Sarasota County tells EDC to refine changes to Business Park zoning

For Sarasota County to attract new businesses and to provide opportunities for local companies to expand, it needs more, and a wider variety of, land on which to build commercial structures. 

And with continually rising property and construction costs, it needs to offer greater flexibility in both parcel size and building height within the Business Park (BP) zone district.

Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County President and CEO Erin Silk delivered that message to the County Commission on June 2 during a presentation of requested changes to the county’s Unified Development Code and Comprehensive Plan to expand opportunities for commercial development.

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The BP zone district was created in April 2022, later refined in July 2022 by a new Business Park Corridor Resource Management Area that is linear, rather than geometric, in nature. That designation limited the BP Zone to areas along Fruitville Road, Bee Ridge Road, South River Road, and State Road 681, later expanded to include portions of Lorraine Road south of Clark Road.

The EDC’s original six proposals were whittled to four with the EDC deciding to withdraw two regarding buffer requirements and warehouse on-site freight movement logistics. The most consequential of the remaining four are a request to reduce the minimum lot size for BP designation from 10 acres two 2 acres, and raise maximum building height from 35 feet to 45 feet, up to 65 feet with special exception.

“It certainly opens up more opportunity for the change in our clientele that has occurred since this was adopted in 2022,” Silk told commissioners. “Property prices have gone up dramatically by 85%, construction costs have gone up 35% and a lot of the companies that we're working with are looking for much smaller footprints. They don't want to take on 10 acres.”

On parcel size and height, commissioners generally expressed concerns about compatibility with surrounding properties along the BP corridors, particularly residential. 

“I understand our goal as a partnership with you all is to have properties of a size that work in the marketplace to attract the businesses that we're trying to attract,” said Commissioner Mark Smith. “But on the other hand, we have the compatibility issue with the folks that live around the properties.”

That, and as Commissioner Tom Knight explained, the hidden impacts of making land use changes.

“I'm always very aware of unintended consequences from the spirit of doing what's right and realizing later we can't take it back once we make these changes,” Knight said. “I know the public is very nervous right now about any rezones and comp plan amendments.”

No action was due on the proposals, rather additional guidance requested by the staff and the EDC. Chairman Ron Cutsinger recommended the requested revisions be brought back after additional analysis and stakeholder outreach by the EDC staff and board.

“Now you’ve heard us,” Cutsinger said. “You’ve heard the kind of concerns we have.”