2024 Hurricanes Helene and Milton Flooding

(Tues) September 24, 2024 (9:47am)

Upcoming Storm Helene

The upcoming storm Helene, currently called PTC 9 (Potential Tropical Cyclone), is forecast to pass to our west on Thursday.

I've reached out to Deputy City Manager Robinson and to the county's Public Works Director and Stormwater Operations Manager to inquire about the condition of our stormwater pumps, baffle boxes, storm drains (drops), and streets (sweeping).

DCM Robinson immediately responded:

Our Streets and Highway Teams will be out today and tomorrow checking the areas and assessing the drains. Staff will also be reaching out to the County to ensure the pumps are functional as well.

County Public Works Director response:

Team was out yesterday performing functional checks and cleaning any existing debris. That work may continue today/tomorrow as needed. As it stands, all of the mechanical equipment is in proper operating condition

County Stormwater Operations Manager response:

Everything is operational. Staff is out there today clearing grates and ensuring pumps are functioning.

The city has started posting storm alerts at this city web page, including locations to pick up sand bags.

If you're in town and planning to ride out the storm, here is the link to the county's emergency preparedness guide.

Here are my thoughts about the current storm forecast:

• It's supposed to pass to our West some time Thursday morning
• It's supposed to be a fast moving storm, getting all the way up to Atlanta, GA by Friday morning (hopefully that means no extreme rainfall)
• There will be a fairly high high tide at 7am on Thursday (2.2'), but it is not one of these extra high "king" tides (~2.8') which occurred during Hurricane Idalia last year
• On October 9, 2018 (six years ago), Hurricane Michael also passed to our west during a high tide and we did not document any significant impacts on St. Armands. It was the king tide, malfunctioning pumps, and/or amount of rainfall in a short period of time that seem to have caused the flooding issues this year and last year
• Thursday's low tide (0.3') will be at 4:40pm
• Peak storm surge is currently forecast to be 4-7'
• The more the track of this storm moves to the west and away from us, the better. Two years ago, the track of Hurricane Ian also started off well to the west of us, but kept changing closer and closer until it ended up making landfall and causing tremendous damage to Ft. Myers Beach to the south of us.
• They're currently saying we have a 60-70% chance of experiencing tropical storm-force winds and a 5-20% chance of experiencing hurricane-force winds. I lost my boat cover during Hurricane Ian in 2022, and, if I'm smart, I'll try to find someone to remove and stow it for me this time around.

Good luck everybody. I'll send an update whenever I get any important new information.

(Tues) September 24, 2024 (8:22pm)

Tropical Storm Helene

Since my email this morning, there have been a few forecast updates including just now at 8pm. PTC 9 is now Tropical Storm Helene and will become Hurricane Helene.

Some good news: throughout the day, each forecast update moved the projected path slightly to the west, away from us. Not by much, but a little bit each time. It also may be passing to our west a few hours later which I think could be good: it may be closer to the afternoon low tide vs. the morning high tide.

But still cause for concern: as a named storm, Helene will generate wind and rain and storm surge that may coincide with a fairly high high-tide, although not a king tide. We just don't know what the effects will be until it happens.

Today, the county issued the following statement:

Sarasota County is currently under a Hurricane Watch and because of the expected intensification of Potential Tropical Cyclone 9, Sarasota County has declared a local state of emergency and will send out an evacuation alert for Level A and manufactured home communities starting Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7 a.m. Evacuation centers in Sarasota County will open at noon Wednesday.

You can figure out which evacuation zone you are in at this link. You will see that all of St. Armands Key, along with all the barrier islands and all coastal areas on the mainland, are in the Level A area and will therefore be subject to tomorrow's evacuation alert.

The county's evacuation centers can be found at this link, where you will also find the following statement:

If an evacuation is called for, and you do not evacuate, you will be without fire rescue, law enforcement or emergency medical support until winds and waters subside.

Two years ago when Hurricane Ian passed just to our south, I recall that we lost water service on St. Armands. So you may also find yourself without one or more utilities as well.

In fact, one resident sent me the following this afternoon, which I have not been able to verify yet:

I just saw on the Town of Longboat Key Facebook page that they are evacuating their island tomorrow stating that the Ringling bridge is going to be closed and anticipating water being turned off.

Finally, I've copied SPD and city management on this email to remind them about what happens when vehicles are allowed to traverse flooded streets on St. Armands: we have photos and videos of vehicles pushing flood water into homes and businesses. (see photo below)

Good luck everybody. I'll send another update whenever I get any important new information.

September 25, 2024

Sarasota Magazine article:  Hurricane Helene Has the Potential for Severe Impacts Outside Its Projected Path

(Wed) September 25, 2024 (4:46pm)

Hurricane Helene

Two pieces of news from the city today:

Water service to barrier islands anticipated to be shut off Thursday. This was in a city news release today:

To protect the City’s utilities infrastructure from expected storm surge associated with Hurricane Helene, water service to City of Sarasota customers on the barrier islands may be shut off in the early morning Thursday, Sept. 26. The affected area includes Lido Key and St. Armands Key...

Following the storm, water service will be restored as quickly as possible with a boil water advisory.

My thoughts:

• It says "anticipated to be shut off", not "will be shut off"--I guess that leaves open the door for them not to do it if they decide they don't need to
• If you're riding out the storm on the islands, it might be a good idea to not only have drinking water on hand, but also a way to fill up the water tank on your toilet so you can flush it (e.g. a bucket of water on hand)
• What about those of us who are away and not returning for another couple of weeks, or longer? Will we need to boil our water too? I'll try to get the answer to this.

Thinking about a safe place for your car? Today, the Lido Key Residents Association sent out the following message from the city's General Manager of the Parking Division, Broxton Harvey:

The city owned parking garages will be free Wednesday night until Friday morning. The barrier gates will be raised no later than 9pm Wednesday 9/25 and will remain up until Friday 9/27 at noon.

Anyone that enters the garage before 9pm Wednesday will have to pull a ticket to gain entry. However, customers will not be charged unless they exit after 12pm on Friday.

Additional thoughts:

• the projected path of the storm still keeps shifting to the west bit by bit, away from us (good)
• the time at which the storm is expected to be at the same latitude as Sarasota is now somewhere in the middle of the morning high tide and evening low tide (hopefully also good, because it won't be passing us at exactly high tide)

Good luck everybody. I'll send another update whenever I get any important new information.

