2024: Top 10 Most Affordable Beach Towns for Retirees

Venice placed No. 9 on a listing of America's Top 10 Most Affordable Beach Towns for Retirees by realtor.com in July, with a median list price of $459,900 for a home. "Venice is great for those who want some variety. The area has a vibrant downtown with dozens of restaurants and shops; and for those looking to take in more sand and surf, there’s Venice Beach," the listing states.

2024: Tree City USA

In April, Venice was named a 2023 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor its commitment to effective urban forest management. Venice achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program's 4 requirements: maintaining a tree board or department, having a tree care ordinance, dedicating an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and hosting an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. It is the 15th year the City has received this designation. 

2023 Employee of the Year Award

Venice Police Officer Victor Montanez was named the 2023 Employee of the Year during the Jan. 23, 2024, City Council meeting. Officer Montanez, selected by his peers for the honor, was lauded for his empathy, loyalty, and connection to the community. He has been with the Police Department since Sept. 24, 2018.

#1 Top Snowbird Location for 2023-24 

In November, Venice garnered the top spot on a listing of 100 Best Places for Snowbirds in the U.S. by StorageCafe, a national self-storage search website. The site analyzed 215 warm-weather cities across 18 key snowbirding metrics. "All factors considered, Venice emerges as the ultimate winter sanctuary for snowbirds," the listing states. "There’s something for every taste and budget here, from miles of sandy beaches to golf courses, amazing seafood, fast Internet and a well-supplied housing market for short-term visitors." The listing goes on to state, "Venice packs a serious punch when it comes to dining opportunities, with 3 restaurants per 1,000 residents. (Additionally), there are 36 doctors and physicians per 1,000 people." Read the complete article here.

2023: Venice lands on Best Beach Towns in Florida list

In September, Venice was named a Best Beach Town in Florida by news data website Stacker. Stacker determined rankings by several factors, giving the most weight to the number of beaches within a quarter mile of a city or town and the total shoreline of those beaches. Weather patterns and the duration of each beach's swim season affected scores. The ranking also takes into account the prevalence of beach-related businesses, unemployment rates, and median home prices. Venice was named #16 in a listing of 25 areas.

2023: Top Southern Beach for Finding Shark Teeth

Venice was named the Best Southern Beach for Finding Shark Teeth in July by Garden & Gun, an online magazine focusing on the southern lifestyle, from the sporting life to land and gardens, architectural pursuits and travel.

2023: Venice Beach makes 2 USA Today 10Best lists

In June, Venice Beach was named the No. 4 Best Beach in the South in a USA Today 10Best contest. The listing states in part: "Florida's Venice Beach is known as the 'Shark Tooth Capital of the World' due to an abundance of fossilized shark teeth that can be found along the shore. In addition to hunting for shark teeth, visitors can enjoy relaxing on pristine white sand, swimming in clear blue waters and exploring the natural coral reef formations just offshore." Additionally, in May, Venice Beach was named No. 4 Best Free Attraction across the U.S. in a separate USA Today 10Best contest.

2023 Communicator of the Year 

Venice Public Information Officer Lorraine Anderson was named the 2023 Communicator of the Year in May by the Florida Municipal Communicators Association. "Lorraine’s efforts to significantly increase engagement from Venice residents on social media, while also managing community events and ensuring locals can consume the information and news they’re looking for effectively and efficiently, are something to be admired and rewarded," said FMCA President Candice Temple.

2023: Best Suburb in Florida; #5 in the U.S.

Venice was named the No. 1 place in Florida that best balances big city living and suburban atmosphere and No. 5 in the country in April in a survey conducted by StorageCafe, a nationwide online search company for self-storage units. The list was compiled from an analysis of 912 cities with populations between 10,000 and 100,000 in the 100 largest metropolitan areas. Metrics included housing affordability and diversity, demographics, the business environment, shopping and dining amenities, health, and self-storage prices and availability.

2023: Tree City USA

2022: America in Bloom Awards

In October, the 2022 America in Bloom National Awards Program named Venice the winner of the following awards: Overall - 18,000-23,000 Population Category; Catching Community Spirit-Digital & Social Media Communications; and Alive with Flowers-Sunbeam Award. The City of Venice is grateful to the tireless volunteers who make up Venice Area Beautification Inc. (VABI), Team KVB (Keep Venice Beautiful), and Venice in Bloom, who were instrumental in helping the City achieve these honors.

2022: GFOA Triple Crown Winner

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) named the City of Venice Finance Department as a 2020 Triple Crown Winner in October. GFOA's Triple Crown designation recognizes governments who have received GFOA's Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting or Canadian Award for Financial Reporting, Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award, and Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for a fiscal year. Venice is one of just 317 governments that received the Triple Crown for fiscal year 2020. The Triple Crown designation represents a significant achievement. To qualify, each entity must meet the high standards of all three separate award programs. Each award program recognizes governments that produce reports which communicate their financial stories in a transparent manner and meet applicable standards.

2022: 3CMA Savvy Award of Excellence

In September, 3CMA (City-County Communications & Marketing Association) awarded the City of Venice a Savvy Award of Excellence in the Category of Printed Publications-Other (Population 0-85,000) for its 2022 City of Venice Calendar, designed by Venice Print Center and PIO Lorraine Anderson, with photographs from a citizen photo contest.

2022: Affordable Places to Retire Near the Beach

Venice was named one of 5 Affordable Places to Retire Near the Beach by GOBankingRates.com, a personal finance news and features website.  "A retirement haven, Venice has a population of just over 26,000 -- almost 62% are age 65 and up," the article states. "Located on the Gulf of Mexico, the city offers plenty of entertainment, including concerts in the park, festivals and community theater. As of 2022, the median home sale price was $450,000."

