Sarasota’s Roadmap to Sustainability
With words like “green” and “sustainability” being thrown around so much these days, we at Laurel Park Management thought it might be good to take a look at what Sarasota is actually doing to become increasingly “green” and “sustainable.” The following is from the official Sarasota County government website:
Sarasota County acknowledges that sustainability is an interlocking network comprised of everything a community touches. Its Roadmap to Sustainability holistically integrates environmental, societal and economic initiatives, fundamentally shifting the role that governance can play in building a sustainable community and transforming its identity. County Administrator Jim Ley presented his Roadmap to Sustainability to the County Commission on Oct. 22, 2006, as an overview of Sarasota County’s direction.
What Gloom and Doom?
The Bradenton-Sarasota housing market showed no ill effects from the expiration of federal homebuyer tax credits, with sales of previously occupied homes hitting their highest point since the building boom, according to figures released Thursday.
A total of 1,068 existing single-family homes changed hands in June, the most since August 2005, the Florida Realtors trade association said. It also was the fourth consecutive month of 1,000-plus sales, something that also hasn’t happened in five years.
“That’s just absolutely phenomenal,” said Cindy Greco, the Manatee Association of Realtors’ president and an agent with Wagner Realty.
Selby Library: More than Just Books!
Summer is the slow season here in Southwest Florida. The heat and humidity can make napping on the hammock seem like a full day’s work. But for those not lulled into a heat coma until the snowbirds return Selby Library and its sister branches have plenty of activities lined up. On today’s schedule:
Featured Property: Silva Court Cottages
Some years ago, undocumented in the annals of history, five small wood frame Old-Florida cottages were moved adjacent to the Silva Court Studios apartment buildings. Altogether they provide four studio apartments, two 1BR/1BA cottages, and a 2BR/1BA bungalow, all lovingly restored.
Things We Take For Granted and Probably Shouldn’t: Selby Botanical Gardens
Walking through the numerous themed gardens at Selby is like taking a trip through the looking glass into nature’s wonderland. We live in a fertile part of the world…Selby Gardens provides an opportunity to leave our hectic lives behind for an hour or two and let our senses reconnect with thousands of varieties of local flora.
How to Make Sarasota More Bike-Friendly
It’s flat, the weather is amazing, it has plenty of public bike racks…so why aren’t more Sarasotans riding bikes? Bicycles can play a huge role in the livability of a place. They provide mobility to citizens of all ages and income, keep people fit, promote social connections, and don’t require a drop of gasoline. Cities and towns around the world are realizing that the more their people are on bikes the healthier, happier, and safer they’ll be. Research even confirms that cities that prioritize bikes reap economic benefits.
Oil Vigil Recap
The oil vigil held in Ken Thompson park earlier this month was a great success, connecting Sarasota with hundreds of other communities around the country in support of clean energy. We here in Laurel Park and the rest of Sarasota are fortunate to have year round access to white sand beaches and turquoise waters. The deepwater horizon tragedy has reminded us all how fragile these gifts really are.
Last Chance to Attend the Summer Tour Series at Whole Foods Market!
If you’re new to the Whole Foods experience or simply looking to bone up on healthy living skills, the Whole Foods Market Summer Tour Series provides great tips at the perfect price—free! Laurel Park residents can walk or bike to WFM, located at 1st and Lemon in downtown Sarasota.
End our Dependency on Fossil Fuels & Show Solidarity for our Neighbors and Wildlife Along the Gulf
We are expecting nearly 200 people at tonight’s vigil. I know we can mobilize to make this the largest BP Gulf Disaster vigil in Florida. If you have not already rsvp’d, please go to the link below and register. Please forward this to your friends & network. I am getting feedback that this is a “button pusher” for a lot of folks. Everyone wants to do something, but knowing the best thing to do is hard right now. THIS is going to be a GIANT step in the right direction. Please come out and show your support.
The vigil will be held on Tuesday, June 8 at 7 pm
City Island, Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota
To RSVP, go to http://pol.moveon.org/event/oilspillvigil/103936
The Weekend/Week Ahead
You don’t have to be a meteorologist to know that summer has arrived here in Southwest Florida. Just because the heat is back, however, doesn’t mean the city’s going to sleep until the snowbirds return! There’s much going on in Sarasota. Here are a few things that might be of interest:
The Dark Side is Laurel Park’s Gaming Paradise
Sure, Laurel Park is a historic neighborhood known for its restored Arts & Crafts and Florida Cracker cottages and its proximity to Main Street and downtown Sarasota—not to mention Burns Square and the Sarasota Bayfront. And sure, as the epicenter of Florida’s cultural coast Sarasota is well known for its fine arts. But did you know that Laurel Park also boasts one of the best comics and gaming shops you’ll ever find? The Dark Side, located at 408 S. Washington Boulevard (in a small plaza alongside a yoga studio and barber shop, among several others) is both a comic book shop and the home of Sarasota’s biggest gaming community.