[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6533538,"mediaKeyId","3741369-bb50b7c049734ea99c64f86c3fafca4b","parentId",3741369,"title","Venice council approves $11.8 million purchase of former Douglas Jeep site for city fleet and solid-waste operations","audioSeconds",1521,"startMs",324000,"endMs",1845000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3741369-bb50b7c049734ea99c64f86c3fafca4b&start=324&end=1845","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3741369-bb50b7c049734ea99c64f86c3fafca4b/thumbnail_324000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6533538/Venice/Sarasota-County/Florida/Venice-council-approves-118-million-purchase-of-former-Douglas-Jeep-site-for-city-fleet-and-solid-waste-operations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533538-999cd81aaf3ee3b4932f3c49da88acd3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437934&Signature=gs7Js10Zu1PeKycUIQ2kMD6FHodNibFPCdF8sbx8O6wRm283bReD-MmvYgOVy2LeMPS8-6LJWP8YsvyNmbFInsqZCnMw6cqWC7j7nr~K0UiLD1krIAq80Im25F3MbsLJA6RuoDQN-dHFzuRBox0zMswFN65uHhJkHs8enGuEUkRTUNUNIzWG3fXrIU17i6b2oWnf2mgYcpstqnCysNDLtBAt9AI0jNS0-p0Siv2haXyX0~PSEinDYE1sl9Scie8SeB1peMaTKojELvcH1mcH4I8Brc0T-AWAaes0rjz01WMUCiAiQWOLj~QbFm-wE~M8QKyic2qVNH1n6pLcxbnHkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Venice","date","2025-06-10T00:00:00Z","article","The City of Venice City Council unanimously approved the purchase of a 4.7-acre parcel at 1280 U.S. Highway 41 Bypass South (parcel ID 0428-11-0001) from Douglas Jeep Incorporated for $11,800,000 plus closing costs, clearing the way for the relocation of the city's solid-waste and fleet operations.

Assistant City Manager Clinch told the council the property is nearly \"turnkey\" for the city's needs, is appropriately zoned and would accelerate the Seaboard District redevelopment while saving \"a little over $6,000,000\" compared with building a new facility. Clinch and Public Works staff said the seller provided environmental Level 1 and Level 2 studies that the city's real-estate attorney reviewed; Assistant Public Works Director Ashley Castle said issues identified by the seller were remediated and closed via the seller's FDP.

The council heard details about funding: Finance Director Linda Seni said the project price plus an estimated $1,000,000 in site work and renovations brings the total to roughly $12,800,000. Staff proposed splitting the cost across funds (about 65% to the solid-waste enterprise fund and 35% to the 1-cent sales-tax/general government sources and impact fees). Seni said the city expects to reduce borrowing compared with previous plans: rather than the $9 million of borrowing previously budgeted for solid waste, the city now expects to borrow roughly $6 million for the solid-waste portion. The city plans a combined bond resolution (not-to-exceed figure expected on June 24) covering this project and a planned fire station.

Council members asked about an earlier agreement for another site: staff said the eight-acre Knights Trail agreement remains active but that the city's maximum liability under that contract is the deposit (about $50,000) and the city does not intend to complete that purchase if the current transaction closes.

Council members also pressed on environmental risk at the city's existing facility, which Clinch and others described as an active contamination site. Clinch said the top priority is to move staff and operations off the current site so demolition and physical remediation can begin; he said demolition of the existing buildings is planned for October and that remediation would follow. One council member cited a previously estimated cleanup figure of about $2,000,000 as part of the rationale for urgency.

Public works estimated roughly $1,000,000 in immediate capital improvements at the new property (fuel tanks, perimeter security, restroom and wall work, exhaust and fueling systems, and wash-down facilities); staff said they will refine that number during due diligence. Clinch said staff aim to close in September and to relocate operations by the end of the year.

Mayor Pechota called the purchase motion; the council voted 7-0 to approve the commercial contract for the purchase.

