Latest news with #GeneralDevelopmentCorp
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
North Port voters to decide five referendum questions on May 13
NORTH PORT – North Port residents will go to the polls May 13 to decide five referendum questions – four of which involve the city's ability to borrow money. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 13. For election day, any in–person voting must be done at the assigned polling location. Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner urged people to double check their polling place online at The Supervisor of Elections noted one polling place change: Precinct 541 will vote for this election at Colonial Baptist Church, 2400 Taylor Ranch Trail, Venice. The five questions on the ballot include two city charter changes and three questions seeking permission to finance new projects – the largest of which is a proposed new headquarters for North Port Police. An information webpage at includes the ballot language for all five referendum questions and more details. Statewide, all bonds backed by property taxes must be first approved voters but North Port is the only known municipality in Florida that does not have the ability to borrow funds for emergency response or for projects backed by other financial means. General Development Corp. created that provision 65 years ago, when the city was incorporated as North Port Charlotte in 1959. One of the charter amendment votes would allow the city of North Port to borrow funds to respond to state and federally declared disasters. Current restrictions prevented North Port from participating in some state or federal low-interest loan programs following Hurricane Ian. The other charter amendment question would allow the city clerk and city attorney to live outside of the city limits. The three other funding questions involve the city's ability to issue bonds for three different capital projects: the new police station, a new solid waste transfer station and water and sewer improvements. A 'yes' vote on question 3 would allow the city to sell up to $115 million in general obligation bonds to build a new 108,000 square-foot police station that would accommodate the city's needs through 2065, with a current projected price tag of $122.7 million. General obligation bonds are paid for out of property tax revenue. The current North Port property tax rate is 3.7667 mills. One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property value. To finance the $115 million bond, an additional 0.618 mills would be assessed through the actual hit for individual taxpayers would be reduced as the city grows. Bonds to pay for the two other projects – a new solid waste transfer station and a new 30-inch pipeline from the wastewater treatment facility that would transport reclaimed water to a deep injection well for storage – would be financed through existing district fees and not property taxes. Early voting was held May 5-10, with 2,122 voters casting ballots. When combined with 6,004 mail-in ballots already received, that means 13.3% of North Port's 61,020 registered voters have weighed in on the five questions so far. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: North Port voters will determine five ballot questions May 13
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Grassroots environmental group targets first lot purchase in South Gulf Cove on Cape Haze
NORTH PORT – A leading grassroots nonprofit that buys residential land for conservation is raising funds for its latest purchase, which would expand its reach into South Gulf Cove, just outside of a Scrub-jay protection zone in Charlotte County. The Environmental Conservancy of North Port and Surrounding Areas needs $10,500 to close by March 31 on the purchase of what would be the 44th parcel it has preserved. The Allentown Avenue site's total price is $20,500 but the nonprofit launched the effort after receiving a $10,000 donation that can only be used to buy land. Barbara Lockhart, president of the nonprofit conservancy's board of directors, said the parcel is notable because it would be the first one preserved in South Gulf Cove and was chosen by a nomination from the public through a form on the conservancy's web site. Submissions are reviewed and scored though for all 43 parcels, which represents about 13.5 acres, 'the key is there has to be a willing seller.' Lockhart said the conservancy started the form to give people more of a say into where it should concentrate its preservation efforts. South Gulf Cove is a subdivision built by the General Development Corp. about 50 years ago on the Cape Haze peninsula that shapes Charlotte Harbor. The environment there includes habitat for Florida Scrub-jays, the only bird unique to Florida. It requires sandy, dry land with low-growing shrubs. 'What's unique about it is we haven't done any acquisitions there,' Lockhart added, referencing South Gulf Cove. The quarter-acre is just outside of Charlotte County's Scrub-jay protection zone and has one active gopher tortoise nest. 'There are Scrub-jays in the neighborhood,' Lockhart said. 