Public comments welcome
During town hall sessions planned for Jan. 19 and March 1, residents of the city of Sarasota will have an opportunity to learn how attainable housing could be included in future developments within downtown Sarasota zoning districts, the city has announced.
The public will be able to offer comments on the process, city staff points out.
The town halls will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19, and Wednesday, March 1, in the Commission Chambers inside City Hall, which stands at 1565 First St., a news release says.
City staff is seeking the public comments in an effort to implement the Comprehensive Plan amendment recently approved by the City Commission “to stimulate developer interest for much-needed attainable housing,” the release adds. The amendment provides the opportunity for a density bonus up to four times the base density in exchange for attainable housing on-site in downtown Sarasota, the release points out.
During the Jan. 19 meeting, “City of Sarasota subject matter experts will provide an informational overview” of the newly adopted Comprehensive Plan amendment, including how it creates the opportunity to boost the attainable housing inventory in four downtown zone districts: Downtown Bayfront (DTB), Downtown Core (DTC), Downtown Edge (DTE) and Downtown Neighborhood Edge (DTNE), the release adds.
To implement the new amendment, a Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) must be drafted that details the incentives for attainable housing, the release explains. An overview of the proposal then will be presented during the March 1 town hall, with an opportunity for further comments from residents, the release says.
Both town halls will be live-streamed and available on demand through the City of Sarasota website, the release notes.
Additional information about the city’s attainable initiatives and strategies is accessible via the Planning Department webpage: https://www.sarasotafl.gov/government/planning/attainable-housing-initiative.