Longboat Key is an offshore barrier island running roughly north to south and enclosing the western boundary of Sarasota Bay in Southwest Florida. The island's eastern shoreline has dense mangroves except where canals have been dredged and marinas built. The western shoreline consists of a white sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico. On both the north and south ends, Longboat Key is separated from neighboring islands by deep water passes from the Gulf to Sarasota Bay.

St. Armands Key and Lido Key lie just south of Longboat Key and West of Sarasota. Lido Key is bordered by Sarasota Bay on the East and by the Gulf of Mexico on the West. St. Armands Key is surrounded by Lido Key on the West and Sarasota Bay on the East. Longboat Key, Lido Key and St. Armands Key are directly connected to each other by bridges.
Longboat Key:
Land Area: 4.26 square miles
Length: 10.8 miles
Width: .05 to 1 mile
Elevation: 3 to 18 feet
Water area: 11.74 square miles

Lido Key:
Land Area: 530 acres

St. Armands Key:
Land Area: 83.6 acres
Longboat Key
Full-time Residents 8,000
Seasonal Residents 12,000
Peak Season 22,000
Average Age 66
Male 46.1%
Female 53.9%
Avg. Household Income (2002) $165,000
Lido Key
Full-time Residents 1,475
Seasonal Residents 1,000
Peak Season 2,500
St. Armands Key
Full-time Residents 743
Longboat Key lies in two counties- Manatee on the northern half and Sarasota on the southern half. The island was incorporated as a township in 1955 and is governed by a seven member Town Commission, each serving a two-year term. The Mayor is elected for a two-year term by the Town Commission. Administration is under Town Management with a full complement of departments; building, planning & zoning, finance, town clerk, police and fire/rescue. Additionally the Town maintains coorperative relationships with police and fire rescue in neighboring communities. Lido Key and St. Armands are both in Sarasota County and are governed by the City of Sarasota. The Sarasota City Commission consist of five elected commissioners. The Mayor and Vice-Mayor are chosen by the Commisson and serve one year terms. All elections are non-partisan and Sarasota has a Commission Manager form of governement. The Commission appoints a City Manager. City departments include police, public works, building, zoning and code compliance, finance, housing and Community Development, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Planning and Engineering.

PUBLIC SAFETY

On Longboat Key there are 67 full-time employees in Police and Fire-Rescue Departments. All Fire-Rescue personnel are certified paramedics or EMT's. Average response time of Fire-Rescue is only three minutes. Lido Key and St. Armands Key are under the jurisdiction of the City of Sarasota. Police Department and Fire-Rescue is through Sarasota County. Sarasota County has 127 Fire-Rescue personel serving Lido Key and St. Armands Key and response time is just under three minutes. The City of Sarasota assigns four police to cover St. Armands Key and Lido Key, one of those four officers are present 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
State sales tax is 7% in Sarasota County and 6.5% in Manatee County. However, medicines, medical services and most food items are exempt. Sales tax rates for transient rentals are 10.5% in Manatee County and 10% in Sarasota County. Area property taxes average 2% of assessed valuation, which is construed as market value. Taxes are assessed as of January 1 each year by the city, county and/or special taxing districts. All property taxes are conveniently combined in one bill due in November and delinquent if not paid by April 1 of the next year. Florida law allows homeowners a $25,000 real estate tax exemption on the assessed value. Requirements for the exemption are having title on record of your property and residing there as of January 1, and applying for it by March 1. You must have a deed, Florida Drivers License, voter's registration or Declaration of Domicile to apply. Renewals are made through the mail and are automatic unless your status changes.

Tangible Tax - Business property is subject to Florida's Tangible Tax, which includes everything used in performance of your business except real estate. All businesses whether individual, partnership or corporations, which control, manage, lease or own any tangible personal property such as furniture, equipment, computers, machines, etc. must file a tangible tax return prior to April 1 of each year. Failure to do so will result in a fine.

Average Temperature: 73 F
Average Gulf Temp: 75 F
Average Rainfall: 53.09 inches

 
Daily
High
Temp.
Gulf
Water
Temp.
January 72 60
February 74 65
March 77 67
April 81 72
May 87 80
June 89 83
July 90 86
August 91 86
September 89 85
October 85 78
November 80 73
December 73 66

The islands have a mix of residential condominiums, single-family homes, mobile homes and tourist units. This housing reflects the areas popularity as a haven for retired and working residents, winter residents and tourists.