What happens next: staff will finish due diligence, return with a bond resolution at the June 24 meeting, and proceed toward closing and the scheduled remediation work at the existing site. Public Works will present more detailed cost-breakdowns to the council during upcoming budget workshops.

(Article based on Council meeting remarks and staff presentations; environmental studies, funding allocations and schedule as reported to council.)","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Venice - City Council on 2025-06-10 9:00 AM - Jun 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The City of Venice City Council unanimously approved the purchase of a 4.7-acre parcel at 1280 U.S. Highway 41 Bypass South (parcel ID 0428-11-0001) from Douglas Jeep Incorporated for $11,800,000 plus closing costs, clearing the way for relocation of solid-waste and fleet operations.","taxTitle","Venice, Sarasota County, Florida","taxId",56285,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6533524,"Venice council: quick takes — budget tweaks, code updates, parks nomination and appointments",2837,5163000,8000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3741369-bb50b7c049734ea99c64f86c3fafca4b&start=5163&end=8000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3741369-bb50b7c049734ea99c64f86c3fafca4b/thumbnail_5163000.jpg","/articles/6533524/Venice/Sarasota-County/Florida/Venice-council-quick-takes-budget-tweaks-code-updates-parks-nomination-and-appointments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533524-511b9582d6122f3ebc2817425cf1cbe8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437934&Signature=ianxC7Q1aclsJrZQjOLJV6zx6G~0vzHwyRGkkzAAU8JoGnzOdTJHIi4e7umMpVfptOjUiWanTaPnpqRunIZNlUBrZUPLbHF~bKMTL0jJRtXbc1G9xUDEBgdfVf3TcG7HDr6jxS2pEFtQs8fmT~FtfqZkdcl~pAhmpE1qeCbGAh2gY4wrYDRcPZgpH6MkQRSpyQXIYRhTJFLcgjTpsvdTrb38DORGkzrWCfDVA-UMvrq6WsNxVPl0glxukhoV49STZv-xuoViGoOpWwWixMIHKinhhgJsWwidkrRjTTsDxRViAiX96mpamYzsITTnd3F-nuMSqAFXT40ww-Iv8K0m3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Beyond its headline items, the Venice City Council cleared a set of routine and administrative measures on June 10. Key results:

- Comprehensive-plan amendment adopted: Council voted 7-0 to adopt an amendment to the city's comprehensive plan (ordinance 2025-11) clarifying ownership forms in the Mixed-Use Corridor future-land-use category. Staff indicated no written updates were required and the ordinance was adopted on final reading.

- Budget amendment adopted: Council adopted an ordinance adjusting the city's FY2024-25 budget to increase revenue and expenditures by $319,000 (ordinance read on June 10; vote 7-0). Staff said the change reflects updated revenue and spending needs and will be reflected in the next budget workshop.

- Elections code and procedural updates: Council adopted an ordinance amending chapter 22 (elections procedures), including qualifying procedures and other housekeeping sections; no public comment was recorded and the ordinance passed 7-0.

- Noise-control code updates: Council approved an amendment to chapter 34 (noise control), clarifying measurement standards and exemptions such as water-feature/fountain noise; the ordinance passed on first reading and was scheduled for final reading after a unanimous vote.

- Citizens Advisory Board nomination supported: Council voted 7-0 to send a letter to Sarasota County supporting the Citizens Advisory Board's nomination of 1220 Pine Brook Road (approx. 2.3 acres) for the County Parkland Acquisition Program; residents spoke in favor, citing neighborhood access to small, shaded park space.

- Fire Pension Board appointment: Council appointed Shirley Piles to complete the unexpired term of Barbara Frazier on the Fire Pension Board of Trustees (term through Sept. 30, 2026); the appointment passed 7-0.

