TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA
TITLE: A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of North Port, Florida, Accepting a Non-Exclusive Permanent Access Utility Easement and an Exclusive Permanent Lift Station Easement Located on a Portion of the Parcel Lying in Section 10, Township 40 South, Range 20 East, Sarasota County Florida, Sarasota County Property Appraiser Parcel Identification Number 081100-0002; Providing for Incorporation of Recitals; Providing for Filing of Documents; Providing for Conflicts; Providing for Severability; and Providing an Effective Date
Recommended Action
Option 1: Approve Resolution No. 2026-R-36.
Additional Commission Options
Option 1: Approve Resolution No. 2026-R-36.
• Pros: Approving the easements provides the City with the legal right to access City owned infrastructure for as needed repair and maintenance.
• Cons: There are no foreseeable cons to approving this Resolution.
Option 2: Deny Resolution No. 2026-R-36.
• Pros: There are no foreseeable pros to denying the Resolution.
• Cons: Without an easement, crews may not have the legal right to enter the property. That can delay routine maintenance or emergency repairs, increasing the risk of outages or system failures. The City of North Port will be out of compliance with the current Agreement.
Background Information
Wellen Park High School is located within Village K of Wellen Park. The Village K plat was recorded prior to the installation of infrastructure necessary to serve the high school. Now that this infrastructure has been completed and placed into service, the associated easements are required to provide the Utilities Department with access to the lift station and other facilities within the easement area for ongoing operation, maintenance, and repair.
The Sarasota County School Board funded and constructed the infrastructure necessary to serve its school located within the boundaries of Wellen Park. Under the terms of the agreement between the City of North Port and the West Villages Improvement District, which governs development within the West Villages Improvement District, the School Board is required to dedicate the associated easements to the City. Section 3 of the 2019 Amended and Restated Utilities Agreement specifically requires the developer to convey these easements to the City of North Port to ensure ongoing operation and maintenance.
Resolution No. 2026-R-36 has been reviewed by the City Attorney and is legally correct as to form.
Resolution No. 2026-R-36 has been provided to the City Clerk’s office on April 28, 2026, for signatures, subject to City Commission approval.
Strategic Plan
Infrastructure & Facilities Integrity
Financial Impact
Not applicable.
Procurement
Not applicable.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 2026-R-36
2. 2019 Amended and Restated Utilities Agreement
Prepared by: Michelle Tipp, Utilities Senior Business Manager
Department Director: Tricia Wisner, Utilities Director