City staff working on revisions, with goal of presentation to commissioners on Nov. 2
On Aug. 3, members of the public urged the Sarasota City Commission to delay a vote on what staff characterized as an update of the Transportation Chapter of the city’s Comprehensive Plan, given controversial aspects of some of the proposed changes.
Ultimately, a 3-2 vote — with Mayor Debbie Trice and Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch in the minority — the board cleared the updated chapter for transmittal to the Florida Department of Commerce, which must undertake a review of any proposed comprehensive plan changes statewide before those can be adopted.
Yet, as it turns out, city staff members will have more time to address facets of the chapter: On Sept. 9, Yazmin Valdez, chief of the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Community Planning and Growth, declared the proposed amendment to the Transportation Chapter “null and void” because of provisions in the 2025 state law based on Senate Bill 180. The latter was approved by the Florida Legislature to try to spur redevelopment and rehabilitation in counties that suffered extensive damage during the 2024 hurricane season. Sarasota was among those named in the bill…