WELLEN PARK — A new Sarasota Memorial Hospital location in Wellen Park took steps forward Tuesday.
The North Port City Commission unanimously agreed to allow the rezoning of around 28 acres, which are set to be home to a new hospital.
The undeveloped parcel is north of the State College of Florida-Venice campus and on the same side of U.S. 41.
The hospital will be separated from the Wellen Park Publix by West Villages Parkway. Its official address is 7900 S. Tamiami Trail.
The Wellen Park location is the second, large-scale SMH project set within North Port’s city limits.
The other location is off Sumter Boulevard, near Interstate 75.
The Wellen Park property was annexed into the city Oct. 30, 2000 as part of the Taylor Ranch annexation.
The rezone from no zoning designation, to public institutional zoning will allow SMH to get the ball rolling on the development.
In February, it was announced the SMH-Wellen Park site is projected to be a 300,000-square-foot, 150-bed acute-care hospital.
On Tuesday, North Port staff said it will bring numerous benefits to the area, including jobs.
A chart shown at the City Commission meeting suggests the new hospital could have a demand of more than 500 employees. The chart said the new location could call for 131 registered nurses, 127 personal care aides, and 60 nursing assistants, for starters.
Some hiccups did arise when it came to open space discussions.
City staff wants to ensure there is some of it, but representatives from the Boone Law Firm, representing SMH, were wary of an “arbitrary number” being put in place.
Jackson Boone said it could cause delays and said flexibility would be appreciated from the hospital.
Jeff Boone encouraged the city not to deploy any "roadblocks" for the project.
Eventually, it was agreed that SMH must not leave any less than 2.5% of the 28-acre property as open space.
The pair of SMH locations set for North Port could break ground in 2025.
A second reading for the 28-acre rezone of the Wellen park location is set for Aug. 6.
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