Imagine an urban neighborhood where cows roam in open field, school children dash barefoot through grass taller than themselves, and the sweet smell of guava jelly floats in the air.  You would be creating a picture of our neighborhood in the early 1920’s, a picture that is vivid in Charles Early’s memory.

Early, now a Sarasota taxation and estate planning attorney, lived first in a house on

Drive through Sarasota and you’re likely to so be struck by the romantic Mediterranean designs of the 1920s or the grandiose mansions of today’s suburban enclaves.  But scattered throughout the city are hundreds of examples of another kind of residence, often underappreciated and even ignored.  And that’s unfortunate, because the humble bungalow, infrequently as we notice it, has a history, and a harmony, all its own.

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Animals, Stray (Animal Control) 316-1081

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Drainage Problems (Public Works) 365-7651

Electricity (FPL) 379-1424

Fence Permits (Zoning) 954-4156

There are many reasons why we invest time and money in our yards. For some, it may be to increase real estate value or enhance “curb appeal,” for others, changes are needed because of remodeling or building. There are even those who do it for personal satisfaction. In any event, because of the usually hard work or substantial costs involved and because what we do should last years, I feel there are a few key factors to consider.

OBSERVE the area. Your home and nearby properties—everything natural or man-made— can have an effect on or will be affected by the changes we make to this

area. When we build thing ...

Seniors strolled along the winding walkway, young adults and teens played ball, and tots busied themselves on the jungle gym. Who would have thought that a dry, dusty patch of land could become a source of joy for toddlers and nonagenarians alike? The little park on Laurel Street had finally come alive.

Laurel Park, 1725 Laurel Street, was dedicated on < ...