Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/293799
Fischer and Terracap BR Partners requested in January that Spine Road be removed from the county's map of future thoroughfares, the matter that was brought before the County Commission on April 9. Originally added to the county's comprehensive plan in 1989, Spine Road was removed in 1992 when residents realized it was drawn through existing homes. Then it was readded in 1995, when it was redrawn to avoid breaking up neighborhoods. Interim Transportation and Planning Director Jonathan Paul agreed with residents that it wouldn't be "appropriate" to increase traffic on Mauna Loa south of Bee Ridge, given that street's residential characteristics, but he did argue that Spine Road should be maintained as a future thoroughfare. The route is "circu itous," he acknowledged, but it would still serve as a vital "northsouth alternative to the interstate." "There's definitely a need for connectivity in the community," he said. The commission decided to punt on the issue, essentially delaying a decision till after it con siders the broader rezoning petition Fischer and Terracap have submitted. That is sched uled to come to the board on May 21. Fischer tells The Sarasota News Leader he's been working on the project since the 1980s. Coordinating with Lakewood Ranch devel oper Rex Jensen, he planned what he calls a A graphic shows proposed connections to improve mobility on Sarasota County roads. Image courtesy Sarasota County Sarasota News Leader April 11, 2014 Page 44