At the Oct. 6 North Port City Commission workshop, Development Services Deputy Director Laurie Barnes reviewed a proposal to improve the department’s administrative-approval report and to increase communication about projects in technical review.

Barnes demonstrated the department’s development viewer map and explained how commissioners and the public can click project pop-ups to see site layouts and basic project information for administratively approved development orders. She said the department will continue to provide that web link in weekly communications and offered to begin quarterly economic-development updates that would include projects in the pipeline and, if requested, ad valorem tax–impact estimates for proposed developments.

Barnes cautioned that more detailed economic-impact modeling would require new software and additional staff time or a budget allocation. She also noted that many early-stage pre-application inquiries do not mature into a formal application, and that staff cannot always track private parties’ site visits or informal discussions seen on social media.

Commissioners asked staff to provide clearer, earlier notices about projects in active review and to include commissioners on the biweekly Development Review Committee (DRC) distribution so they can see pre-application and formal-review agendas. Laurie Barnes said the DRC meeting is a technical review meeting; it is open to the public but is not a decision-making body and currently runs in person to meet statutory review timelines. The clerk’s office will be consulted about sunshine-law implications if multiple commissioners attend.

Commissioner Patrick and others asked that when a potential project is known to have withdrawn or changed course, staff share that outcome if the information is available so residents do not assume a development is moving forward.