Sarasota
Voluntary Inclusionary Housing Practices
Florida Planning Conference 2024
• A survey found that rent in the North Port, Sarasota, Bradenton metro area rose by 54.8% over the past four years – the second largest spike of any major U.S. cities between 2019 and 2023. (source: Herald-Tribune, July 9, 2024)
SARASOTA’S NEED FOR ATTAINABLE HOUSING
• “In fact, Sarasota — and other Florida Gulf Coast metropolitan areas — have seen rents increase while the rest of the country had been experiencing rent decreases.”
(source: Herald-Tribune, April 3, 2023)
• The average rent for one-bedroom apartments in the City of Sarasota went from $1,000/mo. in 2018 to $1,250/mo. in 2020 and is now $2,150/mo. in 2023 (not including utilities).
(source: Zumper, obtained May 11, 2023)
• The median home price for a house sold in Sarasota County came in at $528,013 in March 2023.
(source: Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, April 15, 2023)
AFFORDABLE HOUSING RESOURCES
ADMINISTERED BY SARASOTA HOUSING AUTHORITY & SARASOTA HOUSING FUNDING CORP
• Public Housing: 190 (mostly below 30% of AMI, but can be up to 80% of AMI)
• Project Based Rental Assistance (Section 8): 175 (up to 80% of AMI)
• Tenant Based Rental Assistance (Section 8 vouchers): 2,155 (75% must be at or below 30% of AMI)
• Affordable Apartments: 351 (with income limits of 50%, 60% and 80% of AMI)
City of Sarasota
Lowest, median, and highest rent cost per month for a currently available one-bedroom apartment not including utilities
of Sarasota
*Not including barrier islands
Data courtesy of Apartments.com, obtained August 23rd, 2024
Income and maximum rent per month for an individual and family of four including utilities
Data courtesy of 2024 figures provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the North PortSarasota-Bradenton, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).
ATTAINABLE HOUSING
RECOMMENDATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC)
Local Affordable Housing Incentive Strategy
Recommendations
Attainable Housing Tools
Existing
• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) allowed citywide (excluding barrier islands).
• Cottage Court Housing (Flexible lot configurations).
• Density incentives for attainable housing (RROD, RMF-6, RMF-7) zone districts.
• Reduce parking requirements for attainable housing city wide.
• Expedited permit review for attainable housing projects.
• Multimodal Transportation Impact Fees discount/deferral for attainable housing projects.
• Inventory of locally owned surplus public lands suitable for attainable housing.
• Implement workforce housing overlay district (“Missing Middle” Overlay District).
• Continuous funding for affordable housing as part of the Penny IV surtax renewal
Proposal
• Support development near transportation hubs, major employment centers and mixed-use developments by incentivizing attainable housing citywide along major corridors, commercial centers, and downtown.
DOWNTOWN ATTAINABLE HOUSING DENSITY BONUS
Downtown Attainable Housing Density Program - Outreach
1. 8/25/22: Affordable housing contacts:
a) City of Bradenton
b) Collier County
c) City of Dunedin
d) City of Fort Lauderdale
e) City of Gainesville
f) Hillsborough County
g) Town of Jupiter
h) City of Miami
i) City of Orlando
j) Pinellas County
k) City of St. Petersburg
l) City of Tampa
2. 8/25/22: City of Fort Lauderdale phone call discussion on affordable housing incentives.
3. 8/30/22: Plan Hillsborough phone call discussion on affordable housing incentives.
4. 10/26/22: CCNA rep meeting to discuss public outreach process.
5. 11/29/22: CCNA rep meeting to discuss public outreach process.
6. 12/8/22: DSCA rep meeting to discuss public outreach process.
7. 12/9/22: Inclusionary zoning rep meeting to discuss Phase 2 public outreach process.
8. 12/12/22: Realtor’s Group presentation on Downtown Zoning Initiative.
9. 12/14/22: Housing Affordability Webpage created – 4,027 page views since creation.1
10. 12/15/22: DSCA phone call about public outreach process.