2022: Lillian Burns Award for Individual Achievement

In April, City Historical Resources Manager Harry Klinkhamer received the Lillian Burns Award for Individual Achievement, one of the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation 2022 Heritage Awards for Sarasota County. This award is conferred upon an individual who has made profound contributions to the history and preservation movement in Sarasota County. 

2021 Employee of the Year Award

Tony Rosen, Electrical Maintenance Technician with Public Works, was named the 2021 City of Venice Employee of the Year during the Jan. 25, 2022, City Council meeting. Tony's work, which includes converting over 600 decorative streetlights to LED fixtures, is credited with saving the City hundreds of thousands of dollars. He has been a City employee for over 5 years.

2021: Best Suburbs for City Amenities 

In December, Venice was ranked #11 on a list from StorageCafe of the best suburban communities that don’t sacrifice a “big-city feel." The ranking of Best U.S. Suburbs for City-like Living calls Venice "one of the most sought-after snowbirding destinations (that) stands out as a place that provides a high living standard." It goes on to state: "Venice, FL, is quite exceptional for its local employment market, claiming the second highest concentration of local businesses on the list (73 businesses/1,000 people). Tourism, marketing, international trade and health care are some of the most prevalent industries." 

2021: Top City for Snowbirds

Venice was ranked as the country's #1 snowbird destination in 2021-22 in a StorageCafe listing in October. It states Venice "frequently ranks in lists of pleasant places to live and the average Oct.–March temperatures are a cozy 69 °F. As befits a top snowbird spot, a high proportion of the housing is for seasonal use, 28%, there are 5.7 health facilities per 1,000 people, and no fewer than 12 golf courses." StorageCafe tracks trends in the self-storage industry and reports on related issues such as housing, moving and home improvement. 

America in Bloom Awards

Venice won the "Eye -Popping Pots -- Best Use of Containers in the Landscape Special Award" at the America in Bloom Symposium in late September. Thank you to VABI and the Bloom Team volunteers for always making our City look spectacular!

2021: Best Beach Towns to Live In 

In June, Venice was ranked a Best Beach Town to Live In for 2021 in a study from personal finance website WalletHub, coming in at #14 on a list of 191 cities. Cities were evaluated on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education/health and quality of life. Each of those were measured on a total of 62 indicators of livability.

2021: Top Small City to Relocate

In March, Venice was ranked No. 3 in a listing of 100 popular destinations among those looking to relocate conducted by MoveBuddha, which provides moving estimates. MoveBuddah looked at small cities with populations between 5,000 and 50,000 and used U.S. Census Bureau data to inform its conclusions.

2021: No. 1 Dog Friendly Beach in Florida

Brohard Paw Park was named the No. 1 Best Dog Friendly Beach in Florida in a January ranking by hotel review website oyster.com. Located at 1850 Harbor Dr. S., Brohard Paw Park is the only beach in Sarasota County where dogs are allowed. The park includes a fenced dog play yard, as well as picnic tables, benches, dog waste bags, showers, and canine drinking fountains. It is open daily, 7 a.m. - dusk. 

2020 Employee of the Year Award

Kelli Peyton, Records Manager for the Venice Police Department, was named the 2020 City of Venice Employee of the Year during the Jan. 26, 2021, City Council meeting. Kelli began working with the VPD in 1998 as a dispatcher and was promoted to Records Manager in 2018. Her dedication and service to the local community, along with being an ambassador of the S.A.F.E. (Senior Assistance Freedom Enrichment) Program, makes her an exceptional asset to the Police Department. Kelli's husband Ron, who works in the Utilities Department, won the award 3 years ago, making the two the first couple employed with the City to have both received the honor.

2020: Monarch City USA

Monarch City USA named Venice as a Monarch City in December. This means the City is committed to preserve and grow the dwindling monarch butterfly population. The nonprofit organization strongly encourages America’s 19,000+ municipalities to directly help the monarch butterfly population recover through planting milkweed and nectar plants within their boundaries. Nearly a billion monarch butterflies have vanished since 1990, according to data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Monarchs are critical to nature because they pollinate plants, helping grow many foods humans and animals rely upon. The City of Venice is grateful to the tireless volunteers who make up Venice Area Beautification Inc. (VABI), Team KVB (Keep Venice Beautiful), and Venice in Bloom, who were instrumental in helping the City achieve this designation.

2020 Digital Cities Survey - 6th Nationwide

In November, the Center for Digital Government (CDG) announced the winners of the 2020 Digital Cities Survey. Now in its 20th year, the annual survey recognizes cities using technology to tackle social challenges, enhance services, strengthen cybersecurity, and more. The City of Venice placed 6^th in the nation in the population category of up to 75,000 residents. “Among its many initiatives surrounding technology, the City of Venice’s quick response to the novel coronavirus pandemic warrants mentioning. In a short amount of time, IT staff were able to deploy virtual meeting capabilities, mobility infrastructure and digital processes for residents," the judges stated.   

2020: GFOA Financial Reporting Award

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City in October. This is the 33^rd consecutive year Venice has received this honor. “This award demonstrates the exemplary performance by the entire Finance Team,” said City Finance Director Linda Senne.

2020 America In Bloom Awards 

In late September, the 2020 America in Bloom National Awards Program named Venice the winner of the Coolest Downtown Award and the Outstanding Achievement Award for Landscaped Areas. The City of Venice is grateful to the tireless volunteers who make up Venice Area Beautification Inc. (VABI), Team KVB (Keep Venice Beautiful), and Venice in Bloom, who were instrumental in helping the City achieve these honors.

