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Commissioner Langdon urges EDC presentation, cites job-growth estimates and business park goals
Summary
Commissioner Langdon urged the commission to invite the city and county economic development corporations for a formal presentation, citing a 12.8% five-year job-growth estimate for Sarasota County and large-scale business park goals.
Commissioner Langdon told the commission April 22 she would like the county and city economic development organizations (EDCs) to present to the commission, saying the county’s five-year job-growth estimate is 12.8% compared with a U.S. average of about 8.8% and highlighting local initiatives intended to support job creation.
Langdon described the county EDC’s Business Park Initiative and said its long-range goal is about 700 acres that could translate into more than 4,000,000 square feet of commercial and industrial space. She said two North Port areas the city is working on with the county EDC include River Road and an innovation center along Toledo Blade and that, combined with other projects, the EDC estimates more than 25,000 net new jobs for North Port as a result of its initiatives.
Langdon asked whether commissioners would like the EDCs to return for a formal presentation; commissioners agreed and instructed staff to coordinate scheduling. City staff noted the commission will review its current allocation to the EDC as part of upcoming budget discussions and suggested folding the presentation into that timeline so commissioners can evaluate data alongside funding decisions.
No formal action or budget vote occurred during the meeting; commissioners requested a scheduled presentation to receive more detailed data from the EDCs before making funding or policy decisions.
