The City-owned boat ramps, 10th Street Boat Ramps and City Island Boat Ramps, as well as the Bird Key Park parking lot were closed to the public beginning this past Sunday, March 29 at 6 am as part of emergency orders related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The City is also encouraging county health departments along the Suncoast to work in unison to implement a safer at home order to reduce the threat of transmission of COVID-19, to assure hospital beds are available for those truly in need and to help conserve medical personal protective equipment (PPE). The PPE is necessary as hospitalized patients await their test results which can take several days. In addition, the City believes it is essential for the Florida Department of Health to be transparent with reporting COVID-19 testing on a city-by-city basis not just aggregated countywide data.


“Governor Ron DeSantis is deferring to local governments to implement health, safety and welfare measures that are best for each community,” said City Manager Tom Barwin. “It is essential that the state begin to immediately report COVID-19 testing on a city-by-city basis. The aggregated data needs to be converted into a per capita analysis, to provide the best insight and understanding possible as we seek to protect our community, particularly the elderly at-risk population, during this public health emergency. Aggregated data on a countywide basis can be misleading for smaller counties under 500,000 in population.” Those who do not voluntarily comply with the new emergency orders related to the closure of the boat ramps and Bird Key Park parking lot may be issued a citation by a sworn Sarasota Police Officer. A violation would be considered a second-degree misdemeanor.  A local public health emergency remains in effect for the City of Sarasota. Although City buildings are closed to the public, most City operations and functions are still available.

For more City of Sarasota updates.