SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — Venice Beach has reopened following repairs and remediation from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, officials announced Friday.
As of Nov. 1, restrooms, concessions and the parking lot are now all available at the Sarasota County public beach. Lifeguards are also back on duty.
Additionally, all city parks are now reopened to the public, including Centennial West Blalock and Heritage.
The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota is conducting regular water quality testing. Officials warned families to use caution as there may still be large debris piles near the beaches and parks.
Both hurricanes hit the area hard, causing several beaches to close. But the county has been slowly welcoming visitors back, with multiple reopenings over the past two weeks.
Meanwhile, in Manatee County, officials reopened Anna Maria Island after it was devastated by Hurricane Helene's storm surge. It was the first public beach in the area to reopen since the storms.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
