Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/260020
THE SIESTA BEACH PROJECT WILL PROVIDE EVEN MORE PARKING SPACES THAN ORIGINALLY PLANNED; THE BEACH TENNIS COURTS RELOCATION AND THE BEACH ROAD/MIDNIGHT PASS ROAD ROUNDABOUT RAISE QUESTIONS; AND THE VALENTINE STROLL IS ON FEB. 14 Siesta Seen SIESTA SEEN The good news is that the Siesta Public Beach improvements will add 143 parking spaces to the park, not 130, as originally planned, Sarasota County staff told about 30 audience members and the Siesta Key Association (SKA) Board of Directors during the organi- zation's Feb. 6 regular meeting. However, some noise and disruptions will be inevitable, Carolyn N. Brown, the county's director of parks and recreation, and Brad Gaubatz, the beach project manager, said during a presentation that included artists' renderings of the new facilities that will be built. In terms of noise: Gaubatz cautioned that pile driving is expected to commence on the site on Feb. 17 and continue for about two weeks. Phase I, which should be complete around June 15, includes the construction of new tennis courts and a new county maintenance By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor The piles of sand — created by the digging of the new stormwater retention pond — sat about 20 feet tall last week next to Siesta Public Beach. The sand will be used in the park improvements project. Photo by Rachel Hackney