Newsletter of
the Nokomis Area Civic Association
Vol. 11, No. 4, October 2006
Next NACA General Meeting
Tuesday, October 24, 7 pm, Nokomis Community Center
"COOKIES AND CANDIDATES - PART II"
All Are Welcome! Bring Your Friends and Neighbors!
Meet the final candidates for the US House of Representatives, Congressional
District 13, and the Florida House of Representatives, District 70. The
candidates will be on hand by 7:00 and the formal presentation will begin at
7:30.
FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK
John Ask, NACA President
Dear Nokomis Neighbors:
NACA remains determined and focused upon being on the forefront of advocating
for Nokomis residents and businesses. Much needed revitalization
continues to be our top priority and is actually occurring. Progress is
evident throughout Nokomis with water lines being installed; Colonia Lane
construction, including center islands for plantings; the widening of Tamiami
Trail; and the "Rails to Trails" becoming a reality.
Most importantly, NACA and the Nokomis Revitalization Committee are asking our
Board of County Commissioners (BCC) to approve our Nokomis Vision Updates,
incorporating them into our Revitalization Plan adopted in 2001. For the
past 15 months, we've held a series of public workshops to solicit input and
communicate the big ideas associated with our updated community vision for our
identified commercial corridors. We recognize the inevitability of change
occurring. It's our belief that, by being proactive in helping establish
the structures and conditions for change, we're much more likely to end up with
what we're seeking.
Key fundamental elements to our vision updates include:
- Developing an architectural theme; keeping in mind our Nokomis heritage, Old
Florida or Key West.
- A connectivity between the east and west sides of Tamiami Trail (including a
pedestrian overpass); the ability to safely walk or bike from one side to the
other. Related, seeking connections with the "Rails to Trails"
path to our parks, commercial areas, and beach.
- Having Tamiami Trail be more like a boulevard vs. a freeway (this is part of
our Scenic Highway Corridor); calming traffic via lush native landscaping,
architectural mass, design, and theme.
- Mixed-use development with added density; examples may include commercial use
on ground level with office and residential above. Encouraging landowners
to build to increased height on 41 where density increases vibrancy for
businesses to succeed and flourish.
- Attractive signage; collaborating with owners to make signage attractive
throughout corridor; preferring to see billboards removed.
- Moving parking to behind buildings (bringing buildings forward), having
shared parking, allowing under-structure parking with front building facades.
- Creating urban parks; we seek open space as an amenity for residents and
tourists.
The above seeks to create the elements of a village: vibrancy from density, a
mix of residential and commercial, pedestrian friendly, and visual attraction
from architectural-design standards. The goal is to enhance Nokomis as a
place to live, work, and visit. We'd love to be able to provide a tour to
our guests through Nokomis and show off "sizzle and character" from
interesting architecture and community revitalization!
Finally, and very important, many of our Nokomis businesses are SUFFERING due
to the major construction. Please make extra efforts to support them so
that they can survive and be here for us when the construction is completed!
MORE "MEET THE CANDIDATES" OCT. 24TH
Bob Merrill, NACA Vice President
The Nokomis Area Civic Association (NACA) is hosting our second installment of
"Meet the Candidates" on Tuesday, October 24th, at the Nokomis Community Center. We have invited the final candidates running for the United
States House of Representatives, Congressional District 13, and the Florida
House of Representatives in District 70.
The candidates are expected to arrive at 7:00 pm, allowing you time to meet
them in an informal setting. At 7:30, our formal program will
commence. The candidates will then be introduced and asked to provide you
with a brief oral resume. Each candidate will then be asked to address
three specific questions geared toward their respective races.
After closing statements, our formal meeting will then be adjourned and refreshments
served. Once again you will have an opportunity to meet the candidates on
a one-to-one basis and ask any additional questions.
Our previous evening of "Cookies and Candidates" was a great success
and we are expecting a repeat performance. Let's show our future
representatives by our attendance at this meeting that we are an active and
engaged community with concerns for our neighborhood's future. NACA
members, please bring a friend or neighbor so they can see how our great
association serves their community.
NOKOMIS REVITALIZATION NEWS
Bruce Dillon, NACA Revitalization Officer & Nokomis
US 41 UPDATE
Hubbard Construction has been significantly delayed by the pace of
utility-relocation work, according to a recent FDOT staff presentation to the Venice
Area Chamber of Commerce. The project completion date has been moved out
to the end of November 2007, which is an additional 110 days beyond the
original 650-day estimate. Hubbard has been asked to bring additional
staff from their other operations.