'The neighbors confirmed it, the owner confirmed it.' Both gopher tortoises and Scrub-jays are threatened species. Gopher tortoises are relocated but Scrub-jays are not. Charlotte County's Scrub-jay conservation plan requires builders to pay a fee to clear lots in the zone. Those fees are used to buy land in eastern Charlotte County to preserve Scrub-jay habitat. The conservancy targets parcels such as the one in South Gulf Cove to provide 'stepping stone' habitats for the resident jays. Donations can be made: Via GoFundMe: or Via Venmo at @NPconservancy or via PayPal its website: Checks are also accepted, made payable to The Environmental Conservancy of North Port, Inc. and mailed to 3465 Alfred Road, North Port, FL 34286. The nonprofit started in the spring of 2020 in North Port, targeting Florida Scrub-jay habitat and quickly expanded to include land in unincorporated Sarasota and Charlotte counties, started in the spring of 2020 in North Port. The closing of its most recent purchase, on Wendy Terrace in North Port, closed under the radar last September, as the region dealt with the impacts of hurricanes Helene and Milton. That lot diagonally abuts another on Chris Terrace – a parcel the conservancy purchased in February and effectively doubled the amount of 'stepping-stone' habitat preserved off of Chamberlain Boulevard. Last August it purchased a parcel in Englewood that was prime habitat for Florida Scrub-jay and gopher tortoises. To date the conservancy oversees 18 parcels in North Port, two of which were donated; three parcels in Port Charlotte, one of which was donated; 13 parcels in Harbour Heights, one of which was donated; six parcels in El Jobean, all of which were donated; two parcels in Deep Creek and one in the Charlotte County area of Englewood. In addition to purchasing land, the all-volunteer board allocates funds to maintain the properties and trail cameras to monitor wildlife. It has also conducted limited tours of some of the preserved parcels. More information is at or on Facebook at This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Grassroots preservation group seeks to buy one lot in South Gulf Cove
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
North Port commissioners to discuss proposed May 13 special election questions
NORTH PORT – North Port City commissioners are poised to set up a special election for May 13 to again ask the community give the city permission to borrow money, this time for emergencies or to pay for select projects. The commission opted for a piecemeal process after North Port voters last November narrowly rejected a charter change that would have allowed the city to borrow for both emergencies and for projects paid for by bonds that don't have to be paid back by property taxes. North Port is the only known municipality in Florida that does not have the ability to borrow in such cases without first getting voter approval. General Development Corp. created that provision 65 years ago, when the city was incorporated as North Port Charlotte in 1959. Commissioners are set for a final vote to set a referendum asking voters to authorize issuing debt in response to an emergency or disaster without voter approval. Current restrictions prevented North Port from participating in some state or federal low-interest loan programs following Hurricane Ian. Mayor Phil Stopes noted that the language in the ordinance specifically states that the funds would be used for emergency services such as debris removal and repairing or reconstructing public infrastructure or capital facilities damaged in the disaster. Many critics of that November referendum question – including newly elected city commissioners David Duval and Demetrius Petrow – favored the emergency borrowing provision but not a second issue that would have lifted the requirement for voter approval to issue bonds backed by special district fees. A preliminary vote to set the referendum for the emergency borrowing provision passed unanimously on Jan. 14. City voters would also be asked in the May special election to approve a bonds to be repaid through a dedicated property tax that would generate about $115 million to help pay for a new police station and is projected to meet North Port's needs through 2065. The current North Port property tax rate is 3.7667 mills. The owner of a typical house with an assessed value of $246.400, pays about $739.78 in city property taxes. To finance the $115 million bond, an additional 0.618 mills would be assessed, which would increase that overall tax bill by $121.38 annually. Another referendum question – one that does not involve property taxes – would allow the city to issue bonds backed by solid waste fees to build a new solid waste transfer station to serve the fast growing eastern part of the city. The city has about $2.5 million available for the project and needs an additional $12.5 million, which would be financed through revenue bonds backed by user fees already set aside to save up for a pay-as-you-go funding process. Voters will also be asked to approve the use of water and sewer fees to pay for two separate projects. The first is a $3.4 million master pumping station and force main to serve water needs for growth in the Toledo Blade and Price Boulevard area. The cost would be financed with a goal of starting construction in the 2027-28 fiscal year. The city also needs to borrow $15 million to pay for construction of a wastewater pumping station and corresponding pipeline. It currently has only $1 million of the projected $16 million project cost. That project is needed both for growth and to deal with existing wastewater transport needs during wet weather events, as flow already exceeds capacity during those storms. One referendum question also expected to be included on the special election ballot doesn't deal with money. Commissioners are expected to ask voters to to rewrite the city charter to remove residency requirements for the city clerk and city attorney position. The commission meeting starts at 6 p.m. in North Port City Hall, 4970 City Hall Blvd. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: North Port commission will discuss five questions for May 13 ballot