11. 12/20/22: 4,197 notices mailed to property owners within the Downtown Bayfront, Downtown Core, Downtown Edge, and Downtown Neighborhood Edge zone districts providing information about the two Town Halls.
12. 1/3/23: Town Hall Flyer sent to: The Rosemary, One Palm,
BOLD Lofts, The Desota, CitySide Apartments, Lyra Sarasota Apartments, ARCOS, Lofts on Lemon for dissemination to residents.
13. 1/5/23: Facebook Post and Event for Attainable Housing Town Hall #1 created.
14. 1/6/23: City of Sarasota press release for Town Hall #1.
15. 1/9/23: DSCA Zoning Subcommittee Zoom Call.
16. 1/11/23: Your Observer news article.
17. 1/11/23: Town Hall and Educational flyers sent to Sarasota Housing Authority for dissemination.
18. 1/12/23: City Manager SNN news update.
19. 1/17/23: Town Hall Flyer send to: New College of Florida, USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, and Ringling College.
20. 1/19/23: Attainable Housing Town Hall #1 – 104 attendees, 113 Archive Views, 250 Live Stream Views.2
21. 1/19/23: ABC 7 news article.
22. 1/25/23: Rosemary Neighborhood Association Neighborhood Meeting – Attainable Housing background, passed out flyers, spoke about Town Halls.
23. 1/26/23: Your Observer news article.
24. 2/2/23: Downtown Improvement District Newsletter.
25. 2/3/23: Business Observer news article.
26. 2/4/23: Presentation to CCNA.
27. 2/7/23: Presentation to the Downtown Improvement District.
28. 2/9/23: City of Fort Lauderdale re-sale formula discussion.
29. 2/13/23: Presentation to Enzyme.
30. 2/13/23: Presentation and discussion with the Rosemary Neighborhood Association Board.
31. 2/15/23: City of Sarasota press release for Town Hall #2.
32. 2/15/23: Facebook Post and Event for Attainable Housing Town Hall #2 created.
33. 2/15/23: Meeting with Sarasota developer, Paxton Kinol, to discuss financial implications for attainable housing bonus.
34. 2/15/23: Presentation and discussion with the Downtown Sarasota Condo Association residents.
35. 2/22/23: Phone call with Laurel Park Neighborhood Association leadership in preparation of the 2/27/23 neighborhood meeting.
36. 2/23/23: Argus Foundation presentation.
37. 2/23/23: Gillespie Park Neighborhood Association presentation.
38. 2/27/23: Laurel Park Neighborhood Association presentation.
39. 3/1/23: Town Hall #2 – 58 attendees, 76 Archive Views, 180 Live Stream Views. 2
40. 3/4/23: Presentation to CCNA.
41. 3/7/23: Your Observer news article.
42. 3/10/23: Monitoring of owner-occupied units with Community Land Trust of Palm Beach County.
43. 3/13/23: City Commission Workshop on Attainable Housing Density Bonus.
44. 3/17/23: Phone call with Bright Community Land Trust (Pinellas County).
45. 3/28/23: Florida Housing Coalition discussion about OwnerOccupied Units.
46. 4/11/23: Meeting with Rosemary board members to discuss ZTA and RROD.
47. 4/19/23: Florida Housing Coalition discussion on Community Land Trusts.
48. 5/4/23: Meeting with Rosemary board members to discuss ZTA and RROD.
49. 5/4/23: Phone call with Bright Community Land Trust (Pinellas County).
50. 5/6/23: Presentation to CCNA.
51. 5/12/23: Florida Planning and Zoning Association presentation.
52. 5/16/23: Planning Board Public Hearing.
53. 5/18/23: Chamber of Commerce Lunch presentation.
54. 6/5/23: ZTA Revisions with Development Community.
55. 8/7/23: City Commission Public Hearing.
56. 9/5/23: City Commission Second Public Hearing.
1Housing
Allow attainable housing incentives to households earning below 60% AMI, consistent with the Comprehensive Plan definition.
