Bob's Boathouse on South Tamiami Trail in
Sarasota is under investigation for a new
issue, The Sarasota News Leader learned this
week: transforming the area for a fountain
into a public pool.
Tom Higginbotham, environmental health
administrator of the
Florida Department
of Health in Sarasota
County, told the News
Leader on May 13
that staff from the
department's Office
o f E n v i r o n m e n t a l
Health had visited the
restaurant on May 7 in response to a complaint
about an area near the bar where patrons are
invited to sit or stand with their feet in water.
The shallow area was permitted by Sarasota
County Building Department staff "as a foun-
tain" prior to the opening of the business last
fall at 5515 S. Tamiami
Trail, Higginbotham
said. "When you start
letting people into that
section to swim or
wade," he continued,
that is a violation of
Florida State Statute
A sign at the front door of Bob's Boathouse indicates the hours. Photo by Rachel Hackney
NOT A PUBLIC POOL
B O B ' S B O AT H O U S E I S FA C I N G R A M I F I C AT I O N S F R O M T H E
HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR ITS USE OF AN AREA COUNTY STAFF
APPROVED AS A FOUNTAIN
It looks like [the restaurant owners
are] offering it to [their] patrons as an
interactive water attraction.
Tom Higginbotham
Environmental Health Administrator
Florida Department of Health
Sarasota County
By Rachel Brown Hackney
Editor
NEWS
