Sarasota County · Site Plan
Site Plan Approval in Sarasota County
The detailed plan that turns approval into a buildable project. Here's how it works in Sarasota County — and how we manage it end to end.
Site Plan in Sarasota County
Tell us about your project — we’ll reply within one business day.
Site plan approval is the detailed review of how a development sits on its land — building placement, parking, access, drainage and stormwater, landscaping, utilities, and code compliance. It's the bridge between an entitled use and an issued building permit.
Most non-single-family projects need it, and it's reviewed by multiple departments at once. A site plan that doesn't reconcile every department's rules stalls in comment cycles — the same multi-department coordination we run in permit management.
How it works in Sarasota County
Decided by: The Administrator (PDS), on Development Review Committee recommendation — no public hearing
Typical timeline: administrative; a few months for a clean submittal
Controlling code: Unified Development Code (UDC), Ch. 124
Sarasota County calls this Subdivision or Site Development Plan review (UDC §124-41), and it's the one approval of the four that is purely administrative — decided by staff with no board hearing. Zoning must already be in place (so any rezoning or special exception comes first).
The Development Review Committee issues comments; an applicant who doesn't resubmit conforming plans within 90 days is deemed withdrawn. We assemble the engineered set and drive the review rounds to approval.
How we manage it
- →Coordinate the full site-plan submittal across departments
- →Manage review comments and corrections to resolution
- →Coordinate engineers, surveyors, and drafters on the plan set
- →Carry the approved site plan into the building-permit phase
Frequently asked questions
- When do I need site plan approval?
- Generally for commercial, multifamily, and mixed-use projects — not typical single-family homes. We confirm whether your project triggers it in your specific jurisdiction.
Planning a project in Sarasota County?
Tell us about your project. We reply within one business day — and we’ll tell you straight whether we’re the right fit.