News
Governments to lobby fair board for baseball
As found in: The Sarasota Herald TribuneBy Kevin L. McQuaid
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 2:30 a.m.
Last updated Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 1:41 a.m.
Casting aside future traffic concerns on U.S. 41 downtown, the City Commission on Monday narrowly voted to tap a never-before used local law that will allow the planned Proscenium project to proceed.
In adopting plans for a Hospitality Regional Activity Center and a "proportional fair share agreement" for the planned $1 billion real estate development, commissioners opted for jobs and tax revenue over fears of congestion.
Proscenium, with office space and shops, more than 200 upscale condominiums and an 800-seat theater, is expected to generate roughly $2.8 million a year in property taxes and house more than 1,000 workers -- though many will likely come from existing office users -- when completed in 2011.
"This project is absolutely unique," said Commissioner Ken Shelin. "It's going to move us in a direction we've been saying we want to move downtown."
By designating the area an activity center, Proscenium -- an 18-story tower designed to be anchored by a 225-room, Waldorf-Astoria luxury hotel -- will avoid lengthy and costly state review.
Advocates for sending the Proscenium plans to the state said additional transportation analysis would be helpful, despite the anticipated $2 million cost to the developer.
With a proportionate fair share agreement -- a law adopted by the city in 2006 but never used -- city officials are waiving existing "concurrency" standards that measure roadway ability to absorb development.
The developer's $7.8 million in road improvements would fund only a fraction of a traffic consultant's estimated $43 million that will be needed in the wake of Proscenium's construction.
City staff did not outline where the balance of the money for the traffic improvements would come from.
In both the activity center and fair share votes, the commission approved proposals 3-2, with votes against cast by commissioners Richard Clapp and Kelly Kirschner, both of whom were elected on slow-growth platforms in response to waves of development and perceptions that developers received favoritism.
"My concern is the details we don't know," said Kirschner, adding he considers Proscenium a "great project." "I worry we're not going into this with eyes wide open in terms of financial feasibility."
Under the new rules, Proscenium developer Lion's Gate Development Group will pay $16 million -- $7.8 million for road and intersection improvements and $8.2 million to fund operation of a SCAT-operated downtown circulator -- to the city.
But in recommending the proportional fair share shift away from concurrency review, city officials acknowledged that traffic will increase.
"We're admitting traffic will get worse," said Susan Montgomery, a Sarasota traffic planner. "It has to; this is a big development on a crowded road."
Proscenium is expected to generate 17,000 new trips daily upon completion.
Under existing rules regarding traffic, the six-acre Proscenium would fail concurrency review. Without the fair share agreement, Proscenium would have to be scaled back by two-thirds.
Added to concerns is that much of the traffic improvements rely on unfunded, loosely planned mass transit.
Officials from both the city and Sarasota County acknowledged that the Lion's Gate contribution would not fund capital costs to buy buses, trolleys or other equipment.
Questions also remain over the size and placement of the hospitality center.
In addition, the commission unanimously approved a proposal that would allow Lion's Gate to shift some of the costs of infrastructure to eventual condo, office and retail shop owners.
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