Commission approves Sarasota Station right‑of‑way and utility‑easement vacations and final plat with condition tying vacation to construction

The City Commission on May 5 approved vacating a 3,225‑square‑foot platted alley segment and a roughly 1,505‑square‑foot privately recorded utility easement to enable a mixed‑use development called Sarasota Station, and approved the project’s final subdivision plat. Commissioners added a condition that the vacated right‑of‑way will revert to the city if the market‑rate phase 3 townhome portion of the project does not commence construction.

The vote clears two quasi‑judicial items: an ordinance to vacate the platted right‑of‑way and the recorded private utility easement, and final approval of a plat that creates 69 townhome lots (phase 3) as part of a larger, multi‑phase project that also includes two affordable multifamily phases. The planning board and city staff had recommended approval with conditions; the commission approved the applications and the additional construction contingency after discussion.

Why it matters: The project is a mixed‑use redevelopment on roughly 7.88 acres north of Fruitville Road and west of the CSX railroad. The overall proposal includes 202 multifamily units in phases 1–2 (including at least 109 affordable units under city requirements and an anticipated 202 units tied to federal disaster CDBG‑DR funding), plus 69 market‑rate townhomes in phase 3. Vacating the small platted alley and utility easement removes a legal obstacle to more compact redevelopment and allows utilities to be relocated to…