Urban Service Boundary
Amendments to the Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan that increase the Urban Service Area, establish or add lands to overlay districts which increase the allowable land use intensity or density of lands lying outside the Urban Service Boundary (USB) must be fiscally neutral and approved by a unanimous vote of the Board of County Commissioners. The USB is a conceptual line delineated in the Future Land Use Map that generally follows I-75, separating the higher density Urban Service Area from more rural lands to the east.

The proposed Charter amendment will:

• Embed the USB in the Sarasota County Charter. Voters would have to approve removing the USB from the Charter.

• Require a unanimous county commission vote to add lands lying outside the USB to the Urban Service Area.

• Require a unanimous county commission vote to add or expand overlay development districts that would increase
  the allowable land use intensity or density on lands lying outside the USB.

• Require fiscal neutrality for Comprehensive Plan amendment increasing the urban service area.