2020: Monty Andrews Arboretum awarded Level II accreditation

In August, the Monty Andrews Arboretum was awarded an advanced Level II Accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum, for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. The Monty Andrews Arboretum is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants. Then in October, the North American Butterfly Association (NABA) named the Arboretum a Certified Butterfly Garden.

USA Today Best Coastal Small Town

The City of Venice placed No. 3 in USA Today's 10Best Coastal Small Town Readers' Choice contest for 2020. A panel of experts partnered with USA Today 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees -- each with a population of fewer than 25,000 people as of the last census -- and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote in July. The online contest was also promoted by Visit Sarasota County. USA Today’s listing calls Venice “the perfect setting for swimming, fishing, boating and basking in the Florida sun.” 

Southern Living Best Beach Town for Retirement

Venice was ranked the No. 6 Best Beach Town for Retirement in late June by Southern Living. The listing states: “Residents (nearly 60 percent of whom are seniors) can stroll through the Mediterranean-inspired downtown, hunt for shells on the pearly white beaches, or take their furry friends to the City’s local dog-friendly beach.”

2020: Best Beach Towns to Live In 

In June, Venice was ranked a Best Beach Town to Live In for 2020 in a study from personal finance website WalletHub, coming in at #17 on the list of 191 cities. Cities were evaluated on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education/health and quality of life. Each of those were measured on a total of 63 indicators of livability.

2020: Best Places to Retire in Florida

Venice made a Florida for Boomers list of 25 Best Places to Retire in Florida in June, coming in at #5. The listing reads in part: "In addition to beautiful beaches, Venice is also known for all kinds of exciting ways to enjoy the great outdoors. It is a fabulous destination for boomers interested in exploring arts and culture, boutique shopping, or a wide range of outstanding restaurant choices."

2020: Venice recognized for retirement preparedness

In April, Venice was recognized by LendEDU for having some of the most financially prepared residents when it comes to retirement. Each city was ranked according to its average household income from retirement, and Venice ranked No. 9 in the state of Florida and No. 102 nationally with an average household income from retirement figure of $34,383.15. LendEDU, an online marketplace for financial products, licensed data that derives from the U.S. Census Bureau and analyzed over 20,000 U.S. cities for this study. Check out the full report.

Safest Cities in Florida 2020

SafeWise named the City of Venice the 17th Safest City in Florida in an April listing of the state's 50 Safest Cities. Its report lists Venice's violent crime rate as 1.1 per 1,000 people and the property crime rate as 13.8 per 1,000 people. SafeWise is an independent review site of home security systems.

2020: Best Places to Live on the Coast

In April, Coastal Living Magazine voted Venice in the top 10 Best Places to Live on the Coast. The listing calls Venice a "resort-forward little city of 23,376 — a low-key beauty on the Gulf with Mediterranean architecture and 14 miles of bone-white beaches" and touts the Downtown Beautification Project completed in 2019: "New rows of tall palms shade upgraded sidewalks (with ADA-compliant curbs), while median strips lush with hibiscus, jatropha and jasmine add tropical verve to Venice's lively center for food, drink, shopping and arts."

City Manager service award

Venice City Manager Ed Lavallee received a 40-year service award from ICMA, the premier local government leadership and management organization. Ed’s achievement was formally honored during a Celebration of Service to the Profession as part of ICMA’s 2019 Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn., in October.

2019: Most Popular Mid-size Fla. Cities to Relocate to

The moving resources site moveBuddha named Venice as one of its 10 Most Popular Mid-size Florida Cities to Relocate to in September. The website analyzed its Florida move data from the past year to determine the 10 most popular mid-size cities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000.

2019: 3CMA Savvy Award of Excellence

In September, 3CMA (City-County Communications & Marketing Association) awarded the City of Venice a Savvy Award of Excellence in the Category of Special Events – Recurring Event (Population 0-99,000) for its 2018 Make A Difference Day. During the 6^th annual event in October of that year, a record number of 447 volunteers landscaped, raked, cleaned, mulched, collected litter and put together picnic tables, among other duties, at more than 20 parks and greenspace areas in the City.

2019: Safest Cities in Florida

Venice was named the 12^th Safest City to Live in Florida for 2019 by BackgroundChecks.org in August. Methodology used includes the most recent FBI crime statistics to create state rankings.

2019: Kiplinger Great Place to Retire

Kiplinger Personal Finance named Venice one of 7 Great Places to Retire in Florida in August, citing the City's dozens of parks, white-sand beaches, expansive water views, cycling amenities, numerous shops and restaurants, Saturday farmers market, Venice Theatre and Performing Arts Center.  

2019: Outstanding Public Improvement Project

In July, the Downtown Venice Beautification Project won an Honor Award for Outstanding Public Improvement Project from the Florida Main Street Association at the annual Secretary of State Awards Banquet in Orlando. The annual awards program showcases innovative practices and projects that contribute to the success of local Main Street programs.

No. 2 City to Live in Florida 2019 

Venice ranked #2 on a Best Cities to Live in Florida for 2019 listing in June by ChamberofCommerce.org. The site’s researchers ranked over 2,500 cities by five factors: employment (number of establishments, median earnings); housing (owner-occupied housing with a mortgage, monthly housing costs); quality of life (work commute, poverty levels); education (percentage with a bachelor’s degree or higher); and health (obesity ratios). 

