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The Partnership is the voice of downtown, bringing private sector opinions and expertise to government and other community organizations. The Partnership both pursues its own policy agenda and responds to policy issues and challenges that arise within the community. Policy questions are addressed by issues subcommittees of the Policy Committee. Recommendations are then forwarded to the full Policy Committee which recommends policy positions to the DTP Board of Directors for adoption. In developing its policies, The Partnership seeks common ground with other downtown organizations. We also reach out for input from our members and the public through surveys, opinion polls , feedback at Downtown Forums and Membership Network meetings and website comments.

The Partnership's policy positions are outlined in Policy Position Papers and, as appropriate, presented to governments or other decision-making organizations. We also distribute our position papers to other organizations, the media and our membership.

In August, 2004, the DTP Board of Directors agreed that its advocacy priorities would focus on:

  • Advancing the creation of a critical mass of affordable workforce housing in and around downtown
  • Making downtown and its environs more "funky" and attractive to younger people
  • Boosting downtown economic development by:
  • Improving downtown retail
  • Advocating for a conference center in downtown
  • Improving accessibility throughout the urban core by:
  • Enhancing walkability of downtown
  • Improving access to downtown
  • Strengthening connections among downtown locations

Among our advocacy successes over the past two years are:

  • Keeping the County's Administration downtown
  • Keeping the Florida West Coast Symphony downtown
  • Providing more flexibility in the City's sound ordinance
  • Increasing residential densities in the western end of downtown
  • Resisting a proposed City moratorium on comprehensive plan changes
  • Developing strategies to combat vagrancy in downtown
  • Winning City support for changes in the Downtown Code to allow higher residential densities in the Rosemary district and Park East
Voice of Downtown
1365 Fruitville Road . Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: 941-951-2656 . Fax: 941-366-3682
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