Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/211425
Sarasota News Leader November 15, 2013 County Commission has been pushing staff to loosen 2050's detailed regulations, and fiscal neutrality has been at the top of developers' list of complaints. Fiscal neutrality is the "requirement that any new growth pay its way," in the words of county Long-Range Planning Manager Allen Parsons. That means builders must demonstrate at multiple stages that a new development will produce enough revenue through impact fees and taxes to make up for the increased burden on county services such as roads, schools, libraries and more. Page 10 In July, when the County Commission considered a number of changes to 2050, it explicitly rejected a proposal by former Administrator Randy Reid for what staff termed "an independent, non-biased, academic" review, instead choosing to pursue a contract with a consultant "who has development project experience," in the words of Commissioner Joe Barbetta. Barbetta tossed out the names of three potential candidates — among them, Donna Arduin, who worked with the county to analyze the economic impact of the new Nathan Benderson Park rowing facility. She Motorists on the eastern end of Fruitville Road see a lot of pastures, some dotted with cattle and horses. Photo by Rachel Hackney