DSCA News

 

 

Intersections Map  

Treat yourself to a walking tour at your on leisure. Click on the full size map link, print, go to Selby Five Points Park or any other location on the map and begin walking.  Also, if you haven’t seen Selby Five Points Park all lit up, you might want to time your walk to finish at the park at dusk. The lights come on at 6:00 P.M.

 

Click here to link to full-size map on City of Sarasota website.

 

 

DSCA Annual And All Members Meeting Draws Small But Enthusiastic Crowd 

If one can call 26 people a small crowd that is how many people showed up for the DSCA Annual Meeting followed by an All Members presentation on March 24 at the Herald tribune Building. The people in attendance heard that the DSCA is in a sound and stable position, and operating in maintaining and assuring that the interests of Downtown Condominium Associations are well represented.

 

The Members in good standing present elected a new Board of Directors to include:

Chuck Albers, Sarabande; Roger Barry, Sunset Towers; Merle Chorba, Regency House; Graham Edwards II, 13590 Main Street; Peter Fanning, Savoy on Palm; Arthur Levin, One Watergate; Howard Phillips, Tessera; Bob Pirollo, Broadway Promenade; Bridgette Spies, The Ritz Carlton Residences; Ron Ward, LaBellasara. John Moran, Marina Towers is President Emeritus with full privileges of Board membership.

 

Subsequent to the annual Meeting, the Board held its organizational meeting and elected the following officers: President, Peter Fanning; Vice President, Merle Chorba; Chuck Albers, President; and Graham Edwards II, Secretary. 

 

The DSCA Board presented a highly informative, and from the comments of the attendees, “interesting and valuable” program of speakers. The DSCA Board would especially like to thank and recognize the two newly elected City Commissioners, Paul Caragiulo, District 2; and Shannon Snyder, District 3 for their attendance and presentations. Because the District 1 election had not as yet taken place at the time of the program, neither of the run off candidates, Linda Holland or Willie Shaw was invited. 

However, at the next All Members Program, The DSCA Board will try to arrange to have the winning candidate attend to comment about Downtown and other City issues.

The paid parking plan for Downtown presented by Chris Gallagher, Senior Planner, Jonathan Parks Architect, was well received. Chris is adamant about the need and effectiveness of a free market approach to parking downtown if we are to maintain and encourage a vibrant Downtown Sarasota.

 

Captain Paul Sutton of the Sarasota Police Department and Co-Chair of the Sarasota County Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness’ Safety and Community Outreach Work Group, updated the membership on the ongoing activities to make Downtown a pleasant and safe place for residents, business owners and visitors.

 

If you missed this program don’t miss the next one, which will be in October. Place, date and time will be published on the DSCA website.

 

The DSCA Cooperates to Improve Downtown Livability 

Peter Fanning with Board support is working to extend the influence of DSCA by working with other Downtown Groups, Associations and Resident Members to improve the quality of life for Downtown Residents. With the help of the Downtown Sarasota Alliance (DSA) and especially the Plaza at Five Points and 100 Central Condominium Associations and their residents, Peter has been advocating for more police presence downtown, supporting the implementation of new safety ordinances, enforcing existing ordinances and establishing programs of assistance for people who are unable or unwilling to comply with simple rules of social order.

 

The Plaza and 100 Central have been instrumental in assisting organizations providing food on a regular basis to persons who are homeless in locations that are better suited for such an activity than Selby Five Points Park. The DSCA has been meeting with representatives of this effort to assure that such relocations are in the best interests of the residents and the homeless as well. The cooperation and open dialogue taking place is a great change according to Peter Fanning, from previous efforts, and already residents and visitors are seeing the changes for the better take place.

A Push for A No Smoking Ordinance, Orderly Feeding Programs for the Homeless, and Promoting Amenities Downtown such as Benches to Sit On 

The DSCA Board is supporting and providing public input at the City Commission Meetings in support of several new ordinances and policies including a ban on smoking. Elsie Souza of 100 Central and Parks Advisory Board Member appeared at the April 4 City Commission Meeting to support the Parks Advisory Board’s recommendation for a NO SMOKING POLICY in all city parks. DSCA also encouraged the City Commission to accept this policy as well as expand it to include all adjacent sidewalks to the parks. The City Commission agreed.

 

Although the DSCA recognizes that in some instances this will be a difficult policy to enforce, it is committed to working with the Sarasota City Police Department in cleaning up the City while making it a healthier place to live.

 

Also, in the works, based on a petition signed by many of our residents and supported by the DSA as well, is a proposed ordinance to establish procedures and written policies for groups who want to provide food for the homeless in the downtown area. The new ordinance would require that any such group would need to get a permit if they expect to have more than 12 people participate in the feeding activity, and that each group would be limited to three permits per year.

 

Finally, the DSCA is working with its member condominium associations in the Selby Five Points Park area to make sure that benches are available in the park and throughout other areas of the City for visitors and residents to use. The City, at the request of some of the DSCA member associations, has been removing benches in an effort to reduce the impact of persons who practically camp out on the benches to the exclusion of residents and visitors. The position of the DSCA that has been accepted by other groups is that the benches are an amenity that are available to all persons and that residents through the responsible use of their tax dollars want to have such amenities available.

 

However, because the present situation has become intolerable and is creating a security issue for downtown residents, the DSCA has agreed to promote the removal of the three remaining benches at Selby Five Points Park for a period of three months. During the three months, the DSCA will work with other groups to establish enforceable policies that promote  the use of benches and other amenities in a socially responsible manner. At the conclusion of the three-month period, the DSCA will work with downtown associations and representative to put the benches back in place. 

Bayfront Mooring Field Still a Possibility 

 

Maybe you have forgotten by now, but soon, well in “government” time a Bayfront Mooring Field will be established. Geotechnical Analysis of the bottom of the bay where the moorings are to be place is continuing as of this posting. Once this has been completed, Requests for Proposals for anchor design and installation will be advertised and a review of proposals completed by the end of June to mid July. The City Commission will then be presented with contracts for approval and installation will begin. Hopefully, but again, remember we are working on government time, completion of the Mooring Field is scheduled for the end of August. 

 

Membership Renewals Are Due

Merle Chorba, DSCA Vice President and Membership Chair has reported to the Board that membership renewals have been mailed to all Associations. A reminder will be going out the week of May 9 to all members who have yet to respond. You are all encouraged to send in your $100.00 for the 2011 membership year as it is vitally important to have your support in continuing to have a voice in Sarasota. Just look at the activities your fully volunteer Board of Directors have been involved in on your behalf, and according to Peter Fanning, President of DSCA, “… this is just a fraction of what takes up so many hours of our time throughout the year.”

 

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