St. Armands

Residents Association

In the News

News articles:

September 26, 2018

News article about pad-mounted transformers being damaged by flooding, which does happen on St. Armands Key:  click here

November 11, 2022

Tampa Electric’s 2022–2031 Storm Protection Plan:  link

From pages 19-21:

In 2015, Tampa Electric began using submersible padmount switchgear to harden the underground system in certain applications. This switchgear is designed to withstand intrusion from water, including salt-water, while remaining in service. This gear will be specifically used for those critical customers in areas where storm surge is expected to have a significant impact or those low-lying areas where the environment has caused non-submersible switchgear to fail.

October 20, 2025

At a Regular City Commission Meeting, the City Commission voted 5-0 to approve a feasibility study about undergrounding utilities (burying power and telecom lines) on St. Armands and Lido Keys.

In our recent Annual Survey, 87% of respondents indicated that they think the city should proceed with the undergrounding of utilities on St. Armands and Lido Keys. Among just those respondents who vote in Sarasota (who have their primary residence here), 93% agreed. Accordingly, the Board of Directors of the St. Armands Residents Association has agreed to support this effort by the city. We wrote a letter to the city in support of this, and two of our directors spoke in support at the meeting.

It is important to point out that the City Commission did NOT vote to proceed with this project. They only voted to proceed with a feasibility study to determine what the costs would be, how long the project would take, what the various legal, financial, and regulatory issues would be, and how residential and commercial property owners would be affected. Only after the feasibility study is completed will the City Commission vote on whether or not to proceed with the actual project.

Link to video of the meeting: click here

Agenda item begins: Fast forward to 2:28:20 (2 hours, 28 minutes, 20 seconds)

Public comment begins, followed by City Commission discussion: Fast forward to 2:35:40 (2 hours, 35 minutes, 40 seconds) - includes comments by current and/or former board members of St. Armands Residents Association (SARA), Lido Key Residents Association (LKRA), Lido Shores Property Owners Association (LSPOA), and St. Armands Circle (Merchants) Association (SACA)

Motion and vote to proceed: Fast forward to 3:05:30 (3 hours, 5 minutes, 30 seconds)

Link to backup material: click here


St. Armands Residents Association

P.O. Box 2482, Sarasota, FL  34230

e-mail us at: st.armands.residents.assn@gmail.com

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