2019: Top Fishing Piers in Florida

Fishing blog FishingBooker ranked the Venice Fishing Pier as one of the 7 Best Fishing Piers in Florida in June, citing the City’s "classic wooden walkway where you can reel in fish at any hour of the day or night."

2019: Best Beach Towns to Live In

In June, the City of Venice was named 2019's 10th Best Beach Town to Live In, in a study from personal finance website WalletHub.com. To determine the most livable beachside communities, WalletHub compared 192 cities across 62 key metrics. The study was divided into two categories: lake beach towns and ocean beach towns. The data set ranged from housing costs to share of for-sale waterfront homes to quality of beach water.

2019: Pinebrook Park earns Wildlife Habitat Certification

The National Wildlife Federation announced in May that Pinebrook Park has been certified as a Wildlife Habitat. This honor was achieved after site visits, water quality research and collaboration with the neighborhood association Friends of Pinebrook Park. NWF habitat standards require four basic elements all wildlife needs to thrive: food, water, cover and places to raise young. All are abundantly available throughout the park. A fifth requirement is sustainable practices, which Venice and Sarasota County have already implemented. At over 77 acres, Pinebrook Park, 1251 Pinebrook Road, is the largest of 46 certified habitats in Venice.

2019: Monty Andrews Arboretum awarded accreditation

In April, the Monty Andrews Arboretum awarded a Level I Accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum, for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. The Monty Andrews Arboretum is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.

2019: 50 Safest Cities in Florida

In April, SafeWise named the City of Venice the 19th Safest City in Florida in a listing of the state's 50 Safest Cities. Its report lists Venice's violent crime rate as 1.23 per 1,000 people and the property crime rate as 13.40 per 1,000 people. SafeWise is an independent review site of home security systems.

2019: Top 10 Weekend Getaways

In February, Venice made a list of 10 Weekend Getaways from Tampa by Trips to Discover. The listing states: "Only an hour away, Venice has a lot to offer in the way of water sports, fishing and boating, but this small town is famous for something entirely different. Take a walk along its shores and discover unique souvenirs, a collection of fossilized sharks teeth that have washed up on its pearly white beaches. Afterward, explore the historic downtown area and admire its beautiful architecture, browse through the charming boutique shops and dine in local seafood restaurants. If you’re traveling with your furry four-legged friends, take them to Brohard Paw Park for a day of fun in the sun."

Safest Cities in Florida 2019

The City of Venice was ranked the 12th Safest City in Florida by the National Council for Home Safety and Security. The organization’s methodology includes a review of the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics. View the full report by clicking here.

2019: Utilities Water Main Replacement Project lauded

City of Venice staff were recognized in February during an E-Week Awards Banquet at Mote Marine in Sarasota. The event was hosted by the Florida Engineering Society, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Public Works Association and the Florida Water Environment Association. The City Utilities Department received a Florida Water Environment Association Award for Recognition of Excellence in Engineering for the City of Venice Water Main Replacement Phases 1-5. Additionally, Assistant City Engineer Alex Boudreau received an American Public Works Association Award for Distinguished Service to Public Works.

2018 Employee of the Year Award

Venice Police Service Aide Wilberto "Willie" Acosta was named the 2018 Employee of the Year during the Feb. 12, 2019, City Council meeting. Acosta has been with the City since November 2017. He was a recipient of the VPD Life Saving Award for his successful life-saving efforts during calls in January 2018 and March 2018. During both calls, Acosta was able to provide life-saving measures to restore a heartbeat in both citizens. Acosta worked medical rescues for 28 years in New York City.

2019: Tree City USA

In January, Venice was again named a 2018 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. The City achieved Tree City USA recognition for the 9th year by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. Find out more about the program by clicking here.

Best Places to Retire in Florida

Personal finance website SmartAsset ranked Venice No. 8 on its Best Places to Retire in Florida list. SmartAsset looked at factors like tax rates and how many doctors’ offices, recreation centers and retirements centers there were per 1,000 people — as well as the percentage of seniors in each market — in creating its listing. It states Venice has 0.61 retirement communities per 1,000 residents, and 7.15 medical centers per 1,000 residents.

2018: FAPA Award of Merit-Comprehensive Plan

The Florida American Planning Association (FAPA) selected the City of Venice's 2017 Comprehensive Plan for the 2018 Award of Merit in the Comprehensive Plan (Small Jurisdiction) category in July. The award recognizes the work and efforts of City staff, Planning Commission and City Council in undertaking the Comprehensive Plan update. 

2018: Florida Planning and Zoning Association Grass Roots/Public Involvement Award

The Florida Planning and Zoning Association’s 2018 Grass Roots/Public Involvement Award was presented to the City of Venice Planning & Zoning Department on June 8 in Orlando. The award lauds the community engagement that went into the Comprehensive Plan update. The Comp Plan went through a major rewrite that took a little over 2 years to complete and involved over 80 public meetings.

Top 15 Best Beach Towns

Venice made a listing of 2018’s Top 15 Best Beach Towns to Live in, in a study from personal finance website WalletHub.com published in June. To determine the most livable beachside communities, WalletHub compared 205 cities across 58 key metrics. The data set ranges from housing costs to share of for-sale waterfront homes to quality of beach water. To view the full study, click here. 

2018: David W. York Award

The City of Venice Water Reclamation Facility received the David W. York Award in April for reuse system of the year in 2018 (in the 5-15 MGD category). Utilities staff received the award in April at the 2018 Florida Water Resources Conference. The Florida Water Environment Association (FWEA) Water Resources, Reuse and Resiliency Committee honors utilities for their commitment to, and their accomplishments in, developing and maintaining exemplary reuse programs.

