News Briefs

+ Sarasota County Commission adjusts road project
Sarasota County commissioners approved the fifth change order for the North Cattleman Road Improvement Project Tuesday, March 5, at its regularly scheduled meeting.

A change order is an adjustment of a project’s scope and associated costs. The order will add about $248,000 to the $20.7 million agreement with Prince Contracting LLC.

Sarasota County Program Manager Thai Tran said the contract amendment was required to support landscape and irrigation; utility and lighting improvements; plan revisions; and debris removal.

The county has revised the contract five times since February 2012, by a total of $6.2 million, for the construction of a 2.7-mile, four-lane roadway connecting Richardson Road to Desoto Road. The project abuts the south end of Nathan Benderson Park.

County staff expects Prince Contracting to complete construction in May.

+ North Trail rezone hearing is continued to June
City commissioners continued a rezone hearing for a half-acre property on the North Trail, at 1174 and 1186 Hampton Road. The hearing was continued until June.

Dr. Steve Bedi purchased the site at the corner of North Tamiami Trail and Hampton Road in December 2011, for $300,000. Bedi is proposing to build an international dermatology clinic that would help patients with skin conditions to develop healthy eating habits, exercise schedules and meditation practice.

Plans for the clinic include 26 suites where patients will stay for one to three weeks. Bedi is seeking a rezone from residential multi-family to North Trail Zone District commercial.

Several neighbors in Tahiti Park oppose the rezone. According to resident Jennifer Ahearn-Koch, those in opposition say the property should remain multi-family residential because it abuts a park and residential homes.

Meetings & Agendas
• Siesta Key Village Association Meeting — 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 5, Daiquiri Deck Raw Bar, 5250 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key
• Sarasota County Commission Meeting — 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 5, R.L. Anderson Administration Building, Commission Chambers, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice
• Sarasota County Commission Meeting — 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, Administration Building, Commission Chambers, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota
• Siesta Key Association Meeting — 6 p.m. Thursday, March 7, St. Boniface Episcopal Church, 5615 Midnight Pass Road, Siesta Key
• Sarasota City Commission Regular Meeting — 2:30 and 6 p.m. Monday, March 18, City Commission Chambers, Sarasota City Hall, 1565 First St.

Meeting Wrap Up
Sarasota City Commission
At the Sarasota City Commission meeting Monday, March 4:
• Commissioners, in a unanimous vote, accepted the finding of a “Cyber Security Investigative Report” from consultant John Jorgensen, of the Sylint Group. Mayor Suzanne Atwell said the final report would allow the city to move on from “a cloud of uncertainty” that surrounded City Hall while the Sylint Group investigated a former city manager’s use of city emails and problems in the way the city’s computer system was used. City Clerk Pamela Nadalini said her department has updated administrative regulations for using emails, and she wanted to bring a resolution to commissioners so they could support the changes.
• Commissioners approved an amended Ordinance 13-5052 prohibiting unreasonable sound from a motor vehicle.
• City officials welcomed two new city administrators, Mitt Tidwell, the city’s new utilities director, and Norm Gollub, the downtown economic development coordinator.
• Nik Wallenda was honored with a plaque titled, “A Man and His City.” Atwell hugged Wallenda and said she was “bristling with pride” after his Jan. 29 high-wire walk across the bayfront. The event drew 167 million in print and online media impressions across the U.S. “He is a great man in a great city,” Atwell said. Wallenda plans to walk the high wire in June across the Grand Canyon.
• Commissioners approved 3-2 vacating a 20-foot wide alley between Lemon and Pineapple avenues downtown to 127 Pineapple LLC. The property will be used for outdoor dining space.
The next City Commission meeting will be held at 2:30 and 6 p.m. Monday, March 18, City Commission chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St., Sarasota.