The Parking Operations Division, Judicial Parking District and Downtown Parking District announced the rollout of the new downtown parking meter program is now in effect. In the midst of the ongoing debates amongst patrons, merchants, employees and city officials on paid parking implementation in Sarasota—first administered on St. Armands Circle, now on Main Street, Palm Avenue, Ringling Blvd. and the First Street Lot—the City’s Parking Manager Mark Lyons sat down to answer questions yesterday at Sarasota City Hall.  

Over the past seven years, he says, the Parking Division has worked to design a program that is “simple and sustainable,” and endorsed by downtown business associations, the Downtown Improvement District, urban planners, parking consultants and the Parking Advisory Committee (comprised of merchants, property owners and residents).  

Lyons notes that the 43 pay station machines and 35 pole-mount model meters now in effect Downtown—the same as those installed earlier this year in the St. Armands Parking District—were selected based on considerable public input and consensus that they are the most user-friendly technology available. Visitors can pay by credit card, debit card, coins or through the ParkMobile app. Reminders can be sent when parking session nears expiration and time can be extended via the app as well. “They’re as easy and convenient to use as an ATM,” says Lyons. 

When confronted about the $1.50/hour payment (with a small ParkMobile fee applied for each mobile transaction as well), Lyons acknowledges no one wants to pay for parking, including him, but believes it will ultimately improve service to citizens and benefit curbside merchants for Sarasota. “The Downtown parking program will increase availability and access to prime parking spaces for patrons, improve a higher turnover rate and create shorter walking distances to restaurants and stores and cut down on vehicles cruising around in search of parking,” he says, before adding that the City looked extensively into other cities throughout Florida—including Tampa, St. Petersburg, West Palm Beach, Miami Beach, Delray Beach and Hollywood—who already adapted to ParkMobile meters on their busy destination streets, and deemed the change “successful”. 

It’s still a tough pill to swallow for residents who have lived here only ever knowing parking to be free in these areas, or for those who recall the City’s former failed attempts at implementing paid parking. To this sentiment, Lyons notes that the State Street Garage and Palm Avenue Garage will still remain free for two hours, and “88% of the 4,000 on-street parking spaces will remain free around downtown.” And for quick stops—perhaps for a cup of coffee or an in-and-out errand—the first 10 minutes of paid parking is complimentary.

Lyons says that enforcement will be “soft” in the beginning, to help transitioning to the new program smoothly. A “One Time Ticket Waiver” will be offered for the first few months to those who receive a parking ticket for expired time. With a receipt of $25 or greater from a downtown business presented to the Parking Operations Division within 14 days, the citation will be waived. To be eligible, the receipt must be issued same day as the parking ticket. 

Parking map courtesy of The City of Sarasota. Brochures with the map have been provided to downtown merchants for distribution.

Frequently Asked Questions about the paid parking program are posted on SarasotaFL.Gov

With everything from gumbo to jambalaya, boiled crawfish and fried pickles, Palmetto's Louisiana In A Box restaurant dishes up exactly that. And its gastronomic gem: the classic Shrimp Po’boy. These South Louisiana shellfish are hand-battered in buttermilk and a white flour and creole seasoning, then fried until golden. Wrapped in a New Orleans French loaf from Leidenheimer Baking Company, the oldest po’boy bakery in the world, this shrimp po’boy transports you to the Bayou State. With colorful dressings of mayo, lettuce and tomatoes with fries on the side, there’s a bit of Louisiana tradition in every munch.

In the early 20th century, New Orleans street-car-driving brothers Benny and Clovis Martin invented the po’boy, vowing that their street-car brethren on strike would never go hungry. For the poor boys then and the happily hungry today, the po’boy nourishes all those in need. Dine in, carry out or follow the new food truck of Louisiana In a Box, dedicated to serving this authentic deep south cuisine. 

Louisiana In a Box, 704 10th St. W, Palmetto, 941-845-4444.

Holly Skowronski knows how to unlock your inner fashionista. Owner of Modern Soul on St Armands Circle, she hand selects pieces that satisfy what's on your agenda. From work appointments in a lightweight blazer to grabbing brunch with the gals in a floppy hat and sunnies, these hand-selected pieces are versatile yet chic and ready to be worn by the "woman-on-the-go.” New to the Circle as of January 2019, the boutique is a recent addition to Lido Key and a new haven for local trendsetters. From leopard print, satin midi skirts, striped jumpsuits and white flowing maxi dresses--Modern Soul's summer collection features day-to-night classics that have been updated with playful prints. 

Modern Soul Boutique | 59 South Blvd of the Presidents, Sarasota | 941-650-6808

Modern Soul Boutique website

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is opening a second medical campus in Lakewood Ranch: the new Sarasota Memorial Health Care Center at Lorraine Corners. The $6.7 million, 12,000-square-foot campus features two new primary care practices that are part of Sarasota Memorial’s growing First Physicians Group (FPG) network—FPG Pediatrics at Lorraine Corners and FPG Internal Medicine at Lorraine Corners—as well as clinical office space that will be available for obstetrics, endocrinology and other subspecialists. 

A grand opening is slated for Friday, July 12, from 10am to 12pm. The community is invited to tour the new facility, meet the doctors, and enjoy free chair massages, balance screenings, refreshments and family fun with a teddy bear clinic where children bring along a stuffed animal or toy for a check-up), balloon-twisting and children’s favorite characters. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 10:30am. The first 100 children to attend will receive free teddy bears at FPG’s teddy bear clinic. 

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System

As a full-service marketing agency, VBM Advancement is using its 15+ years in working with the National Safety Council, the Home Safety Council and Goodwill to help companies provide website accessibility to people with disabilities.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) published the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Web Design in September 2010. These standards state that all electronic and information technology must be accessible to people with disabilities. Last year, there were 2,285 ADA website lawsuits filed in federal courts across the nation, an increase of a 181 percent from 2017, according to website accessibility company UsableNet. Recently, a lawsuit filed in federal court against Longboat Key claims the town’s website is “deliberately indifferent” to provisions of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act and seeks fixes and damages.

The ADA standards apply to commercial and public entities that have “places of public accommodation,” which includes the internet. VBM Advancement provides a platform that does automated testing for digital accessibility and performs a compliance scan to show results of a website detailing the domain’s current level of conformance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. 

VBM Advancement