Gulf & Bay Club receives access modifications

The Sarasota County Commission approved a modified contract at its Tuesday regular meeting that modifies a variety of beach access easements along the southeasterly portion of the Siesta Key Beach Improvement Project area. The modification was made after a request from Gulf & Bay Club Condominium Association Inc. owners.

The modifications allow for more landscaping buffers between Gulf & Bay Club and the newly renovated Siesta Public Beach. The changes also allow Gulf & Bay Club to maintain a dumpster and recycling bins and also allows it to maintain its beach and landscaping, which is accessed through county property.

Gulf & Bay Club, 5370 Midnight Pass Road, is located adjacent to portions of the county’s new public beach capital improvement project near county property that includes a 20-foot access easement; a 10-foot access easement; and a utility and landscape easement along the beach’s southeasterly property line near the condominium. The easements were reserved when the county acquired the property in 1970 and 1971.

When the commission approved a capital improvement project for Siesta Public Beach in May 2009, Gulf & Bay Club residents expressed concerns over a proposed location of public beach parking for the property adjacent to their condominium property. Residents also believed there was insufficient buffering between the condominium and the new Siesta Public Beach project.

Staff met with condominium representatives and their attorneys over the last two years, and their meetings led to the recent easement modifications that moved public beach parking further away from condominium property and moved a pond closer to the property line to create a buffer. A 30-foot landscaped berm is going to be placed within an easement area for further privacy.