MANATEE – SARASOTA AND ITS REGIONAL INFILL DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

With published information available on smaller 2–5-acre residential development activity and potential near the City of Sarasota and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), projections can be made as to how this type of infill or small-parcel development may trend over the next few years based on current local land use plans and recent proposals.  These include one recent proposal for townhomes on +/- 2.3 Acres.  This development proposal was recently reviewed by the City of Sarasota’s Development Review Committee for 18 townhomes on a +/- 2.33-acre parcel directly across from the Airport’s runway, at University Parkway & Old Bradenton Road. This project is undergoing design revisions and reflects active interest in infill residential on small parcels. This is a real, current example of a 2–5 acre residential project near the airport demonstrating that small infill parcels are being considered for higher-intensity residential use where context and zoning permit.

While exact government projections for infill development near the airport and city neighborhoods are not published by the County as a separate projection line item, we can reasonably project potential activity based on existing development interest, zoning capacity, and economic signals:

Demand Drivers (Near City / Airport) include:

1. Market Interest in “Urban Living” means developers increasingly propose townhomes and small infill housing in areas with urban amenities, including near the Airport, proximity to downtown, and key arterial corridors.
2. Limited large vacant parcels inside municipalities means smaller 2–5 acre parcels become prime targets for redevelopment or infill.
3. These could collectively add 150–400 new housing units (assuming +/- 12–30 units per 2–5 acre site depending on density and zoning allowances).
4. The 2.33-acre townhome example shows achievable yields near 8–10 units per acre in real proposals.
5. If zoning allows slightly higher densities (e.g., multi-family or mixed-use approaches), some sites could yield 20+ units per acre on these small parcels.

There are, of course constraints and considerations for infill development including noise & safety near the Airport where:

1. Projects immediately adjacent to Airport face additional scrutiny over noise, safety, and compatibility with airport operations and with residents raising concerns.
2. Many vacant small parcels need rezoning, utility connections, and plan approvals before residential development can proceed. This adds time and cost compared with larger greenfield developments.
3. And conversely where proximity to roads, utilities, and city services already exist, they can also support faster build-out once approvals are obtained.

Specifically, In the Bradenton/Manatee side of the metro area, designated “Urban Corridors” in the county Comprehensive Plan signal areas with flexibility for moderate residential or mixed-use development.  These are at higher densities than the surrounding sprawl, and often on smaller parcels which can be found along:

1. US-41 / 14th Street West Corridor with a long corridor through Bradenton/Palmetto with commercial and underutilized parcels.
2. 15th Street East (Manatee) with another major road with commercial land and underutilized parcels in the Urban Service Area.
3. 53rd Avenue West / SR-70 Corridor recognized in Manatee County planning studies as a high-priority corridor with mixed commercial and infill redevelopment potential.
4. Cortez Road / Manatee Avenue segments where other primary east-west arterials in the County that serve as corridors where mixed use and multifamily residential can be viable over time.
5. Bradenton Urban Neighborhoods including the historic and mixed-use Village of the Arts area also offer pockets for residential redevelopment or adaptive reuse at small scales.
6. Airport Vicinity including University Parkway & Old Bradenton Road, northern Tallevast Road zones and south airport commercial strip infill pockets

Urban Mixed-Use zoning and density programs in the City of Sarasota explicitly aim to create conditions where smaller parcel residential and mixed-use projects can be viable by granting density bonuses and flexible standards.  These particularly along designated corridors and centers. In Manatee County, Urban Corridor policies allow for moderate increases in density and mixed-use residential along key arterials serving established urban activity. Some neighborhood planning and existing land uses mean that many infill opportunities involve redevelopment or assemblage of multiple small parcels rather than raw vacant 2-5 acre tracts, especially inside Urban Service Areas.

Even though much of Sarasota and Manatee’s major residential growth is happening through large master-planned communities, small 2–5 acre infill residential development near the City and Airport exist.  They present and likely to continue to provide opportunities in the coming decade, particularly where land parcels are available and zoning supports higher-density housing.