 condominium

APRIL 29-MAY 3

at 225 Sands Point Road to Sands Point One LBK LLC for $849,000. Built in 1983, it has one bedroom, one bath and 642 square feet of living area. It sold for $612,000 in 2021.

REVISED LONGBEACH

Theodore and Jane Smith, of Landrum, South Carolina, sold their home at 6960 Poinsettia Ave. to Shane Burke and Phillip Burke, of Longboat Key, for $700,000. Built in 1964, it has three bedrooms, one bath and 1,461 square feet of living area. It sold for $515,000 in 2005.

SARASOTA HARBOUR EAST

Robbye Jo Langenfeld, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 5 condominium at 777 John Ringling Blvd. to Scott Ouellette, trustee, of Meredith, New Hampshire, for $615,000. Built in 1965, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 882 square feet of living area. It sold for $250,000 in 2013.

SEAPLACE

Matthew and Tracy Lingeza, of Harrison, New York, sold their Unit G1-303A condominium at 2089 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Gregory and Stacey Bangma, of Holmes Beach, for $615,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,257 square feet of living area. It sold for $374,900 in 2018.

HARBOUR OAKS AT LONGBOAT KEY CLUB

Laura Malis and Gail Gettler, trustees, and Janet Malis, of Ada, Michigan, sold the Unit 804 condominium at 2155 Harbourside Drive to Purvi Patel Dennis and Robert Bret Dennis, of Longboat Key, for $550,000. Built in 1984, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,906 square feet of living area. It sold for $221,000 in 1987.

Source: Town of Longboat Key

Courtesy image by Judy Kepecz-Hays

Carmine and Shari Cacciavillani, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 1001 condominium at The Beach Residences on Lido Beach to Fun Fish LLC for $5.7 million.

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

FORECAST

FRIDAY, MAY 17

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ABOVE WATER by Garrett Chalfin, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

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CHAUFFEUR

Vacation/ Seasonal Rentals

LONGBOAT KEY Portobello Seasonal Rental.

Beautifully renovated condo, 2BR/2BA.

LONGBOAT

Help Wanted

BUSINESS OBSERVER newspaper is seeking a fastpaced, detail-oriented Proofreader / Typist for a full-time position in Sarasota, Florida. Hours are 9am5pm, Mon-Fri. Candidates must be able to type at least 75 WPM with great accuracy and proofread typed material and make corrections. Attention to detail is a MUST. Proofreading entails nding errors in the typed print that varies from the original document, not actually editing the documents for errors.

The ideal candidate will have strong computer software and hardware skills. Familiarity with Adobe InDesign and Filemaker Pro is a plus. Florida notary certi cation is also a plus.

Please email your resume and WPM typing speed for immediate consideration to kboothroyd@businessobserver . com. Please also specify your available date to start.

*This position must be performed in the of ce. No remote work is available. Competitive pay, holiday pay, and health insurance available

Condos/Apts. for Rent

LONGBOAT KEY: SUNSET BEACH oceanfront condos (2 br & 3 br). Beachfront, direct Gulf, 3 balconies, gated community heated pool. $9-11k / month for the next rental season. Videos available. Call 860-558-9234

Homes for Sale

5 ACRES Lake Barn Near F Fruitville I-75 Call for Price

B Bradenton: Condo, 2 bed, 2 bath$229,900 Pet friendly 55+

S Sarasota: 3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Car Garage House $359,000

S Sarasota: Pool home, 4 bed. $649,900

V Venice: 2/2 Condo Plantation Golf Club. Call for Price

B Bradenton: Pool Home, New windows, hvac, Completely Updated $689,900

B Brooke O Malley | Club Realty Call 941-726-2677