UPCOMING MEETINGS, NOTICES & HAPPENINGS

Sarasota High School 2026 Construction Alert: New Tennis Courts and Beach Volleyball Courts

Bay St abutting residents especially: Gilbane Construction is demolishing most portable classrooms that were installed for the 2024-2025 big SHS renovation/HVAC project, now completed. Very loud & blowing dirt. They are now hosing down debris to keep it from blowing into our properties. But demo & debris removal (big trucks & dumpsters) are expected to be done around March 9th.

Then presumably at some point in the next few months the field will be graded and 6 tennis courts & 3 beach volleyball courts will be built by summer 2026.

Should you need to contact: Gilbane Superintendent Tomikel Curtis, 941.260-7592.

Monday March 23, 7pm, next AVNA meeting @YMCA. Guest speaker Flo Entler, candidate for City Commission.  See AVNA Facebook page and our AVNA page.   Also, ​on Tuesday March 3rd Flo Entler will be doing her "walk-about" in our Alta Vista neighborhood, door to door to talk to residents about their issues and needs.   By the way, no new candidates ran for AVNA Board this cycle, so incumbents continue to serve.​

March 26, City Traffic Calming (Area C) public meeting: 5-6.30pm, at Arlington Park Basketball Court. Tired of speeding in our neighborhood?  At this meeting, learn about how the City has been evaluating speeding, city-wide, and review the proposed traffic calming strategies designed to support speed reduction. The City is seeking your feedback on the Draft Neighborhood Traffic Calming Maps to ensure they accurately reflect your community’s needs. Details, see the City's working Traffic Calming Plan .

New cafe La Cruto'n in Payne Park opened Feb 10, a "soft opening," as they are not fully set up yet.  They said they hope to be open longer hours soon, once fully stocked & staffed, & also plan to have live music.  see lacruton.com 

REMINDER:  Sarasota High P.A. systems too loud?

Sometimes reasonable; sometimes Wicked Loud.  Any day or evening when excessive noise (not the usual, to-be-expected sounds) is bothering you, call 941-966-7233 (Sarasota County Schools security)  and/or email Principal Ryan Chase and Jody Dumas (  ryan.chase@sarasotacountyschools.net  & [email protected] ) right away.

SHS P.A. Noise Issue Feb 2026 update: There are continuing issues with sometimes-excessive noise levels from Sarasota High PA systems (baseball stadium & batting cage, & football stadium) disturbing neighboring residents. SHS HAS made some adjustments (see Schools Update page) over the last 2 years, but unfortunately many of these seem to have been undone by other SHS staff. The problem continues, with several local residents (STILL!) working on the issue. Recently SHS admin has committed to taking further actions -- including hiring a consultant sound engineer -- to try to mitigate the P.A. noise issues. This problem also ties in with City noise ordinances, currently under revision process, but the fact is that the Schools are exempt from City rules & regulations. Watch for future developments...

​Legacy Trail construction fall/winter 2025/26.  Along the Legacy Trail between Shade & Beneva Avenues, a separate path ("bifurcated trail" = double trail) is being constructed, to enhance safety by allowing cyclists and pedestrians separate paths along this busy section, which has sufficiently wide right-of-way to provide this feature.  Begun in early November, with a 120-day schedule. Equipment will be traveling along the south side of the trail, with access points at Shade Avenue, S. Lockwood Ridge Road, and Beneva Road. Dirt and small rocks may be present on the trail at times, so please use extra care when passing through the area.  Details, see  Legacy Trail Bifurcated Trail webpage 

March 2026 - 2028  New Water Meters project
All residences will be getting new, updated water meters.  Project starts in March 2026, expected to take 2 years.  Residents will be notified by mail for dates they will be doing your block.  No, you don't need to be home, but they do need to access the water meter out in your front yard.  Water will be off for merely minutes!  Details at the vendor's website National Metering Services (NMS).

​Players Theater in Payne Park UPDATE Feb 2026: 

Now beginning:  Extensive interior renovation of Payne Park Auditorium, a flexible, 200-seat "jewel-box" theater within the structure.  Planning is for opening later this year!
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See Observer 2/17/26 article for lots of details.

​Also, our Players/Payne Park page, and Players website.

County Update: Be aware that the big downtown Sarasota County building is now closed (other County buildings -- Terrace Building, Jail, Courthouse complex -- remain in use).  Until the new County admin building out on Fruitville just past I75, by Celery Fields, is ready, Commission hearings and that sort of thing are being held down in Venice.  So if you have County business, check with the County as to what things happen where, for now. 

​Stormwater News.  Since last year's flooding, aren't we all a bit interested in the topic?  Nov 2025, the City is in the process of submitting Sarasota County’s Resilient SRQ Round 2 (CDBG-DR) grant package, which includes, among other important things, the proposed dredging project for Hudson Bayou ("our" canal drains into it).   Also, there's now a user-friendly map accessible from the County website where you can view your local stormwater maintenance projects.  For a bit more info, go to our Euclid Canal/Stormwater page.

Saba Plaza (NE corner Bahia Vista & Tamiami Trail) is up for sale.  No new development has yet (9/2025) been applied for yet, but per zoning, there is  Potential for 18-story, 500+unit residential, &/or retail.  Meanwhile,  take a look at this amazing aerial video (with "envisioned" residential towers included)  https://views.buildout.media/v/EB15Ywl21gV 

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A few common nuisances in our locale:  who ya gonna call?!!

Is a next-door home construction site becoming a serious quality-of-life issue (unreasonable noise, dirt/trash, street/sidewalk blockages, worker parking problems, etc.)?  Contact new City Engineer, Sage Kamiya  [email protected].  

Is a parked car blocking a sidewalk?  They should know that's not okay.  The City says:  to report it, don't call Code Compliance; instead call the City's parking division at 941-263-6475 or email [email protected].

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​2026 Brand Spanking New City Records Search Portal 
There's a new way to look things up online, many, many things, including development applications, meetings and agendas, ordinances and codes, et.al.; LOTS of INFO.  City Records Portal webpage.

City webpage where you can easily find info on all active City capital projects!  See City Public Works Capital Improvements Program Viewer .

Click-2-Fix: the City's mobile app. Free; search for “CoS Click-to-Fix” on your Apple or Android app store. 
311Connect: the County's mobile app (new March 2022). Free; search for “311Connect” on your Apple or Android app store. 
See also Useful Links for descriptions. 

GET YOURSELF IN THE CITY NEWS PIPELINE!

In case you ever wondered how to keep up with City news, a few good sources for City news are:

- City webpage news tab: features the list of recent news item announcements.

- City list of upcoming public meetings.  Includes agenda items and links to backup documents. Scroll down for archives of past public meetings, including always-essential detailed backup documents.

- City News: comprehensive weekly email from mayor's office, which also includes upcoming City meetings with links to agendas. Sign up to receive this and/or other communications from City. at  https://www.sarasotafl.gov/services/email-subscriptions​

- City Public Access Emails is at www.sarasotafl.gov/City-Services/Public-Access-Email