Proudly Encouraging Meaningful Community Involvement Since 1972.

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    • About
    • Belong
      • Join
      • Meet
      • Volunteer
      • Donate
      • Lead
    • What's Up
      • Event Calendar
      • Meetings
      • Special Events
      • Newsletters
      • Around Town
    • Focus
      • On-Going
      • Recent
      • Past
    • Future
      • On Island
      • Across the Bridge
    • Community
      • City of Sarasota
      • County and Region
      • Protecting
      • Preparedness
      • Accolades
  • About
  • Belong
    • Join
    • Meet
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • Lead
  • What's Up
    • Event Calendar
    • Meetings
    • Special Events
    • Newsletters
    • Around Town
  • Focus
    • On-Going
    • Recent
    • Past
  • Future
    • On Island
    • Across the Bridge
  • Community
    • City of Sarasota
    • County and Region
    • Protecting
    • Preparedness
    • Accolades

Protecting, Preserving and Enhancing Our Islands

Our barrier islands are significant to the vitality of our community.   Amenities such as Lido beach, our parks, our residential neighborhoods and St. Armand's businesses and restaurants provide a sought-after place to both visit and live.  LKRA has and will continue to work with the City of Sarasota in both the development and enforcement of their planning and zoning tools to protect our barrier islands. We monitor proposed projects and activities that may directly affect our members and advocate in support of that project or a modification to that project that will be in the best interest of our residents.  We are open to and encourage all developers and others advocating change to work with our association. 

Upcoming Development Projects and Activities

We are currently monitoring:

  • Sidewalks and Crossings
  • Lido Beach Dunes Project
  • Rosewood Residences
  • Sandcastle Resort
  • South Lido MURT
  • Coon Key "Little Ringling" Bridge

Island Planning and Zoning

Ben Franklin Sidewalks and Crossings

 In a companion project with Solar Lighting, the sidewalks on Ben Franklin will be repaired and updated to be ADA compliant and the City will also "enhance" all nine (9) of the pedestrian crosswalks on Ben Franklin.

Current Status (as of October 2022)

The project is in final stages.

Lido Beach Dunes Project

With state and federal grant funds the City of Sarasota is planning a dune construction project on Lido Beach.  The goal is to offer protection from a 25-year storm by adding another layer of protection for the beach and adjacent properties in the area where new sand was added with the recent re-nourishment.  The City on January 15, 2022 made a presentation to the LKRA members.

Current Status (as of January 2023)

  • Currently in the design/permitting phase of this project. The City's consultant, Taylor Engineering, is updating the preliminary concept plans based on feedback from neighboring properties
  • Permit applications will be submitted to Florida Department of Environmental Protection shortly.
  • After permitting approval, the project could go out for bid towards the end of this year. (The City will share the permit plans with neighboring property owners for additional feedback before the project goes to bid for construction. 
  • Construction would start after the bidding process is complete and will take about 2-3 months. We anticipate beginning construction in in 2023.

Rosewood Residences Lido Key

The City Commission has given Ronto Group a zoning variance to build a five-star, hotel-branded 65 unit condominium on the property formerly housing Coquina and Gulf Beach Resorts.  Designed for eight floors above parking, it will contain a private beach club with accessory amenities including pools, a poolside pavilion, sports bar, bocce lawn,  private theater, private restaurant, storage, pet park, and administrative space and provide a new public beach access easement.  Rosewood (owned by Chow Tai Fook) will manage the property. The developer will be required to incorporate the existing Gulf Beach Resort Motel historic designation sign into the redevelopment of the property.  The project team estimates the construction value of the project at $125 million and is targeting a completion date in winter 2024.  Sales Video 

Current Status (as of December 2022)

Applicant Resubmittal, DRC 8/17/22. Partial sign-off, continues to work through the permitting process. 

Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach

The City Commission gave Ocean Properties the owner of the Sandcastle site plan approval for redevelopment to a 304 room luxury resort hotel with restaurants & amenities.

 Current Status (as of January 2023)

The developer has confirmed they are working on detail plans and will submit those to the City in the future, but most likely not until at least 2024.

South Lido Multi-Use Recreational Trail (MURT) Phase 1

The Multi Use Recreational Trail (MURT) at Ted Sperling Park at South Lido Beach will consist of an approximately 4.500-foot-long trail utilizing boardwalks and other fixed surfaces to provide safe, functional pedestrian and bicyclist connectivity between the Ted Sperling Nature Pard at 190 Taft Drive and South Lido Beach, at 2201 Benjamin Franklin Drive.  In addition to providing recreational opportunities, the MURT will define a designated traffic path, thereby offering protection for sensitive ecological features and habitats in surrounding areas.  At estimated $88,000 in project management fees are currently budgeted with the remaining costs funded by the RESTORE Act funding, Sarasota County has identified this as a fiscal 2023 Project.

 Current Status (as of October 2022)

Preliminary plans submitted by the County June 14, 2022. The Development Review Committee (DRC) will review at their July 6, 2022 Meeting. The trail is currently staked.

Replacing Coon Key Bridge

Started in 2019, FDOT is conducting a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study to evaluate replacement alternatives for the Little Ringling bridges on State Road (SR) 789 over Coon Key waterway for a distance of approximately three quarters of a mile. Replacement alternatives considered may include twin bridges or a single bridge, as well as bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.  FDOT conducted public workshops on April 5 and 7th.

  Est. PD&E Completion Date: Late 2023.

 Informative Links: 

    About the Project and the FAQs

Contact:   LKRA   PO Box 884   Sarasota FL 34230    lidokeyresidents@gmail.com

© 2023 Lido Key Residents Association, Inc - All Rights Reserved.


LKRA's Next Meet & Greet - February 14

LKRA February Meet & Greet is Tuesday February 14, 2023, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, Holiday Inn - Sarasota, Hotel Lobby Bar.  No pre-registration needed, just bring your Valentine for "happy hour" with neighbors and enjoy.  

 

LKRA Annual Breakfast Meeting - Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 9:00 am.  Our Annual Member Breakfast is always well-attended and with our 2023 guest speaker John McCarthy, Vice President for Regional History (Marie Selby Botanical Gardens) this year will undoubtably sell out. Breakfast served buffet style. Registra