Category: News

Water, Water… No where

Posted on by John Manoush

We have seen various alerts about this topic since at least April, and restrictions have not yet ended.  Homeowners should be aware of this not only to avoid being fined but also because it is the right thing to do.  Be aware of the distinction between irrigation water and potable (city) water, because the restrictions and penalties are different for each.  Irrigation at VGRC (using reclaimed water) is managed by our CDD, who specifies when irrigation can be done depending on your address.  Click HERE to open the current CDD schedule.  Currently, irrigation is limited to one period per week, usually in the early a.m. hours.  Irrigating outside of allowed times can subject you to a warning or fine from our POA, who monitors for compliance.  Residents should not attempt to adjust their irrigation timers without full knowledge of the CDD requirements or consultation with their landscaping service, if applicable.

The City of Venice and the SW Florida Water Management District issued a bulletin on April 3 restricting the use of potable water for landscape watering and car washing.  Although the bulletin carried an end date of July 1, the restrictions have now been extended to October 1.  Watering with sprinklers is restricted to Tuesdays and Thursdays depending on your address, while hand watering or use of soaker hoses may be done any day but only between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.  It is a rather complicated formula best seen by clicking HERE to view the City of Venice webpage.  Violation of these government restrictions may result in a citation or fine of $75.

Please do your part to understand and comply with these important requirements. [posted July 6, 2026]

Northeast Venice Park opened

Posted on by Karl Seidel

As long planned, the Northeast Venice Park on the south side of Laurel Road near Knights Trail opened to the public on June 15.  The Venetian was represented at the opening by Community Association (CA) board members Mark Faford, Tom Jones, Steve Hefler and Roger Effron.  As reported earlier, the CA has been appointed “sponsor” of this park, meaning we will participate in quarterly inspections to assess the safety and cleanliness of the park.  The park’s many features are listed in the email below, sent to demonstrate our commitment to maintaining friendly and constructive relations with our local government. We hope you and your family will avail yourselves of this new attraction.  Lastly – if you would like to participate in the Park’s sponsorship group, please drop a line to vgrcca@gmail.com 

June 17 email from Community Association Co-Presidents

To: Mayor Pachota and members of the Venice City Council:

On behalf of the Venetian Golf and River Club’s Community Association, we would like to congratulate all City employees-past and present-involved with the planning, financing, engineering, construction and maintenance of the new Northeast Venice Park located on Laurel Road. This new park is beautiful and has exceeded all expectations! Venice residents will be thrilled with the 8 outdoor pickleball courts, fitness trail and equipment, children’s playgrounds, dog parks, restrooms and paved parking area. We think it will be a significant enhancement to the Northeast Venice neighborhood and will show current and prospective residents why living in our city is a great value. 

We had the pleasure to personally meet and thank A.J. Ribas of A2 Group Construction, Kelsie Shy of Kimley Horn Engineers, Ricky Simpson, Venice Public Works Director, Tricia Matero, Public Works Administrative Coordinator and, of course, James Clinch, our City Manager.  Clearly, this project, started in 2020, required extensive coordination and you all hit a “home run”!

Our Community Association is honored to be chosen to “Adopt” the Northeast Venice Park and we look forward to assisting the city in maintenance of this beautiful park.  

Please extend our congratulations to all involved with this amazing new park! A sincere “thanks” to all of you! 

Kind regards, Mark Faford and Tom Jones, co-presidents

Venetian Golf & River Club Community Association

Same day reply from Rachel Frank of the Venice City Council

Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to share your feedback. We are grateful for the Community Association’s ongoing support of the park. 

2026 Annual Hurricane Preparation Meeting well-attended

Posted on by Karl Seidel

June 1st was not only the first day of the hurricane season, but also the day that Sandra Tapfumaneyi, Chief of Emergency Management for Sarasota County, James Clinch, Venice City Manager and Frank Giddens, Fire Department Chief educated and motivated our community about the need for hurricane preparedness.  They presented information on how to prepare for storm emergencies and explained the roles and responsibilities shared by their three organizations in preparing for and responding to storms.

