Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/309372
Siesta Seen price of success sometimes also is inconve- nience. I'm sorry that that is what it is. But these little businesses [in the Village] are strug- gling. It's not that they're rolling in dough." P a t t e r s o n c o n t i n u e d , " T h e y d o n e e d the customers, and our economy needs the customers." Patterson then raised a point she made to me last week: The Village needs more parking. However, she said, she has been unsuccess- ful in gaining the support of businesses for a new public/private venture with the county to create another municipal parking lot. When a man in the audience asked whether the county could implement some sort of shuttle service, Patterson reminded the audi- ence that the Siesta Trolley will start running on July 12, with stops every 20 to 30 minutes, including those at Siesta Public Beach and in Siesta Village. The trolley, which will be operated by Sarasota County Area Transit, will circulate from Westfield Southgate Mall, located at the intersection of Siesta Drive and U.S. 41, to Gulf Gate. As she has during past discussions of the ser- vice, Patterson also admonished people to use it. State grant funding will help cover the expense of it for three years, she said; then, the County Commission will have to decide whether to maintain it. If ridership numbers are low, the board's decision will be an easy one, she has indicated: Discontinue it. Finally, Patterson said with a chuckle to the SKA audience, "Bicycling is really good for you." SPEAKING OF NORTH SHELL ROAD … During the May 6 County Commission meet- ing, Commissioner Patterson brought up the North Shell Road parking problems Sgt. Osborne alluded to during the SKA meeting. Her frame of reference, however, was an email she had received from the president of the Solymar Owners Association, which com- prises residents of the development on the south side of North Shell Road. According to that email, Patterson told her colleagues, "All day long on weekends, the fire hydrant's completely blocked" on the south side of the road. The Solymar Association president had asked if the county would go ahead and put up signage indicating parking is not allowed near the hydrant or close to Higel Avenue. That was what the board had approved in its vote last month regarding a parking plan for North Shell Road, Patterson pointed out. When she discussed the request with James K. Harriott Jr., the county's chief engineer, Patterson continued, Harriott told her he believed the commission would have to approve a resolution allowing staff to go ahead and put up such signage. However, he indi- cated he would check with County Attorney Stephen DeMarsh to seek his opinion. Sarasota News Leader May 9, 2014 Page 80