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Accomplishments2020-2024

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  • Successfully Reinstated Moratorium to Prevent Residents' Water from Being Shut Off During COVID

    • Sarasota Commissioner moves to reinstate moratorium on water shutoffs (heraldtribune.com)                            “With Thanksgiving here and Hanukkah and Christmas inching closer, Sarasota Vice Mayor Erik Arroyo wants to ensure city residents can still cook, wash their hands and use the bathroom — at least through the end of the year. As a policy, during the holidays, the city does not turn off utilities during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas. But Arroyo said he wants to partially reinstate a moratorium on other utility shutoffs through the end of the year. He hopes to discuss the issue with fellow commissioners on Dec. 7. “

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  • Historic Changes and Investment in Affordable / Workforce Housing; Accessory Dwelling Units Allowed Citywide

    • Sarasota zoning change could bring affordable housing and growth (heraldtribune.com)

    • Housing Affordability | City of Sarasota (sarasotafl.gov)

      • Incentivizing an environment for hospitable housing that provides a diversity in housing types and affordability levels through land use policies, typically targeting low and moderate-income households and attainable housing. 

      • Supporting local non-profits in developing affordable and attainable housing for the elderly, individuals with special needs, those with incomes ranging from moderate to extremely low, as well as workforce housing. 

      • Forming a cooperative effort with Sarasota County through the Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD), which serves residents throughout Sarasota County, including the cities of Sarasota, Venice, and North Port. The OHCD administers state and federal funds for a variety of housing programs, such as the Home Repair Program and projects involving federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Please visit the OHCD webpage for more information about the variety of housing programs and resources available by clicking here.

      • Supporting the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) in the regular review and recommendation of local policies and actions to further the development of affordable housing. The 2022 AHAC recommendations can be found by clicking here.

      • The Sarasota City Commission approved a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (22-PA-04) on November 7th, 2022 to increase the opportunity to provide attainable housing along commercial corridors and centers and within the downtown by providing a density incentive to developers when attainable housing is provided on-site. This initiative is consistent with the Sarasota Transportation Master Plan (Sarasota in Motion) and promotes transit-oriented development that creates more vibrant, livable, and sustainable communities. City staff will carry out a public outreach process to implement the Comprehensive Plan Amendment, through a Zoning Text Amendment that will provide public input for regulations and details for the density bonus incentive and required attainable housing.

 

 

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  • New Click-2-Fix Phone App allows Residents/Visitors to Report Problems and initiate work orders by simply taking a picture.

    • New mobile app simplifies service requests | News List | City of Sarasota (sarasotafl.gov)

      • “This is something I’ve wanted since before I was elected, but all the credit is due to our City Manager Marlon Brown, our IT Director Herminio Rodriguez, and our staff. They took the idea and built this program from the ground up,” said Vice Mayor Erik Arroyo. “Now reporting problems will be significantly easier: any resident can pull up this app on their phone and take a picture of an issue, automatically generating a work order for the city. It’s quick, efficient and makes sense in this cyber age. I anticipate Click-2-Fix will be well received by residents and visitors, and I appreciate our city’s amazing initiative and innovative approach to this invention, which will save us taxpayer dollars.”

 

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Accolades​

Source:  https://www.sarasotafl.gov/our-city/accolades

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The City of Sarasota is celebrated for our outstanding quality of life - consistently ranking among the best places to live, visit, and retire. From beautiful beaches to community spirit, safety to sustainability - these accolades showcase the City of Sarasota’s excellence across the board.

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2024

  • #11 - Best Places to Live in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report

  • #18 - Best Places to Retire in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report

  • World's Greatest Places, 2024 - Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, TIME

  • #3 - 10 Healthiest Communities in Florida, U.S. News & World Report

 

2023

  • #1 - Best Places to Live in Florida, U.S. News & World Report

  • #5 - Best Places to Live in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report

  • #7 - Safest Places to Live, U.S. News & World Report

  • #1 - Best Places to Visit in Florida, U.S. News & World Report

  • #4 - Most Neighborly City, Neighbor

  • 10 Best Cities in FL for a Family Vacation, FloridaRentals.com

 

