FY 2013 Accomplishments
SARASOTA COUNTY ONLY ONE STEP AWAY FROM HOSTING WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP
 The FISA (International Rowing Federation) Council recommended to its 136-member Congress
that Sarasota/Bradenton host the 2017 World Rowing Championships at Nathan Benderson
Park, a weeklong event that could attract an estimated 40,000-plus visitors to the county. (The
FISA Congress will vote on the FISA Council's recommendation on Sept. 2 in Chungju, South
Korea, during the 2013 World Rowing Championships.)
NEW NATHAN BENDERSON PARK RECEIVED STATE AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION
 Nathan Benderson Park received a 2013 American Planning Association (APA) Florida Award of
Excellence in the Planning Project category. The award will be presented at the chapter's annual
state conference in Orlando Sept. 10-13.
 At the APA National Conference in April, Sarasota County also was a co-winner of the 2013
APA's prestigious Hunter Award for Excellence in Economic Development. The award was for the
design and development of Nathan Benderson Park and the project's economic development
potential for sports tourism.
 At that conference, the county also received the 2013 Award of Merit from the APA County
Planning Division and the National Association of County Planners (NACP) for the park project.
The Award of Merit is based on collaborative partnerships between Sarasota County and
Benderson Development Inc. that involved the coordinated planning of Nathan Benderson Park,
the adjacent large-scale mixed-use project by Benderson Development Inc., and the
construction of the North Cattlemen Road extension and improvements.
NORTH CATTLEMEN ROAD PROJECT COMPLETED
 A major two-year construction project to extend and improve North Cattlemen Road from
Richardson to DeSoto roads was completed in May. The approximately 2.75-mile-long extension
of North Cattlemen Road provides motorists with a new north-south alternative to Interstate 75
(I-75) from University Parkway to Fruitville Road. It also provides improved access to Nathan
Benderson Park, and the Mall at University Town Center which is currently under construction.
 The North Cattlemen Road construction project won a statewide 'Best in Construction' award
from the Florida Transportation Builders Association Inc. (FTBA). The project won in the Local
Agency Program (LAP) category. Under the Florida LAP program, funds from the Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA) are administered by the Florida Department of Transportation
through a grant to the local agency  in this case, Sarasota County government.
CULVERHOUSE NATURE PARK OPENED
 Sarasota County Parks and Recreation, Friends of Sarasota County Parks, Friends of The Legacy
Trail, Friends of Palmer Ranch Parks, Friends of Culverhouse Community Garden, the Sarasota
YMCA and the Palmer Ranch Master Association held an open house celebration June 29 at the
new Culverhouse Nature Park, located at the northern terminus of The Legacy Trail (7301
McIntosh Road, Sarasota). Sarasota County acquired the 82-acre property in July 2010 through a
donation from the Culverhouse family. The new park is one of seven trailheads for The Legacy
Trail. In addition to providing access to The Legacy Trail, the park also offers opportunities for
picnicking, hiking, bicycling and gardening.
SARASOTA COUNTY FY 2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS PAGE 2
COUNTY EARNED DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD FOR 23RD CONSECUTIVE YEAR
 The Sarasota County Office of Financial Management has once again received the Distinguished
Budget Presentation Award" for its fiscal year 2013 budget. The award is the highest
professional recognition in governmental budgeting and is presented by the Government
Finance Officers Association (GFOA). The county has won the award for 23 consecutive years.
COUNTY’S HEALTHY FINANCIAL POSITION EARNED AAA DEBT RATING
 Fitch Ratings, a national bond rating agency, reaffirmed Sarasota County's AAA implied general
obligation debt rating. The AAA rating reflects the county's excellent credit profile and healthy
financial position. Fitch said the county's healthy financial position is due to conservative
budgeting practices, strong management and economic recovery efforts. These characteristics,
including sizable reserves and a low debt burden, are part of the rationale behind the AAA rating
for the implied general obligation debt rating.
SARASOTA COUNTY CONTINUES TO HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST MILLAGE RATES IN FLORIDA
 Sarasota County’s millage rate of 3.39 is the third lowest in the state. Other Florida millage rates
range from 3.1229 (Monroe County) to 10.0 (Calhoun, Hamilton, Liberty and Union counties.)
CONSTRUCTION OF NEW GULF GATE LIBRARY MOVED FORWARD
 The Sarasota County Commission approved a $7.7 million contract amendment for construction
of a new Gulf Gate Library at the site of the existing library, 7112 Curtiss Ave., Sarasota. Willis A.
Smith Construction Inc. of Sarasota will oversee and manage the building of the 25,800-squarefoot, two-story library. The contract amendment approved by the board May 21 for Phase 2
includes a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for construction of the library, incorporating the
latest practices in service delivery with more traditional library services. The new library will
offer lending, reference, children and youth services; public access computers and wireless
Internet access; informational and educational programs; automated book returns and sorting;
and community gathering places such as meeting rooms.
WEBSITE TO HELP PROTECT PUBLIC FROM UNLICENSED CONTRACTORS LAUNCHED
 As part of its yearlong outreach campaign to protect the public from unlicensed contractors,
Sarasota County has created a website that identifies unlicensed contractors who have been
cited for unlicensed activity. The purpose of the website, which is for internal use only, is to
provide law-enforcement authorities with information on repeat offenders. This will help in the
prosecution of unlicensed contractors who are putting families and businesses at risk. The
website will be open to other government jurisdictions that want to participate.
ONLINE PERMITTING DEVELOPED
 A new online Permitting Portal will be unveiled soon on our website, scgov.net. It will allow
property owners and contractors to apply online for any building or construction permits within
the county. County reviewers will have EMMA (electronic markup management tools) for
electronic plans review. This allows contractors to apply for and respond to our reviewers by
email. The new electronic process is expected to save both money and time for the county and
the public.