2018: Venice named No. 1 Safest City to Retire

In February, Venice scored No. 1 in a listing of Top 20 Safest Cities to Retire for 2018 by Security Choice, a sales partner of ADT Home Security Systems. Security Choice analyzed 495 cities or major metro areas in the U.S. They then ranked the top 100 safest cities to retire using multiple criteria, including FBI crime data, average retirement age in the state, cost of living and healthcare costs. Venice received the highest score in the listing, 87.21. Security Choice states, "More than 52% of this beach paradise’s residents are age 65 and above, making it a top retirement destination. At a crime rate of just 1.8%, it’s also one of the top 40 lowest ranking cities for crime in the U.S. Retiring in Venice means residents can enjoy 31 municipal parks, central downtown shopping and a very affordable cost of living." 

Best Things to Do in the Springtime in Florida

Digital travel magazine Trips To Discover featured Venice Beach in a February article on the 11 Best Things To Do in the Springtime in Florida. Under "Bask in the sunshine on an idyllic beach," the article states, "Venice Beach offers you a chance to discover prehistoric shark teeth along the shoreline."

Top Charming Small Town in Florida 

The travel blog touropia.com named Venice No. 7 on a listing of 15 “Most Charming Small Towns in Florida” in February. According to the site: “A historic downtown with a lot of character due to its Italian architecture dating back to 1925, Venice has a lot of recreational opportunities — swimming, fishing, shark tooth hunting (of course!), and plenty of weekend entertainment.”

2018: Featured in Where to Retire magazine

Venice, Fla., was selected as a top retirement destination by Where to Retire, a magazine geared toward helping people with retirement relocation decisions. The city is profiled in the March/April 2018 issue. Where to Retire Editor Annette Fuller said Venice possesses qualities important to today’s retirees: “One of the prettiest cities on Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, Venice was walkable before walkable was cool. A 1920s-era planner demanded that homes, parks and schools be in walking distance."

2018: Tree City USA

In January, Venice was named a 2017 Tree City USA for the 8th year by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. The City achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. Find out more about the program by clicking here.

2017 Employee of the Year Award

Ron Peyton, Instrumentation & Controls Technician at the Venice Utilities Eastside Water Reclamation Facility, was named the city’s 2017 Employee of the Year. Peyton is a 23-year city employee. City Manager Ed Lavallee said Peyton spearheaded a huge expansion of telemetry and electrical panels leading to tremendous reduction in lift station failures, his knowledge and resourcefulness makes him an effective mentor and teacher, and he demonstrates to staff that each and every person has the ability to make a difference and affect real and lasting improvements.      

Best Beaches for Shelling in Florida

Digital travel magazine Trips to Discover named Venice Beach one of the 13 Best Beaches for Shelling in Florida in December 2017, highlighting the city as the "Shark's Tooth Capital of the World."

Best Fall Beach Destinations in Florida

In October 2017, the City of Venice was named one of 12 Best Fall Beach Destinations in Florida by Trips to Discover, an online travel booking site.

2017: 3CMA Savvy Award of Excellence

In September, 3CMA (City-County Communications & Marketing Association) awarded the City of Venice a Savvy Award of Excellence in the Category of Marketing and Tools – Government Service Delivery/Community Issue (Population 0–61,000) for the City's 2016 Hurricane Seminar, held in Council Chambers with standing-room-only attendance. 

2017: Most Extraordinary Beaches in the World

In May, Venice Beach was named one of the most extraordinary beaches in the world by travel website Expedia.com. Twenty-eight beaches made the list because of their quirky features, breathtakingly divine vistas, and memorable characteristics, according to Expedia.

Visit Sarasota Guest Service Excellence-Heart of the House

City of Venice Public Information Officer Lorraine Anderson won “Guest Service Excellence-Heart of the House” at a lunchtime Awards Luncheon May 11 sponsored by Visit Sarasota County in recognition of National Travel & Tourism Week (May 7-13, 2017). This award recognizes the actions of those who go above and beyond for their customers and colleagues.

2017: 2nd Best Place to Retire

The City of Venice was ranked No. 2 in Florida and No. 14 nationwide among the Best Cities for Seniors to Retire, according to consumer research website GoodCall.com.
GoodCall analysts aimed to take into account a wide variety of metrics that would make a city great for retirement, according to the website. Some retirement-focused metrics included migration rates for residents age 65 and older, health care costs, weather, and restaurants and amenities.
Venice, a city of about 22,000 people, has a 56.80% population age 65+, 19.7 crime rate per 1,000 people, 6.34 health-care facilities per 1,000 people, and 77.1% sunny days, according to the site’s research.

2017: Third Healthiest Region in Florida

Sarasota County, of which Venice is a part, was named Florida’s third-healthiest region for the third year in a row by the Robert Wood Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. The county ranks third in the state for “health outcomes” – length and quality of life. It comes in second overall in “health factors,” including lifestyle habits, medical care, regional socioeconomics and the environment. The county is also a clear leader in access to exercise opportunities and excels nationally in its low number of hospital stays.

Top 7% of Cities with Highest Credit Scores

In March, Venice ranked in the Top 7% of Cities with the Highest Credit Scores in a recent study from personal finance outlet WalletHub.com. Venice ranks 93rd percentile overall and 93rd percentile among small city in terms of average credit score. WalletHub’s analysts compared the average credit scores of residents in 2,534 U.S. cities. Venice ranked 168.

Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the Fiscal Year Ending 2017

Venice Finance Director Linda Senne received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2016-17 budget, given to her from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). According to GFOA, the award represents significant achievement by the City of Venice and reflects the highest principles of government budgeting. The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving more than 19,000 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.

2017: 21st Best Place to Live in U.S.

The Sarasota, Fla., metro area, of which Venice is a part, made No. 21 on U.S. News & World Report’s 25 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2017. To rank the Best Places to Live, U.S. News assesses statistics for the country's 100 largest metro areas, including each location’s job market, cost of living, crime rates, educational quality, availability of top-notch health care and more. Each category is weighted based on a survey of 2,000 people across the country and what they said matters most to them when picking their next place to live.

2017: Safest Cities in Florida

The National Council for Home Safety and Security named the City of Venice one of its 50 Safest Cities in Florida for 2017. To identify the safest cities in Florida, they reviewed the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics along with population data and internal research. They eliminated any cities that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI and removed cities with populations under 5,000. The remaining cities were ranked based on the number of reported violent crimes and property crimes per 100,000 people. These variables were then weighted, with violent crimes accounting for 70% of the total (due to their severity) and property crimes accounting for 30%. Venice made No. 28 on the list.

2017 Healthy Weight Community Champion

The Florida Department of Health recognized Venice as one of 98 communities designated 2017 Healthy Weight Community Champions. Venice’s program highlights include: The City of Venice has recently been recognized as a Silver Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists for the second time. This award was earned based on the multiple bike/pedestrian enhancements made throughout the city. Multi-use trails and bike lanes provide access to downtown shopping, restaurants, festivals and parks and recreation facilities. The City maintains a system of 37 parks complete with beach access, playgrounds, jogging paths and nature trails. The Community Champions program is part of the department’s Healthiest Weight Florida initiative. Healthiest Weight Florida is a public-private collaboration bringing together state agencies, local governments, not-for-profit organizations, businesses, schools, faith-based organizations and entire communities to help Florida’s children and adults make consistent, informed choices about healthy eating and active living.

2016 Employee of the Year Award

Mike Wisdom, Municipal Service Worker II with the Venice Public Works Department, was named the city’s 2016 Employee of the Year. Wisdom is a 3 1/2-year employee. “In many of the nominations we got describing Mike, phrases start with ‘always,’” City Manager Ed Lavallee said. “Always compassionate, always considerate, always respectful, always meticulous. Not sometimes — always.” One nomination stated that Wisdom’s work “goes above and beyond standard landscape maintenance, resembling quality only found at some of the best botanical gardens.”

2016 Bicycle Friendly Community - Silver designation

Four years ago, the League of American Bicyclists also named the City of Venice a Bicycle Friendly Community with Silver status. The City received an Honorable Mention in 2008. The application for the honor covers five principal sections — education, encouragement, enforcement, evaluation and planning, and the biggest measure, engineering. Venice has come a long way toward being bicycle-friendly and has made a lot of improvements since the last application submission, including installing new bike racks around the city, restriping bike lanes and crosswalks, resurfacing roads, and hiring a part-time bicycle pedestrian coordinator, Darlene Culpepper. Venice was part of the largest application round in the BFC program’s 13-year history.

2016: No. 1 Best Place to Travel in November

Venice ranked #1 on a TripAdvisor list of “10 Best Places to Travel in November to Stay Warm & Save Money” nationwide. The weekly rental rate in the city is listed as $813, which reflects the average cost for a weeklong stay in a two-bedroom property during November 2016, according to TripAdvisor.

“The Gulf Coast destination boasts beautiful parks, green spaces and public beaches — including Venice Beach, a family-friendly spot known for good shark tooth hunting and an offshore reef popular with scuba divers,” the listing reads. “Spend the day by the waves, then hop on a bike or lace up your running shoes and hit the trails at Venetian Waterway Park. Visit during November to watch artists transform pavement into 3-D paintings during the International Chalk Festival, which attracts talent from all over the world.”

Congressional Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award

Venice Fire Battalion Chief Scott Blanchard was presented the Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan Sept. 19, 2016, part of Florida's 16th District Congressional Fire and Rescue and EMS Awards. Blanchard helped save a man who was preparing to jump from the ledge of a three-story building. In 2015, Blanchard was the recipient of both the Venice Fire Department's Officer of the Year Award and the Valor Award. He has been with the city for over 15 years

2016: 11th Best Small Town to Visit in Florida

Venice ranked No. 11 in an online listing of 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in Florida, done by thecrazytourist.com

2016: Southern Living Magazine’s Best Places to Retire

Venice made Southern Living Magazine’s list of the South’s Best Places to Retire in August. The magazine focused on areas with unique amenities, a low cost of living, opportunities for volunteering, part-time work, continued learning, a stable housing market, access to medical care, and an airport or train station close by for visits from family and grandkids. Venice is one of 15 cities named by the magazine as a best place to retire.

2016: 2nd Most Affordable Florida West Coast Beach

Venice made a TripAdvisor listing of 24 Most Affordable Florida West Coast Beaches, coming in at No. 2. TripAdvisor averaged the prices of the 10 most affordable destinations on each of the two coasts and discovered that west coast Florida beaches are more budget-friendly overall for vacation rentals.

2016: 10 Safest Mid-sized Cities in Florida

Venice ranked among the 10 Safest Mid-sized Cities in Florida in a ValuePenguin.com study. The ranking is based on a variety of crime metrics sourced from the FBI across 201 Florida cities.

Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the Fiscal Year Ending 2016

Venice Finance Director Linda Senne received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2015-16 budget, given to her from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). According to GFOA, the award represents significant achievement by the City of Venice and reflects the highest principles of government budgeting. The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving more than 18,000 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C

4th Best Town to Live in Florida 2016

RentApplication.com, a website devoted to all things real estate, named Venice one of the Best Towns to Live in Florida 2016. Ratings were compiled by combining census, education, wealth, happiness and internal RentApplication data to create a unified rating system for all of the towns in the state. In a listing of 34 areas in Florida, Venice ranked No. 4.

2016: 16th Most Affordable Small Sunny Town

Venice was identified as one of the 50 Most Affordable Small Sunny Towns in the United States in a ranking by www.light-therapy.net. The ranking considered the top sunniest towns in the country and was narrowed to include the most affordable of these locales. With 266 sunny days annually, Venice was ranked No. 16

2016: Venice 3rd Happiest City in America

The North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton MSA, which includes Venice, made No. 3 on a list of Happiest Cities in America in a ranking conducted by 24/7 Wall St. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed polling company Gallup’s 2015 Healthways Well-Being Index, which measures the well-being of Americans in each metropolitan statistical area based on interviews conducted over the last two years. The index incorporates a range of metrics grouped into five categories: the purpose, social, financial, community and physical elements of well-being.

50 Safest Cities in Florida 2016

BackgroundChecks.org, a website devoted to public safety and open government, named Venice one of the 50 Safest Cities in Florida 2016.

2015 Employee of the Year Award

Marine Patrol Officer Paul Joyce, a nearly 25-year city employee, received the Employee of the Year Award. Joyce weighs in on the procurement of vehicles, along with installation of electronics and helping arrange for maintenance. In addition, he is an FDLE-certified driving instructor as well as the principal driving instructor for city employees. Joyce also volunteers all the time. The officer is a liaison to groups including the West Coast Inland Navigation District, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and U.S. Coast Guard, and assists with many of the city's signature events, such as the Holiday Boat Parade and Shark’s Tooth Festival.

2015 Model Agency Award to Venice Police Department

City of Venice School Resource Officer Program received the 2015 Model Agency Award from the National Association of School Resource Officers, This prestigious award is presented to agencies that exemplify the NASRO TRIAD concept in training, policies and standards and that demonstrate creative and innovative approaches
to school based policing. The award was presented on July 7, 2015 at the 25th Annual NASRO School Safety Conference in Orlando. School Resource Officers
Ruth Terry and Sean Hammett were there to receive the award on behalf of the department

Venice: Second Happiest Seaside Town in U.S. 2015

Venice was named the second happiest seaside town in the United States by Coastal Living Magazine in June. The first place city went to Southport, N.C.

2014 Rocky Pomerance Excellence in Policing Award

The Venice Police Department received the 2014 Rocky Pomerance Excellence in Policing Award, a testament to the professional accomplishments of the sworn and civilian personnel. The award, presented by the Florida Police Chiefs Association, recognizes quality and innovation in municipal policing.

November 2014: Venice 13th Best Place in Florida to Raise a Family

Nerd Wallet named Venice the 13th best place in Florida to raise a family. The selection was based on quality of schools, home affordability, growth and prosperity, and median income. The article may be seen at:
www.nerdwallet.com/blog/cities/economics/best-places-for-youngfamilies-in-florida/.

2014 Florida Accreditation Manager of the Year

Venice Police Department Accreditation Coordinator Lee Lyons was named 2014 Accreditation Manager of the Year by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation. According to CFA, Lyon’s nomination was based on her passion, integrity, dedication, experience and knowledge as an accreditation manager, distinguishing her as an outstanding role model.

2014 Employee of the Year Award

Planner Roger Clark received the Employee of the Year Award. The 12‐year city employee who grew up in Venice was selected because of his exemplary customer service skills, extensive duties performed at a high level, and outstanding ethics.

2014 Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting

Finance Director Jeff Snyder received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. The award is presented by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for the city’s comprehensive annual financial report.

Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for Fiscal Year Ending 2014

Venice Finance Director Jeff Snyder received the Distinguished Budget Presentation
Award for the 2013-14 city budget, which he received from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). According to GFOA, the award represents significant achievement by the City of Venice and reflects the highest principles of government budgeting. The GFOA is a nonprofit professional
association serving approximately 17,500 government finance professionals with
offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.

2013: Great Beach

MSN Living named Caspersen Beach in Venice as one of 25 top beaches to visit before the end of summer.

2013: Best Retirement Hot Spot for Real Estate Investing

Venice was named number 10 among the 15 best retirement hot spots for real estate investing in the United States by Realty Trac. Venice is among seven cities in Florida to make the list.

2013: Great Place to Retire

Market Watch, a Wall Street Journal website, named Venice one of 10 top cities in the United States to retire in.

2013 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting

Finance Director Jeff Snyder received the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association for citizens budget guide.

2013 Employee of the Year Award

Lee Lyons received the Employee of the Year Award. Lyons is a civilian employee at the Police Department, where her work was instrumental in getting the department reaccredited. She was nominated by her peers.

2013 Earle B. Phelps Award

The City of Venice Utilities Department is the recipient of the 2013 Earle B. Phelps Award, presented by the Florida Water Environment Association to recognize the wastewater treatment facility that has maintained the highest removal of major pollution causing constituents prior to discharging the treated effluent to the receiving water. The award was presented at the association’s annual conference
April 8, 2014. Operations supervisor, Jim Petrosky, received the award on behalf of the department.

2012 Bicycle Friendly Community - Silver designation

In 2012, the League of American Bicyclists named the City of Venice a Bicycle Friendly Community with Silver status. The City received an Honorable Mention in 2008.