2022

  • #3 - The 25 Healthiest Communities in Florida, U.S. News & World Report

  • #1 - Best Places to Visit in Florida, U.S. News & World Report

  • New York Times' 52 Places for a Changed World List, New York Times

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2021

  • Top 15 Best Places to Retire, Forbes

  • #1 - Best Places to Retire in the U.S. in 2021 - 22, U.S. News & World Report

  • World's Greatest Places, Time Magazine

  • #1 - Best Restored Beaches (Lido Beach), American Shore and Beach Preservation Association

  • #9 - Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2021 - 2022, U.S. News & World Report

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2020

  • #1 "Top Stop" (Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall) worldwide for venues with a capacity of 2,000 or fewer, Venues Now

  • #1 - Best Places to Retire in the U.S. in 2020 - 21, U.S. News & World Report

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​A City of Successes

Source:  https://www.sarasotafl.gov/our-city/successes

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Join us in celebrating the City of Sarasota’s successes, as reflected in our commitment to public safety, superior water quality, and proactive community initiatives. From the opening of the scenic Bay Park to the revitalization of the historic Bobby Jones Golf Club, our City continues to shine as a community dedicated to innovation, sustainability, and the well-being of all its residents.

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Affordable Housing:   

  • Winner of the 2024 FLC Florida Municipal Achievement Local Action Award for addressing affordable housing with an innovative voluntary density bonus program promoting the development of attainable housing units. (Awarded May 2024) 

 

Budget Management and Fiscal Responsibility:

  • Two consecutive years with no millage rate increase for City Residents following two straight years of millage rate reductions. (Unanimously approved July 2024.) 

  • Honored for the 10th consecutive year with the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association, recognizing the City's commitment to producing transparent and easily understandable budget summaries for the public. 

 

Economic Development: 

  • Introduced an innovative Legacy Business Program (unanimously approved October 2023) to honor and support long-standing local businesses, recognizing their contributions to the community and local economy.  

 

Environmental Sustainability:

  • Conserved over 300 acres of urban green space for future generations at Bobby Jones Golf Club and Nature Park. (Unanimously approved, January 2022.) 

  • More than 380,000 free rides on the free Bay Runner Trolley have reduced traffic and connected residents, visitors, and workers from downtown to St Armands (since its inaugural ride in March 2022). 

  • 53 acres of parking lot turned into activated public park space. Phase one of the Bay Park opened in October 2022 and has had more than 330,000 visitors so far. Work is ongoing on Phase 2, including a resilient shoreline and the construction of Sunset Pier.  

  • Recognized with LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (December 2022). This certification recognizes the city's commitment to sustainability and resilience through practical strategies. 

 

Historic and Cultural Preservation: 

  • Introduced the City Hall Arts / Cultural Exhibit which features local and regional artworks and historical photographs on a rotating display throughout City Hall. So far, installations have featured Sarasota's circus and arts heritage, the Sarasota Modern Architectural Movement, and works by The Florida Highwaymen.   

  • Winner of the Stewards of Heritage Award from the Florida Archeological Council, recognizing staffs efforts to create the newly designated Newtown Historic District, the largest black historic district in the State of Florida. 

 

Public Art: 

  • Adopted the 2030 Public Art Master Plan (July 2023) to strategically integrate diverse public art into the city's landscape, fostering community engagement and cultural expression. 

  • Almost 100 pieces of original artwork, including large and small scale sculptures, murals, and installations, are in the City's Public Art Collection.    

 

Public Safety:  

  • An historic reduction in Part 1 Crimes, with ZERO homicides, was reported by the Sarasota Police Department in 2023. Part 1 Crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and vehicle theft. These types of crimes plummeted more than 16 percent in 2023. (Presented to City Commission February 2023.) 

 

Water Quality: 

  • Nearly 20 acres of newly created wetlands and 49,000 nutrient-filtering aquatic plants installed at Bobby Jones Golf Club and Nature Park capture treat stormwater from more than 5,800 urban acres, and remove an estimated 900 pounds of nitrogen and 300 pounds of phosphorus from local waterways each year. 

  • No PFAS contaminants were detected in the City of Sarasota's drinking water, which also meets all health and safety standards, with low levels of chlorine, trihalomethanes, and haloacetic acids, all well within EPA limits. (2023 Water Quality Report) 

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