Manatee County development officials will open a new annex in Ellenton to issue permits to contractors and builders. The move comes as developers turn attention to construction in the northeast part of the county. 

A ribbon-cutting will be held at 2pm on January 12 at the new annex, which opens to the public on January 17. “We’ve had overwhelming support from our customers that they now have an option to do business north of Manatee River,” says John Barnott, Building and Development Services director for Manatee County. “An informal poll showed that seven out of eight customers will prefer to use that building instead of coming downtown to do building and permitting business with the county.” Permitting services will still be available at the department’s main office in Bradenton, but county leaders in May decided there was ample need for the annex, which will be housed in a former Sheriff’s Office substation now renovated for its new use. 

Jon Mast, CEO for the Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association, says development interests for years have been buying and assembling major properties north of the river, particularly in the east part of the county. “If we talk globally, there are not enough new housing starts to meet the demand for purchasers, so as a developer gets permission to build on land, people are buying it,” Mast says. 

Over the past two years, more projects have been approved for northeast Manatee so a surge in permitting is not unexpected. Developers building include both locally headquartered builders such as Neal Communities and Medallion Homes and national firms like Taylor Morrison. “It’s a myriad of developers building there,” Mast says. Most of the permits being pulled now, he notes, are on projects approved by county commissioners a year ago or longer.  

The new facility will be located at 5030 US 301 and will operate 8am-4pm daily. 

While waiting for your next balayage treatment at Fresh Salon Sarasota, peruse the whitewashed shelves in the foyer, lined with specialty products for both men and women. Baxter of California is one such luxury grooming product that makes an appearance—technically for men, the soaps, creams and salves prove gentle enough for fairer skin and longer hair (and the packaging can't be beat). Lather up with the Vitamin Cleansing Bar, infused with Italian lime and pomegranate. Ultra rich and luxurious, the bar contains aloe, seaweed and Vitamins A and E to nourish the skin, and the green stripe down the middle is packed with hydrating glycerin—gentle enough to use on the face. Aside from the benefits to the skin, the fragrance taps into a complex medley of citrus and sweet fruit, musky bergamot and clean cucumber for an unforgettable shower experience.  

Fresh Salon, 1819 Main St., #118, Sarasota, 941-906-7709.

Representatives from the FL House Institute, the League of Women Voters Sarasota and Florida Solar United Neighborhoods (FL SUN) will host a press conference encouraging Sarasota homeowners looking for a discounted way to add solar power to their homes to sign up for a new solar co-op program. Solar co-ops provide bulk discounts up to 20 percent for a group of homeowners who are interested in purchasing solar panels. As part of a solar co-op, citizens benefit from the educational process and each participant signs his or her own contract with the installer, and everyone gets the discount. All homeowners who reside in Sarasota County are eligible to participate in the co-op. The press conference will be January 4 at 10am at the Florida House Institute at 4454 Beneva Rd. 

Florida Solar United Neighborhoods

The Peace Education and Action Center has released its annual report providing updates on the group and its mission. This year, the Peace Center at Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center will be open every Tuesday from 5pm–9pm for Activist Nights for films, speakers, workshops, panel discussions, strategy sessions and issue-based conversations. The Peace Center has also launched a new quarterly publication, Critical Times, beginning this month and available online. More about the coming year at the center will be provided by Director Arlene Sweeting this Thursday at 10am at Selby Library. 

Peace Education and Action Center

Join SRQ Media for our dynamic SB2: GOOD EDUCATION–Learning for a Lifetime breakfast symposium on Thursday, January 26, 2017 from 7:30am–9:00am at The Francis, Downtown Sarasota. Local community leaders will give us insight on the adaptations going into innovative thinking in the K-100+ education experience in the Sarasota and Bradenton region. Keynote Mary Chance, President of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, will discuss the organization’s representation of 61 county-wide school district education foundations that collectively raise more than $63 million annually for targeted initiatives to increase student achievement. Special guest panelists include: Dr. Larry Thompson, President, Ringling College of Art and Design; Jennifer Vigne, President, Education Foundation of Sarasota County; and Mireya Eavey, Executive Director, CareerEdge. Tickets are $35 per person and include a buffet breakfast. 

Reserve tickets.