Sarasota Commissioners Explore Siesta Key Annexation

SARASOTA, FL — After a group of local state legislators failed to move forward Siesta Key’s request to incorporate to the Florida Legislature for consideration, the Sarasota city commissioners have decided to explore annexing the barrier island community into the city.

Commissioners discussed the possibility of making all of Siesta Key part of Sarasota at their Tuesday meeting. Currently, a small portion of the barrier island falls within city limits. Much of Siesta Key is considered a census-designated place within Sarasota County.

They voted unanimously for Sarasota Mayor Erik Arroyo and City Manager Marlon Brown to reach out to leaders of the Save Siesta Key movement for incorporation to gauge their interest in becoming part of Sarasota.

After years of living with decisions being made for them by Sarasota County leaders, some Siesta Key residents had enough, forming the group Save Siesta Key in late 2020 to push for the barrier island's incorporation as a city.

The organization was inspired by three major recent projects that residents spoke out against but moved forward anyway include the proposed Siesta Promenade plan from Benderson Development Co. at U.S. 41 and Stickney Point Road, the dredging of Big Pass and the decision to build a roundabout at Midnight Pass and Beach Road, Tracy Jackson, the chair of the group’s communication and media committee, told Patch.

In a split 3-3 vote on Jan. 4, a delegation of state leaders from Sarasota County — including five Florida state representatives and one state senator — failed to support the advancement of Siesta Key's request to incorporate. A majority vote was needed to move the request forward.

In a Facebook post, Save Siesta Key wrote, “We are disappointed with the outcome of (Tuesday's) vote, but we are not discouraged. We are currently evaluating our next steps and have no intention on giving up. We are so grateful for the support of our community and the volunteer Neighborhood Ambassadors. Save Siesta Key will continue to work on getting incorporation on the ballot for our island community."

At Tuesday’s Sarasota City Commission meeting, Arroyo said, “I feel like Siesta Key is a great gem here in our area and people already think that Siesta Key is part of the city of Sarasota – part of it is, in reality, not the rest of it. We offer many, many benefits in the city of Sarasota that would just make that kind of the ideal partnership.

He said he’s been in contact with Siesta Key residents, including some leaders within the Save Siesta Key group.

By annexing into the city, Arroyo said that Siesta Key residents will “have a better opportunity for representation.”

The city already offers “significant protections for barrier islands,” he said, including forbidding density increases in areas other than St. Armands district.

“That will prevent a lot of the issues being faced by unincorporated Siesta Key right now with the hotels that are going up,” the mayor said.

Related Stories:

• Siesta Key Incorporation Request Fails To Move Forward: Report
• Save Siesta Key: Group Explores Barrier Island's Incorporation

The city also focuses on environmental issues, by maintaining sea grass and dredging projects, which is another concern for Siesta Key, he added. And by combining their tourism tax dollars, they’ll have “a larger bargaining chip for regional projects.”

Arroyo understands Siesta Key residents might be concerned about paying city taxes but said that Sarasota’s 3.13-millage rate is lower than many other cities and counties and will only drop further if the barrier island community merges with the city.

Commissioner Liz Alpert called the potential annexation “an excellent idea,” adding that city taxes likely wouldn’t be an issue for Siesta Key residents.

“Taxes…would happen anyway. If you incorporate yourselves, you have to recreate all these things that we’ve already created,” she said. “You have to pay for the governance and all sorts of things. There would be a millage that the city of Siesta Key would have to impose.”

Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch said she’s previously considered the annexation of Siesta Key and would like to move forward with reviewing the possibility — only if the residents of Siesta Key show support of the idea, of course.

“I’m not interested in dragging Siesta Key kicking and screaming,” she said.

Ahearn-Koch added, “I would be interested in exploring what the pros and cons are, what the options are, what the cost is, what it would look like, but I would not be interested in doing this if Siesta Key is not interested.”

Only one Siesta Key resident — Lourdes Ramirez, president of Siesta Key Community, Inc. — attended Tuesday’s meeting to speak about the potential annexation.

“We don’t feel heard by Sarasota County. We don’t feel Sarasota County cares about Siesta Key,” she said.

As for Siesta Key becoming part of the city?

“I think it’s just interesting to hear it out,” Ramirez said. “I’m not saying I’m all on board with it. Taxes do scare me.”

She warned city commissioners, “You’ve got to know what you’re getting into.”

With annexation comes “angry, active residents,” she said, adding that Sarasota County likely won’t want to give up control of the barrier island beaches.

Ramirez suggested commissioners do their research and review the “pros and cons.”

Patch has reached out to Save Siesta Key for comments.