(Thurs) September 26, 2024 (7:54pm)

September 27, 2024

Herald-Tribune article:  Live Hurricane Helene updates: Sarasota and Manatee continue to feel storm's impact

(Fri) September 27, 2024 (9:08am)

Helene Flooding Update #2

First: there are many people suffering from the impacts of Hurricane Helene. Our barrier islands are hurting, but so are so many other areas in the city, county, state, and beyond. Our thoughts and prayers are with all who are affected.

Second: I'm not down there, but I hope to arrive early next week. This assumes that the flooding recedes, the power is back on, and the city allows residents to return. If you're down there, please share important/useful information with me so I can pass it along to everyone else. Thank you to the many people I've already heard from, and please understand that I can't always send a personal reply.

Third: This morning I've heard from three people that the streets are still flooded in the northwest and northeast quadrants, and in the Circle itself. I've heard that there are storefronts with broken glass and that merchandise is floating in the streets.

Fourth: How bad was it? People who have lived on the islands for a very long time are telling me that they've never seen anything like this. Here is a link to a video taken yesterday afternoon (before the worst of the flooding) from the St. Armands Towers (condos) on Lido Key. It's my understanding that water flowed from the gulf through the streets of Lido Key, Lido Shores, and St. Armands. Here is a link to an Observer article with a timeline of events through yesterday afternoon.

Fifth: Here are some updates from the city/county:

Deputy City Manager: "Please ensure any residents that do not have power report the outage to FPL. See info attached [call FPL at 1-800-4OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243) or report the problem online at www.FPL.com/outage]. I will reach out to our regional rep to report multiple outages on Lido. It would be very helpful for anyone that has an issue to report directly to FPL."

City Utilities Manager: "There will be a boil water advisory once water service is restored but we should be able to clear that within 48 hours barring any potential line breaks from the storm. Anyone returning after the clearance has been given won’t have anything to worry about. If there’s any concern they can always let the water run from their faucets for a couple of minutes to clear the service line to the residence."

County Stormwater Operations Manager: I'm waiting for a response to this question: "Did the generators keep the St Armands pumps going, and are they all working now? Can you tell that from SCADA?"

St. Armands Circle Merchants Association (SACA): "Ringling Bridge is currently closed due to flood water levels by Golden Gate Point... I would assume every first floor business had water inside, and may still have standing water... Most of the businesses and surrounding area are still without power. If you do not have power, please report to FPL as you are able to track the status of the service online... Water to the barrier islands was shut off. It will not be restored until the water has receded... Please be prepared for extensive clean-up." SACA is also advocating for a phased reopening with only merchants, residents, their designated contractors/service providers, and emergency vehicles at first.

Town of Longboat Key contact: "LBK has no water or power. Significant flooding on GMD [Gulf of Mexico Dr] and in homes and no access for now. Main road on Anna Maria is [heavily damaged]"

(Fri) September 27, 2024 (1:26pm)

Helene Flooding Update #3

A lot of people are asking me when power will be restored.

• Short answer: I don't know.
• Long answer: flood water needs to recede before FPL can even get out here to evaluate the situation. I do not know the status of our pumps and drains. Did the pumps stay working because of the elevated control panels? Did the pumps switch over to backup generators when the power went out? Are the pumps working right now? Are the drains at least draining by gravity right now? I don't know. The County Stormwater Operations Manager and Public Works Director are copied on these update emails and I hope they will reply when they are able.
• Just in from one resident: Any idea why water not draining ? Tide is down to normal high tide… uggh.

When I have new information, I will pass it along. If you get information first, please send it to me so I can pass it along.

Here's a few other pieces of information:

SPD drone footage of St. Armands flooding taken this morning: link

Information from Mayor Liz Alpert:

Not a lot to add from what you already have information on. Responders are being deployed in john boats to check on the damage, etc. because the water is still at 3 feet on the roadways. There are numerous downed wires. City is doing a safety assessment. The estimate is that the water level was @ 6 feet on Lido.

Water should be turned back on later today. Significant power outages. FPL will get to them as soon as they can access the islands.

As you get information from residents/businesses, would appreciate your letting us know what information you are receiving.

Let us know if there is any additional help needed.

Uncorroborated info from Longboat Key person #1:

Currently, we are unable to access the island. St. Armands is flooded, and until that water recedes we can't return to Longboat. There is currently no power or water on the island. The Resort was hit pretty hard. 2 of the 3 boardwalks are gone. The beach and pool were destroyed. Flooding damaged lower levels of the resort and parking lots. Links golf course is under water. To my knowledge, Island House was not damaged. Debris covers the property.

Uncorroborated info from Longboat Key person #2:

Beach destroyed. LBK police told her The National Guard has been called in apparently the south end of the island is impossible to get through. Our subdivision had no flooding but we are being told by LBK alert to plan to be off island until Monday.

(Fri) September 27, 2024 (4:43pm)

Helene Flooding Update #4

I finally have some useful information to share.

Remember last year during Hurricane Idalia when the flood waters submerged the electrical controls of the five St. Armands pump stations, taking them offline? Remember how they then elevated those controls so that would never happen again? Well, I believe it worked! But, unfortunately, there are two back-up generators on St. Armands--one behind the fire station, one behind The Met--which got overwhelmed by the flood waters this time around. So, when St. Armands lost power, we lost our five pump stations. The island has been trying to drain by gravity alone, and, as has happened with past storms, the drains are probably clogged to varying extents and the water is draining extremely slowly.

I just got off the phone with Deputy City Manager Pat Robinson who told me that the County has just got two temporary pumps running on St. Armands--these are powered by portable generators--and they are working on a third. He believes that by tomorrow morning, water will have receded enough to allow traffic and he will prioritize getting FPL out there to work on our power. He also said that tonight there will be a full SPD squad assigned to the islands which includes six officers and a sergeant.

Here is the email from DCM Robinson:

4pm Update:

Flooding:

St. Armands Circle is still unpassable to a vehicle with normal clearance as of 3:30-4:00pm. The County Storm Water Teams are out hooking up bypass pumps and generators to the functional pumps to reduce the water levels as quickly as possible. There are at least three (if not more) crews out there working on the situation from our partners at the County. When the Police Department determines that the roads are passable they will be open and the information will be shared on social media and classic media outlets.

