Sarasota County Commission agrees to join landowners in master plan for 300 acres at Fruitville and I-75

Sarasota County Commissioners voted Wednesday to work with five private property owners on a Smart Growth master plan for nearly 300 acres east of Interstate 75 along Fruitville Road near the Fruitville Library.

“The commission vote moves the community a step closer to creating an employment center that integrates homes, entertainment and workplaces in this key location at I-75 and Fruitville Road,” said Kathy Baylis, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County (EDC). The EDC is facilitating the planning process, which will be jointly funded by the private property owners and the county.

“The private property owners and the county want a vibrant, interactive community engaged in energy conservation, sustainability principles and transit orientation, consistent with Smart Growth principles,” Baylis said.

In approving the planning agreement, the commissioners also appointed a planning firm to prepare the master plan. The planning process will include a design charette to include all stakeholders, not just those with land in the study area.

After the master plan is completed in May or June, the parties will determine whether and how to implement it. The planning process includes checks and balances that invite property owners and the community to provide input in the plan and its implementation.

Property owners whose land would be included in the master plan are Glenn D. and Margaret E. Walters, Byron E. and Luella M. Crofut, Fox Creek Holdings LLC, Thomas F. Kelly, and Sarasota Business Plaza LLP, and Sarasota County. The planning firm selected for the project is Moule & Polyzoides of Pasadena, CA. The estimated cost of the planning process is $499,410, with one-third to be paid by the private property owners and the balance by the county.

The EDC of Sarasota County is the private, not-for-profit corporation leading the community’s economic development strategy to add high-wage jobs and diversify the local economy. The EDC provides business assistance to companies in Sarasota County and helps forge solutions to community challenges that affect quality of life. The EDC works in partnership with chambers of commerce, local governments and other organizations throughout the county and the region. For more information, visit www.edcsarasotacounty.com.