Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/110922
WHOLE LOTTA PLANNIN��� Diagrams show how a bus rapid transit system could operate along a highway median. Image courtesy Sarasota County ANALYSIS: IT IS ULTIMATELY UP TO THE VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER THE CITY OF SARASOTA CAN REALIZE GENUINE GROWTH OUT OF THE ���ACRONYM SOUP��� By Stan Zimmerman City Editor A substantial amount of political gas is being expended on conceptual planning in Sarasota. Some ideas are further along than others. While efforts are now focused on the North Tamiami Trail and downtown, there could be a spillover into other areas. THE DROD The Downtown Residential Overlay District is a planning device that could quadruple density wherever the overlay is put. About 10 years ago, a DROD settled over the downtown area, allowing a developer to bump density up to DROD, DID, BRT, TOD, EEZ and NTOD ��� 200 units per acre from the normal downtown these are acronyms that pepper conversations about the city���s future. Toss in ���com- limit of 50 units per acre. Hello, Tokyo. plete streets��� and ���a mobility study��� and you The bump was linked to the creation of affordwill need a scorecard to keep your TOD away able/attainable/cheaper downtown housing. from your DROD. Three developers studied the idea, but only With that in mind, here is a play-by-play of the one tried to take advantage of it. Jeff Brown actors and ideas that are flitting across the at 1350 Main signed up for 170 units per acre, city stage. but he found that was not economical.