Property owners on St. Armands and Lido Key are one vote away from launching a plan to bury the overhead power lines that left parts of the islands without electricity for a week during the 2024 hurricane season. The Sarasota City Commission will vote Monday on a $7.95 million bid from Utility Consultants of Florida to assess the feasibility of putting utilities underground on both keys.

Contract splits into a $3.17 million study, $4.77 million buildout

The contract breaks into two phases: $3.17 million for required services covering assessment methodologies, preliminary engineering, cost estimates, public outreach and financing analysis, and $4.77 million for optional services including final design, procurement and construction support. The total would not exceed $8 million, according to the city's meeting agenda.

Commissioners would decide whether to proceed with Phase 2 only after reviewing Phase 1 results.

If approved, property owners on the keys would fund the project through a special assessment district, repaying the city through annual assessments over 30 years or a lump-sum payment. The commission has been building toward this vote since Oct. 20, 2025, when it voted 5-0 to authorize the feasibility study and legal groundwork for the special districts.

Resident surveys show support above 85%

Surveys show overwhelming backing. The St. Armands Residents Association found 87% support among respondents; the Lido Shores Property Owners Association reported 97%; and the Lido Key Residents Association reported 93%.

St. Armands Residents Association President Chris Goglia acknowledged the trade-offs at the October 2025 commission meeting: "If you ask 1,000 people would you like the city to bury your power lines, 1,000 people would say yes. But if you told those same 1,000 people you've got to have a metal box on the ground in front of your house and you've got to pay for it, all those 1,000 people might not say yes anymore."

Still, 87% said yes.

One buried street kept power during 2024 storms

During the 2024 hurricanes, the one street on St. Armands that already had buried utilities lost power for only two hours. The rest of the island went dark for a week. Nearby Longboat Key completed its own undergrounding after nearly a decade at a cost of roughly $43 million, with property owners paying an average of $4,200 over 30 years.

Public Works Director Nikesh Patel told commissioners in October 2025 that the St. Armands and Lido project, if it moves forward, would take three to four years to implement and up to seven years to complete.

Vote set for Monday morning at City Hall

The Monday meeting begins at 9 a.m. at City Hall, 1565 First St. Commissioners will also discuss guidance on regulating "condo-hotel" developments that blend condo ownership with hotel-style short-term rentals. Residents can attend in person, stream the meeting live at SarasotaFL.gov, or view the full agenda on the city's meetings portal.