Residents complaining on social media about unsightliness of piles adjacent to U.S. 41 and Stickney Point Road
On Oct. 4, in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s damage to Sarasota County’s barrier islands, the Siesta Key Association (SKA) notified The Sarasota News Leader that drivers using the Stickney Point Road drawbridge soon would see the stoplight at Avenue B and C activated to assist with storm debris management.
Spencer Anderson, Sarasota County’s Public Works Department director, sent this note to SKA leaders late that morning:
“To manage debris generated from Hurricane Helene, a Debris Management Site (DMS) is being opened on the vacant property at the [northwest] corner of US41 and Stickney Point Rd. Truck traffic will enter and leave this site at the intersection of Stickney Point Rd and Avenue B/C. To ensure the safety of all motorists, Sarasota County will be temporarily activating the new traffic signal at this intersection to provide protected left turns from the DMS. The signal will be flashing yellow for a period of time prior to full red/green/yellow functionality.”
Anderson then noted that “changeable message boards will be placed at each approach to alert approaching motorists of the new signal operation. The new signal is equipped with vehicle detection cameras that will only change the signal when traffic is present at the DMS and Ave B/C approaches. Otherwise, through traffic on Stickney Point Road will maintain green signal priority. When it does change, the cross-traffic signal will be set to the shortest possible green duration.”
The red/green/yellow cycles would be operating only when DMS activities necessitated that, Anderson pointed out. “Ultimately, when DMS activities are fully complete, the signal will be either put on flashing yellow or turned off,” he added.
“Truck traffic accessing the DMS site is limited to major throughfare roads,” such as U.S. 41 and Stickney Point Road, he explained. The truck traffic, he emphasized, is “NOT permitted to utilize adjacent residential roads.”
Anderson also pointed out, “The county is being provided use of this property at no cost to the public.”
The approximately 25-acre site that comprises the northwest quadrant of U.S. 41 and Stickney Point Road has been planned as the home of Siesta Promenade. Benderson Development Co. of University Park has won Sarasota County Commission approval for 414 condominiums/apartments, a 130-room hotel, 133,000 square feet of retail space and 7,000 square feet of office space on the property, which was the location of a mobile home park for decades.
As evacuations were underway while Hurricane Milton was making its approach to the Sarasota County coastline more than two weeks ago, residents of Pine Shores Estates — which neighbors the Siesta Promenade site — and others who live in the environs began sounding the alarm about the potential for parts of the storm debris to become projectiles that could damage their homes if Milton arrived as a Category 3 or higher level storm. Milton already had reached Category 5 status in the Gulf of Mexico at one point.
The News Leader read that Tampa Bay area residents were expressing similar concerns about piles of debris from Hurricane Helene in their neighborhoods.
Since Milton came ashore on Siesta Key on Oct. 9, the News Leader has found no reports online of storm debris on the Benderson property causing damage. Milton did produce a 102 mph gust at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, National Hurricane Center data show, but wind shear had diminished its strength before landfall.
In the aftermath of the storm, though, residents have been posting numerous comments on Facebook pages, decrying the unsightly piles that are rising on the site.
As a result, the News Leader inquired of county staff this week about the estimated timeline for continued use of the Benderson property for the storm debris collections.
The county’s Solid Waste Department staff provided this response via email on Oct. 22:
“The debris management site allows Sarasota County Solid Waste contractors to collect debris from the area more efficiently, and return to the collection process to remove debris as quickly as possible from the right of way. The site will remain active until debris collection in the area has been completed.”
The staff added, “As of Oct. 21, 81,000 cubic yards of debris have been processed at the debris management site at Stickney Point and U.S. 41.”