Water and Sewer Service:

Our Utilities Teams are working on getting our lift stations up and running so we can reactivate our water and sewer systems on Lido Key. I am hoping that our teams can have water and sewer back to Lido sometime in the morning on Saturday if we don’t run into significant issues with the utility between now and then.

Power/FP&L:

We did see FP&L contractors entering the island as we were leaving around 4pm so hopefully we will start seeing some power reactivations as the water is pumped down in the near future.

(Sat) September 28, 2024 (7:27am)

Helene Flooding Update #5

Three things:

(1) Several residents, from most parts of the island, have reported that their power was restored last night.

(2) The St. Armands Circle Merchants Association (SACA) just sent out an email that they received a notice at 7:04am that you can return to St. Armands Circle.

(3) I believe the city PLANS to restore water and sewer service today, but I have not received that notice yet.

(Sat) September 28, 2024 (7:52am)

Helene Flooding Update #6

Per the SPD social media post below, be prepared to show ID in order to get to the islands.

Just a thought: if your driver license does not have your St. Armands address, perhaps you should be prepared to show that your property record at sc-pa.com (Sarasota County Property Appraiser) shows that you are the owner.

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOUR CONTRACTOR OR SERVICE PROVIDER TRIES TO GET TO YOUR HOME. Please report back what you find out. Or, perhaps someone from the city who is copied on this can let me know.

Also - remember that there will be a boil-water advisory once water service is restored - hopefully at some point today.

(Sat) September 28, 2024 (9:03am)

Helene Flooding Update #7

Regarding getting onto the islands:

Officer Helios Blanco, who is one of the officers regularly assigned to the islands, just wrote me:

• "Just want to let you know that we are allowing only residents, business owners and contractors to enter St. Armands and Lido. If you can pass that on to your associations."
• "Any home caretakers can come onto the islands"

A resident on the island just told me they spoke to a contractor on the island who confirmed that.

But, another resident told me that their contractor was blocked.

So what to do? Have your contractor reference Officer Helios Blanco having given permission.

September 28, 2024

Observer article:  Hurricane Helene news, updates in Sarasota, Manatee

September 28, 2024

Herald-Tribune article:  Live updates: Thousands are still without power as Sarasota-Manatee begins a long recovery

(Sat) September 28, 2024 (11:08am)

September 28, 2024

Observer article:  St. Armands business owners assess damage from Hurricane Helene

(Sat) September 28, 2024 (9:43pm)

Helene Flooding Update #9

There are three things that I've got outstanding requests/inquiries about to the city:

(1) Some residents in the SE Quadrant on S Washington Dr have reported to me that they are STILL WITHOUT POWER

(2) A resident has asked me if the city will let them park a vehicle in the St. Armands Garage or Fillmore Parking Lot, even if for a fee. Why this request? Driveways and garages are going to be needed for contractor vehicles, dumpsters, building material deliveries, construction and staging, etc... And, as you know, there is little to no off-street parking. This may be especially important for owners of smaller homes with small driveways and single-car garages.

(3) What to do with all of our trash and debris, some of which, including vegetative debris, was blown or washed up onto our property from who knows where else? The only thing I've seen/heard so far was sent out by the Lido Key Residents Association this afternoon:

• All vegetative material / yard waste needs to be properly prepared as it normally would be for pickup and placed curbside for pickup; separate from structural and storm damaged items. [I will ask the city to be more lenient about this]
• Structural and storm damaged material needs to be placed at the curb of the right of way for collection. The City has contractors that will pick up bulk sometime this coming week. More information coming. [What about people who are unable to start demolition and renovation right away?]
• White Goods should be placed curbside and separate from structural/storm damaged material and yard waste.

Note: I will be driving to St. Armands all day tomorrow and part of Monday. Please excuse my likely slow response between now and then.

September 29, 2024

Observer article:  See the impact of Hurricane Helene around Sarasota

September 30, 2024

Sarasota Magazine article:  Here Are the Latest Local Road Closures Due to Hurricane Helene

September 30, 2024

Observer article:  Longboat Key works to recover from 'truly historic' storm

September 30, 2024

Observer article:  Hurricane Helene greatly affects St. Armands Circle and Longboat

(Mon) September 30, 2024 (10:58pm)

Helene Flooding Update #10

From SPD Ofc. Blanco:

Good afternoon everyone I hope everyone is recovering well from the storm and are safe.. i’m not sure if you were updated yet, but Deputy City manager Pat Robinson asked me to pass on that this coming week regular trash pick up will still be scheduled at its regular times and solid waste pick ups from the storm will occur at or by the end of the week.

From Deputy City Manager Robinson:

Separate regular residential solid waste collection items from storm debris items.

Information about storm debris collection will be announced in the coming days.

𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐠𝐞/𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠/𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞:

For regular residential solid waste pickup, please place your garbage in City-issued trash carts, your recycling in City-issued yellow lid recycling carts, and properly prepare your yard waste. Do not place yard waste into plastic bags.

𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬:

A storm debris collection announcement will be made in the coming days. When placing storm debris curbside, please adhere to these rules to allow for pickup:

• Do NOT use plastic bags
• Separate materials into 𝟑 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬:

1. 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬
2. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐝 (e.g.: furniture, dry wall and other construction materials)
3. 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 (e.g.: electronics, refrigerators, ranges, washing machines, dryers, water heaters)

Avoid placing solid waste and storm debris under low tree canopies and palms, keep at least 3 feet away from tree and palm trunks, poles, fire hydrant and City-issued carts. Also, have at least a 5 foot separation between the items and parked vehicles.

Stay tuned to this page and www.Sarasotafl.gov/Alerts for details coming soon about storm debris pickup.

Questions about preparing your regular solid waste items or storm debris? Please contact the City Solid Waste Division at 941-263-6170.

(Tues) October 1, 2024 (7:15am)

No More Boil Water Advisory

The City of Sarasota has announced that there is no longer a Boil Water Advisory.

