October 6, 2016 by Rachel Brown Hackney, Editor & Publisher
Cosentino's payments for Beach Road property parsed; driving on the beach incident alleged; timeline announced for Givens Street traffic lights installation; updates offered on the proposed miniature golf course and the new Daiquiri Deck; Safe Treats coming soon; and red tide memories 'aired'
A dilapidated groin extends into the Gulf of Mexico on the parcel at 10 Beach Road. Rachel Hackney photo
A bit of buzz was generated recently by Siesta resident Michael Cosentino's purchase of the property at 10 Beach Road — where an aged groin juts into the Gulf of Mexico — and another submerged parcel just to the northwest of it.
Just how much did he pay, people have asked.
Sarasota County Property Appraiser Office records show that Thomas A. Hamilton of 3400 Hamilton Ave. in Sarasota transferred the parcels to Cosentino "for and in consideration of the sum of [$10] and other good and valuable considerations to [Hamilton]," as the warranty deed language puts it.
The document stamps paid on the exchange totaled $350, reflecting a sale price of $50,000.
Chapter 201 of the Florida Statutes, which governs the Florida Department of Revenue, says, "Documentary stamp tax is levied at the rate of $.70 per $100 (or portion thereof) on documents that transfer interest in Florida real property, such as warranty deeds and quit claim deeds. … This tax is usually paid to the Clerk of Court when the document is recorded. The Clerks of Court send the money to the Department of Revenue and the Department distributes the funds according to law."
A Sarasota County Property Appraiser Office photo shows Mike Cosentino's submerged parcel. Image courtesy Property Appraiser Office
As for the "consideration" language in the deed, Sarasota News Leader research found this explanation on the website deadclaim.com: "Consideration is an archaic legal term used to describe the value that changes hands as part of an agreement between two or more parties. Consideration is the 'what's in it for me' element of the deal. It is what each party gives the other party as part of the bargain. Consideration could be the payment of money, the discharge of debt, the performance of services, or anything else of value.
The Property Appraiser Office records show the submerged parcel without the groin was valued at $500 this year. It encompasses 12,203 square feet. The property at 10 Beach Road — with the groin — comprises 7,569 square feet, according to county records. It was valued at $700 this year.
You cannot drive on the beach
In searching records in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, the News Leader also recently happened across a citation the Sheriff's Office issued Mike Cosentino on Sept. 8. It says he had driven a motor vehicle onto the beach at 1 Beach Road in violation of state law.
The act is a misdemeanor, court records say. The "pretrials" — discussions held before the judge prior to the scheduling of the hearing of the case — have been set for Oct. 25. Judge Maryann Boehm has been assigned to the case. The pretrials will be held at the Silvertooth Judicial Center in downtown Sarasota.
No vehicles are allowed on the beach, including at Siesta Beach Access 2, near Mike Cosentino's property. File photo
The location of the offense was the area of beach west of the intersection of North Beach Road and Avenida Messina, based on information included in the citation.
The document also notes that the vehicle was a "white truck with sign board." Cosentino has been very visible on the Key in past months with his "Reopen Beach Road" sign in the bed of his pickup truck.
Court records show Cosentino has hired a Tampa attorney, Matthew Patrick Farmer, to represent him. On Sept. 26, Farmer electronically filed a plea of "Not Guilty," according to court records.
The Givens Street light
Regular readers will recall that county staff agreed recently that flashing beacons should be installed at the intersection of Givens Street and Ocean Boulevard, because of the potential for accidents as traffic rounds the curve on Ocean in the vicinity of Givens Street.
The intersection is just north of Siesta Village.
The solar-powered lights should be up no later than Friday, Oct. 14, Robert Fakhri, the county's manager of traffic engineering and operations, recently notified Michael Shay, past president of the Siesta Key Association. Shay passed along that date to the News Leader.
Shay had worked with residents of the immediate area to encourage county staff to improve safety at the intersection.
No workshop set yet
Work is continuing on the concept plan for an 18-hole miniature golf course proposed at 5160 Calle Minorga in Siesta Village, the News Leader learned this week.
Mike Driscoll, owner of The Fish Hole in Lakewood Ranch and the Bradenton Beach mini golf course, provided a photo of the landscaping at the Lakewood Ranch facility.
Sarasota attorney Robert Lincoln, the representative for Mike Driscoll, owner of The Fish Hole miniature golf course in Lakewood Ranch, said in a telephone interview that the design team wants to have the plan completed before a community workshop is held. The goal is to show the public exactly what the project entails, Lincoln pointed out.
"We're hoping to start the scheduling process in the next week or so," he added, referring to coordination with county staff about a date for the workshop.
County signs are posted in the immediate area of a site that will be the focus of a community workshop or public hearing.
Update on the new Daiquiri Deck
In spite of the heavy rainfall of recent weeks, construction is proceeding apace on the new Daiquiri Deck that will stand in the South Village, the News Leader has learned.
A rendering provided by architect Mark Smith shows the design of the new Daiquiri Deck Raw Bar. Image courtesy Mark Smith
The latest schedule calls for the opening of the restaurant in March or April, co-owner Russell Matthes said on Oct. 4. The slab was to be poured this week, he added; progress will be more easily visible after that.
Co-owner Troy Syprett originally had hoped the latest Daiquiri Deck would be open in December. After finally getting through all the necessary permitting process with Sarasota County staff, he told the News Leader this summer, the completion was pushed back to February.
As Matthes pointed out this week, "It's construction," so anticipated timelines are not always realized.
The new Daiquiri Deck is a joint project with the Tush family that owns CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Stickney Point Road. The restaurant will be on the top floor of a structure above the second CB's location, just east of the Stickney Point Road/Midnight Pass Road intersection.
Safe Treats
News Leader photo
Given the warm temperatures still dominating the weather, it may seem hard to fathom that Halloween is right around the corner.
Siesta Key Village Association (SKVA) members are well aware of the calendar, though, and they are preparing for their 30th observance of Halloween by hosting Safe Treats from 3 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 31.
Balloons will mark the participating merchants in the Village. Costumes are most welcome
No crime, but plenty of dead fish
Sgt. Jason Mruczek normally arrives early for the monthly SKVA meetings, but Mruczek had been delayed on Oct. 4, SKVA President Wendall Jacobsen explained when he reached the Sheriff's Office report item on the agenda.
After his arrival, Mruczek had little to report. "Everything's been pretty quiet. No real crime trends."
"Anybody coughing themselves to death on the beach from the red tide?" Michael Shay asked.
"No," Mruczek replied, adding, that "a lot of dead fish" had washed up on the beach in recent days.
"It's getting slightly better," Kay Kouvatsos, co-owner of Village Café, said of the red tide effects. Glen Cappetta, owner of Sun Ride Pedicab & Historic Tours, concurred, noting that the breeze was helping.
When Jacobsen asked whether county staff had been hauling away the dead fish, Mruczek replied that the fish were being stored somewhere, but he was not absolutely certain of the location.
"Fertilizing something," Kouvatsos said.
Jacobsen reminded everyone that a number of years ago, when Siesta experienced a lot of problems with red tide, county staff stored the dead fish and related debris on the softball field next to what then was the public beach picnic area. That comment brought a few wry chuckles, as anyone who drove near that area — including this reporter — recalls the reek only too well.
Categories Beaches, Crime & Law Enforcement, Environmental News, Finance, Holidays, Nonprofit News, Parks and Recreation, Sarasota County, Siesta Key, Tourism Tags Tinypass
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