Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/119978
Sarasota News Leader April 5, 2013 Page 85 Siesta Seen sentatives had had with the SKVA board of fiscated illegal signs a few weeks ago. Since then, Cappetta heard from some business directors in February. owners that other people "have just basically That earlier discussion focused on noise comthumbed their noses [at the ordinance] and plaints and signage violations in the Village. have sandwich boards up again on a regular SKVA President Russell Matthes reminded basis." the approximately 20 members present on "It's going to be up to John Lally," Kouvatsos April 2 that the objective is to open up better told him. "It's all enforcement." lines of communications among the county zoning office, Code Enforcement and Village Matthes also pointed out that some organizabusinesses about what is and is not allowed tions had contacted the County Commission in the Overlay District, including "how [rules to ask for more Code Enforcement overtime than the 15 hours Kevin Burns is allowed per are] interpreted and how they're enforced." week. "We wanted to get everybody on the same The Siesta Key Association sent a letter on page," he added. March 15 to the County Commission, saying Kouvatsos pointed out that after she and Gad- Burns' hours "are not adequate given the vadie talked with Thompson, Thompson prom- riety and volume of code enforcement issues ised to clarify some issues regarding signage reported." with other county staff members, including those in the County Attorney's Office, before The letter added, "Our community needs consistency in oversight, responsiveness and enholding the session for business owners. forcement. Without Code Enforcement Staff Thompson did point out, Kouvatsos noted, availability, there isn't a reliable means to dethat "sandwich boards … are not allowed at velop compliance to [the] ordinance." all." Matthes pointed out that, with Lally having Additionally, Kouvatsos reported that John been out sick for months, "In reality, we went Lally, the Code Enforcement officer who has from a 40-plus-hour employee to a 15-hour worked on Siesta Key for a number of years, is employee, so there's no way [the ordinance] back on the job. Lally had been out on medical could have been enforced aggressively or leave since late last year. properly." SKVA member Glenn Cappetta, owner of Sun Ride Pedicabs, reminded the members that Kevin Burns, the Code Enforcement officer who works part-time in the Village, had con- With Lally back on the job, Matthes added, "This will be the first time we'll get to see if it's actually going to work" with Burns helping out in the evenings and on weekends.