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Commission directs rezoning and prep work for Mango Street parcel after CRA parking study
Summary
After consultants presented options for Mango Street — a surface lot vs. multi‑level garage — the Board directed staff to rezone the county‑owned Mango Street parcel for parking, demolish the existing structure and explore other nearby parcels for surface parking, while asking staff to return with cost/finance options.
Sarasota County commissioners on Dec. 16 received a two‑part study of parking needs in the Englewood CRA and gave policy direction to staff to prepare the county‑owned Mango Street parcel for public parking.
Consultants from Kimley‑Horn and AM Engineering presented an inventory of 1,173 parking spaces in the CRA (495 public) and modeled demand for build‑out and event peaks. The county‑owned Mango Street parcel could be developed as a pervious surface lot (≈65–70 spaces, estimated cost ~$1.5–1.6M) or a three‑level parking garage (≈222–296 spaces, estimated cost ~$9–12M depending on design). The consultant highlighted tradeoffs including construction cost, buffering, and maintenance.
Board decision: commissioners voted to direct staff to (a) rezone/demolish the Mango Street property and prepare it for parking use, (b) have property staff reach out to owners of nearby vacant parcels to assess potential surface parking purchases, and (c) explore user‑facing parking tools (apps/wayfinding/valet) to reduce unsafe on‑street parking. Commissioners also asked for order‑of‑magnitude costs and options for public‑private partnerships, and noted CRA TIF resources may be available but the CRA sunsets in 2029.
Quote: "We believe the best approach to allocating these limited federal funds is to adequately fund those projects that could effectively address the greatest need," consultant testimony summarized public comments on funding priorities from the CRA area.
Next steps: staff will initiate rezoning and demolition steps for Mango Street, return with cost estimates and financing options, and report back to the board with parcel acquisition findings and procurement options.