In addition to the utility delays, work on the bridges over Dona Bay has been slowed because they have encountered the foundation of a previous bridge in
place beneath the creek bottom, requiring the piling holes to be drilled
through that foundation before the piles can be seated on the bedrock.
Slow down, be patient, and expect additional law-enforcement presence to bring
the traffic speed back down to the posted limit. To help plan ahead for
your travels, please visit the NACA website at http://naca-nokomis.com for
up-to-date information on construction- zone traffic impacts.
COLONIA LANE UPDATE
In contrast to the US 41 job, work is moving along smoothly on the County's Colonia Lane project. Communication lines have been relocated and power-line relocation
progresses daily. Much of the water-transmission main has now been
placed. Stormwater drainage pipes and curbing are now installed on two
portions of the project. Colonia Lane improvements are divided into two
projects, with the County responsible for the eastern section from Nash Ave. to
Albee Farm Rd., and the western two blocks, from US 41 to Nash Ave., being
handled as part of the State's US 41 project. The County's section is
expected to be complete in Spring 2007. The timeline for the State's
portion is not currently known.
RAILS TO TRAILS
The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) has slated $5 million dollars of the
2007 budget toward preliminary design and permitting work to replace both the
Dona Bay and Roberts Bay trestles. That is in addition to $9.6 million in
funds already in place that will be used to complete work on the other six
small trestles and to pave the trail. Sections of the trail will be
opened as they are completed. The BCC anticipates allocating an additional
$3 million to $4 million for construction of the two large Nokomis replacement
trail bridges in the 2008 budget.
WATERWAYS REPORT
Patrick McCarthy
The summer has come and gone and we are now in one of my favorite times of
year. Not too hot, but sunny, breezy, and less chance of
thunderstorms. The snowbirds will be returning soon to start those boats
that have sat for 6-8 months. Be prepared to assist your fellow boaters
in distress when you go out. Even the best prepared can break down.
Below is an update on the Curry Creek dredging project, submitted by James
Battaglia. James and all the other residents on Curry Creek have been
working tirelessly for years to restore a navigational channel there. We
will do our best to see this through.
Be safe and we'll see you on the water!
CURRY CREEK DREDGING PROJECT
James Battaglia, Curry Creek Dredging Committee
There has been much activity within the past two months or so.
Unfortunately, by the next NACA Meeting, we shall not have the final
feasibility study, or possibly even a rough draft. To begin, with much
back-and-forth negotiating, the feasibility study contract was assigned
February 14th, 2006, to PBS & J, the engineering company. It was to
be a 120-day project.
Over time, the project has been delayed due to numerous factors: Sarasota
County wanted to carefully look at all of the issues including, but not limited
to, existing habitats and resources, the historic dredged channel, and the
channel that is currently being used by boaters in the area. "Mangrove"
seems to be the latest buzzword. Presently, addi- tional sediment core
samples (additional fee over and above the initial contract) have been
requested by Sarasota County of PBS & J.
As of mid-September, this scope of work for the additional sediment cores has
not been submitted to the appropriate County people for approval, so the cores
cannot yet be obtained. In addition, the consultant is determining if
they can get back on site to complete the additional biological assessments
under their existing contract or if they have to charge additional funds (red
tape).
Now, at this point, I apologize to those of you who have fallen asleep.
Of those of you that are still with me, I would ask two things: 1) please
continue to be patient, and 2) contact our County Commissioners (if you have
not already) and request their support of the progress and end result of this
project. However, I shall forewarn you: the key word "mangrove"
shall rear its ugly head more so at the State level, so make sure our
Commissioners and State legislators know that the community fully supports this
project.
FALL - A TIME FOR RENEWAL
Tom Bartholomay, NACA Secretary & Membership Chair
Snowbirds are starting to return. So what can we do to make them feel
welcome? One sure way is to invite them to join NACA and become part of a
vital support for our community. Each issue of The Voice of Nokomis
brings a Nokomis view of what is happening and what we want to happen in the
future.
A membership application is right here! Individual (household) dues,
which are used primarily for this newsletter, are only $5.00 per year (or $20
for five years). All active members are volunteers.
NACA is a Nokomis umbrella organization which is separate from your local
neighborhood association, but which works with all the 38 neighborhood
associations in Nokomis. NACA needs your help to keep membership numbers
strong! There is strength in numbers.
Thanks for your participation.