Use the link below to view additional details on the coming changes.
The City of Sarasota website may contain links to external websites that are not provided, maintained, or controlled by the City of Sarasota. The City of Sarasota does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, completeness, or accessibility of content found on any external site.
Aug. 1, 2025
The City of Sarasota's coastal parks were hit especially hard by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Recovery started immediately after the back-to-back storms, and while it may appear not much is happening, a significant amount of work has been going on behind the scenes and will continue.
All 10 severely damaged parks are now in the permitting phase with multiple state and federal agencies. The last required site visit by FEMA officials was completed just last week – nine months post-storms.
Once permitting is finalized by the agencies involved, then bidding will begin for projects before the reconstruction begins. The City of Sarasota is one of many coastal communities throughout Florida and the southeast seeking FEMA’s attention and resources.
Staff are being mindful to heed FEMA requirements, with the hope the City may recoup some federal funding. Although reimbursement is uncertain, we must adhere to their processes to be eligible. The City received a $7.7 million infusion from the federal government immediately following the storms.
The total estimated costs of the hurricanes is estimated at $50 million. With that top of mind, staff will pursue every opportunity for reimbursement.
The Engineering Division and Parks and Recreation Department expect repairs to begin in 2026 for the following parks:
In addition to those ten parks, docks citywide will also be repaired as well as coastal roadways. Completion timelines for all these projects will depend upon the number of qualified contractors available who bid on the work as well as permit approvals from state and federal agencies.