West Villages Improvement District: W. Villages Improvement District Has Plans to Grow

By ALEXANDRA HERRERA

Staff Writer

https://www.yoursun.com/venice/

July 17, 2019

There are some changes coming to the West Villages maps.

The North Port City Commission heard from West Villages officials during a special meeting Thursday afternoon.

During the meeting, West Villages Improvement District Chairman Marty Black presented amendments to the West Villages index map.

The area affected would be for a new town center due to start building after the completion of West Villages Marketplace.

Black applied for the amendment March 20. The presentation Thursday was the second part of the application process. Four ordinances were were brought up for discussion and approval.

The ordinances affected different village projects in the community. The district is split into villages that include residential, mixed use, commercial and government spaces.

The amendment proposes changes to boundaries of several villages.

Town center

Black said the town center project has been delayed because the Army Corps of Engineers still needs to survey the land.

“We’re going as fast as the (regulations) allow,” Black told the City Commission.

The Corps and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service need to survey to ensure no endangered or native species would be displaced. Black said the district is working with the city to retool the master plan as well.

Annexation

The discussion also included West Village’s desire for the city to annex the northeast corner of U.S. 41 and River Road, the location of a long-shuttered gas station and shop, and some of the surrounding area.

If the city annexed 44 acres, the West Villages would put in an activity center like the Morgan Family Community Center.

City of North Port Planning Manager Nicole Galehouse said there was a petition for annexation for the 44 acres, with officials working through legal matters.

Roads

Roadwork in the district include the completion of West Villages Parkway, with the extensions of Preto Boulevard and Playmore Drive next.

Preto Boulevard will eventually connect to Manasota Beach Road, while Playmore would go east and around State College of Florida. Preto would also connect to Village E, which is due to be built east of SCF. Black said Preto is in the permitting process.

Braves

Black said the Atlanta Braves player academy at CoolToday Park is due to open in December. The academy is being built to train Braves players in the team’s system. It’s separate from the stadium and is privately funded by the Braves.

Taxable acres ‘lost’

The plan presented Thursday showed a slight reduction of taxable land to 1,085 acres total.

Several West Villages parcels are tax exempt.

One site is held by the Sarasota County Schools as a potential facility. There is also a future fire station, county property, church and potential hospital property.

Only 9 acres of the Braves property is taxable, Black said, because the land is listed as a county park.

Children have access to the field and green spaces can be used by the community and farmers market, allowing it to be designated a public park.

The ordinances passed first reading unanimously.

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate