North Port to consider Resolution on State Amendment 1

 This communication from City of North Port Vice-Mayor Debbie McDowell will be proposed on Tuesday at the city. It seeks action on Amendment 1:

I wanted to let you know on Tuesday, January 22 at 6 p.m. I have requested a vote on a resolution to urge the state legislature to fund Amendment 1. You’ll remember Amendment 1 was voted on in 2014, statewide, to set funds aside to acquire and restore Florida conservation and recreation lands. 

• This link will take you to the proposed resolution

• This link is to the entire agenda

If this passes, I will be requesting a copy of the resolution be forwarded to our state legislature and the Florida League of Cities with the hopes they will enact a similar resolution.  I will also request the resolution be forwarded to other municipalities and county governments. 

I hope you will be able to attend the meeting to encourage a “yes” vote from the rest of the commission.   Public comment is welcomed and encouraged.  If you can’t attend, please email all of the commissioners at once --  Commissioners@cityofnorthport.com.

Have a great evening.

Debbie McDowell

Vice-Mayor

City of North Port

4970 City Hall Blvd.

North Port, FL  34286

Office:  941-429-7071

City Cell:  941-628-0486

On Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, North Port became the first municipality in Florida to adopt a resolution asking that the new governor reinitiate the statewide Advanced Stormwater Treatment Rule. This Rule would set in motion a scientific testing period for a process that could reduce the outflow of nutrients from stormwater systems statewide by 80% or more. Current systems function at a rate of 40-45%, according to scientists who have worked on this for nearly two decades. Find out more about this North Port initiative here.

Amendment to reduce open space: June 26, 5:30 pm

An amendment to the 2050 Comprehensive Plan is being considered. It would ease the process (and the expense) for a developer to

 A) reduce the open space required for a Village Plan from 50 percent to 33 percent, and
 B) reduce the required buffer from 500 feet to 250 feet.

 At the advertised June 26th public meeting (not a hearing), the proposal will be presented and the public may comment. If you wish to ensure that your comments become part of the permanent record, submit them in writing to the planner at the meeting, or send them to vroe@scgov.net.

Also, while the notice says that this amendment was "publicly initiated," the "public" in this case was a developer. Given that the regulations are created precisely to mediate between the public and the development industry, we would "amend" the notice to clarify whose interests are actually being represented in this amendment.

Developer-tailored Amendment to Greenway and Open Space Policies?

Public Notice Proposed Amendment to the Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan The Sarasota County Planning and Development Services Department will hold two public meetings on proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2015-G. Both meetings will present the same information. These are not public hearings. The purpose of the meeting is to inform the public about the content of the proposed amendment and to seek comments and suggestions regarding the amendment. The public meetings will be held on: Date:                 January 18, 2017 Time:                 6:00 p.m. Location:            Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave., Meeting Room B, Sarasota Date:                 January 25, 2017 Time:                 6:00 p.m. Location:            Englewood Sports Complex, 1300 S. River Rd, Englewood The publicly-initiated amendment is related to the required Open Space and Greenbelts for 2050 Village developments, and proposes to revise Policies VOS5.1, VOS1.2.a, and VOS2.1 of the Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan, Future Land Use Chapter, Sarasota 2050 RMA System section, and other policies as necessary. The amendments could allow the County Commission to: 1. Grant requests for exceptions and/or reduction of the required 500-foot Greenbelt widths of a 2050 Village, with established criteria; and 2. Grant requests to reduce the Open Space of a 2050 Village to less than the required 50%, but to no less than a minimum of 33%, with established criteria. For more information or to send written comments on the proposed amendment, contact: Planning and Development Services Department 1660 Ringling Blvd, 1st Floor Sarasota FL 34236 planner@scgov.net Please call 941-861-5000 or email planner@scgov.net with your questions.

Planning Services Planning Services provides unincorporated Sarasota County with land use services in collaboration with businesses, residents and neighboring jurisdictions to build a sustainable, prosperous community that distinguishes Sarasota County.

Planning Services |  planner@scgov.net | 941-861-5000  www.scgov.net/planningservices

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Public comment on Pat Neal's proposed change to the 2050 plan

Letter to the County Commission relating to Pat Neal's proposed new element of the 2050 Plan to accommodate his "Grand Lake" development:

To:  Sarasota County County Commissioners and Planners
10/25/16
Re. Comprehensive Plan Amendment No.2015-F 

Thank you for this opportunity for input.
Unless you haven't paid attention to the local media,  housing is a continually expressed need and is even written as a housing goal in the Comprehensive Plan.  In this case, it is a proposed increase in the number of homes from 258 to 788 dwelling units and yet requesting an elimination of the affordable housing requirement?
This decision will set a precedent for other proposed developments and those who vote for this Comprehensive Plan Amendment can take the credit for not helping a community need and paving the way for future affordable housing insults resulting in more of those who provide local services as well as the young professionals to live elsewhere.
The traffic intersection analysis approval seems to be based on assumptions vs fact about future improvements.  E-53 pg.599
Potable water needs will be significantly increased from 64,500 gpd to 261,000 gallons per day.  There is some ambiguity as to what water line would be used, the one on Ibis or the line extension on Clark.
I didn't see a proposed Fiscal Neutrality Studying the documents.  Obviously more infrastructure and services will be required from the original approval for 258 homes to the request for 788 dwelling units.
There were a number of residents in the area who were okay with the original 258 home approval but 788 presents numerous issues which is not adequately addressed. Many of the issues in the proposal were pushed to the County or FDOT to fulfill.
Please vote No on this critical decision at this juncture in Sarasota’s Growth and Development as it truly doesn't reflect the needs of this community and will set a precedent that will plague us all. 

Thank you,
Vicki Nighswander
Sarasota, FL