Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/105484
Sarasota News Leader January 25, 2013 Page 40 "We will be aggressively enforcing that [noise] on pensions. The city faces a huge unfunded ordinance and telling [violators] they need to liability for the pension funds it manages, and turn off the amplification for outdoor sound," the commissioner was hoping to tell a legislative committee about said Brown. Looking the city's problem. at commissioners, he added, "Your phones Every restaurant and a lot of little "Eleven of us were may be ringing off the there. About two shops have outdoor speakers. It's not loud or hours into the hearing, hook." obnoxious. Why would we take an ordinance they told us only one Not everybody was that hasn't been enforced and enforce it? It of us could speak," happy to hear Brown's makes us really look bad as a city. Caragiulo reported to warning. Civic stalwart his fellow city comDiana Hamilton spoke Diana Hamilton missioners. "The maySarasota resident during the "open to the or of Cocoa Beach public" segment of the spoke on the need for meeting about the conflexibility." sequences of the no-noise crusade. As for any relief on the horizon: Caragiulo re"Every restaurant and a lot of little shops have ported no bills have been introduced. outdoor speakers. It's not loud or obnoxious," she said. "Why would we take an ordinance Meanwhile, a local judge's smack down of that hasn't been enforced and enforce it? It the city's no-smoking-on-public-property ordinance was based on a reading of state law, makes us really look bad as a city." and that law does not look likely to change. The city ordinance bans any amplified sound City Attorney Bob Fournier said, "Ironicaloutside. Special permits are required for out- ly, the state prohibits smoking in some state door performances using such sound. parks but denies local governments the right to ban smoking in local parks. We need legisShe asked, "Do we really want … the only lative action." sound one hears when you sit outside [to be] leaf blowers and car horns? And people Bills are in the hopper, but it is too early to knocking on doors saying shut the music off?" predict their chances of passage. TAKING THE TEMPERATURE OF CROSS YOUR FINGERS 'TALLY' The structural failure of one of the first SaraIt is again time for Floridians to stock their bomb shelters: The legislative session will begin in March. Two of the city's big problems have roots in Tallahassee, and the tea leaves for solutions are not good. sota high-rises built in the 1970s is about to see corrective action. Dolphin Tower's residents in June 2010 were evacuated because the building was in grave danger of collapse. City Commissioner Paul Caragiulo recently Since then a horde of professionals — engivisited the state capital to attend a hearing neers, lawyers and insurance people — have