Unpredictability is part of Sound Planning Judgment

The city of Sarasota is undergoing some of the same growth stresses as the county - perhaps even more intensely, as the land area is obviously much smaller than the county as a whole.

In an HT guest editorial, former City Commissioner Eileen Normile offered some thoughts about Comprehensive Planning and the role of entities like the city's Planning Board - thoughts that seem entirely relevant to developer proposals to change the County's Comprehensive Plan:

. . . while calling for predictability, some would like to see the comp plan bend and stretch like a rubber band at the whim of any applicant who would like relief from the strictures on the land they purchased. Evidently, predictability is for the change agent only.

There are certainly times when modifications to the city’s comp plan are warranted, but more than in any other circumstance, these changes have to be considered in light of the common good. How does it impact the city as a whole? Does it create a dangerous traffic situation? Will it negatively impact the people living nearby? Does it meet the goals and objectives of the city plan in its entirety?

The complexities of decisions like this cannot be contained in written code alone. Any planning board that is totally predictable in its findings before its members have heard the testimony given by applicants, city staff and the public is a board that is not doing its job. 

Normile is a member of CityPac-SRQ, which espouses an approach to "responsible growth balancing residents, merchants, and visitors." 

Desirable public places often are beset by many hands trying to shape, change, intensify:

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For more context, here's a March 17th, 2024 Herald Tribune update on proposed residential housing for downtown Sarasota:

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT

Downtown Sarasota is being transformed by residential construction, with projects in place that could add more year-round residents than at any other point in the last 40 years. Here are some of the developments in progress or planned for the near future.

Aster & Links

1991 Main St.

h Two buildings, 10 stories, 420 apartments, retail space

h Plan Approval: 12/16/2021

h Estimated Construction Cost:

$92 million

h Contractor: Suffolk Construction Company

City One Stop Shop

1575 2nd St.

h A 30,000-square-foot office building under construction where the city of Sarasota’s development services department will be located when complete.

h $12 million (estimated)

The Cordelia Apartments

468 Quay Commons

h 12 stories, 240 apartments

h Plan Approval: 4/29/2022

h $75 million (estimated)

h Contractor: Hoar Construction

De Marcay

33 S. Palm Ave.

h 18 stories, 39 condos

h Plan Approval: 6/26/2015

h $25.744 million (estimated)

h Architect: Parker Walter Group Inc.

h Contractor: Voeller Construction

The Edge

290 Cocoanut Ave.

h 10 stories, 27 condos

h Plan Approval: Pending

h $35 million (estimated)

h Contractor: Kast Construction Company Florida

En Pointe

509 Golden Gate Point

h Five stories, 4 condos

h Plan Approval: 4/28/2022

h $4.5 million (estimated)

h Contractor: Nautilus Custom Homes

The Evolution

111 Golden Gate Point

h Eight stories, 20 condos

h Plan Approval: 8/26/2020

h Architect: DSDG Architects

h Contractor: Voeller Construction Inc.

The Gallery

1329 4th St.

h Five stories, 62 condos

h Plan Approval: 3/8/2019

h $18.375 million (estimated)

h Architect: Halflants + Pichette

h Contractor: Voeller Construction

LaVerne Concierge Living

307 S. Orange Ave.

h Eight stories, 161 assisted living units

h Plan Approval: Pending

h $49.8 million (estimated)

h Architect: Hoyt Architects

h Contractor: Core Construction Services of FL

The Owen

325 Golden Gate Point

h 10 stories, 29 condos

h Plan Approval: Pending

h $42.24 million (estimated)

h Contractor: Connor and Gaskins Unlimited

The Peninsula

223 Golden Gate Point

h Nine stories, 23 condos

h Plan Approval: 5/03/2023

h $39 million (estimated)

h Contractor: Mark Williams Construction Company

Ritz-Carlton Residences

Sarasota Bay

555 Quay Commons

h 18 stories, 78 condos

h Plan Approval: Pending

h $149.7 million (estimated)

h Architect: SB Architects

h Contractor: Moss & Associates