ATTAINABLE HOUSING DEFINITION
Exterior Appearance of attainable housing units shall be indistinguishable and functionally equivalent to market rate unit.
Require attainable units to be interspersed, at a minimum, throughout 50% of the residential portion of the development.
The bedroom mix of attainable housing units should be comparable to the bedroom mix of the market rate units.
30.5% have only one person
47.1% have two persons
22.4% have three or more persons
82.41% Households without Children
17.59% Households with Children
Source: 2020-2021 ACS 5-year estimate
ATTAINABLE HOUSING DENSITY
BONUS WHEN 15% OF BONUS UNITS
ARE DESIGNATED AS ATTAINABLE AND PROVIDED ON-SITE FOR MINIMUM OF 30 YEARS
• Urban Edge FLU
Downtown Neighbor Edge (DTNE) Zone District
existing 18 DU/acre up to 72 DU/acre
• Urban Edge FLU
Downtown Edge (DTE) Zone District
existing 25 DU/acre up to 100 DU/acre
Of the required attainable dwelling units provided, at least one-third of the dwelling units must be available to households having incomes at or below 80 percent of the AMI and no more than one-third of the dwelling units may be available to households having incomes in the range of 100 percent to 120 percent of the AMI.
• Downtown Core & Downtown Bayfront FLU
Downtown Core & Downtown Bayfront Zone District
existing 50 DU/acre up to 200 DU/acre
First Unit designated to 80% AMI or below. At least 1/3 of designated
Unit Square Footage: 1,000 sf
COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS AND COMMERCIAL CENTERS ATTAINABLE HOUSING DENSITY BONUS
CITY COMMISSION APPROVED
ORDINANCE 22 - 5435, 22 - 5445, 22 - 5448
OCTOBER 17, 2022
• Created new Urban Mixed-Use Future Land Use (FLU) classification providing for mixed-use development designated generally at commercial centers and along commercial corridors.
• Allows for an attainable housing density bonus up to three times (3x) above base density of Urban Mixed-Use FLU classification.
• Allows for vertical and horizontal forms of mixed-use development (residential and non-residential).
Commercial Corridors and Commercial Centers Attainable Housing Density Program - Outreach
1. 8/14/23: North Sarasota Presentation and Open House Flyer mailed to approximately 200 property owners with property designated with a Future Land Use of Urban Mixed-Use in North Sarasota.
2. 8/17/23: Presentations and Open Houses News Release
3. 8/18/23: Sarasota Observer News Article
4. 8/23/23: North Sarasota Presentation and Open House Flyer emailed to:
1. Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations
2. Downtown Sarasota Condominium Association
3. Amaryllis Park Neighborhood Association
4. Bayou Oaks Neighborhood Association
5. Orange Avenue/The Courts/Bertha Mitchell SHARO
6. Indian Beach Sapphire Shores Association
7. Janie’s Garden/Janie Poe—SHARO
8. North Trail Redevelopment Partnership
9. Tahiti Park Neighborhood
10. Central Cocoanut Neighborhood Association
5. 8/24/23: North Sarasota Open House
6. 8/25/23 ABC7 News Article
7. 9/8/23: East Sarasota Presentation and Open House Flyer mailed to approximately 210 property owners with property designated with a Future Land Use of Urban Mixed-Use in East Sarasota.
8. 9/13/23: South Sarasota Open House Flyer mailed to approximately 169 property owners with property designated with a Future Land Use of Urban Mixed-Use in South Sarasota.
