Sarasota residents must be able to access and enjoy our public beaches. Lido Beach Pavilion (formerly Lido Casino) has a long history of offering free & affordable, family friendly beach amenities (including an ocean front swimming pool). This legacy is under threat! The City Commission is being asked to approve major conditional use and site plan changes which will transform Lido Pavilion into a late night tiki bar, destination restaurant and private $100/day cabana facility, creating an exclusive club atmosphere and monopolizing parking. The proposed changes are a de facto privatization and are incompatible with a public beach amenity. Sign and share the petition to oppose these changes!

Today the snack bar and pool at Lido Pavilion seats 100 patrons, leaving plenty of parking for those who just want to use the beach (the parking lot holds about 300 cars). The proposed site plan change includes a 33 seat tiki bar, a 200 seat restaurant, and 10 private cabanas (for up to 60 people) renting for $100 a day. Employees will need parking, as well as the pool patrons who don’t fork over $100 for a cabana. (the applicants plan to hike pool fees for non-cabana renters as well). Parking demands would surge even more if special events, like weddings, take place on the proposed lawn. The changes are untenable due to parking issues alone.

Over-improving Lido Pavilion will detract from the laid back, accessible beach experience that Sarasota visitors and residents appreciate and expect at Lido. Unreasonable fees and monopolized parking will prevent Sarasota families from enjoying a facility that belongs to them. The applicants, Troy Syprett and Gavin Meshad have connections to other businesses in Sarasota. Mr. Syprett operates the Daiquiri Deck. Mr. Meshad's father, attorney John Meshad, is the registered agent for One Palm LLC, which owns the Aloft Hotel. Hotels have been eyeing the Lido Pavilion as a adjunct site for their guests. They want to be like the Ritz Carlton, which offers its guests access to the Ritz Carlton Beach Club on Lido.

Appropriating Lido Pavilion for the benefit of a private business by pricing out the public and consuming the public's parking is back door privatization and damages the public. Approving changes which will make our public beach facility a means of lining the pockets of insiders and squeezing out the public is an affront to hard working Sarasota families struggling to make ends meet. We deserve a facility which works for the public. LIdo Pavilion must not become the Aloft Beach Club.

Advocates for Lido Beach Pavilion need your help! We are asking City of Sarasota residents and Lido Beach visitors - visitors from Sarasota County, the state of Florida, the US and beyond - to sign this petition and share it with others. Tell the Sarasota City Commission to say no to government use, major conditional use and site plan changes to Lido Beach Pavilion. Sign the petition, Share the petition!

This petition will be presented to the Sarasota City Commission.

1. E-mail the City Commissioners and share your thoughts at commissioners@sarasotafl.gov

2. Like our facebook page to stay up to date on this issue:

https://www.facebook.com/Save-Lido-Beach-Pavilion-...

3. Schedule one on one meeting with City Commissioners to discuss the problem and voice your opposition. You can call City Hall at 365-2200 to schedule.

4. Look for the "Save Lido Pavilion" presentation on youtube. Watch it and share it with your friends on social media or via e-mail. Ask them to take action and share it.

Write to individual City Commissioners to express your opinion and/or request a meeting at the following e-mail addresses:

Mayor Liz Alpert (District 2) (currently supports the plan) Liz.Alpert@sarasotafl.gov

Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch (At-Large) (currently opposes the plan) Jen.Ahearn-Koch@sarasotafl.gov

Commissioner Willie Shaw (District 1) (currently opposes the plan) Willie.Shaw@sarasotafl.gov

Commissioner Hagen Brody (At-large) (currently supports the plan) Hagen.Brody@sarasotafl.gov

Commissioner Shelli Freeland Eddie (District 3) (currently supports the plan) Shelli.FreelandEddie@sarasotafl.gov

Keep up with developments regarding Lido Beach Pavilion on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Save-Lido-Beach-Pavilion-...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/citizensforsarasot...