(Tues) October 1, 2024 (11:16am)

Post-Helene Traffic

The Deputy City Manager and Chief of Police have both communicated that they are aware of the traffic backup, which has been all the way to the mainland at times.

Longboat Key has just opened up, and residents are returning to their homes all at once, along with their cleaners, contractors, service providers, etc... This coupled with the fact that the northern approach to Longboat is still closed, so they all have to come through St. Armands to get there!

I've been told that the northern approach to Longboat is expected to re-open in another week or so. In the meantime, if you have a reasonable idea about how the current traffic situation can be ameliorated, I will be happy to pass it along.

October 1, 2024

Sarasota Magazine article:  Island Residents Reflect on Hurricane Helene’s Devastation

(Wed) October 2, 2024 (8:00pm)

Post-Helene - SPD Presence on Islands

I spoke with SPD Chief today. He tells me an 8-person squad is still active on the islands. Includes foot and bicycle officers. They are also putting up a tethered drone on the Circle: 200 feet in the air, stays up indefinitely because it gets power through the tether. Has thermal camera and will monitor all of St. Armands and beyond 24 x 7. He says there have been ZERO instances of looting in Sarasota or on Longboat since the storm.

(Fri) October 4, 2024 (8:52pm)

Post-Helene - More Rain Expected

Apparently, there is a National Weather Service forecast for multiple inches of rain later this weekend. Accordingly, self-service sandbags (max 10 per vehicle) will be offered to Sarasota County residents today, October 4, from 9am-7pm, at Ed Smith Stadium where the Baltimore Orioles have Spring Training. Click here for more info.

Since Hurricane Idalia on August 30th last year, there have been numerous flooding events on St. Armands, and our system of stormwater drains and pumps has failed multiple times including last week during Hurricane Helene. The County has explained that our stormwater management system was never designed to handle the extreme amount of rainfall in a short period of time that we got from Invest 90L on June 11 this year, let alone the amount of water from the storm surge caused by Hurricanes Idalia and Helene.

Design Level of Service provided by the County:

• No flooded structures in 25-yr, 24 hr storm event (8 inches of rain in 24 hrs)
• No roadway flooding in the 3-yr, 1 hr storm event (2.55 inches of rain in 1 hr)
• Design in excess of the above is not feasible due to expected storm surge in storm events great than 25 yr, 24 hr that will overtop the island seawalls.

While our pumps may not have prevented the severe flood damage that most of us just experienced, perhaps operational pumps would have cleared the flood water more rapidly allowing us to return to our properties sooner, and allowing the utilities to fix power and internet problems sooner. Power is particularly important so that our air conditioners can run and delay the onset of mold/mildew. So, why did our pumps fail again during Hurricane Helene, and will they be operational for the upcoming rain event?

Yesterday evening, the county Public Works Director sent out the following explanation: [with some editorial clarification added in square brackets]

• All five pump stations are [now running] on FPL power.
• Both generator station fuel tanks suffered water infiltration during Helene. Emergency service was performed to clean and refuel the generators. [note: there are two large backup generators on St. Armands just to back up our stormwater pump stations] The north generator is operational [and] the south has electrical problems. Backup generators for both locations have been delivered and installed.
• All stations have two pumps and are operational [note: it is my understanding that we have five pump stations, each with a primary and backup pumps]. We also still have five portable pumps if needed. Two of these have been staged at stations 2005 [at intersectionN Washington Dr and Madison Dr] and 175 [at intersection of N Blvd of Presidents and Madison Dr]. We are going to set up another one at 7010 [at intersection of N Washington Dr and John Ringling Blvd] for the weekend.
• Weather conditions will be monitored and conditions will addressed as necessary and possible

Additionally, two days ago I had relayed this message from Deputy City Manager:

We have reassigned two of our Utilities vac trucks to Public Works to assist our Street and Highway Teams with storm drain clean outs. We are supplementing the County’s efforts on the barrier islands and other areas that have been receiving flooding during the most recent storm cycles.

Since Idalia, whenever I've sent the county a picture of a clogged storm drain provided to me by a resident, the county has been very good about coming out that same day to inspect the drain and clear it if necessary. If you send me such a picture that you would like me to pass along, please include the exact street address that the storm drain is located in front of or near.

I know that most of us our overwhelmed right now and that many of us are really hurting. This includes both residents and businesses. Thoughts and prayers to everyone affected. And thank you to our local government--city and county--for everything you can do to help us out, and for your flexibility on the standard rules and regulations regarding parking, trash and debris pickup, etc...

October 6, 2024

Herald-Tribune article:  Sarasota, Bradenton area island restaurants work to reopen after Hurricane Helene closures

(Sun) October 6, 2024 (11:36am)

Hurricane Milton this Wednesday

By now, everyone should be aware that we have another storm heading our way, which is expected to become Hurricane Milton.

The 11am forecast update just came out. Here's the latest:

• The track has shifted south and it is now projected to make landfall just to the south of Siesta Key Beach (it was projected to hit Tampa just a few hours ago)
• This puts St. Armands Key on the "clean side" of the storm: lesser winds, and winds pushing the water out, away from us, toward the gulf
• Note: the projected track is likely to continue changing between now and landfall, and could easily put us back into the "dirty side" of the storm
• Landfall is expected this Wednesday around noon or early afternoon
• The storm will be making landfall around the 1pm low tide (this is very good, but we have to be wary of the "backside winds" which caused the flooding from Hurricane Helene hours after that storm passed by)
• Wednesday high tide will be at 3:30am (2.4 feet), and the next high tide will be Thursday at 4:30am (2.3 feet)
• I'm hearing that this is a smaller-diameter storm, more like Hurricane Charley in 2004 (link) than Helene last week
• We're not out of the woods: if Milton makes landfall anywhere around us, there will be dangerous winds and the potential for storm surge and more flooding
• It is my understanding that the city cleared debris from in front of St. Armands Circle businesses this morning, and that they will be working on St. Armands and Lido residential streets beginning tomorrow (Monday)

We don't yet know if there will be an evacuation alert for Sarasota's coastal areas. I've heard from residents who did not evacuate for Hurricane Helene and who had bad experiences staying on the island with no power, air conditioning, internet, or cell phone service, and flood waters coming into their homes.