9. 9/15/23: East Sarasota Presentation and Open House Flyer emailed to:
1. Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations
2. Fairway Oaks
3. Gardens of Ringling Park
4. Park East
5. Glen Oaks Ridge
6. Glen Oaks Estates
7. Glen Oaks Manor
8. Oakwood Manor
9. Beechwood Estates
10. McIntosh Meadows
11. Eastwood Park
12. Limelight District
10. 9/20/23: East Sarasota Open House
11. 9/27/23: South Sarasota Open House
12. 10/9/23: Meeting with property owner of Urban Mixed-Use Future Land Use parcel
13. 10/16/23: Herald Tribune Sarasota Chambers Affordable Housing Article
14. 10/19/23: Central Cocoanut Neighborhood Association Presentation
15. 10/26/23: North Trail Redevelopment Partnership Presentation
16. 10/27/23: Call with local Attainable Housing Developer
17. 10/31/23: City of Sarasota Virtual Public Input Session News Release
18. 11/2/23: Virtual Public Input Session News Releases and Flyer emailed to:
1. Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations
2. Downtown Sarasota Condominium Association
3. Amaryllis Park Neighborhood Association
4. Bayou Oaks Neighborhood Association
5. Orange Avenue/The Courts/Bertha Mitchell SHARO
6. Indian Beach Sapphire Shores Association
7. Janie’s Garden/Janie Poe—SHARO
8. North Trail Redevelopment Partnership
9. Tahiti Park Neighborhood
10. Central Cocoanut Neighborhood Association
11. Fairway Oaks
12. Gardens of Ringling Park
13. Park East
14. Glen Oaks Ridge
15. Glen Oaks Estates
16. Glen Oaks Manor
17. Oakwood Manor
18. Beechwood Estates
19. McIntosh Meadows
20. Eastwood Park
21. Limelight District
22. Gardens of Ringling
23. Central Park I & II 24. Hudson Bayou 25. Avondale 26. Harbor Acres
27. McClellan Park
28. South Poinsettia
29. Cherokee Park
30. Shoreland Woods
31. San Remo
32. Granada
33. Bay Island
34. Arlington Park
19. 11/2/23: Virtual Public Input Session Flyer emailed to all previous Open House attendees
20. 11/3/23: City of Sarasota City News Publication
21. 11/7/23: Observer News Article
22. 11/15/23: Meeting with Ringling College to discuss proposed zoning changes.
23. 11/16/23: Virtual Public Input Meeting
24. 11/22/23: Observer News Article
25. 12/12/23: IB/SSA Neighborhood Presentation
26. 1/5/24: Chamber of Commerce Governmental Issue Council Presentation
27. 1/6/24: CCNA Presentation
28. 1/8/24: City Commission Workshop
29. 1/9/24: Bayou Oaks Presentation
30. 1/24/24: Special Planning Board Meeting
31. 3/4/24: City Commission Public Hearing
32. 3/7/24: Florida Housing Coalition (FHC) Presentation
33. 3/26/24: Bay Area Apartment Associations (BAAA) Presentation
34. 4/1/24: City Commission Second Public Hearing
METHODOLOGY
• Over 700 parcels currently have an adopted Urban Mixed-Use
FLU classification and the parcels within the Urban Mixed-Use
FLU comprise of 29 different existing zone districts.
• The existing development standards and primary uses permitted within each of the existing zone districts as well as the intended future use of the areas designated Urban MixedUse were used to create the new development standards (base density, height, setbacks, and lot coverage) and permitted primary use tables for the Urban Mixed-Use zone districts.
• The Primary Use table determines uses permitted by-right, via minor conditional use, via major conditional use, or prohibited.
URBAN MIXED-USE ZONE DISTRICTS DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Development Standards
Maximum Density
Maximum Bonus Density When 15% of Bonus Units Are Designated As Attainable And Provided On-site For Minimum Of 30 Years
* Up to a maximum height of 5 stories when designating 11% of the total development or 15% of the bonus units (whichever is greater) as attainable. The maximum height shall not exceed 70 feet.
Of the required attainable dwelling units provided, at least one-third of the dwelling units must be available to households having incomes at or below 80 percent of the AMI and no more than one-third of the dwelling units may be available to households having incomes in the range of 100 percent to 120 percent of the AMI.
Daylight Plane Requirement (non-single-family):
Properties with a side or rear yard abutting single-family or multiple family (RMF-1, 2, or 3) zoned properties, the minimum side or rear setback shall be subject to the daylight plane requirement. The daylight plane requirement allows a maximum height of two stories starting at the required rear or side setback line and then extending upward at a 45-degree angle until reaching the maximum height limit. In other words, the building may be extended up in height an additional foot for each foot of distance from the starting setback line, up to the maximum stories/height allowed.
