Concrete and pavers on Longboat Key, under one town government and two counties
Town permits for both halves of the island, AE and VE zones end to end, 560 nm lighting, and a coast that stood in salt water twice in 2024.
- Jurisdiction
- Town of Longboat Key
- Drive from Sarasota
- 25 to 40 minutes via the Ringling Causeway and St. Armands, or from the north via Cortez Road and the Longboat Pass bridge
- Population
- 7,445 (2,663 in the Sarasota County part plus 4,782 in the Manatee County part, Florida EDR, April 2025)
- Flood zones
- AE and VE island-wide
What is hardscape work like on Longboat Key?
A 10-mile barrier island with its own town government, 7,445 year-round residents split across Sarasota and Manatee counties, AE and VE flood zones end to end, turtle lighting rules under Town Ordinance 2021-01, and a 6.68-foot surge in September 2024. The Town of Longboat Key issues every permit, and community and club associations review most exterior changes.
Demand is travertine, marble and porcelain pool decks on estate lots, sealed paver driveways, post-storm restoration, and elevated-home slabs under new construction. Sealer life here is 18 to 24 months; coping on salt pools is sealed annually; every base is built to be rinsed and reset after the next surge.
Town rules
| Rule | What it means | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Town permits island-wide | One office for both county halves; at-grade driveways, decks and patios reviewed by Planning & Zoning | Longboat Key permits |
| Substantial improvement / damage (Code Ch. 154) | Every permit on a property in the review is checked against the 50% threshold; site work is excluded from the count but still documented | Flood zones |
| Marine Turtle Protection (Ch. 100, Ord. 2021-01) | Bulbs at 560 nm or longer, fully shielded fixtures, May 1 to Oct 31; Code Enforcement tests bulbs | Turtle lighting |
Neighborhoods
| Area | Housing | Typical work |
|---|---|---|
| Bay Isles, Longboat Key Club, Harbourside | 1980s to 2000s estates and villas | Travertine and marble pool decks, sealed paver driveways, ARC review |
| Country Club Shores, Sleepy Lagoon, Emerald Harbor | 1960s to 80s canal homes | Deck replacement after surge, driveway pavers, coping |
| Longbeach Village (north end) | Cottages, elevated rebuilds | Elevated-home slabs, small decks, turtle-compliant lighting |
| Gulf of Mexico Drive condos | 1970s to 90s | Board-approved phased deck replacement |
Ground and salt
Beach sand and dredged fill. Bases drain quickly and hold salt after a surge; edge restraint set in sand lifts. The standard here is a concrete curb at every exposed edge, geotextile under the base, a fresh-water flush after any flood, and porcelain or dense concrete pavers around salt pools unless the owner commits to annual travertine sealing.
A worked example
A 1984 canal home in Country Club Shores with a 900-square-foot travertine pool deck that stood in 2 feet of salt water in October 2024. Insurer photos first, three weeks of drying, then the field was lifted, two voids at the seawall side were filled and compacted, the base was flushed, the travertine rinsed and reset, a concrete curb replaced the plastic restraint, and coping was resealed. Town permit documented the site work against the substantial-damage file. Planning band in September 2026: $8,500 to $13,000.
Local service pages
Written for Longboat Key, one service each:
Questions from Longboat Key homeowners
How high was the storm surge on Longboat Key during Helene and Milton?
Helene's surge measured 6.68 feet on Longboat Key in September 2024, flooding ground-floor cottages on Gulf of Mexico Drive with about 3 feet of water; Milton followed two weeks later and pushed the Helene debris piles into other houses. Hardscape on the island was under salt water on both occasions.
What bridges and travel times connect Sarasota to Longboat Key?
From Sarasota, the John Ringling Causeway to St. Armands Circle and up Gulf of Mexico Drive: 25 to 40 minutes. From the north, Cortez Road and the Longboat Pass bridge. Both routes have drawbridges; deliveries are timed.
Does Bay Isles or the Longboat Key Club require architectural review for pavers?
Yes. Bay Isles Association, the Longboat Key Club communities, Country Club Shores and most condominiums review driveway and deck changes, and the Town requires its own permit on top.
Does the Town of Longboat Key require a permit for a paver driveway or pool deck?
The Town's Planning & Zoning division reviews at-grade driveways, decks and patios as exceptions under its zoning criteria, and every permit on a property subject to substantial-improvement review goes through that check. The Town Hall at 501 Bay Isles Road, (941) 316-1999, is the office.
Which county does Longboat Key belong to?
Both. The Town straddles the Sarasota-Manatee line (2,663 residents in the Sarasota part and 4,782 in the Manatee part, Florida EDR April 2025) but issues its own permits island-wide, so the county line doesn't change the process.
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Last reviewed September 10, 2026 by the Sarasota Concrete editorial team (author name pending owner input). First publication.