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Sarasota News Leader August 9 & 16, 2013 Page 18 CLARK ROAD PROPERTY OWNERS PROPOSE THEIR OWN CHANGES TO SARASOTA COUNTY'S CONTROVERSIAL LAND-DEVELOPMENT PLAN By Cooper Levey-Baker Associate Editor Sarasota 2050, the county's long-range development blueprint, is already facing tough scrutiny. Now, thanks to a proposal brought by owners of 4,638 acres along Clark Road, even more changes might be in the offing. According to the proposal brought by representatives of LT Ranch and 3 H Ranch, that language would be eliminated and swapped out with text stating that "the County shall support development within the portion of the South Village Area" to be dubbed "the Clark The Sarasota County Planning Commission Road Properties." That agricultural land, 4,638 next week will consider big changes to the acres in total, lies south of Clark and east of section of 2050 dealing with the so-called Ibis Street and the neighborhood of Serenoa. South Village Area. The 2050 plan, approved a decade ago to encourage walkable, mixed- According to the proposal, the 2050 revisions use neighborhoods in previously undeveloped would ensure that development within the areas, stipulates "only one Village Master De- Clark Road Properties would generally folvelopment Plan may initially be approved on low current 2050 guidelines, but they would land designated for Village land use located also allow for just 33 percent of open space in south of Clark Road." a new neighborhood, rather than the current 50 percent rule. Other changes would allow for looser greenway buffer rules and remove specific requirements for affordable housing — the latter move suggested because "surrounding existing neighbors do not desire substantial affordable housing near their neighborhoods of larger lot/home communities," among other reasons. Overall, the document claims, the changes would allow for the construction of 9,110 units. Gov. Rick Scott meets with a group. Photo by Meredyth Hope Hall The proposal lands in the midst of a much larger-scale effort by the Sarasota County Commission to revamp 2050. In July, the board approved a timetable for staff to revise several sections of the plan, a process begun last year when commissioners instructed county employees to meet with developers to hear their frustrations with 2050 regulations.