Benderson seeks waiver and extension to plan "Fruitville Initiative"

Benderson development must commence construction on 41.34 acres of the “Fruitville Initiative” by March, or so the purchase contract states.

The property and property surrounding it were intended for development as a "walkable, traditional town center," after planning meetings that took place in 2010, according to a memo from Tom Polk included in the agenda packet for the Oct. 28 Sarasota County Commission meeting. 

When Benderson brought its plan to the board in October 2015, commissioners told Benderson more work on the proposal would be required before they could approve it.

According to that same Oct. 28 memo, Benderson's proposed 200,000-square-feet of light industrial and supporting development would have created "...a single use and scale that is a departure from the mixed-use, compact, ‘traditional town center’ development form outlined by the provisions of adopted PED zoning district and the adopted Interconnectivity Plan.”

The Commission denied Benderson’s rezone petition at that Oct. 28 meeting.

Now the board will consider at its Jan. 26 meeting whether to allow Benderson six more months to start construction, during which time Benderson will work on modifying its proposal, according to a letter sent to the county by Todd Mathes, director of development for Benderson.

Should a new proposal require a rezone, he added, the ability to bring the request before the Commission before a year has elapsed, the usual requirement, will be necessary. A memo from Tom Polk, director of planning and development services, states that staff recommends approving the construction commencement date and waiving the 1-year requirement. 

Mathes closed the letter saying that if the board isn’t inclined to waive the 1-year rule, Benderson “will need to revisit the substantive terms of (the purchase contract) with (Sarasota County).”