DAYLIGHT PLANE - BULK AND SCALE STANDARDS (CURRENTLY EXISTING IN NTOD)
FRONTAGE STANDARDS
Limited to interstate connector, arterial, or collector roadway.
Habitable Space
Provide a 20-foot minimum depth of habitable space for the full height and length of the first story.
Pedestrian Entrance At least one main entrance of a commercial or mixed-use building shall face along a frontage line or at a corner. At least one entrance of a residential building shall face along a frontage line or at a corner.
Streetwall/ Location of Parking
Windows
Surface parking and garages shall be located in the second or third layer. Surface parking shall be masked by a streetwall or liner building.
The first story façade on all nonresidential frontages shall be a minimum 30 percent glass.
The first story façade on residential frontages shall be minimum of 15 percent glass.
The combined area, of all stories, above the first story facing a street shall be a minimum of 25 percent glass
Finished Floor Height Buildings that have residential uses facing an interstate connector, arterial, or collector roadway on the first floor shall raise the first finished floor at least two feet above the sidewalk grade for a minimum depth of 20 feet.
SIDEWALK SYSTEM
Amenity Zone: The section of the sidewalk between the curb and the pedestrian zone in which street furniture and amenities, including but not limited to lighting, benches, public art, utility poles, trees, and bicycle parking are provided. The amenity zone shall be measured from back of curb to the pedestrian zone .
Pedestrian Zone: The primary, accessible, and clear walking pathway that typically runs parallel to the street. The pedestrian zone ensures that pedestrians have a safe and adequate place to walk and are not encroached upon by streetlights, utility boxes, tree trunks, street furniture, landscaping, and similar impediments to pedestrian travel.
Sidewalks & Street Trees
Frontage Requirement: No building shall be over 200 feet in length or width per street frontage.
25 UNITS / ACRE = 4,000 SF / UNIT
75 UNITS / ACRE = 1,200 SF / UNIT
COMMERCIAL CENTERS
Zoning lots three acres or larger.
Standards are intended to improve the appearance of suburban centers, accommodate both vehicles and pedestrians, improve connections between individual developments, support compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods, promote redevelopment, and minimize automobile dependency.
For commercial and mixed-use developments, a minimum of 10% of the developable area shall be identified as open space.
If the development site is adjacent to existing or planned public trails, parks, or other public open space areas, the open space set-aside shall, to the maximum extent practicable, connect, extend, or enlarge the trail, park, or other public open space area.
New dead-end streets and cul-de-sacs are not allowed.
Commercial centers should divide development area to create smaller blocks and a network of interconnected streets.
Existing Zoning Code Standards for Outside Downtown
Commercial Centers
Proposed Zoning Code Standards for Outside Downtown
Graphics Courtesy of Dover, Kohl & Partners
RESULTS AND NEXT STEPS
The city has received 5 applications for projects looking to utilize the Downtown Attainable Housing Bonus or Commercial Corridors and Commercial Centers Attainable Housing Bonus since adoption of the two programs approximately over 100 attainable housing units are already in process, in addition to affordable housing units produced via non-profit development.
The Sarasota City Commission is even moving forward on a downtown attainable housing initiative that is expected to produce an additional approximately 190± attainable housing units within a mixed-use development.
Comprehensive Rezone to Urban Mixed-Use zoning along commercial corridors and commercial centers in ~2026.
Steve Cover, AICP
City of Sarasota Planning Director
Planning Department
Steven.Cover@sarasotaFL.gov
Ryan Chapdelain, AICP
City of Sarasota, General Manager
Planning Department
Ryan.Chapdelain@sarasotaFL.gov
Briana Dobbs, AICP, CNU-a
City of Sarasota, Chief Planner
Planning Department
Briana.Dobbs@sarasotaFL.gov
Rebecca Webster
City of Sarasota, Planner
Planning Department
Rebecca.Webster@sarasotaFl.gov