I'll send updates if the path or timing changes, and the experts are recommending that you start planning for various possibilities. Here is the link to the Sarasota County Emergency Preparedness Guide.

(Sun) October 6, 2024 (2:25pm)

(Sun) October 6, 2024 (5:19pm)

Hurricane Milton - Update #3

The 5pm forecast update just came out. Here's the latest:

• No material change to projected path or timing
• Landfall still approximately 2pm this Wednesday
• Landfall still projected just a few miles to the south of us on Siesta Key
• If this path stays the same (it never does), we will be VERY CLOSE to the eye of the storm and the winds and storm surge COULD be really bad; we could even be directly in the eye
• Sarasota County has announced that they will call for an evacuation of Level A, and potentially for Level B as well (link)
• All barrier islands and coastal areas in the city are in Level A (link)
• We learned from Hurricane Helene that it can be very uncomfortable to stay in your home without power, air conditioning, running water, internet, or cell service; not to mention dangerous
• I'm hoping this storm turns away from us, but, as of right now, I think we need to take it seriously
• Start thinking about what you're going to do and when you're going to do it; understand that there could be strong winds and heavy rains long before the storm arrives, and that there could be a lot of people on the roadways if you wait too long

Here is the link to the Sarasota County Emergency Preparedness Guide.

(Mon) October 7, 2024 (8:18am)

(Mon) October 7, 2024 (8:48am)

Hurricane Milton - Update #4b - Trash Pickup

I asked if there would be regular Tuesday morning trash pickup on St. Armands.

From DCM Robinson:

We are handling trash pickups as scheduled... until the land fill closes. It is literally a race against the storm at this point.

October 7, 2024

Sarasota Magazine article:  Hurricane Milton Is Now a Category 5 Storm. Here’s What You Need to Know.

(Mon) October 7, 2024 (4:32pm)

Hurricane Milton - Update #5

I'll be driving south tonight, hopefully back to Sarasota on Thursday. If you are in the Sarasota area and have information worth sharing with the rest of us, please send it to me so I can pass it along. Just reply to this email and I'll get it.

At today's 2pm NHC update, the projected path of Hurricane Milton switched north from mid-Longboat Key up to St. Petersburg. The paths of hurricanes are said to "wobble" as they approach, but this seems to me like a fairly significant northward shift. However, Sarasota is still on the "dirty side" of this now CAT5 hurricane, and this storm can continue to wobble or shift in any direction.

The St. Armands Parking Garage became full around noon today. I've asked and have been told that all city parking garages are full. The Robart's Arena property--used for the Sarasota Fairgrounds--is full of FPL and other utility and emergency vehicles and equipment. If you still need to move a vehicle off the islands, you might try the parking lot of a Publix or a big box store (e.g., Home Depot, Walmart, etc...), but understand that you'll be leaving a vehicle on someone else's private property. Hopefully such businesses will be considerate under these circumstances. Or, maybe pay to use the long term parking lot at the airport?

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is our normal trash collection day on the islands. If you're still here and see emptied containers, I encourage you to help your neighbors who have already left (like me!) by taking the empty bins back up to the houses. I've received no update on the status of bulk debris collection from our residential streets from Hurricane Helene. I'm sure the city will get to this if it's in their power to do so.

Good luck everybody.

October 8, 2024

Herald-Tribune article:  Hurricane forecast: Milton may bring worst surge in a century to Tampa, southwest Florida

(Tues) October 8, 2024 (2:59pm)

Hurricane Milton - Update #6

Today's 2pm update is out. The current path is pointing toward the northern-most tip of Longboat Key with landfall in the early hours of Thursday, corresponding with a high tide, with most of Longboat Key and St. Armands, Lido, and Bird Keys on the "dirty side" of the storm. They're saying 10-15 foot storm surge and hurricane-force winds. Not good. I think we got 6 foot of storm surge from Hurricane Helene. Think about what the water level was at your house or building; now add 4-9 additional feet to it, with hurricane force winds blowing it around.

But, landfall is still 36 hours away and the path of the storm can, and likely will, change. I believe that these models are essentially just "lines of best fit" drawn from where the storm formed and the path it has traveled so far, with various other factors taken into account.

Recall two years ago when Hurricane Ian was forecast to make landfall north of Tampa, but, in the final 24 hours before landfall, the track kept shifting south and it ended up striking Fort Myers Beach. I have a theory that the storm models take atmospheric conditions into account, but not underwater topography. I like to think that the shallow waters around Sarasota act to divert these storms away from us at the last moment. I don't know if this is true, but we can hope.

A few updates:

(1) From SPD Officer Blanco:

Access to the barrier islands, including Casey Key, Manasota Key, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, will be closed at 7 p.m. today, Oct. 8. After 7 p.m., community members will continue to be able to get off the barrier islands, but no entry will be allowed back on until after the post-storm search and rescue mission is completed. When you leave the barrier islands, be sure to take everything that you and your family need for evacuation. Take enough supplies to last you and your family several days. 
 Uniformed personnel will be posted at... John Ringling Causeway, just west of Golden Gate Point in Sarasota.

(2) From the Lido Key Residents Association:

Water to the island will be shut off between 10 and 12 today.

(3) From our Deputy City Manager:

I am very aware of the level of debris that’s left behind from the last storm a little less than 2 weeks ago.. Unfortunately, that level of debris is running from Fort Myers all the way to North Carolina. We’re doing our best with the crews that we have working today and tomorrow to remove the debris, but we have multiple contractors fleeing the area due to the severity of the storm. Unlike the contractors, our staff will be stationed here during and after the storm to continue to clean up. They do not have the luxury of leaving to go somewhere else. Thus the definition of essential employee. Rest assured we are on it as aggressively as possible.

---------------------------

Good luck everybody.

(Wed) October 9, 2024 (5:05pm)

Hurricane Milton - Update #7

Hi everyone. The 5pm update just came out. Since the update I sent yesterday, the projected track has been "wobbling" back and forth between the middle of Longboat Key and the middle of Siesta Key. It's pointing back toward the north end of Longboat again. While that puts us on the "dirty side" of the storm, the storm is weakening a bit and I'm seeing a slight lowering of storm surge expectations. But it is likely still going to be bad.