Motions on consent and other routine items were handled as a single consent agenda unless pulled for discussion. Several items were continued or scheduled for future hearings (including an affordable-housing LDR amendment continued to July 8). All recorded votes mentioned above were unanimous unless otherwise noted.","At its June 10 session the Venice City Council approved a series of routine and housekeeping items including a comprehensive-plan amendment, budget and code updates, confirmed an appointment to the Fire Pension Board and conveyed support for nomination of 1220 Pine Brook Road to the Sarasota County Parkland Acquisition program.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6533529,"Venice adopts automated school-zone speed enforcement; citations limited to 10+ mph over limit during school hours",3539,3206000,6745000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3741369-bb50b7c049734ea99c64f86c3fafca4b&start=3206&end=6745","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3741369-bb50b7c049734ea99c64f86c3fafca4b/thumbnail_3206000.jpg","/articles/6533529/Venice/Sarasota-County/Florida/Venice-adopts-automated-school-zone-speed-enforcement-citations-limited-to-10-mph-over-limit-during-school-hours","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533529-e56529881d6f4b87f9c0777e3cb8e167/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437934&Signature=T1muglNvx5NEKiybgUXgHc22vfXAeRI1BwyNriMecdZjcK7L1ocNCCQ5q~w28qWNGxZkkX38~B~i27FBsyZflrDYdsl~OV0qnf1bmrBA5hw0-44s5GjdCThEfMqf5LZGBl27YQ8KiEmF~dwSsCr4hI2AHfkn0ELV3Q69CXrzU6Q3Jxmwew0Lw2wz6VBFSl2g3AkpXIDgJlvJvWy-0GfF5XN6QsHQN6UVeUHf85LLL08oI~7geCspLgC00an2P0bzIT0eoRmr6BBi6vC3Sh6us70zjOworUgUaO0DqB0Zp0Yv91ZZaZshhxaVVNcaYVyw2svb2DjHmolxDKxZBwXJXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Venice City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance authorizing fixed automated speed detection systems in designated school zones, enabling the city to use vendor-operated cameras to issue civil citations to vehicles traveling 10 miles per hour or more over posted school-zone speed limits.

Police Chief Andy Lisonbee and Captain Lewis White briefed council that House Bill 657 (2023) authorizes school-zone automated enforcement in Florida and described the operational rules staff proposes: vendors install and maintain equipment and conduct public-notification work; the city must run a 30-day education-and-warning period before citations begin; and each alleged violation will be reviewed by a Venice Police Department employee before a citation is issued to guard against technological error or legitimate exemptions (for example, authorized emergency vehicles).

Captain White said the systems will operate on school days and be active for the school day plus 30 minutes before and after dismissal. White cited a short, recent field study showing hundreds of vehicles exceeding the threshold at Venice High School and Epiphany School during sampling days. He said the program is intended to enhance safety, not to be a \"gotcha\" enforcement tactic.

Citations are civil and, per state statute, do not carry driver-license points and are not reported to insurers. The staff presentation included a representative $100-penalty revenue breakdown: roughly $39 would come to the city for public-safety initiatives, about $21 to the vendor for processing (vendor share varies by contract), with remaining portions distributed by statute to state and school-related funds and the FDLE training fund. Staff said the vendor market commonly offers additional license-plate-reader equipment to law-enforcement partners as part of vendor agreements.

Council members asked about vendor return-on-investment and contract terms; White said some vendors might remove cameras if citation volume fell too low, but he and the chief said that outcome would indicate the program succeeded in changing driver behavior. Chief Lisonbee and Captain White noted cameras free officer time for other traffic safety priorities but said they expect to maintain an in-person police presence near schools for education and response.

Council voted 7-0 to adopt the ordinance authorizing school-zone speed detection systems and the associated administrative process. Staff said they will return with vendor contracts and specific site selections and will work with finance on allocation of the city's share of revenue for public-safety initiatives and school crossing-guard support.

