The Sarasota City Commission held a regular meeting on July 20, 2026, at 9:00 AM in City Hall. The meeting covered a wide range of topics including public comments on parking policies, approval of major infrastructure projects, updates to the special events ordinance, and direction on condo hotel regulations. Key decisions included approval of a $51 million wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation contract, authorization of an $8 million financing agreement for utility undergrounding on St. Armands and Lido Key, and approval of a special events ordinance with minor amendments. The meeting also addressed a building encroachment issue and directed staff to explore zoning text amendments for condo hotels.
Good morning. I would like to call this uh July twentieth, twenty twenty six regular city commission meeting to order. And I just remembered to silence my phone, so I'm gonna request that everyone else do the same. Um first next we will have the invocks, followed by the uh pledge led by the vice mayor. Oh, those who can stand, please stand. Heavenly Father, we affirm our faith in thee. We seek your divine strength, wisdom, and guidance in the deliberations that affect the lives of each of the citizens of our community. In our name we pray, amen. Thank you very much. Uh Ms. Griggs, are there any changes to the order of the day? Um yes, Mayor, thank you. Um please remove agenda item quasi judicial eleven point one, public hearing rate, appeal application number twenty six-a pp dash zero four, an appeal to reverse the decision of the historic preservation board regarding twenty-six dash FMSF dash three nine. Okay, so just to confirm that uh item eleven point one is being removed from today's agenda. Correct. And that's the only change. That is the only change that I have. Okay. May May I have a motion to approve. So moved. Second. Uh moved by Vice Mayor, seconded by Commissioner Ahern Koch. Your votes, please. And uh it's unanimous of four to zero vote. Thank you. So we can move right along. Um we are at the point where we're about to accept citizens' input concerning city topics, and I'm going to ask Ms. Griggs to read the pledge of public conduct. Thank you, Mayor. We may disagree, but we will be respectful to one another. We will direct all comments to issues. We will not engage in personal attacks. I'm sorry. That is the old way. Um, and we've got quite a few uh comment cards, so I will start with the first five and invite you up. Tammy Hauser, Catherine Hermes, and Darcy Jacob. Mr. Hyde, would you begin? And as you know, yeah, we'll do it the right way. My name is uh Martin Hyde. No, Mr. Bachey this morning. Um I don't live in the uh the city. Uh it's not particularly why I came, but uh the hairs on the back of my neck went up when I read this uh particular item mooted. It's been mooted that to streamline meetings, public comments on all items except public hearings should be held at the start of meetings. This would require commissioners with loaded agendas to recall hours later any comments that they heard, and it would also negate any response to presentations by staff, quite apart from and with due respect, because I don't, none of you having photographic memories. This is a thinly veiled attempt by your new city manager to streamline citizens out of meaningful and timely comment. Why not just stop us coming all together? Oh, replace us with AI. As well as silencing uh phones at the start of the meeting.