City of Sarasota
Home MenuCommercial Corridors and Commercial Centers Attainable Housing Density Bonus Program
About
Three new zone districts have been created under the Urban Mixed-Use Future Land Use classification. These three new zone districts are: Urban Mixed-Use 1 (MU-1), Urban Mixed-Use 2 (MU-2), Urban Mixed-Use 3 (MU-3). These zone districts offer the ability to achieve a density bonus of up to three times (3x) the base density of the Future Land Use classification as well as an option to receive a height bonus of one or two stories, depending on the zone district, in exchange for on-site attainable housing through the Commercial Corridors and Commercial Centers Attainable Housing Density Bonus Program.
The city's Commercial Corridors and Commercial Centers Attainable Housing Density Bonus Program requires that a minimum of 15% of bonus units above the base density for a development must be designated as attainable, and provided on-site, to households earning 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) for a minimum of 30 years.
There is an additional tiering requirement to ensure a mix of incomes by regulating that at least one-third of the designated attainable housing units shall be affordable to households earning 80% AMI or below and no more than one-third shall be affordable to households earning between 100% - 120% AMI. Attainable units may be owner-occupied or rental, must be indistinguishable from and functionally equivalent to the market rate units, and are required to be interspersed throughout 50% of t he development. Detailed monitoring requirements for the attainable units are recorded within a covenant or monitoring agreement, with owner-occupied attainable units administered through a third-party entity such as a Community Land Trust.
A Community Workshop is required to be held prior to filing an application to utilize the attainable housing density bonus within the Urban Mixed-Use zone districts.
Article VI Section 1103 of the City of Sarasota Zoning Code provides further details on the Commercial Corridors and Commercial Centers Attainable Housing Density Bonus.
Applicability
Any property that has a Future Land Use of Urban Mixed-Use may Rezone to an Urban Mixed-Use zone district. The map above displays the areas of the city that have an Urban Mixed-Use Future Land Use classification and may be viewed by clicking here. All three Urban Mixed-Use zone districts allow for a development to utilize the Commercial Corridors and Commercial Centers Attainable Housing Density Bonus.
Development Regulations
A complete table of development regulations for Urban Mixed-Use zone districts can be found in the City of Sarasota Zoning Code Sec. VI-1103.
| Development Standards |
Urban Mixed-Use 1 (MU-1) |
Urban Mixed-Use 2 (MU-2) |
Urban Mixed-Use 3 (MU-3) North Trail Only |
| Maximum Density | 13 dwelling units per acre | 25 dwelling units per acre | 35 dwelling units per acre |
|
Maximum bonus density when designating at least 15% bonus units as attainable housing |
up to 75 units per acre | up to 75 units per acre | up to 105 units per acre |
| Maximum Height |
3 stories up to 5 stories* |
4 stories up to 5 stories* |
4 stories up to 5 stories* |
| Maximum Zoning Lot Size | none | none | none |
| Maximum Building Coverage | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Minimum Front Setback | 10 feet | 10 feet | 10 feet |
| Maximum Front Setback | none | none | none |
| Minimum Side Setback | 10/15 feet (1,2) | 10/15 feet (1,2) | 10/15 feet (1,2) |
| Minimum Rear Setback | 15 feet | 15 feet | 15 feet |
- Attached developments may reduce the interior side-setback to zero.
- The larger setback is required for zoning lots abutting residentially zoned properties.
*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.
Past Presentations - Commercial Corridors and Commercial Centers
Please click on a meeting to view the presentation materials.