County Commission to vote on park expansion

Sarasota County commissioner tomorrow will decide on whether to expand North Water Tower Park.

The park is within city of Sarasota limits in the Bayou Oaks neighborhood. It is a popular location for disc golf players and also has a walking and jogging trail.

The county will vote on whether to approve the purchase an additional 6.2 acres to expand the park. The $1.2 million purchase would extend the park to abut North Tamiami Trail to the west of the existing parkland.

The vicinity to U.S. 41 would increase the park’s accessibility, allow for more parking and provide an additional entrance point. According to the staff memo, the existing trail would be extended into the new sections of the park and future amenities could include a play area, picnic tables and shelters, and more disc golf area.

The purchase would be a part of the Neighborhood Parklands Acquisition Program and funded through the county capital improvement projects budget.

The initial North Water Tower Park work plan was approved May 7.

County-wide Post Disaster Redevelopment Plan

The PDRP is a document to provide a framework for count-wide redevelopment in the case of a major natural disaster. It included pre- and post-disaster prodecures to follow and adopt. The plan has been in development since 2008.

Since the last update on the post-diaster plan at the June 11 meeting, county staff has reached out to the municipalities of the county for their input into the plan. They have also incorporated input from the Barrier Islands League and analyzed the position of the PDRP coordinator who would be hired after the plan's adoption. 

The commissioners will receive the PDRP update again in January 2015, when they will consider voting on its adoption. 

IF YOU GO
What: Sarasota County Commission Meeting
When: 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7.
Where: Commission Chambers, Robert L. Anderson Administration Center, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice.