Outdoor display ban under fire

A controversial county ordinance that bans Siesta Key merchants from displaying their products outdoors was the topic of a special Siesta Key Village Association (SKVA) meeting Tuesday.

A group of about 25 Siesta Key residents and business owners met to discuss modifying a county ordinance to allow Siesta Key businesses to display their merchandise outdoors.

“For me outdoor displays are a matter of survival,” said James Ritter, owner of Siesta Key Outfitters, who was one of about 25 Siesta residents and business owners attending Tuesday’s open forum. “If this change doesn’t go through, you can be sure there will be a ‘for-lease’ sign outside my door.”

Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kevin Cooper led Tuesday’s meeting. Business owners attending the event expressed concern about the impact stepped-up enforcement of the longstanding county ordinance could potentially have on their earnings going into the winter months — a period of the year essential to many Siesta businesses due to the influx of seasonal residents who more than double the island’s permanent population.

The ban on outdoor display ban applies countywide and is not unique to Siesta Key, Siesta Key Village Association (SKVA) President Cheryl Gaddie said.

The intent of Tuesday’s meeting was to identify the needs of Siesta businesses in order to draft a compromise ordinance that could sent to the Sarasota County Commission, setting rules on outdoor displays within the Siesta Key Overlay District (SKOD) that would be easily enforceable and would match the aesthetic character of the island.

There was a general consensus that square-footage should be the driving metric for what would be allowed.

After a survey of Siesta business needs is completed, the proposed changes will be taken to the Siesta Key Association (SKA), which represents the interests of Key residents, for approval before being sent to county commissioners.

“I don’t think any changes will happen quickly,” said James Ritter, owner of Siesta Key Outfitters. “But if I’m not allowed to have anything outside, I’m doomed.

Contact Nolan Peterson at [email protected]