South Lido residents have pleaded for action for years
In October, the Sarasota County Commission is scheduled to discuss proposed regulations that would prohibit the beaching of motorized watercraft at the county-owned Ted Sperling Park on South Lido Key Beach, The Sarasota News Leader has learned.
The county’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department staff reported that timeline in a Sept. 8 email, following a News Leader inquiry about the issue.
For years, residents have complained about the reckless use of jet skis in the waters around the park, stressing that the drivers of the vehicles endanger swimmers and kayakers, as well as wildlife. The June death of a Minor League player for the Baltimore Orioles after a jet ski collision offshore of Sperling Parkunderscored the validity of residents’ complaints, they told the County Commission in July.
Residents also have pointed to illegal rentals of jet skis, a topic that the Sarasota city commissioners have discussed, as well.
In early July, Sarasota County Commissioner Mark Smith won the full support of his board colleagues in making two motions that county Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department (PRNR) staff had suggested as possible means of controlling the activities at Ted Sperling Park.
One of the motions called for the commissioners to amend Section 130-33 of the County Code; the other proposed changes to Section 90-33. Both modifications would prohibit the mooring or anchoring of motorboats within 300 feet of South Lido Beach Park unless permits had been awarded for such action.
The motions were based on a report that the PRNR staff had provided to the commissioners in late April — again at Smith’s request — following the public comments of South Lido residents during the board’s regular meeting on March 26.
Additionally, in early July, Sarasota City Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch won the support of her board colleagues to direct staff to research regulatory language regarding commercial usage — including rentals — of jet skis and motorized vessels at all city parks. Second, the city commissioners unanimously approved a motion that directed staff to research regulatory language regarding the mooring and operations of vessels within 300 feet of all beaches within the city limits.
In response to a News Leader inquiry about the status of the city efforts, Jan Thornburg, general manager of the city’s Communications Department, wrote in a Sept. 9 email, “The City Attorney is in touch with Sarasota County as it drafts and prepares to present a proposed ordinance to the Board of County Commissioners. The City may want to opt into the County’s ordinance, have the ability for our Sarasota Police Officers to enforce a new County ordinance, as well as look at any possible additions the City may want to make for its own ordinance.” She added that the ultimate actions “will be up to the City Commission.”
A renewal of pleas
On Aug. 27, during the Open to the Public comment period of the County Commission’s first regular meeting in Sarasota since its five-week summer break, David Rayner of Lido Key said, “I was surprised to see that this [item about the proposed regulations] was not on today’s agenda or yesterday’s agenda.” (The board met in Venice on Aug. 26.)
He did note that Commissioner Smith and County Administrator Jonathan Lewis were gracious to meet on Aug. 26 with a group of Lido residents regarding the continuing problems at Ted Sperling Park.
“The one unanswered question,” Rayner added, “is where we are with the proposed prohibitions included in the parks report of April of this year.”
“It seems to me that the report was very well done,” he continued. “The proposed language was clear.”
Moreover, Rayner told the board members, “This is a problem that can be dealt with, I believe, at a very low cost and would be enormously satisfying to the residents of Lido Key.”
“Again,” he added, “I ask you to please find the time to address this, ’cause it seems to be very close to a solution.”
He thanked the commissioners before stepping away from the podium.
A second Lido resident who has addressed the Ted Sperling Park issues multiple times during County Commission meetings — Celine O’Connor — followed Rayner to the podium. Once more, she expressed her concerns.
“There’s evidence of people renting their personal jet skis for all to see on social media and on the beach,” O’Connor stressed.
“Until an ordinance is passed,” she said, Lido residents are asking that the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources staff “immediately cease issuing DJ park permits for Lido.”
Along with the concerns about the jet ski use, O’Connor, Rayner and other Lido residents have emphasized to the commissioners that park visitors on the weekends bring large amplifiers and broadcast music loudly, damaging the quality of life for Lido homeowners.
In fact, O’Connor said on Aug. 27, Lido residents have learned from residents of Siesta Key who live “a full block from Shell Beach” — which is across Big Sarasota Pass from Lido — that they can hear the music at Ted Sperling Park.
O’Connor further stressed the “blatant park rule violations [that] continue with noregulations and no repercussions.”
In fact, she pointed out that county staff tells members of the public to contact the Sarasota Police Department to complain about the issues. O’Connor called for county employees to enforce county regulations.
Additionally, she told the commissioners, the interlocal agreement in place between the city and the county that allows city police officers to deal with problems in the county park “needs to be updated to provide stronger enforcement powers” for the Police Department.
During the July 7 City Commission discussion on the issues, City Attorney Joe Polzak explained that the department’s Marine Patrol officers are “cross-sworn” as county deputies to enforce the County Code of Ordinances.
“Please bring [the proposed regulations] back to the agenda, and let’s get this sorted,” O’Connor concluded her Aug. 27 remarks.