Siesta Key Community News
Facts about Siesta Key
Welcome!
The Siesta Key Community was created to advocate for the protection of Siesta Key's neighborhoods and environment. We will provide information and news about Siesta Key for residents and visitors. Our focus is on the issues important for the protection of our island. We appreciate our residents and visitors who love our island that have supported our efforts.
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The fight against mega-hotels on Siesta Key is a grass-roots battle fought and funded by citizens. Siesta Key Community's founder Ms. Lourdes Ramirez won two important legal challenges in 2023. These successful lawsuits prove that the zoning codes established in 1989 should not be changed or re-interpreted to approve high-density development on our barrier island. Please join us in protecting the quality of life, safety, and the precious environment of Siesta Key.
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Siesta Key is a Barrier Island with a land area of 2.34 square miles
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Evacuation Route: There is one two-lane road that connects two bridges
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North Bridge at Siesta Drive
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South Bridge at Stickney Point Road
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Full-time resident Population: 6,825
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Sarasota County pop.: 462,286
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Siesta Key residents make up 1.4% of County's population
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Registered Voters: 6,671
Density on Siesta Key
As stated in Comprehensive Plans since 1981,
“… Siesta Key had been highly developed and contained some of the County’s most intensive residential development."
Compare our density per square mile with Sarasota's municipalities:
Density
In 2022, Sarasota County has an estimated 266,141 Housing Units
Siesta Key has 10,837 Housing units (4% of County's total)
Siesta Key is the County's Cash Cow
Siesta Key is one of the top producer of taxes for Sarasota County. Siesta Key makes up 1.4% of the full time residents and 4% of the total housing units in Sarasota County. But we contribute 9% of property taxes and 27% of the Bed taxes to the County.
2022 Real Property tax:
Original taxes to be collected inclusive of ad valorem taxes
and non-ad valorem assessments.
Sarasota County = $1,197,293,986.77
Siesta Key = $103,504,691.30 (9% of Sarasota County)
Bed Tax (Tourist Tax collected on short term rentals 6 months or less):
About $10.4 million in 2022
About 27% of total Bed tax collected
