The ability to create special places that demonstrate the principles of smart growth development is a priority for Sarasota County. We call it "placemaking".

Placemaking in Sarasota County creates a new path for development by ensuring that citizens have direct input into the design of projects that impact their communities and that developers have feasible alternatives to single-use development.

Placemaking uniquely focuses on the desires and needs of the community by addressing:

• buildings and pedestrians in the public realm
• the form and mass of buildings in relation to one another
• the scale and network of streets and blocks

Principles of Placemaking
Placemaking evolved from smart growth, a development initiative that seeks to balance the needs and desires of citizens and developers through:

• a seat at the table for all community stakeholders
• transportation choices for everyone
• multiple choices in the creation of safe, attractive, and convenient neighborhoods
• direct access to jobs, daily needs, services, and fun, with less traffic time
• thriving neighborhoods, cities, and suburbs
• preserving and enhancing what’s best about the places we love
• lowering costs by efficiently using our tax money
• increased housing choices

Adopted Form Based Code