Recapping North Port Forward’s regional economic development forum

North Port Forward hosted a “Community Conversation” featuring an economic overview of not only the city, but also the region, featuring speakers representing Charlotte and Sarasota counties as well as North Port. COURTESY PHOTO

On Wednesday, June 26, North Port Forward ( northportforward.com ) hosted an Economic Development Community Conversation at the Hampton Inn on U.S. 41 in North Port. The event aimed to inform and engage residents about economic development initiatives in the region.

Key economic development leaders provided presentations, including Dave Gammon, director of the Charlotte County Economic Development ( cleared4takeoff.com ); Josh Ewen, vice president of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County ( www.edcsarasotacounty.com ); and Vinnie Mascarenhas, business attraction and development administrator with the city of North Port Economic Development ( developnorthportfl.gov ). Attendees included Mayor Alice White, Commissioner Barbara Langdon, members of the city of North Port Leadership team and about 25 residents.

Dave Gammon, Charlotte County Economic Development, presentation highlights:

Gammon provided an overview of the remarkable economic progress in Charlotte County, particularly around the Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) Aviation Corridor.

Dave Gammon provided an overview of economic progress in Charlotte County, concentrating on the area surrounding the Punta Gorda Airport. COURTESY PHOTOS

In 2021, Charlotte County received a mere $4,000 in commercial tax revenue from the vacant land surrounding PGD. With numerous end users (including Cheney Brothers and FedEx) putting shovels in the ground around the airport, the county is projected to receive $1.8 million in commercial tax revenue from this area — with an assessed value of $285 million — by 2026.

Josh Ewen, EDC of Sarasota County, presentation highlights:

Ewen discussed regional trends and strategic initiatives between Sarasota County and the city of North Port. He highlighted the promotion of the North Port Gardens property at I-75 and Toledo Blade Boulevard as one of 10 sites statewide selected for the Florida First Sites Program, in collaboration with Global Location Strategies and Florida Power & Light.

Ewen emphasized the EDC of Sarasota County’s national and international efforts in attracting site selectors and end users in targeted industries such as technology, manufacturing, corporate headquarters and life sciences. He showcased the success of local manufacturers (such as Adams Group, King Plastic Corporation and Euro-Wall). The presentation included the EDC’s promotional videos highlighting economic development opportunities in Sarasota County and North Port.

Vinnie Masarenhas gave an update on North Port’s job growth and new business opportunities.

Vinnie Mascarenhas, North Port Economic Development, presentation highlights:

Mascarenhas provided an update on North Port’s economic development efforts, focusing on job growth and new business opportunities. So far, in FY 2024, more than 210 new businesses have opened in North Port, with 74% being home-based. These businesses frequently seek to expand into brick-and-mortar establishments, but North Port’s lack of flex/ office and commercial space emphasizes the need for more commercial development opportunities.

The city’s Unified Land Development Code (ULDC, www.northportfl.gov/ Building-Planning/Planning-Zoning/Unified Land-Development-Code-Update) rewrite is crucial to addressing this issue. With only 8% of land zoned for commercial use, the city aims to more than double this amount to balance the tax base, support business growth and reduce the future tax burden on homeowners.

Mascarenhas also highlighted North Port’s Workforce Partners initiative, featuring expanded partnerships with Suncoast Technical College (STC) and the State College of Florida (SCF) North Port campuses, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County.

Challenges and opportunities

Mascarenhas concluded by noting that North Port, while being one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, faces unique challenges due to its 1959 charter, which prohibits borrowing money or incurring debt without voter approval. Unlike the other 410 local governments in Florida, North Port is uniquely restricted from borrowing money or incurring debt without prior voter approval.

This 65-year-old “pay as you go” method has led to massive deferred maintenance issues, with essential capital improvement projects remaining unfunded and the city unable to pursue grant opportunities and low-interest government loans, as the timeline for a voter referendum is often too lengthy to meet deadlines for many of these funding opportunities.

Even if North Port’s growth halted today, the city would still face the critical need to fund upgrades and maintenance for existing aging infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, canal crossings, water control structures, and drinking water and wastewater services. The borrowing restrictions put the financial burden entirely on current residents rather than spreading the cost out over many years to future residents.

North Port residents will be able to address this issue in November when a Charter Amendment is presented on the election ballot.

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