Celebrating 50 years of Community Involvement (1972 - 2022)

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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
  • What's Up
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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:

  • Ben Franklin Solar Lighting
  • 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 Solar Lighting

The Ben Franklin Solar Lighting project will replace 56 units of 30 ft. tall deteriorating light poles and fixtures along east side of Ben Franklin Drive from S. Washington Dr. to South Lido Key Beach with 270 light pole units at maximum height of 18 ft. and solar light fixtures and a series of additional pedestrian light pole units at a maximum of 12 ft. and solar light fixtures on the west side of Ben Franklin.

Current Status (as of June 2022)

All of the concrete bases and poles are installed from Ted Sterling Park north to the public beach.  There is a slight backorder for a key part.  It is anticipated the fixtures will be installed in early July and the existing poles removed.

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 June 2022)

The project is on schedule for completion for early July.

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 add 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 15th made a presentation to the LKRA members.

Current Status (as of June 2022)

  The project team has met with all of the property owners and started the design and permitting phase. This should be completed by early fall. Then there will be about 3 months for bidding and 2-3 months construction.

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. Units will be up to 5000 sq ft. with prices starting in the $6 millions.

 Current Status (as of June 2022)

DRC presented a list of requirements in their 5/4/2022 meeting. The meeting video is available at 

 (Agenda, Application Materials).  It is expected the developer will have revisions to the City by 7/6/2022.

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 June 2022)

The developer has confirmed they are working on detail plans and will submit those to the City in the upcoming months.  Demolition will start once plans are approved and permits issued.

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 June 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: 2023.

 Informative Links: 

    About the Project and the FAQs

© 2022 Lido Key Residents Association, Inc - All Rights Reserved.


LKRA City Commissioner Candidate Forum Postponed

LKRA was scheduled to host a City Commissioner Candidate Forum in conjunction with our June Resident Meeting. Due to logistic problems the forum has been postponed.

  

LKRA President Carl Shoffstall and 5 others have filed to fill two at-large seats. 

Primary Election is Tuesday, August 23rd    


An incredible 50-Year Celebration!