TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: An Ordinance of the City of North Port, Florida, Approving Petition No. PMCPA-24-00000083 (Formerly VPA-24-083) to Amend the Village E Village District Pattern Plan (West Villages A.K.A. Wellen Park) to Expand the District Boundary by Incorporating Approximately 81 Acres of Land, Modify Development Entitlements, and Update Signage and Parking Regulations; Amending Section 3.4.1. of the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) to Incorporate the Amended Pattern Plan by Reference; Amending Section 5.3.2. of the ULDC to Require Village E Signage to Comply With ULDC Chapter 5 Standards and to Provide Deemed Compliance and Legal Nonconforming Status for Certain Existing Signs; Providing for Findings, Adoption, Conflicts, Severability, Codification, and an Effective Date. (QUASI-JUDICIAL)
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Recommended Action
Option 1: Approve Ordinance No. 2026-23, Petition No. PMCPA-24-00000083 (Formerly VPA-24-083) Amendments to the Village E Village District Pattern Plan (VDPP) on first reading and continue to second reading on September 22, 2026.
City Commission Options
Option 1: Approve Ordinance No. 2026-23, Petition No. PMCPA-24-00000083 (Formerly VPA-24-083) Amendments to the Village E VDPP on first reading and continue to second reading on September 22, 2026.
• Pros
o Contributes to long-term economic stability with the addition of 60 acres for mixed-use development. Furthermore, expanding the non-residential entitlements encourages commercial growth, boosts ad valorem tax revenues, and increases the City’s revenue sources.
o Aligns signage and parking regulations with the 2024 Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) to provide consistent and measurable standards for site development and content-neutral signage.
o Ensures that City-wide Code updates regarding signage and parking standards apply automatically to the Village E District, removing the need for recurring Pattern Plan amendments.
• Cons:
o None identified.
Option 2: Deny Ordinance No. 2026-23, Petition No. PMCPA-24-00000083 (Formerly VPA-24-083), Amendment to Village E VDPP.
• Pros:
o None identified.
• Cons:
o Postpones non-residential entitlement increases necessary to contribute to the City achieving its non-residential land use target of 18%.
o Limits the expansion of commercial and mixed-use development required to support the local economy.
o Prevents the Village E District from adopting updated signage and parking standards, causing ongoing inconsistency with the 2024 Unified Land Development Code (ULDC). Prevents the 60-acre expansion area from receiving its Mixed-Use 5 (MU-5) designation, stalling 150,000 square feet of new non-residential entitlements and delaying development on the parcel.
Background Information
Katie M. LaBarr, AICP, of Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. (“Applicant”), on behalf of Manasota Beach Ranchlands, LLLP (“Property Owner”), has filed an application, Petition No. PMCPA-24-00000083 (formerly VPA-24-083) requesting an amendment to the Wellen Park Village E VDPP.
Per the applicant's narrative, the purpose of this amendment is to incorporate the former 60-acre school site into the existing Village E District and designate it as Mixed-Use Area - 5 (MU-5). The amendment also includes an additional 21 acres to accommodate the alignment of Playmore Road, resulting in a total area increase of 81 acres. This involves updating several figures and dimensional standards within the Village E VDPP to reflect the inclusion of the additional land. The following figures have been revised to reflect these requested changes:
• Figure 3.2.A (Village District Plan)
• Figure 3.2.B (Conceptual Sketch)
• Figure 3.3.A (Village E Development Standards)
• Figure 3.4.2 (Roadways and Pathways)
• Figure 3.5.1.A (Water System Plan)
• Figure 3.5.1.B (Wastewater Systems Plan)
• Figure 3.6.1 (Wetland Impact Area)
• Figure 3.9.4.A (Conceptual Free Standing Sign Plans)
Additionally, the language for environmental, water, wastewater, school, and public facilities has been updated to reflect current conditions and ensure internal consistency.
Should this application receive approval, the entitlement mix for Village E will be modified to comprise 900 residential units and 550,000 square feet of non-residential space. This adjustment reflects a net increase of 150,000 square feet in non-residential uses and a reduction of 100 residential units.
The proposed amendment also updates signage, parking, and loading standards for Village E to align future development directly with current Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) regulations-specifically, Chapter 5 (Signage) and Chapter 4, Article X (Parking and Loading Regulations).
Project History:
Since its annexation in 2000, the Village E District Pattern Plan has undergone the following legislative actions:
Ø Original Adoption: July 23, 2019, via Ordinance No. 2019-25 (Petition No. VDC-17-159), establishing the original District Pattern Plan.
Ø First Amendment: August 6, 2024, via Ordinance No. 2024-26 (Petition No. VPA-24-78), incorporating the 28-acre Sarasota Memorial Hospital site and renaming the master plan community from West Villages to Wellen Park.
No waivers are being requested in connection with this application.
Pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 166.041(4)(c), a business impact estimate was not required because Ordinance No. 2026-23 is enacted to implement comprehensive plan amendments and land development regulation amendments initiated by an application by a private party other than the municipality.
Ordinance No. 2026-23 has been reviewed by the City Attorney and is legally correct as to form.
Notice of Public Hearings were mailed to the owner and property owners within a 1,320-foot radius of the subject property on June 30, 2026. The petition will be advertised in a newspaper of general circulation within the City of North Port on June 30, 2026, in accordance with the provisions of Section 166.041(3)(a), Florida Statutes and Section 7.01(c) of the Charter of the City of North Port.
The Planning and Zoning Advisory Board held a hearing on July 16, 2026. The Board voted unanimously, 5-0, to recommend approval of Petition No. PMCPA-24-00000083.
Strategic Plan
Economic Development & Growth Management
Financial Impact
Not applicable.
Procurement
Not applicable.
Attachments:
1. Ordinance No. 2026-23
2. Staff Report with Exhibits
3. Staff Presentation
4. PZAB Action Report
Prepared by: Sherry Willette, Planner III, Development Services Department
Lori Barnes, AICP, CPM, Deputy Director, Development Services Department
Department Director: Alaina Ray, AICP, Director, Development Services Department