I took a call from Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch today. She wished us the best, wanted to make sure that everyone had evacuated, and asked us to be conscious of two things:

(1) Not to come back until the city says it is okay. Bridges and roads have to be cleared of debris and inspected for damage. And of course our flooded streets have to be pumped out. We are all apprehensive about what may have happened to all the debris lining our streets from Hurricane Helene.

(2) Be considerate of our first responders. In many if not most cases, our public safety and emergency personnel and contractors our worried about their own homes and families, and will be working long hours in difficult situations. Try to be courteous to them and patient and understanding when interacting with them.

I'll send new information when I can.

October 10, 2024

Herald-Tribune article:  Landfall recap: Hurricane Milton comes ashore near Siesta Key; Sarasota belted

Note:  While it was widely reported that Hurricane Milton made landfall on Siesta Key, hurricane-tracking apps show it making landfall directly over St. Armands Key:

The next picture is believed to have been taken from mainland Sarasota, showing the eye of Hurricane Milton over St. Armands Key:

(Thurs) October 10, 2024 (3:36pm)

October 10, 2024

Observer article:  See the impact of Hurricane Milton around Sarasota, Siesta Key

(Thurs) October 10, 2024 (11:29pm)

Hurricane Milton - Update #9 - Bridge Reopening

Some updates:

(1) The Little Ringling Bridge is reopening tomorrow at 8am. City announcement: link

(2) Some homes have power, some don't. No water or sewer yet.

(3) Traffic may be bad. Only one lane of traffic in each direction. The Town of Longboat Key is letting their residents know the bridge will be open. After Helene, traffic onto St. Armands backed up from 8am to noon each day, and there were two lanes onto the island. Now there is only one lane, so plan accordingly.

(4) Reports of broken glass and debris everywhere. Be careful!

October 11, 2024

Herald-Tribune article:  Sarasota County allows evacuees to return home, barrier islands still closed

(Fri) October 11, 2024 (11:07am)

Hurricane Milton - Update #9b - Bees?

This may sound like an odd question, but does anybody know a beekeeper on the islands or anywhere in Sarasota? Apparently a "backyard beehive"--think of a box in someone's backyard with slides of honeycomb that you can pull out--ended up near the Starbucks on St. Armands Circle and SPD has the whole area taped off. Authorities are trying to figure out what to do. Please reply to this email if you have any information. I do not believe this to be a joke.

October 11, 2024

Observer article:  Hurricane Milton news, updates in Sarasota, Manatee

(Fri) October 11, 2024 (1:56pm)

Hurricane Milton - Update #10

New information from our Deputy City Manager: (note: I'm paraphrasing)

(1) Electricity: About 160,000 Sarasota County residents still without power, down from about 300,000. FPL is working hard, but does not fall under the control of the city. We need power back on throughout the islands so that we can run air-conditioning and save our homes.

(2) Water: Uprooted trees have damaged the water infrastructure city-wide. As water lines are turned off, new breaks are identified that then need to be repaired. Best guess for water service to resume on the islands: Not until Monday at the earliest, and perhaps not until mid-week. This may become a problem, because how do you use a pressure washer without water?

(3) Debris: This is a city-wide issue that is being worked on. A dozen patrol vehicles have already had punctured tires. The city is still waiting on contractors to commence the bulk pickup. Normal weekly trash pickup resumes next week, but recycling has been suspended.

From our Chief of Police:

The increased police presence we saw on the islands post-Helene is continuing post-Milton.

About the bees:

Thank you to the MANY people who contacted me about this. It turns out that there is at least one property on both St. Armands and on Lido Shores that keeps bees, and the Longboat Key Club may even keep bees (not confirmed). Additionally, there are a lot of people knowledgeable about bees in the area. I've passed all of this info along and while I have not heard what the status is, I have no reason to believe that it is a problem any longer.

October 11, 2024

Observer article:  A tour of Lido, St. Armands keys reveals less damage than Siesta Key

(Sun) October 13, 2024 (10:40am)

Hurricane Milton - Update #11

Update from our Deputy City Manager from a couple different sources, so I'm mish-mashing and paraphrasing:

FP&L has 58,170 customers without power in Sarasota County as of this morning, that is from 299,540 immediately after the storm.

Water and sewer service are still suspended to the barrier islands. The utility crews have tirelessly working on restoring pressure to the mainland system. Once we reach a point which the city's Utility Manager is comfortable with, we will resume water and sewer slowly to the islands. We are shooting to have water and sewer back to the islands by Monday.

They have made enormous headway, dealing with multiple power lines down and trees down rupturing our waterlines all over the City of Sarasota. I am hopeful that we will not have the same level of line breaks on the islands as we did to the mainland once we pressurize the system out there.

Normal trash removal will continue on schedule. Recycling has been suspended due to the Recycling Company we use not having power back yet.

Debris removal and cleanup continues in all of our public spaces and parks. Doug's team is working on setting up contractors to pick up storm damage debris and vegetative debris sometime next week or the week after. We are in competition with all of the surrounding governments for these debris removal contractors. Our team is working hard to get additional resources here.

Please remind everyone about the separation requirements on the bulk waste removal, if you co-mingle items the FEMA contractors will not pick the bulk waste up and will extend the recovery time period.

The Coon Key (Little Ringling) Bridge has now fully re-opened with no restriction. I anticipate FDOT closing one lane eastbound to do inspections on the other span of the bridge. Traffic will remain open. I've been told.

We have not seen any increase in any type of criminal activity during this recovery.. That being said, we are still increasing our patrol level staffing in the areas affected.

October 13, 2024

Herald-Tribune article:  Hurricane Milton shuts down Van Wezel for months and closes Selby Gardens

(Mon) October 14, 2024 (8:24am)

Hurricane Milton - Update #12 - water restored

From our Deputy City Manager:

Good Morning, Our Utility Crews have restored Water and Sewer service to the barrier islands this morning. A precautionary boil water advisory will be in place.

Me:

• Water does indeed appear to be flowing, but at a lower than normal pressure
• They said we would be under a 72-hour boil water advisory
• I've asked the DCM to please urge FPL to finish the job out here and get power restored to all of us (power is still it out for MANY residents)

(Tues) October 15, 2024 (7:54am)

Hurricane Milton - Update #13 - water and power issues

POWER

Many island residents are still without power. It is critical that power gets restored so that people can run air conditioning, dehumidifiers, pressure washers, etc... I'm also hearing from people with full-house generators that those are shutting down after several days of continuous operation.

