- September 15, 2024
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It’s no secret snowbird season has been a little different compared to previous years given the year-old COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses, establishments, resorts and restaurants throughout Longboat Key and the Sarasota area have found different ways to cope.
“We’re seeing a lot of people that want to be outside,” said St. Armands Circle Merchants Association executive director Rachel Burns. “They’re tired of being cooped up, and so they’re getting to enjoy walking around our outdoor venue.”
Starting Saturday, St. Armands Circle will see the return of crossing guards to help traffic flow and pedestrians safely walk across the street. From March 6 through April 4, pedestrian monitors are set to be in place from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and from noon-6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
An equal partnership between the town of Longboat Key, city of Sarasota and Florida Department of Transportation will fund the crossing guard program.
Burns said they’ll see how effective the program will be in its return.
“They’ve been out here before and we’ve seen it both ways,” Burns said. “There are times during the day where there’s just too many people crossing and traffic gets backed up, but we’ve also seen at times where they were really able to help regulate and make sure both got the opportunity to keep moving.”
The pandemic prompted last year’s crossing program to end early.
Sand Cay Beach Resort general manager Lyn Sorensen explained what she’s experienced despite uncertainty before the start of the season.
“What’s happening is that we’re starting to notice that people, especially in states where there has been a greater restriction, are coming to Florida,” Sorensen said. “They can’t believe the difference because, yes, we wear masks to go to stores. Yes, we wear masks in certain situations, but basically, if you looked out my front window at the office, you would swear nothing is going on.”
Sorensen said guests have noticed stark differences in what Florida allows compared to other states. Weather also contributes to what businesses can safely stay open.
“Whether it's Longboat or wherever, they get to Florida and it's almost like, ‘don’t just take off the winter coat,’” Sorenson said. “You take off all the burden of being so closed in.”
Sea Club Beach Resort resident manager Lisa Bettis said business isn’t doing as well as previous years, but it’s better than when the pandemic forced the March 2020 shutdown.
“I do believe that business is picking up,” Bettis said. “We’re pretty much booked for a good portion of March.”
Meanwhile, Sorensen said Sand Cay is packed for spring break season in March and for Easter in April.
“We are probably a little ahead of where we were in ’19 at this time,” Sorensen said.
Bettis said most of Sea Club’s visitors stayed for about a week and came from northern states.
“Mostly what I’m seeing is actually people from the north,” Bettis said. “Generally, people from Ohio and Michigan. We have some New Yorkers.”
Sorensen said she is optimistic.
“Remember the movie Waiting to Exhale?” Sorensen said. “In the Tyler Perry movie, and it was in the adage that people… ‘whatever the problem is in your life, you wait to exhale,’ which means it’s finally…we’re done.”
On Monday, Visit Sarasota County President Virginia Haley wrote area leaders that the tourism industry is still feeling the effects of the pandemic.
“Although Sarasota County continues to perform better than the state of Florida and most of the U.S., our numbers still show the challenges the tourism industry is facing headed into season,” Haley wrote. “One telling statistic is that Florida cities make up five out of our top 10 visitor origin cities so far this fiscal year where normally only Tampa would be in that list.”
On Monday, Town Manager Tom Harmer said Longboat Key has had 20 new positive COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks.
However, Harmer spoke with Florida Department of Health health officer Chuck Henry about some encouraging news for Longboat Key. Henry told Harmer that Longboat Key has had more than 3,500 people vaccinated in Longboat Key’s 34228 ZIP code as of Feb. 26. The town has about 7,000 full-time residents.
The state records where people mark their primary address for how it counts how many vaccinations have been distributed for a specific ZIP code.
Several weeks ago, about 2,153 Longboat Key residents had received vaccinations.
“It was still good to see that higher number,” Harmer said.
The Town Commission is planning to hold an emergency meeting on March 22 to consider extending the town’s mandatory mask policy, which runs through the end of the month.
“That will give us the latest information possible before we go into that meeting,” Harmer said.
The March 22 emergency meeting is scheduled to take place after the statutory meeting on the same day when at least two new commissioners are set to be sworn in.
While Gov. Ron DeSantis has made it illegal for Florida municipalities to enforce mask penalties on individual people, the town of Longboat Key can enforce its policy to mandate businesses require customers to wear masks.