Prepared by Sarasota County Communications Department
August 2013
SARASOTA COUNTY FY 2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS PAGE 3
HONORE AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS RECOGNIZED
 This $18 million design-build project, which extended Honore Avenue from Fruitville to Bee
Ridge roads, won the state's American Public Works Association (APWA) Project of the Year
Award for a transportation project in the $5 million to $25 million category. The 2.7-mile-long
extension of Honore Avenue was a critical missing link in one of the major north-south county
thoroughfares. The project was designed to protect the neighborhood character with minimal
intrusion, yet provide greater mobility for residents and visitors by constructing an appealing
two-lane divided roadway with sustainable, environmentally friendly features, including Floridafriendly landscaping, bioswales and rain gardens to treat stormwater runoff and vegetative
buffers. Bicycle lanes, meandering sidewalks on both sides of the road, crosswalks, bus stops, a
decorative intersection medallion and energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) streetlights in
the medians were included in the design-build project. Six roundabouts were built to provide
safer and more efficient traffic flow. The project also saved about 75 percent of the existing
mature, canopy trees in the roadway corridor. It was completed in November 2011.
CASEY KEY WATER MAIN INTERCONNECT WON AWARD
 This $1.1 million project won the APWA Project of the Year Award in the emergency
construction/repair under $5 million category. The project replaced a leaking water main serving
the two barrier islands of Siesta Key and Casey Key. Since the location crossed sensitive marine
habitats and a marine preserve, it required extensive permitting and coordination with
regulatory authorities, as well as innovative construction techniques involving a horizontal
directional bore under environmentally sensitive areas. The new water main significantly
improved water reliability and increased water flow for emergency services from 470 gallons per
minute (GPM) to more than 840 GPM. The project was completed in December 2012.
CELERY FIELDS REGIONAL STORMWATER FACILITY RECEIVED ENVIRONMENT EXCELLENCE AWARD
 This $7.2 million project won the Environmental Excellence Award in the conservation category
from the National Association of Environmental Professionals. Built on an 450-acre site formerly
used to grow celery, the stormwater project provides flood protection, floodplain storage, water
quality improvements and wetland restoration habitat. It is also a passive recreational site, with
walking trails around the perimeter of the facility, an improved walking and bicycle trail on the
75-foot-tall Observation Mound, sidewalks and a parking area at the gazebo. It has become a
major site for bird watching, with at least 216 species identified. The grand opening of the
facility was celebrated in April 2011.
NEW SCAT CATTLEMEN INTERMODAL TRANSFER STATION OPENED
 The new Cattlemen Intermodal Transfer Station for Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT, located
at the intersection of Cattlemen and Bahia Vista Street in Sarasota, opened in January. One of
four SCAT transfer facilities, the new station has six bays that can accommodate SCAT’s regular
29- and 35-foot-long buses, as well as its new 40-foot-long Express buses. Two of the bus bays
are expanded for larger commuter multimodal access, such as intercity service provided by
Greyhound Lines Inc. Current plans are for Greyhound to coordinate with SCAT to use this
station, particularly because of its proximity to Interstate 75. The transfer facility also has a
covered platform for bus service patrons, restroom facilities, an area for bus operators and
Prepared by Sarasota County Communications Department
August 2013
SARASOTA COUNTY FY 2013 ACCOMPLISHMENTS PAGE 4
supervisors and a station manager office. Electronic signage will direct riders to their buses.
Ticket vending and cameras to enhance security of SCAT patrons and staff will be installed.
SOUTH COUNTY SCAT COMMUTER PARK AND RIDE OPENED
 In March, Sarasota County and North Port officials marked the completion of the Sarasota
County Area Transit (SCAT) Commuter Park and Ride project in North Port. The Commuter Park
and Ride lot is adjacent to the City Hall’s parking lot. The Park and Ride project was made
possible by a partnership of the county, the city of North Port and the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT), including its Commuter Services program. While the Park and Ride was
designed and funded primarily as a SCAT facility, it serves all commuters, including van pools
and car pools, bicyclists and pedestrians. The $501,759 project was funded by FDOT grants and
the county in 2009.
SECOND SCAT COMMUTER EXPRESS SERVICE BETWEEN NORTH PORT AND SARASOTA ADDED
 A second Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT) Express bus service – the 90X North Port-VeniceSarasota – began operation on Jan. 21, 2013.
WEBSITE NAMED ONE OF THE MOST TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT SITES IN THE U.S.
 Sarasota County's website, www.scgov.net, was named a "Sunny Award" winner by the editors
of Sunshine Review as one of the most transparent government websites in the United States.
The county's website scored an "A-" transparency grade on Sunshine Review's transparency
checklist. Only 11 of 67 Florida counties received an "A" category grade.
Sunshine Review is dedicated to state and local government transparency. The nonprofit
organization collects information and uses a 10-point "Transparency Checklist" to evaluate the
content of every state and more than 6,000 local government websites.
SARASOTA COUNTY AND CITY RECOGNIZED FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
 Sarasota County and the city of Sarasota were named winners of a national award for
community development for their efforts to revitalize the Newtown neighborhood. The county
and city received the Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award by the
National Community Development Association (NCDA) during a ceremony Feb. 1 in Washington.
The award recognizes the efforts by the county and city to work with residents and community
organizations to achieve a "holistic change in the Newtown Neighborhood." Projects include
Janie's Garden, the Robert Taylor Community Center, the Newtown Training Center, commercial
storefront improvements, the Kingstone and St. Monica apartment redevelopments, Fredd
"Glossie" Atkins Park, and playground and drainage improvements. The county and city made
more than $60 million in improvements in Newtown, using funds that included a $23 million
Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development.
Prepared by Sarasota County Communications Department
August 2013