Total housing units by type are:

Longboat Key Housing units by type are:
Condominiums 6,058
Single-family homes 1,778
Manufactured homes 286
Tourist units 1,446
Average sale price for housing: (2005)
Single Family Home $1,341,312
Condominiums $832,641
Lido Key Housing units by type are:
Condominiums 562
Single-family homes 90
Manufactured homes 113
Average sale price for housing: (2005)
Single Family Home $1,615,226
Condominiums $1,426,182
St. Armands Key Housing units by type are:
Single-family homes 265
Duplex 14
Multi family 293
Average sale price for housing: (2005)
Single Family Home $1,615,226
Condominiums $1,426,182

Longboat Key's primary transportation element is Gulf of Mexico Drive (S.R. 789), a state highway classified as "urban minor arterial" running from the northern to southern ends of the key. All other roadways are Town-owned two lane streets connecting to Gulf of Mexico Drive. St. Armands Key's primary transportation element is S.R. 789 which takes you around St. Armands Circle into Sarasota. Other roadways on St. Armands Circle are city owned. Lido Key's primary road is Ben Franklin Drive which is just west of Blvd of the Presidents on St. Armands Circle. All other roadways on Lido Key are owned by the City of Sarasota. The Intracoastal waterway runs through Sarasota Bay and is accessible from Longboat from both the Gulf passes and numerous channels on the island's bayside. There is public bus transportation serving the islands from Sarasota County. The Sarasota/Bradenton area has an international airport, extensive bus service, major state highways and the interstate highway system.

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, just east of Tamiami Trail (US 41) on the Manatee/Sarasota County line, is a convenient 30 minutes from Longboat Key.

Carriers include ATA, Continental, US Airways, Northwest, CanJet, JetBlue, American & Delta. Commuter service is provided by air Sunshine & Conair. For information call 941-359-5200 or visit online at www.srq-airport.com.
There is one medical center on the island, one Cardiology Center and one medical professional who makes house calls.

There is one Medical Center.
Centre Shops Family Practice

& Urgent Care
5370 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Suite 205
Longboat Key, FL 34228
941-387-1211
            Doctor on staff, 9-5; M-F

There is one Cardiology Center.
Longboat Cardiology
5650 Gulf of Mexico Drive
Longboat Key, FL 34228
941-383-7300
            Doctor on staff, 8-Noon & 1-5; M-F

There is one Professional who makes house calls.
Dr. Andrea Brand
Web Site: DrBrand.medem.com
941-383-6422
941-504-2725 Cell

941-383-4746 Fax           
Hours, 9am -4:00 pm M-F Evenings, weekend, holiday appointments available on request.

There are several hospitals located in both Bradenton & Sarasota.
Bradenton: Blake Medical Center, Manatee Memorial and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
Sarasota: Sarasota Memorial & Doctors Hospital
Longboat Center for the Arts
941-383-2345
6860 Longboat Drive, South
     Offers art classes in a variety of media

The Education Center
941-383-8811
5370 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Centre Shops
Continuing education in more than 100 areas

There are no schools on Longboat Key. Children are bused depending on resident's county (see below)
Manatee County:
     Anna Maria Elementary School
     Sugg Middle School
     Bayshore High School

Sarasota County:
     Southside Elementary
     Booker Middle School
     Booker High School


Institutes of higher education include:
     Manatee Technical Institute
     Manatee Community College
     University of South Florida
     Sarasota County Technical Institute
     New College
All Angels by the Sea Episcopal 383-8161
Longboat Island Chapel 383-6491
St. Mary Star of the Sea 383-1255
Temple Beth Israel 383-3428
St. Armands Key Luthern Church 388-1234
Bayfront Christian Church - 383-7220
Christ Church of Longboat Key - 383-8833


Longboat Key - Lido Key - St. Armands Key Chamber of Commerce
6960 Gulf of Mexico Drive • Longboat Key, FL 34228

(941) 383-2466
Fax: 941-383-8217

Longboat Key - Lido Key - St. Armands Key Chamber of Commerce.
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