WATER

From the office of the City Manager:

Mayor and Commissioners:

After opening up the water lines to the barrier islands, our water tanks began emptying at a rapid pace. Staff attempted for several hours early this morning to try to find the source of the problem on the barrier islands but to no avail. We have since shut down the water again to the barrier islands until we can find the problem. Just an FYI. I will keep you updated.

Update: Instead of a complete shutdown we will first do rolling closures meaning valve by valve line closures. We will most likely be able to keep the water operational and identify the leak. If we still cannot find the problem we may have to shut down completely the islands. But [the city Utility Manager] and team are slow rolling it to minimize the interruption in service

DEBRIS

Our residential streets are covered with broken glass and other debris. We look to the city to pick up as much as they reasonably can, but I suspect we'll all have to pitch in picking up bits and pieces for a long time to come. Be careful.

(Tues) October 15, 2024 (9:19am)

Hurricane Milton - Update #13b - traffic

Apparently traffic is really bad coming onto the islands today. Probably only one westbound lane open at the Little Ringling Bridge coupled with a large number of contractors and service providers coming out here. Be sure to check the traffic online (e.g. Google Maps with traffic overlay) and plan your trips accordingly.

Also:

• Residents are missing things such as jet skis, kayaks, paddle boards, and locked dock boxes. If you know of any such items, please let me know and I'll put the word out
• Residents on island have offered to help their neighbors with clean-up, filling up water containers, etc... If you need something, let me know and I'll connect you

Just reply to this email and it will come directly to me.

(Wed) October 16, 2024 (7:59am)

Milton Lost & Found (1)

I will send more of these emails if more people report items missing or found, or have useful tidbits of advice. If you sent me something that is not on this list, please resend because it must have slipped through the cracks.

Found:

• There is/was a red jet ski on the side walk on South Washington, in the SE Quadrant
• Part of someone’s dock is on top of mine. If anyone you know wants to come take a look tell them they are free to stop over. I won’t be there until Saturday but they don’t have to wait for me. (John Funiciello, 460 N Washington Dr, canal on northwest quadrant of St. Armands)

Lost/Missing:

• Two white dock boxes full of boating equipment, locked

Miscellaneous:

• I wanted to pass along that I used a good guy called T-Wrecks Junk Removal to get rid of all my stuff that I see everyone putting on the curb side. Needless to say it will take weeks for the city to clean up all of the items people have put on the street so I found this to be a much better option although I had to pay for it I want to do my part to help clean the neighborhood asap.
• Add nails to watch out for. Two friends got nails in their tires when checking my house!

(Wed) October 16, 2024 (1:17pm)

Hurricane Milton - Update #14

Everyday I hear from upset residents about their power still being out, and about the city seemingly abandoning us with regard to debris removal. Here we are on Wednesday, one week after Milton, and I'm not aware of any street sweeping or bulk debris removal having been done on St. Armands' residential streets. And more and more people are telling me about getting flat tires out here. It's starting to seem like if we want it gone, we'll have to do it ourselves, individually.

Here is the latest update from Deputy City Manager Robinson:

Traffic:

The FDOT Crews are still doing repairs on the Coon Key Bridge. SPD and Engineering worked out a counter flow traffic plan so we will have 2 lanes open for west bound traffic between 0600-1000hrs and one east bound until they are finished. That will only be in effect during those times to help people on the island in the mornings and off the islands in the afternoon/evenings. I have been told FDOT should be finished by Friday.

Debris, both vegetative and construction/demo:

Our contractors and crews started making passes yesterday. We are estimating that there is roughly 80,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris and 15,000 plus cubic yards of construction and demolition debris. So roughly 95,000 cubic yards of debris that will need to be collected. This will take weeks, if not months, to accomplish.

Trash/Recycling:

We are operating our normal schedule for household trash pick-up. Recycling will resume tomorrow now that the Recycling facility has power back.

Water/Sewer:

Water and Sewer activation for the whole City was completed Monday. Crews found a few large line breaks on the barrier islands but our utility crews located and repaired them quickly, so we did not have to shut water off again to the islands to ensure the viability of the water plant. We are still in find and fix mode and with the multiple smaller linebreaks on the barrier islands. Because of those breaks we have a precautionary boil water will remain in place until Friday. All water service has been restored so if you do not have water it is an individual service line and that needs to be reported to the Utility. So, if you, or your business, is having an issue with water/sewer call: 941-263-6884 and report it. We hope to be positioned to assist with providing fresh water to our neighbors on LBK by end of week.

Power/FP&L:

FP&L crews are still operating on a 24hr schedule. 2,850 customers are listed as without power on the public FP&L website. 1-866-263-9186 is the number to report hazards and outages to FP&L.

Separately, I received this information from another source and I have not verified it:

Report your damaged home to the Sarasota County Property Appraiser. This may lead to a partial property tax refund if your home is uninhabitable for 30 days or more. To report damage to Property Appraiser, visit their Damage Reporting Page.

According to the Property Appraiser’s website, ‘To obtain a property tax refund, file a completed DR-465 Application for Catastrophic Event Tax Refund Form no later than March 1 of the year following the catastrophic event (Section 197.319, Florida Statutes). Note that the form cannot be submitted until the property has been repaired or January 1, whichever comes first.’

St. Armands Circle restaurants are starting to re-open. Here are a few that I am aware of: (please let me know if I got any of this wrong so I can correct it)

• The Blue Dolphin Cafe (open)
• Daiquiri Deck (open)
• Lynches Pub (hoping to open Friday)
• Speaks Clambar (aiming for early November)
• Crab & Fin (aiming for early December)
• Casey Gonzmart tells me that Columbia Restaurant and Cha Cha Coconuts WILL be re-opening as soon as they can

(Thurs) October 17, 2024 (8:27am)

Milton Lost & Found (2)

This is the 2nd iteration of this email. New items/advice have been added to the top of each list below, in BLUE. I will send more of these emails if more people report items missing or found, or have useful tidbits of advice/info.

