City prepares to vet Laurel Park zoning changes

In April, a 3-2 City Commission vote set a precedent for the future of Rawls Avenue, a narrow street near the heart of downtown Sarasota.

The city rejected the proposed expansion of the Woman’s Exchange, which would have included the construction of a loading zone on Rawls. Commissioners said that loading zone would not have been compatible with the neighboring residential area, siding with the Laurel Park Neighborhood Association regarding the contested project.

Now, the city is working to codify its belief that the residential quality of Rawls should be maintained despite its proximity to a commercially zoned area. Today, staff is holding a community workshop regarding changes to existing zoning regulations near the western edge of Laurel Park.

A proposed comprehensive plan amendment would change the classification of a segment of three streets: Oak Street, Laurel Street and Morrill Street. Currently, those streets are designated as “primary streets” between Orange Avenue and Rawls, which means they must adhere to specific regulations intended to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment.

The zoning code requires that, when possible, parking shall be accessed via alleys or secondary streets when possible. As a result, properties along Orange Avenue that also front a second primary street and Rawls Avenue are forced to put points of ingress and egress — and loading zones — onto Rawls.

The changes, then, are designed to allow the Woman’s Exchange to expand without using Rawls for the loading zone. The new classification would also permit other property owners in the area to avoid using Rawls as an access point in the future.

If approved, the changes would remove the primary street classification on Oak, Laurel and Morrill beginning 50 feet east of Orange Avenue and extending to Rawls Avenue. After today’s workshop, the comprehensive plan amendment will go to the Planning Board and City Commission for approval.

Despite the city’s effort to change the zoning regulations, the Woman’s Exchange has filed a formal challenge to the commission’s decision to reject the plans for expansion.