Venice and County Agree to Cooperate through Joint Planning Agreement.

by Ed Martin

 In a meeting December 14th, Venice and Sarasota County agreed in principle to resolve outstanding issues. A draft for Council consideration will be finalized and council will meet in special meetings January 4 and January 9 to adopt the plan. The special meetings are necessary to avoid a deadline at which time the county would propose a charter amendment establishing a role for the county in all city annexations and related actions.

 The City gained approval for a plan it proposed for future annexations and city limits. The city position on length of the agreement, twenty-five years rather than the county’s proposal to match their 2050 plan, also was maintained. A new state law may actually limit the agreement to 20 years.

County will be involved in changes to Comprehensive Plan by City.

   The County gains a seat at the table to discuss with the city changes to the city’s comp plan with regard to issues involving compatibility and infrastructure which affect county residents and taxpayers, (including Venice residents who pay taxes to both entities.)

   The parties agreed to use common designations for density, replacing the two different systems now used. “Low” density will be up to five units per acre. “Midrange” would allow up to 13 units, “Mixed Use” (commercial and residential) up to 18 units, and developments of affordable housing could go to 25 units per acre.

   Sarasota County has limited growth in the past to 13 units or less, but had a proviso that certain economic and affordable developments could rise to 25, but none had been implemented. Venice has been more favorable to developers, which has resulted in developers annexing into the city. Venice allowed up to 18 units in some comp plan amendments, although most developments have not reached zoning or site planning stages which could allow revisions to these numbers.