Our View: Siesta Beach plan unreal

Siesta Key Beach is one of Sarasota’s jewels and a critical component of the economic pillar of tourism — a major leg of our economy long term. It is part of who we are. The Corona Light Wide Open Volleyball Tournament drew thousands last weekend, and maybe 80,000 will show up for the next world championship of sand sculpting during the Veterans Day weekend.

The international value to the community of Siesta Key beach was just reinforced by Dr. Beach naming it the No. 1 beach in the nation.

A reality to remember: No bio-tech cluster getting hundreds of millions of tax dollars will displace beaches and tourism as one of our primary economic foundations.

And so Siesta Key — and all of the county’s beaches — need to be well-tended to make sure we do not neglect the jewel.

However, having said that, the proposed $20 million renovation and upgrade plan put together by community groups and county staff during the past three years is out of touch with reality. Reading through the document, you must wonder if those involved have Rip Van Winkled through the past four years. Recession, housing collapse, high unemployment, financial meltdown, government cutbacks and layoffs, and …a Taj Mahal renovation plan?

Here are some of the items in the proposal:
• A 6,000-square-foot observation deck two stories high dubbed “The Treehouse”;
• A 15-foot-wide esplanade following a beautified parking lot taking up valuable parking spaces;
• Two new concession stands;
• Renovated pavilion, renovated rest rooms, new rest rooms;
• Shaded esplanade seating;
• Paver treatment throughout and at Beach Road intersections.

There are more structures and square footage, nice amenities everywhere and more than a hint of gold-platedness. “The Treehouse” observation deck alone is estimated at $2.5 million. In fact, there are items added to the plan that were not even part of the Siesta Key Association’s wish list.

Some items in the plan are necessities for maintaining the beach. For instance, there has been an ongoing problem with inadequate stormwater runoff and flooding on Beach Road. The plan calls for a larger retention pond on the south end, plus new gutters and drainage ditches. None of this is glitzy or glamorous, but it is necessary.

Many of the items on the list certainly sound great to have but are too far out of line with what is going on economically now and for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, this is the fourth version of the plan, which just keeps growing. A good committee should make some tough choices and not leave it all to commissioners.

Maybe part of the problem is revealed in an email explaining the process from Spencer Anderson, a county engineer managing the project. He notes the plan results from the input of public stakeholders such as the Siesta Key Association, Gulf and Bay Condominium, Siesta Isles Homeowners Association, Siesta Beach Ambassadors and the Historic Preservation Society.

That is a lot of cooks. The question that should always arise when “stakeholders” are called in is: Who is representing taxpayers? The answer must be: county commissioners.