Living in Laurel Park

Where is Laurel Park?

Laurel Park is a neighborhood with a real sense of place, located at the southern end of downtown Sarasota, Florida. The neighborhood’s prime urban location makes it truly walkable and allows many to live without need for a car. Laurel Park is also recognized as a National Historic District. Beginning in the 1920s, this small neighborhood of historic apartment buildings and single family homes has long had a diversity of renters and resident owners. With a modest amount of grandfathered commercial structures and easy access to many surrounding restaurants and shops, Laurel Park embodies the new urbanist ideal of a walkable community. Young professionals, lawyers, realtors, artists, musicians, construction workers, families, singles, retirees… It’s a delightful diverse mix. It is a neighborhood where people wave, speak to one another, meet on the sidewalks and walk their dogs, play in the park and watch out for one another. It’s also extremely convenient (easily walkable) to:

Downtown Sarasota : click here for upcoming events as well as a listing of restaurants and stores,
Towles Court: the artistic colony,
Historic Burns Court: another historic district with shops, restaurants, and the Burns Court art house movie theatre.

City Contacts

Not sure who to contact about tax questions, nuisance abatement, traffic, code compliance, or city services? This handy brochure lists all of the key departmental phone numbers for the City of Sarasota.

Alderman Multi-Use Recreational Trail and Kayak Launch

Situated along the border of Laurel Park is the Alderman multi-use recreational trail (also known as a “MURT”). The trail is a great place to walk, bike, or even roller-blade. At one end of the trail is a kayak launch, which provides great access to Sarasota Bay for canoes, paddle boards, and of course kayaks. You’ll enter the Hudson Bayou via the Oak Street Canal.

Flood Zone

One of the best benefits of living in Laurel Park is the neighborhood’s proximity to the bay. Easy access to both the waterfront and a kayak launch comes with the burden of potential coastal flooding, as some of Laurel Park is designated within FEMA’s flood zone categories. Click here to see your property’s status.

Housing Mix and Zoning

Historic Laurel Park offers many rental housing units in a mix of single family homes, guest houses, granny flats, old charming duplexes and lovely apartment buildings dating back to the early 1920’s. The historic fabric of the buildings and the variety of architectural styles, from workman cottages to mediterranean revival as well as modern, make the neighborhood a very special and unique place. The entire neighborhood falls within the RSM-9 city zoning district. RSM-9 stands for Residential Single Multiple, 9 units per acre. To preserve the neighborhood’s quiet residential nature and its historical significance, the City of Sarasota has established the Laurel Park Overlay District (“LPOD”), which provides for community input into any new commercial construction within the district.

Laurel Park (the actual park)

Within Laurel Park, the neighborhood, lies Laurel Park, an actual park with a beautiful gazebo, inviting lawn, and a popular playground with a treehouse slide and swings. The park is open to all city residents and is operated by the City of Sarasota. Many neighbors use the party for impromptu get-togethers, which no permit is needed. If you want to reserve the gazebo or playground for a more exclusive or large event, contact the City’s Parks & Rec department at 941-263-6386 to ask about permits.

Lawn Watering

The City has adopted the Southwest Florida Water Management (SWFWMD) water restrictions. Refer to their website for guidelines on fountains, car washing, pressure washing, and new lawns and plants. These restrictions do not apply for reclaimed water.

Reporting an issue

Whether it is a tripping hazard on a sidewalk or a trash problem, one of the best (and easiest) ways to report an issue to the city is through their “Click-2-Fix” program. (Click-2-Fix). For a review of all the compliance services, this CCNA sponsored site (code compliance) provides a great overview of where to turn when you’re looking for help at addressing an issue.

Homeless

The city has extensive services to help individuals that are homeless. If you see an someone that needs services, you can contact the Homeless Outreach Team, which will access the situation and match them with the relevant service. Call one of the case workers:

Krystal Frazier at 941-374-2404
Carly Tolkacz at 941-387-5744

Click here for more information.

Transportation

There are two main public transportation options:

Sarasota County’s Breeze bus system (formally known as “SCAT”) is convenient for easily traveling beyond the downtown.
the Bay Runner trolley for going back and forth from downtown to Lido Key.

For those driving, the Smart Traffic website provides live feeds for all the traffic cameras

Trash Collection

Pick-up is Tuesday morning

Household Garbage

The green rolling bin should be placed on the curb on Monday nights, and moved out of sight as soon as possible after pickup.

Recyclables

Recycling of glass, plastic, newspaper, and cardboard is mandatory in the City of Sarasota. Set bins alongside curb.

Yard Waste

Palm leaves can be placed at the curb. Other yard waste should be placed in biodegradable bags or in 30 gallon bins or small bundles for easy loading!

Bulk waste

The City will pick up furniture, appliances, and electronics for FREE. Before putting at your curb, call (941) 365-7651 to arrange a day for pickup and to learn more about the free pick-up restrictions.

For additional collection information

Visit the City’s web page. You can enter your address to learn about collection after holidays and other collection information.