The application for the honor covers five principal sections — education, encouragement, enforcement, evaluation and planning, and the biggest measure, engineering.

2009 Firefighter of the Year - Steve Worobel

Steve Worobel's nominator wrote, "Steve has shown over the years to be a sound and reliable firefighter both on and off duty. He continues to excel as a fill-in officer and a firefighter. He is well respected by the department. Steve shows he is knowledgeable at the scene of emergencies and does an outstanding job on a day-to-day basis. He puts in many off-duty hours planning fund-raising events for those in need. Steve is a true asset to the fire department and is well deserving of the 2009 Firefighter of the Year Award."

2009 Emergency Medical Technician of the Year - Justin Cammarata

Justin Cammarata's nominator wrote, "We approached the paramedics on our shift and asked for a nomination for EMT of the Year. One name came up by all and it was Justin Cammarata. Professionalism and bed-side manner were the first characteristics mentioned. No matter the situation or the severity of the call, Justin always exhibits those two characteristics. Justin is a reflection of what the city is trying to promote with good customer service and a high standard of patient care. This is why Justin Cammarata is deserving of the 2009 EMT of the Year Award."

Communications Crystal Award

Public Information Officer Pam Johnson received a second-place award for Venice City E-News in the external publication category at the 2008 Crystal Awards sponsored by Florida Government Communicators Association.

Picot B. Floyd Public Service Leadership Award

Venice City Manager Martin P. Black is the recipient of the Picot B. Floyd Public Service Leadership Award from the Suncoast Chapter of American Society for Public Administration presented on June 29, 2007 in Dunedin.

The award recognizes a public administrator in the Tampa Bay area who demonstrates the ability to provide for the effective functioning of a unit or agency; manages conflict resulting in positive outcomes; delegates authority and encourages subordinates to assume responsibility for decisions and actions; provides leadership and vision; makes difficult decisions in times of adversity or opposition; generates new ideas; listens to others who may hold contrary ideas; and sets high standards of personal integrity and moral character.

Robert N. Clark Memorial Award

Venice City Clerk Lori Stelzer received the Florida Association of City Clerks Robert N. Clark Memorial Award recognizing the city clerk who has significantly promoted and advanced the ideas and goals of the city clerk profession. The award was presented in June 2007.

Venice MainStreet Awards

The City of Venice received two Venice MainStreet Design Awards for new construction in May 2007. One was in honor of Michael Biehl Park on the corner of U.S. 41 Business and Tampa Avenue. The design includes a mural, water feature and a granite stone engraved with the John Nolen plan for the city. The second award, given jointly to the city and Venice Area Beautification Inc., was for the newly opened Venice Arboretum in Blalock Park in the 300 block of Nassau Street. The arboretum is an educational showcase for various types of palm trees. A bronze statue of a sea turtle is a special feature.

Beautification Awards

The City of Venice was presented with two beautification awards at the annual Arts and Culture Alliance Muses Awards banquet on April 10, 2007. One of the awards was given in recognition of the newly created Michael Biehl Park. The other was presented to jointly to Venice MainStreet and the city in recognition of Centennial Park Interactive Fountain.

Communications Crystal Award

City of Venice Public Information Officer Pam Johnson received a first-place Crystal Award in the category of annual report publications from the Florida Government Communicators Association in December 2006 for the City of Venice 2006 Calendar and 2005 Annual Report.

City Manager of the Year Finalist

City Manager Martin P. Black was one of five finalist for the Florida League of Cities 2006 City Manager of the Year Award. He received the recognition on Nov. 17, 2006 in Orlando. The annual award is presented to a city manager for exemplary efforts made in the past year to benefit the city. Black’s nomination by Venice City Council was unanimous.

City Awards and Recognition Timeline

April 2001: Florida Trend Magazine featured Venice as one of eight cities in its article, “Florida Small Town Gems,” by Stacie Kress Booker.

November 2001: Where to Retire Magazine named Venice one of the top 100 places to retire in its article, “America’s Best 100 Retirement Towns,” by Richard Fox.

May 2002: Venice presented with the Accessible America Award by the National Organization on Disability.

April 2003: Muses Award for community beautification as a result of the purchase of civic banners and downtown lighting presented by the Arts and Culture Alliance.

April 2003: Muses Award for historical preservation as a result of the historic video, “Imagining Venice,” presented by the Arts and Culture Alliance.

November/December 2003: Where to Retire Magazine named Venice one of eight great walking towns in an article by Jay Clark.

2004: “Relocate-America.com 2004 List of America’s Top 100 Places to Live!” named Venice as the number one location.

2004: Venice Beach was certified as a Blue Wave Beach by the Clean Beaches Council’s Blue Wave Campaign and National Healthy Beaches Campaign for 2003-2004.

2006: Distinguished Project of the Year Award for Envision Venice, 2005 Evaluation and Appraisal Report Project, presented by the Suncoast Section of the American Planning Association.

2006: Project Achievement Award for Outstanding Innovation to Envision Venice 2006 Evaluation and Appraisal Report Project, presented by the Florida Planning and Zoning Association.

May 2007: Venice MainStreet Design Awards for new construction given by Venice MainStreet in recognition of a new park, Michael Biehl Park, and an improved park, the Arboretum at Blalock Park.

2007: Life and Safety Achievement Award for 2006 presented to the Venice Fire Department by the Residential Fire Safety Institute, in recognition of fire prevention programs.

2007: Venice was featured on Retirement Living TV as one of the best places in the nation to retire. The one-hour television show premiered on Oct. 12, 12007.