This past Monday, a City Commission Workshop on parking was held. At that time, City staff updated your Commissioners on the current status of the citywide public parking program, and summarized the public comments and questions submitted at the Open House held the previous week (supplemented by copies of all the comments). Commissioners also heard directly from concerned individuals before discussing what we’d like the Parking Division to include in a revised parking program.

During the very informative presentation, staff presented detailed facts and figures which corrected misinformation that has been circulating in the community. These included:

#1:  Tourism is up. Visit Sarasota County reported in July that the year-to-year number of visitors has increased.

#2:  Through an app called Placer.ai, which collects foot traffic data, we have learned that the bulk of people going to Main Street are not Sarasota residents. They’re out-of-market visitors coming into Sarasota.

#3: There are 9,527 official public parking spaces distributed throughout the City of Sarasota, including Lido Beach, Rosemary District, St. Armands, and Downtown.

#4: 6,620 public parking spaces are free to use. That’s over 50% of the parking inventory. And, of that, half the spaces are free with no time restriction.

However, public parking is not free to provide. There are associated costs including maintenance (garages, elevators and surface lots), permitting, enforcement (vehicles and staff), and paying off the debt issued to build the garages. An important question the Commission will be addressing: How should the Parking Division be funded in the future? Right now, the Parking Division is an Enterprise Fund, meaning it is expected to pay its own way rather than be funded by citywide property taxes. Options for self-funding include user fees, special assessments, and business participation. We’ve asked and received community input on the matter, and you’re invited to share your thoughts during a regular Commission meeting or by email. Commissioners’ contact information is available on the City Commission webpage at Sarasotafl.gov and the Parking Division can be reached at ParkingInfo@sarasotafl.gov

The City Commission agreed last month to temporarily roll back the extension of parking enforcement hours changes. (An effort is underway to change the signs back to the original hours.) The temporary rollback remains in place until after we know the results of the Amendment 3 referendum on the November 3 ballot. The decision on Amendment 3 will affect the City’s future budgets and how the parking program can be funded.

Emotions regarding parking have been running high. It’s our sincere hope that frustrations are not taken out on our parking enforcement employees as they perform their assigned jobs. Their role is to carry out city policy, including monitoring parking space turnover and enforcing safety violations. They also serve as community ambassadors, often welcoming visitors and answering questions. They are public servants. Please BE KIND!

Monday is Labor Day – enjoy the holiday weekend! How the holiday impacts City business, including your residential garbage pickup, is included in City News below.

City administrative offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 7, in observance of Labor Day.  

There will be no residential garbage pickup on Monday. Collection will be delayed by one day: Monday collection will occur on Tuesday, and Tuesday collection will occur on Wednesday.  

Holiday hours of operation at City of Sarasota facilities will vary: 

For more information on garbage and recycling collection, visit the
Solid Waste Division webpage at SarasotaFL.Gov or call 941-263-6170. 

City residents are invited to attend a series of City Commission district‑specific open houses to learn more about the City’s Traffic Calming Plan, explore proposed neighborhood improvements, and speak directly with the project team. These informal drop‑in sessions provide an opportunity to review maps, ask questions, and understand how traffic calming measures may be applied in your neighborhood. 

The District 2 open house was held on Wednesday, Sept. 2. Two additional open houses will be held in Districts 1 and 3. Please note: You’re invited to attend any of the meetings.

Sept. 15 – District 3 open house 

5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 
Ken Clark Auditorium 
2998 Ringling Boulevard 

Sept. 16 – District 1 open house 

5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 
Robert L. Taylor Community Complex 
1845 John Rivers St. 

We hope to see you there! 

Wondering about City Commission district boundaries? They can be found via the City’s website at Sarasotafl.gov 

For more information about the draft Traffic Calming Plan and to give your feedback via a brief survey, visit Sarasotafl.gov/TrafficCalmingPlan. 

Three City Commissioners were recognized by the Florida League of Cities (FLC) recently for their interest and efforts with continuing education.  

As participants in the first year of its public service education initiative for elected officials, Vice Mayor Kathy Kelley Ohlrich and Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch each earned a Gold Certificate of Excellence and Mayor Debbie Trice achieved a Silver Certificate of Leadership.

The FLC achievement program recognizes officials committed to expanding their expertise to better serve their communities. Participants can earn points by taking part in programs including the Institute of Elected Municipal Officials, legislative events and ethics training. Three certificate levels are awarded based on total credits: the Bronze Certificate of Merit (Level One), the Silver Certificate of Leadership (Level Two), and the Gold Certificate of Excellence (Level Three). 

Vice Mayor Ohlrich, Commissioner Ahearn-Koch and Mayor Trice will be featured with other certificate recipients at the FLC Annual Conference. Congratulations! 

Our very own Homeless Response Coordinator, Shellie Legarsky, made a special guest appearance recently on ABC 7’s noon newscast with host Summer Smith! 

Shellie and Summer discussed homelessness in Sarasota, what the City’s Homeless Outreach Team does to help connect individuals with services and housing, and more. Perhaps most importantly, Shellie expressed that the kindest way to respond to an unsheltered person is to contact the Homeless Outreach Team rather than giving money or food. If an individual feels their needs have been met while living on the street, they are less likely to seek the help they need to become housed. 

Watch the full interview here: https://www.mysuncoast.com/2026/08/25/seeing-someone-experiencing-homelessness-sarasota-heres-how-city-says-you-can-help/ 

If you enjoyed the segment, you’re in luck! Shellie will be returning to the TV studio in the future to discuss homeless response topics and keep the community informed about why the City’s Homeless Outreach Team has become a model for cities throughout the nation. 

For more information or to get in contact with the Homeless Outreach Team, email HomelessResponse@SarasotaFL.gov or call 941-263-6302. 

Did you know you can access community-focused conversations, public meetings and more in one place? 

Visit Sarasotafl.gov/Broadcast to watch live and on-demand content including the Public Broadcasting Division’s award‑winning original programming.  

Users can easily browse show categories featuring a variety of subjects and guests. On Commissioner’s Corner, one of the longest-running programs, City Commissioners and community leaders have in-depth discussions on topics that impact our City such as neighborhood programs. 

Meeting coverage of the City Commission, Planning Board, and a variety of Advisory Boards is available as well. These meetings can be viewed on-demand, and many can be viewed live.

We’re seeking qualified candidates for a Network Analyst position.

Are you or someone you know interested? Visit Sarasotafl.gov to apply online and see other employment opportunities with the City of Sarasota.