Sandra, James and Frank were each presented with a plaque indicating our appreciation for speaking at our event and for what they do for our community. The members of the HRT had their pictures taken with each speaker.

The River Club room was largely filled with members of the community, some of whom attend this event annually and others who are new to the community.  The audience warmly applauded the HRT members who were recognized for their commitment and service.  Several photos of this event are shown above.

We encourage residents who are interested in learning about hurricane preparedness and about volunteer opportunities with our HRT to explore the information on the Hurricane Corner page of this website.

Our HRT shares knowledge with the city-wide community at 2026 Hurricane Expo

Posted on by Karl Seidel

The City of Venice hosted another Hurricane Expo on Friday, May 29th at the Venice Community Center. For the second consecutive year, city officials invited our HRT to host a table and to share information with attendees on how to create and maintain a community hurricane response team program. The VGRC was the only community asked to participate and showcase its program, and there was a great deal of interest and appreciation expressed by those who stopped by. A couple attendees said that they had a group of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) members who are activated after a storm; but unfortunately, most of those with whom we spoke said that there was no team in their community and agreed that one was needed. Handouts with an outline of our program contents and contact information was provided to anyone who was interested. City officials stopped by the booth and, as in the past, applauded the community for such a wonderful program.

WANTED: A Volunteer “Web Wizard”

Posted on by Joe Browne

Do you have a knack for keeping things running smoothly online? The Community Association is looking for a tech-savvy neighbor to help us maintain and support our community website!


We aren’t looking for a full-time job commitment—just a little bit of your expertise to ensure our digital home stays updated, secure, and user-friendly for everyone in the neighborhood.

What We’re Looking For:

The Community Spirit: This is a volunteer position, perfect for someone who wants to give back and help keep our residents informed.

The Maintainer: Someone to help with regular updates, troubleshooting occasional “hiccups,” and ensuring our information stays current.

The WordPress Whiz (Optional but Awesome): We’d love someone with WordPress experience, but if you’re a general tech enthusiast who’s quick to learn, we still want to talk to you!

Why Help Out?

As we demonstrated in our recent Residents Orientation, our website is the “Wi-Fi” of our community spirit. By volunteering your skills, you’re helping us provide the news, seminars, and community information that make our paradise special.
Interested?

Interested? If you’re willing to lend a hand (and a few clicks), please reach out to us at vgrccaweb@gmail.com or come find us at the next Community Association meeting on February 16th at the River Club, 10 am.

Nature Reserves and Preserves near the Venetian

Posted on by Joe Browne

The Venetian is nestled between the natural beauty of the Myakka River and several expansive nature reserves. To the north and east, our community is surrounded by Carlton Reserve, Rocky Ford Preserve, Sleeping Turtles Preserve and Pineland Preserve, offering a serene and scenic environment. Just off Honore Avenue, the Scherer Thaxton Preserve provides a perfect spot to observe local wildlife, including a majestic eagle’s nest. See this map for the Eagles Nests in the vicinity.

In Carlton Reserve, photo taken near the Venetian, across the Myakka River, on the east side, looking north

The Carlton Reserve (T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve) stands out as the largest county preserve, offering a diverse range of outdoor activities. Visitors can explore its extensive network of biking, walking, and equestrian trails, launch a boat, set up camp, or enjoy a picnic under the pavilion. Accessible via Border Road—recently reopened after closures due to the 2024 hurricanes—the reserve is once again ready for exploration. In addition to its natural beauty, Carlton is home to North America’s largest electrodialysis reversal water treatment facility. Guided tours of the plant are available for those interested in learning more about this innovative technology.