Found:

• There is/was a red jet ski on the side walk on South Washington, in the SE Quadrant
• Part of someone’s dock is on top of mine. If anyone you know wants to come take a look tell them they are free to stop over. I won’t be there until Saturday but they don’t have to wait for me. (John Funiciello, 460 N Washington Dr, canal on northwest quadrant of St. Armands)

Lost/Missing:

• one 108” weathered teak RH outdoor sofa
• 2 white pool shelf loungers and table
• White paddleboard with two blue stripes down the length (and it says "Vanhunks" on it)
• Two white dock boxes full of boating equipment, locked

Miscellaneous:

• Junkluggers’s is good also
• I have a few high school students willing to help with work, if you know of a neighbor that needs help with some physical things, please let me know and I will try to connect them.
• I wanted to pass along that I used a good guy called T-Wrecks Junk Removal to get rid of all my stuff that I see everyone putting on the curb side. Needless to say it will take weeks for the city to clean up all of the items people have put on the street so I found this to be a much better option although I had to pay for it I want to do my part to help clean the neighborhood asap.
• Add nails to watch out for. Two friends got nails in their tires when checking my house!

If you reply to this email, it will go directly to me and I will respond when I can.

(Fri) October 18, 2024 (8:40am)

Hurricane Milton - Update #15

Bulk Debris Pickup Finally Begins:

Yesterday afternoon and evening, there was a crew clearing the debris piles on one of our residential streets. The crew appears to consist of a truck with a large container on the back, a bulldozer with a claw to pick up large items, two people picking up loose items, and one person with a clipboard.

Garbage Issues:

The Good: I've heard from people who are walking the streets picking up loose or dangerous items. We all thank you!

The Bad: I've received two complaints of people dumping garbage/items on someone else's property.

Misc: The debris removal contractors aren't removing everything. Ask me how I know. The lots on St. Armands are often too small to have unique piles of debris that are separated from each other and from mailboxes, street signs, trees, etc... And, can you fault people for putting loose/personal items in bags rather than throwing them in a pile on the curb? We look to the city staff and management who are copied on this email to be flexible with regard to standard procedures when it comes to weekly trash pickup. Please help us with trash, debris, and vegetation removal as much as possible.

Lutheran Church Not Available for Voting This Year:

Precincts 211 and 213 (St. Armand’s Key Lutheran Church) - temporarily moved to Bayfront Community Center located at 803 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.

The Bayfront Community Center is located BEHIND (and it is attached to) the Municipal Auditorium, which is the building with the curved roof on US-41 near the Van Wezel. There is ample free parking in the Van Wezel lots.

Click here for ABC7 news story about this.

Not going to be here? You may want to call the office of the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections to discuss your options at this late date. Phone number is available on their website: https://www.sarasotavotes.gov/

St. Armands Circle restaurants are starting to re-open. Here is the information I've been given: (please let me know if I got any of this wrong so I can correct it)

• The Blue Dolphin Cafe (open)
• Daiquiri Deck (open)
• Lynches Pub (set to open today, Friday)
• Venezia (soon)
• Speaks Clambar (aiming for early November)
• Crab & Fin (aiming for early December)
• Cafe L'Europe (aiming for 6-8 weeks)
• Casey Gonzmart tells me that Columbia Restaurant and Cha Cha Coconuts WILL be re-opening as soon as they can

(Sat) October 19, 2024 (9:24am)

Hurricane Milton - Update #16

FYI - The boil water advisory for the city's barrier island neighborhoods was rescinded yesterday. In other news...

Debris Pickup

The following is not meant to be a criticism. It is just a description of what's going on out here so that people know what the situation is and can set their expectations accordingly.

People are reporting that even if your debris is in the appropriate piles with appropriate clearance, that the contractors will only clear from the curb to the sidewalk. So, if you have more debris than what can fit in that space (as many people do because our lots and street frontage are very small), they will only remove the portion of it that is in that space.

People are also reporting that the bulldozer with grapple attachment is leaving quite a mess in its wake. It is leaving big tire ruts in the ground and stuff drops on the street when it is being carried from the curb to the container. Apparently, in some cases, there is more debris and glass in the street after the debris removal contractors come by than there was before. I suspect we will all be picking up trash and nails and broken glass and pieces of wallboard for a long time to come.

This seems to be the price we have to pay for free debris removal. Any of us are free to hire our own debris removal contractors, and several people have told me that they have done so.

The city must be overwhelmed responding to the hurricanes just as we all are individually. There are problems city-wide (and beyond) and not just on the barrier islands. I would like to repeat that the following is not a criticism, but just questions to the city people who are copied on this email so that we residents can plan our actions accordingly. Please don't be offended that I'm not asking you directly. I believe residents want to see that these questions are being asked.

1. When should we expect the street sweepers to start coming by?
2. When will the mattresses, construction materials, etc... that floated or were blown around during Milton, and which now reside on streets and medians, be collected?
3. It used to be the norm that we could put both large items and yard waste out on the curb with our trash and recycling bins, and the city trash collectors would take them away. When will this resume for those of us with items (e.g. an appliance, a rug, a mattress) that were not picked up by the bulk removal contractors?
4. It used to be the norm that yard waste needed to be cut into 3 or 4 foot segments. Can the city be flexible on this to help us get rid of the vast amount of plants/bushes/trees destroyed by the saltwater?

Fright Night on the Circle has been Cancelled

The St. Armands Circle Merchants Association (SACA) has informed us that they have made the difficult decision to cancel their beloved annual Halloween event: Fright Night on the Circle. Most businesses will still be closed and the island is still dangerous and unsightly from all the debris.

Lost Items that people are hoping to recover:

• newly added: two jet skis: Sea Doo 2021 GTX Limited
• one 108” weathered teak RH outdoor sofa
• 2 white pool shelf loungers and table
• White paddleboard with two blue stripes down the length (and it says "Vanhunks" on it)
• Two white dock boxes full of boating equipment, locked

St. Armands Circle restaurants that I'm aware have re-opened:

• The Blue Dolphin Cafe (open)
• Daiquiri Deck (open)
• Lynches Pub (open)
• Venezia (open)

October 22, 2024

Herald-Tribune article:  As season begins, Sarasota, Manatee tourism looking for quick rebound from hurricanes