SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — Sarasota County leaders are considering changes to regulations regarding motorboats and jet skis on the south side of Lido Beach.
Commissioner Mark Smith said: “Maybe we can get some of the bad guys out of the water, but families will still be able to go to the shallows and enjoy themselves.”
Commissioners considered several options for changing the rules, but decided on one that would prohibit boaters and jet ski riders from riding within 300 feet of the beach.
“There are rules and regulations when you rent a jet ski, and the people at this park are a little sketchy when it comes to that,” Smith said.
This is the same area where two jet skis collided head-on in a fatal crash in June that killed a Baltimore Orioles minor league player and injured three others.
“The problem I have is that recreational boating is so much fun. You take your family and dock your boat on the beach, and there aren’t many places in the county where you can do that,” Commissioner Ron Cutsinger said.
Commissioners did not reach a final decision on what the rule changes, if any, would actually be. They voted in favor of opening this up for public discussion at a later meeting.
“We’re not going to close it down as a recreational option,” Mark Smith said. “We are trying to regulate activity because it is close to the beach and some areas are quite dangerous.”
Commissioners also added that they take issue with jet ski rental companies that set up shop in parking lots and take space away from residents.
