June 1^st 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.

Due to extreme drought conditions,
watering restrictions have changed
in Venice City starting on April 3rd, 2026

This restriction impacts residents who use potable water for car washing, irrigate with a sprinkler connected to their potable water supply, or water plants in their garden or landscape using a water hose connected to the outside water faucet.  This is NOT the same as the irrigation water supplied to Venetian residents from our own ponds.

The drought is curtailing use to specific hours or days depending on your address, as detailed below. This is distinct from Venetian irrigation water.

The source for the potable water is the Venice Water Treatment Plant which is near the intercostal/Venice bridge at 200 North Warfield Ave.

Venice Utilities asks that we also limit use of irrigation water which is supplied to the VGRC via the Water Reclamation facility at 3510 East Laurel Road.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District, known as Swiftmud, says the region currently has a 13.7 inch rainfall deficit compared with the average 12 month total. Aquifers, rivers and lakes continue to decline and “public water supplies are extremely low for this time of year.

The most recent 12-month period (ending March 2026) has been significantly drier than normal. This follows a particularly dry calendar year in 2025, which saw only 37.75 inches total.

To track your household water usage, like everything else it seems, there is an app! See EyeOnWater and register. This app uses your water meter to gauge how much water you use by day, by week or by month. More significantly, it will alert you when you have a leak.

NOTE: Despite the July 1 end date on notice above, Sarasota County announced on June 24 that these restrictions will extend through October 1, 2026

The changes for City residents are as follows:

• Watering hours (sprinklers)
  • BEFORE: Watering before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m., once per week
  • NOW: Watering 12:01 a.m. to 4 a.m. OR 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m., once per week
• Hand watering
  • BEFORE: Any day, any time
  • NOW: Any day before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
• Vehicle/boat washing
  • BEFORE: Once per week, any time
  • NOW: Once per week, 12:01 a.m. to 4 a.m. OR 8 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
• New lawns/landscaping
  • BEFORE: First 60 days, any day during restricted hours
  • NOW: First 30 days, any day during restricted hours, AND days 31-60, 3 days per week during restricted hours

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.

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. 

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.