Roger Clark, planning and zoning director for the City of Venice, told the Citizens Advisory Board that the city will start a new Parks Master Plan process and that an executed interlocal agreement with Sarasota County will change who maintains many parks beginning Oct. 1, 2026.

“For the record, Roger Clark. I am the planning and zoning director for the city of Venice,” Clark said, and walked the board through the comprehensive‑plan and ordinance requirements that mandate an up‑to‑date parks master plan.

Clark reviewed the history: a prior consultant‑led plan presented to City Council in October 2016 was remanded back to the planning commission and never adopted. He said the new effort will be led by Planning and Zoning, will go out for a request for proposals (RFP) for consultant services, and will emphasize more extensive public outreach than the earlier effort.

A central context for the new plan is a recently executed interlocal agreement with Sarasota County, Clark said. That agreement (effective Oct. 1, 2026) is a 10‑year pact with two possible five‑year extensions. Under its terms, several parks currently maintained by the county will remain county‑maintained (for example, Brohard Park and Venice Beach), while other parks currently maintained by the county will transfer to the City of Venice for the city to maintain — including Chauncey Howard Park, Chuck Ryder Park (through at least Oct. 1, 2029), Heckscher Park, Venetian Waterway Park (west side), Venice Myakka River Park and the Venice Community Center, along with parks the city already maintains.

Clark said the contract will significantly expand city maintenance responsibilities and that the city plans to contract with a third party to manage and program the Venice Community Center once the transfer occurs. He also described Wellfield Park as a specialized athletic facility that will remain county responsibility because of the specialized maintenance it requires.

Clark outlined the consultant’s expected tasks: an inventory of about 38 parks, facility assessments, demographic and needs analyses, stakeholder interviews, a public outreach program, a needs assessment and an action plan with short‑, mid‑ and long‑term recommendations and cost estimates. The consultant selection process will involve procurement and a review committee led by the finance department.

Board members asked about schedule and engagement; Clark said staff expects to issue the RFP and aim to have consultant work begin around January. He asked the board to prepare for substantive involvement, including comment on draft recommendations and participation in outreach.