Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/211425
Siesta Seen with the SKA and the Siesta Key Chamber of to start to flout them, all under the guise of 'I Commerce to determine whether the ordi- need to do it so my business survives.' And by not enforcing the ordinances you take away nance should be revised. their incentive to work to change them." County Commissioner Nora Patterson told me she was unable to attend the Nov. 12 ses- Gaddie replied, "We are all in agreement that sion because of having to drive to Daytona enforcement is fair and necessary. There is for a RESTORE meeting — the ongoing state a reason for the 'rules on the books' and the initiative to figure out how best to divvy up laws do apply to everyone." whatever money comes to the counties as Although she knows John Lally "has a lot of a result of the BP settlement over the oil rig area to cover," she added, she planned to talk disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. with Patterson about "what we can do to betPatterson said no one had presented any pro- ter enforce the ordinances." posal to her since Kevin Cooper, the outgoing With Lally present at the Nov. 7 SKA meetexecutive director of the Siesta Chamber, ing, Shay took the opportunity to ask about offered a suggested revision of the SKOD to the lack of enforcement he has observed in her during the summer. That one "allowed for recent months in Siesta Village. an awful lot [of outdoor display area], at least in my opinion," Patterson noted on Nov. 13. Lally explained that his superiors had told him to hold off on enforcement of the outdoor SKA Vice President Shay shared with me merchandise provision until some agreement in early October an email exchange he had on the matter could be reached among all the with Gaddie, saying he was concerned that affected parties. However, Lally added, "We the SKOD ordinance was not being enforced didn't realize that this was going to be as slow since some business owners complained a process for the Village Association and [the about it in early June at an SKVA meeting. SKA] to get together to decide what you want. He wrote on Oct. 4, "I have always been a 'law If that is 'no outdoor display,' all the boss has & order' type … guy and if there are rules on to do is tell me, and it will go away." the books then they should be followed and "I rest my case," Shay said, then thanked Lally. enforced, no exceptions. And if there is an issue about them and people want to work to Patterson also alluded to that very situation change them, they still have to abide by them when I spoke with her on Wednesday — that UNTIL there is a change. By allowing some- Code Enforcement had been told to hold off one to thumb their nose at the ordinances, on notices or citations until the matter was you are inviting others, who 'play by the rules' resolved.