Zoning Text Amendments

Active Amendments

The following are active City of Sarasota Zoning Text Amendments.  For more details on the amendment including its current status see Active Zoning Text Amendments | City of Sarasota (sarasotafl.gov)Recently passed ZTA’s are also summarized.

Restaurants, Bars and Nightclubs  ZTA (23-ZTA-04)

The Zoning Text Amendment proposes to modify definitions for the terms “Bar”, “Outdoor Bar”, and “Nightclub”, and add a definition for the term “Bottle Club”, updated primary use tables, apply additional standards for outdoor seating and other outdoor areas of establishments, update the separation requirements among bars, outdoor bars, nightclubs, and alcoholic commercial areas of downtown, and modify permitting process for outdoor bars that are accessory to restaurants, hotels/motels, and private clubs.

Timeline:

  • CCNA:  Planning presentation at the September 9, 2023 Membership Meeting. (slides)

  • Planning Board: Scheduled for Special Planning Board Meeting on September 21, 2023

  • City Commission:  Fall 2023

Attainable Housing Density Bonus for Downtown Zone Districts (23-ZTA-03)

A Zoning Text Amendment to include an “Attainable Housing Density Bonus” in which specific downtown zone districts may achieve a density bonus of up to four times (4x) the base density when a certain percentage of the residential units exceeding the base density are designated as attainable housing units. Attainable housing units must be located on the development site and must be designated as attainable for a minimum of 30 years. Specifications regarding development requirements for a mix of attainable incomes, affordability, and monitoring are reflected in the ZTA. Detailed affordability monitoring requirements for the attainable owner-occupied or rental units are proposed to be recorded within a covenant or monitoring agreement, respectively, with owner-occupied units administered through a Community Land Trust.

Historic Preservation Board and Public Art Committee Membership ZTA (23-ZTA-02)

A Zoning Text Amendment to revise the Historic Preservation Board membership and the Public Art Committee membership requirements to make the standards and quorum consistent. 

    • Planning Board Public Hearing:  May 10, 2023 – (Board Actions)
    • City Commission Public Hearing:  July 17, 2023 (City Commission moved approval as amended) Item X.1
    • City Commission 2nd Reading – August 21, 2023Item VII.2 (City Commission moved approval)

Traffic Concurrency Methodology (22-ZTA-09) – ON HOLD

 

Staff directed to update the traffic concurrency methodology for the City. Include procedures for rezoning applications with and without site plans. Update policies for clarification.

Upcoming

Commercial Corridors and Commercial Sites Attainable Housing – Future ZTA

Background

The City Commission approved Comprehensive Plan Amendment (22-PA-04) in late 2022.  Its intent is to provide an opportunity for a density bonus in exchange for attainable housing provided on-site for projects on the city corridors.  To implement the Comprehensive Plan Amendment, several Zoning Text Amendments will be drafted that will include implementing the new Urban Mixed-Use Future Land Use classifications along commercial corridors and centers that will have a density bonus when attainable housing is provided on site. This will require creating brand new zone districts.

Past Presentations – Commercial Corridors and Commercial Centers

August 24, 2023 – North Sarasota Open House

September 20, 2023 – East Sarasota Open House


September 27, 2023 – South Sarasota Open House

Timeline

Meaningful Neighborhood Input

As we did with the ZTA’s for Attainable Housing Density Bonus for Downtown (see 23-ZTA-03 above), CCNA’s Meaningful Neighborhood Input committee will work with the Planning staff to identify things we collectively can do to improve the public input process, particularly as they apply to any upcoming Zoning Text Amendments.  

City Web Site:  The City has added a web page to track the background and the progress of this extensive set of changes associated with this Comp Plan Amendment.  Click Here

Skip to content