SARASOTA, Fla. — People who live in Siesta Key now have an alternative to consider after a failed bid to break away from Sarasota County.
The beach community, under the banner of several groups and coalitions, has long clamored to incorporate into its own municipality. They want out of the grip of the Sarasota County Government especially over the issue of high density and high-rise hotel developments.
But the move did not get the required amount of votes and was shot down earlier this month.
"Our voices have not been heard for a long time as residence here in Siesta Key," said Eileen Jones, Neighborhood Ambassador, Save Siesta Key.
"As more people come on, the traffic will even get worse and that's why we wanted to incorporate, to stop things like large hotels that would bring more people here and slow down traffic," said Capers Jones, Siesta Key Resident.
With news of the disappointing turn in the quest for incorporation, the nearby City of Sarasota has now offered what appears to be a potential rescue plan for the community by way of annexation.
This week, the city's board of commissioners said they're open to annexing the part of Siesta Key that's not already within its city limits. It's an offer some residents on the barrier island say they're surprised by.
"It is a wildcard since it is new to all of us. I don't think anyone in Siesta Key has fully thought through the implications of being annexed," said Capers.
City of Sarasota Mayor Erik Arroyo proposed the annexation and city commissioners voted unanimously for the city manager to lay the groundwork for talks with Siesta Key leaders.
"It's an alternative that we should be exploring anyway and I don't think anybody was going to start the conversation unless we put it on an agenda item like that," said Arroyo.
Arroyo says incentives to join the city would include representation at the city commission, special environmental protections for seawall and seagrass maintenance and strict regulations on dredging and hotel developments.
"It won't protect them against the hotels that have gotten approval already which they are against, but it will protect them against the next twenty," Arroyo said.
The mayor adds that annexation would also come with lower taxes but residents disagree on that issue and expressed concerns about instead paying higher taxes if annexed by the city.
There are also benefits to the City of Sarasota if Siesta Key agrees to annexation, like additional revenue from the higher valued property.
However, annexation would put an end to Siesta Key's ability to ever incorporate and become its own town or city.
"I have to applaud the city commission for acknowledging the fact that it's really up to the citizens and they should check with us first," said Eileen.
City leaders said this vote is just a way of opening the door for Siesta Key to know the offer is on the table.
"People already think Siesta Key is part of the city and part of it is we're just completing that district and making it a nice even map," Arroyo said.
Siesta Key leaders say they had planned to revisit the incorporation process in the Fall but will now take the issue of annexation to the residents to consider before making a public statement on the issue.
In the meantime, the City of Sarasota is also planning a town hall on the island to hear how the residents feel about annexation.