(Details summarized from the June 10 council presentation by Venice Police Department staff.)","Council unanimously approved an ordinance authorizing fixed automated speed detection systems in school zones; police said cameras will run during school days (30 minutes before and after plus the school day), require staff review before citations issue, and produce a $100 civil penalty with statutorily-mandated revenue distribution.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6533534,"Council approves rezoning of three downtown lots from multifamily to single-family over dissent from housing group",3148,1999000,5147000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3741369-bb50b7c049734ea99c64f86c3fafca4b&start=1999&end=5147","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3741369-bb50b7c049734ea99c64f86c3fafca4b/thumbnail_1999000.jpg","/articles/6533534/Venice/Sarasota-County/Florida/Council-approves-rezoning-of-three-downtown-lots-from-multifamily-to-single-family-over-dissent-from-housing-group","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533534-41bff95c6288aaf420ce20db2bc19d15/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437934&Signature=BvsmkqZcfpKQz9fJ4-VkMZaZiQjCZsTI3wn3D74wdq9KdxGX4flq3al0lplEJZmMB2f4YFyaw8OGtrlty2eScfozJSQ6-ndrDtRAYiCoKALVuvJSJL1emOeImFBZvJSPIUSeeCSXKr8Y-vLE-10Eoko5lboG3jmh9G~hxzI3CfjyvSCBcZvfBpPOUMa7Io6HdAN~EQO3QgwbC3Hbe~EZO96bQ-G-97fD3NKnCxfzDusE67M-YXRm2x9iakr861Jpnn7KKujd0Sc7hqWB5VEImOgL6mnRPk4aNKScUksV7eaUrYh9WMlLJo7IPrXF5Wg6U-5EiqKMupaaVum3egBfWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Venice City Council approved a zoning map amendment for three lots at 225 Park Boulevard South and 528 Menendez Street, changing the properties from residential multifamily 4 (RMF-4) to residential single-family 4 (RSF-4). The rezoning passed on first reading by a 6-1 vote; the council scheduled final reading per standard procedure.

Nicole Tremblay, senior planner, told the council the parcels total roughly 0.6 acres and carry a future land-use designation of high-density residential. Tremblay said the comprehensive plan permits densities lower than the posted range for parcels smaller than 1 acre (comp plan strategy LU 1.2.03), which is the basis for allowing the lower-density single-family zoning without a comp-plan amendment. Planning staff also noted the petition was processed per the city's land development code and that the Planning Commission recommended approval 7-0.

Attorney Jeffrey Boone, representing the Borah Family Trust (owner Gary Boroff), urged the change as a restoration of the lots' historic single-family arrangement on a 1926 John Nolan plat. Boone said the owner wanted the option of subdividing into three single-family lots to allow transfer to his children.

Opposition: Kristen Hoffschmidt of Venice Thrives urged the council to follow the 2022 LDR update and to preserve the apartment district for multifamily and \"missing middle\" housing, arguing the area is suited for concentrated multifamily development that promotes walkability and housing affordability.

Council debate split along competing considerations. Several council members expressed concern about erosion of the apartment district and the importance of maintaining multifamily capacity for affordable and workforce housing. Other members cited fairness to the current property owner, who gained property rights under an earlier code regime and lost permitted single-family rights in the 2022 land-development-code update; those members supported restoring the owner's ability to pursue single-family development on parcels under 1 acre.

Planning staff and the applicant said redevelopment at RSF-4 density would reduce the maximum permitted units from the parcel's RMF-4 potential (roughly 10 units on the 0.6-acre parcel at the RMF density) to a maximum of three single-family units under RSF-4. The council's motion approved the rezoning on first reading; final reading was scheduled per the ordinance procedure.

Action: The ordinance approving the rezoning passed first reading 6-1.

(Article based on staff presentation, applicant testimony, public comment and council debate recorded at the June 10 council meeting.)","City Council approved a rezoning request that would convert 0.6 acres at 225 Park Boulevard South and 528 Menendez Street from RMF-4 (multifamily) to RSF-4 (single-family), a vote that divided council and drew opposition from Venice Thrives, which urged preserving the apartment district and missing-middle housing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Venice council approves $11.8 million purchase of former Douglas Jeep site for city fleet and solid-waste operations

Venice council: quick takes — budget tweaks, code updates, parks nomination and appointments

Venice adopts automated school-zone speed enforcement; citations limited to 10+ mph over limit during school hours

Council approves rezoning of three downtown lots from multifamily to single-family over dissent from housing group