SIESTA KEY, Fla. — A delegation of local representatives on Tuesday failed to vote to incorporate Siesta Key, keeping the barrier island under Sarasota County's governance.
The 3-3 vote was the culmination of nearly an entire year of grassroots work by residents in Siesta Key. Members were hoping to receive enough votes for incorporation, allowing the area to somewhat break away from Sarasota County's control.
For weeks, members of the local organization, Save Siesta Key, rallied in the county's streets to get more eyes on the issue. If enough votes were garnered, then the topic would have gone to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Tallahassee who then would have decided whether to place the issue on the ballot for the 2022 election.
For many people living in the area, the decision to vote for incorporation was inevitable. Save Siesta Key was formed at the beginning of 2021, but their mission for incorporation picked up steam in September when county commissioners allowed the construction of two high-rise hotels in Siesta Key despite local opposition.
The hotels went against the height and density restrictions that were part of the barrier island for decades.
Eileen Jones, a member of Save Siesta Key, says that the frustration and feeling of being ignored was the final straw. She says residents want more of a say in decisions like the high-rise hotels and others that may impact traffic.
"Traffic for pedestrians, for bikers, for tourists, for all of us," Jones said. "For people across the bridges that want to access the beaches. We need to incorporate to be able to address that for everyone."