04/10/06

SOUTH VENICE -- The acquisition of two key pieces of environmentally sensitive lands are on the agenda for the Sarasota County commissioners Tuesday.

The meeting Tuesday is at the Robert L. Anderson Administration Center, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, to accommodate a 5 p.m. public hearing on the East Venice Avenue Plan.

The board is being asked to approve two land purchases, the construction of a solar energy system, and will hear a presentation about the U.S. 41 Bypass.

South Venice land buy

Commissioners are expected to approve an agreement with the South Venice Beach Endowment Trust to purchase eight acres of land on the Intracoastal Waterway that could be an expansion of Shamrock Park.

The land is within 60 feet of the south boundary of Shamrock Park and includes 500 feet of shoreline on the Intracoastal and 300 feet on Lemon Bay. The property includes three acres of uplands and five acres of wetlands.

The price is about $550,000.

The trust is also transferring its easement of 60 feet that runs from Shamrock to the bay.

Parks officials hope to use the purchase to expand the 82-acre Shamrock Park by eight acres and use the sandy shoreline as a canoe or kayak launch.

River Road purchase

The final contract for the purchase of 28 acres at the southeast corner of River Road and East Venice Avenue from Alice Blackburn is up for a public hearing and formal approval. The hearing is part of the morning session that begins at 9 a.m.

The county is paying $2.8 million for the land.

Several ideas are being considered for its use, including placing a fire station, environmental park and a right of way for the future River Road widening.

The fire station would be relocated there from the city of North Port after the West Villages project is further along. The county would sell the existing station on U.S. 41, in the recently annexed portion of the city, to the city and build the new station to address the shifting county population closer to Interstate 75.

Shore Road water line

After more than two months, the commissioners will hold a public hearing Tuesday and are expected to formally approve a contract to provide water lines to the Shore Road area of Nokomis.

The commissioners balked when the original contract came forward Feb. 7, since the estimate was half of the winning bid.

Westra Construction was the lowest bidder at $1.6 million. County utility staff argued that rebidding probably won't lower the bids as supplies and overall costs are much higher than when the original estimate was made.

EAPAB presentation

Englewood Area Planning Advisory Board Chairman Steven Samuels will provide the commissioners an annual report on the activities of the board.

U.S. 41 Bypass presentation

Representatives with the Florida Department of Transportation will make a presentation about the possible design of the U.S. 41 Bypass through Venice.

The presentation is expected to be similar to the one offered to residents three weeks ago.

The redesign includes limiting the width of the right of way needed for the road and possibly cutting out bike lanes and condensing sidewalks to the state minimum.

The redesign is being done to save costs, but it does not spare 19 businesses near Venice Avenue.

The project does not have any money budgeted for actual construction.

Salt Slough Midden Area purchase

The commissioners are being asked to agree to the purchase of another lot for the protection of the Salt Slough Midden in North Port.

The board approved the purchase, during its Jan. 25 meeting, for $50,000. This purchase leaves three lots in the sensitive lands area that are targeted for preservation.

The site is considered a critical part of the area's history since it has been deemed an archeological site, as well.

The site is at Price Boulevard and Hyde Terrace and the slough feeds into the Little Salt Spring Basin.

Staff Writer

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