Rocky Ford Preserve is located along the western side of the Myakka River, directly adjacent to the perimeter road to our north.  Environmental protection has precluded development in this area, maintaining the river wild and scenic for future generations. Additionally, the land is now part of over 130,000 acres of conservation lands on the Myakka.  This preserve is protected by the Big Waters Land Trust which was an acquisition agent for Sarasota County’s purchase of environmentally sensitive lands protection program.  The Rocky Ford Preserve was selected because of its beautiful oak hammocks, shoreline on the Myakka River, and adjacency to other conservation land. The land was purchased in 2008, and effectively absorbed into Pinelands Reserve, according to their website.  It is not open to public access at this time.  Called “Rocky Ford,” it takes its name from the limestone outcroppings that hang over the water and line the shallow rocky bottom.

Pinelands Preserve, off 4000 Knights Trail Road in Nokomis, is a reserve with an equestrian trail and an unpaved trail for hiking.  There are several Eagles Nests in the preserve. According to the Park Status Report, the trailhead is closed at this time while “A new trailhead is being constructed … ”. Estimated opening is Spring 2025. Sighting reports of Birds of Pinelands Reserve are here.

Land for the Scherer Thaxton Preserve was acquired in 1992 to continue the natural landscape and wildlife corridor adjacent to the Mary Thaxton Memorial Preserve of the Oscar Scherer State Park. Elsa Scherer Burrows left her family’s ranch to the state in memory of her father, Oscar. Former Sarasota County Commissioner Jon Thaxton, a local Florida scrub jay expert, led the effort to protect additional lands adjacent to the park. This preserve is open to the public and here is a detailed trail map for 13125 Honore Ave, Nokomis.

Along a sleepy section of the Myakka River off Border Road, Sleeping Turtles Preserve North buffers its west side with 174 acres of floodplain swamp, pine flatwoods, and oak hammocks.

See this link for Natural Areas and Nature Centers including a guide book

Venice Main Street Weekly

Posted on by Joe Browne

Venice MainStreet, Inc. is a nonprofit organization committed to preserving and enhancing the character, beauty, and economic vitality of historic downtown Venice and surrounding areas.

You can read about current happenings, such as concerts and fairs, and also subscribe to a free weekly bulletin delivered to your Inbox at this webpage.

Eagles Nests Nearby the Venetian (originally posted January 2025)

Posted on by Joe Browne

One of the coolest things about living in the Venice area is how close we are to all these amazing parks, preserves, and reserves. It’s like we’re surrounded by nature’s own playground! One of the highlights is definitely getting to see eagles and other wildlife in their natural habitat. There are several eagle nests right in our backyard, and it’s all thanks to folks like Venetian resident Rick Cordner, an Audubon Eagle Watch Volunteer, who keeps a close watch on these nests and shares his observations.

If you’re curious, check out the Audubon Florida EagleWatch Public Nest Map. You’ll spot some nests really close to us.  If you go to these nests, suggest you bring binoculars.

SA058 & SA080 at Oscar Scherer Park, on the left.  On Sunday mornings, Park volunteers have scopes set up for viewing SA058.  See map on the left. (There is some concern about this nest — after incubation, both adults were recently seen away from the nest.). SA080 is a bit of a trek out to marker 12A. 

SA011 is in Scherer Thaxton Preserve (see trail map) off Honore Avenue. This nest is close to Marker 10 on the map.

SA096

The image on the left is a photo of eagles at SA096. This nest is just north of us off Gene Green Road — the road does not extend the entire way to the nest.  It is recommended to visit this nest only on Sundays to avoid cement trucks and other commercial traffic along the road.  

The image on the right is at SA088 which is in a cell tower off Laurel Road on Vistera Blvd.  The eagles have been building a nest in the east tower, however, the nest needs to be checked for recent occupancy. 

SA088
All the nests around the Venetian Golf and River Club which is in the lower center of the graphic.

The Audubon EagleWatch Program is pretty awesome too. They’ve got over 600 volunteers keeping an eye on more than 1000 eagle nests across Florida, spreading awareness and working hard on conservation efforts for these magnificent birds.

If you’re thinking about volunteering or just observing these nests, remember to do so respectfully. Please don’t disturb the nests, and keep your distance – at least 330 feet away on the ground. Let’s help keep these eagles safe and sound in their homes!  Pictures of the eagles were supplied by Rick Cordner.