Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/86226
Sarasota News Leader October 5, 2012 "That was gentle!" Chairwoman Christine Robinson responded with a laugh. Staff also will be working with community residents to make certain they understand the improvements as they are implemented, Mast said. "The internal communication, we feel, is just as important as the external communica- tion." Moreover, Mast said, the Sheriff's Office is planning a Safety Fair in Pinecraft on Jan. 26. It will be targeted to seasonal residents. "A lot of folks come from different parts of the country and don't necessarily understand all the rules and regulations of the road and the bicycle use and all that," Mast pointed out. Because Pinecraft experiences a lot of bicy- cle theft, she added, Sheriff's Office personnel also will engrave ID information on bicycles during the fair. Page 29 County staff has been working to try to im- prove bus service in Pinecraft, too, Mast said. "The community uses [Sarasota County Area Transit] services extensively," she pointed out. Factors to consider in the plan are whether the bus stops are in the best locations, wheth- er enough of those stops have shelters and whether a sufficient number of bike racks are available for people who use that means of transportation to reach the bus stops. Additionally, Mast said, community residents have asked for "a direct route from Pinecraft to Siesta Key," routes with fewer stops to some of their primary shopping destinations, such as Walmart and Home Depot, and per- haps "customized, seasonal routes." SCAT staff also is reviewing the possibility of relocating some of the stops to make them more accessible to community users, Mast said. A recreational vehicle parked at a house in Pinecraft is a common sight. Photo by John McCar- thy/Sarasota County