Sarasota County Zoning Ordinance Under Review - Sarasota County is completely revising its Zoning Code. There have been several workshops but a final draft has not yet been completed. The revision will soon be ready for public hearings before the Planning Commission and then before the County Commission. One positive change being considered is the creation of architectural standards to prevent ugly unadorned commercial buildings, particularly for "big box" retailers. One possible bad change to look out for is a weakening of neighborhood compatibility standards to allow more commercial development right next to homes. This would be part of the "performance standard" approach that allows development not previously allowed, so long as scant "buffers" and other features are included.

Sarasota Downtown Plan At Risk - The Sarasota City Commission has decided on a 3 to 2 (Richard Martin and former GEO President Mary Quillin) vote to consider changes to the new Downtown Plan demanded by big development interests. Those interests had filed a legal challenge to the Plan. However, the new review, supported by City staff, appears to be due more to political pressure than any merit in that challenge. The developers seek numerous changes, including exceptions to the 10-story commercial building limit (to allow 18-story buildings), elimination of upper-floor building setbacks (which seek to prevent concrete canyons), weakening of constraints on drive-through facilities and allowing solely commercial buildings in a bayfront zone rather than mixed use. The City Planning Board is expected to hold a public hearing on the changes October 2, followed by a public hearing and vote of the City Commission.

School Impact Fee Report Delayed Until After Elections - The Sarasota County School Board hired a consultant to provide a report on a new school impact fee, to make growth (rather than tax hikes) pay for the school construction required by new growth. Although the contract provided that the report would be delivered by April 30, it has been delayed until shortly after the September 10 School Board elections. Can this be because School board Chairman Carol Todd and some other candidates for School Board oppose a school impact fee and want to keep the subject out of the headlines before the election? (Candidates Lisa Glenn, Carl Olson and Kathy Kleinlein support a school impact fee).

SCOPE Opposes Traffic Congestion - In something of a surprise, the SCOPE Board of Directors (which includes several prominent progrowthers) unanimously approved a report calling for stronger controls on development and higher impact fees to limit traffic congestion. SCOPE stands for Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence. The report includes proposals by GEO President Dan Lobeck, who served on SCOPE's Traffic Flow and Congestion Study Group. The report advocates strong concurrency rules to prevent development from overcrowding roads and states that mixed use development should not be used in a manner that worsens traffic congestion by weakening controls on the timing, density or intensity of development.

Catch "The Sunshine State" - An excellent new movie is out on the threat of overgrowth to a fictional Florida community, called "The Sunshine State." It is promoted as "the touching and humorous story about the effects of development on the inhabitants of a sleepy coastal town." Catch it at Burns Court Cinema or when it comes out on video.

Got Sludge? - The Sarasota County Commission has adopted strict new rules on the spreading sewage "sludge" on local lands, in a first step towards protecting the environment and public health. The Commission declined, however, to ban the worst and least treated form of sludge, instead deciding to later consider a resolution which would promise to ban it later. Commissioner Jon Thaxton urged that the ban be pursued without undue delay.