Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/175080
Sarasota News Leader September 20, 2013 At the opening of the commission meeting, during the public comment period, a gaggle of Burns Square merchants paraded before the commission to ask for parking relief. For several years, the city leased a lot on Orange Avenue from real estate firm Michael Saunders & Co. But this year the city terminated the arrangement. Last week, the lot was roped off and closed to the public. That action sent the merchants squawking. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in a state of holy agitation to deliver a petition from the Burns Square merchants," said Cheryl Van Kirk to the commission. "We now have 161 employees and 155 parking spaces." The president of the merchants association for that area of the city asked for reinstate- Page 32 ment of the lease. Her members backed her up. "We are really, really in desperate need of parking," said one. Another added, "I'm seeing owners and employees jockeying their cars around. Meanwhile, for clients and customers, there's no where to park." Because the Burns Square merchants spoke during the open-to-the-public session of the meeting, the commissioners could not respond. But during the Commissioner Comments segment of the session, Caragiulo said he had met with 19 people about the issue. He suggested using contingency money from the downtown Community Redevelopment Agency account to pay for renting the lot and begin talks anew with Realtor Michael Saunders. North Sarasota residents are pleading for city help to make Atkins Park safer. Photo by Robert Hackney