Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/207831
Sarasota News Leader November 8, 2013 Page 46 and a report on discussions the developers The Fruitville parcel is an important piece of the puzzle for how the area east of the interhave had with adjacent landowners. state will look. "They should somehow be involved," Barbetta said of the five owners of property in the Interim Sarasota County Administrator Fruitville Initiative area that surrounds the Thomas Harmer said development of the 42 acres should happen concurrently with the county parcel. Fruitville Initiative, a plan to rezone 320 acres Robinson also pointed out another concern: of vacant land east of the interstate and creThe Goodsports plan shows construction on ate a mixed-use "gateway village." separate county land that is not included in It would be beneficial at this stage in the planthe 42 acres. ning process to have a development partner that is willing to invest in the county-owned CONCURRENT PLANNING property and begin to design a project that will The now vacant 42 areas at Fruitville Road be in harmony with the Fruitville Initiative, and Colburn Road is the second piece of prop- Harmer told the commissioners. erty that the county has been trying to sell as "That [Fruitville Initiative] project is moving surplus land. The first is located at the corner forward, and we would want this project to of Main Street and U.S. 301 in Sarasota. mirror that," Harmer said. A staff presentation summarizes the offers for the county property. Image courtesy Sarasota County