North Port contemplates finding funding for new, expanded police station

Correction: The site for the proposed new police station is 19.19 acres. An an earlier version of this story listed an incorrect lot size.

NORTH PORT – As the city’s population rises towards 100,000, North Port city commissioners are eyeing a long-term solution to its need for a new police station.

Board members charted a strategy at a Monday workshop that could lead to building a $122.7 million complex on a 19.19 acre parcel purchased last August.

The current police department at 4980 City Hall Blvd. has about 32,400 square feet under roof and opened in July 2006.

Back then, the city had 47,000 people and a police force with 79 sworn officers and 30 civilian employees.

The city’s population has already eclipsed 86,000 people and is projected to exceed 100,000 within the next three years.

In contrast, the version of the building that is projected to accommodate space needs through 2065 – that the board agreed by consensus to discuss more as soon as March 5 – includes 30,600 square feet of shell space that would be built but only occupied as needs warranted.

The commission also discussed a variety of funding options, which are scheduled for the March 5 agenda.

Why does North Port need a new police station?

The move toward a new station started in 2017, with the idea that the existing building could be expanded to account for, among other things, secure evidence storage.

“This started with property and evidence,” North Port Deputy Police Chief Chris Morales said. “That’s when it became critical for us.”

Research quickly showed that it was not practical because the remodeled station would have to comply with updated building codes for public safety facilities – which are more stringent than for other municipal uses – and the department would have to be displaced during construction.

Last March, the City Commission opted to build a new station that ideally would include a 108,900-square-foot main building, 7,400-square-foot special operations garage and 5,230-square-foot vehicle uplift garage.

The hope is that it would accommodate space needs through 2065.

North Port now has 144 sworn offices and 52 civilian employees, with the ability to hire another 10 officers through a federal grant for which the city recently qualified, based on population.

By 2035, the force is anticipated to grow to 265 sworn officers and106 civilian employees; by 2050 the need could grow to require 401 sworn officers and 160 civilians, and by 2070 to 659 sworn officers and 263 civilians.

The board also talked about a slightly smaller initial build-out, equivalent to meeting the needs through 2050, that would reduce the overall space.

To do that, they could save about $9 million, which is the estimated cost for 30,000 square feet of shell space. But that could mean spending as much as $30 million later to build that same square footage.

“I am a big believer in pennywise, pound foolish,” said Mayor Alice White, indicating a preference to avoid the increased cost of essentially phasing in the building.

When the government complex at City Hall Boulevard was opened in 2006, City Hall was already viewed as too small.

Morales said that while there was space for growth at the police station, it was also obvious that it too could be quickly out-grown.

“We don’t want to make the same mistake as history has taught us,” Morales told the commission. "What we are doing is leaving a road map for our successors: ‘This is what we did for you, we know we’re going to grow, take it from here.’”

How will the city pay for the new station?

There likely won’t be any one source of funding to pay for a new station.

Vice Mayor Phil Stokes listed several options, including the recently approved half-cent sales tax; state or federal grant funds; impact fees; a property tax increase or an assessment that could be used to guarantee a bond – similar to the way the city financed its road resurfacing bond.

When city voters approved bonding $80 million of sales tax funds to pay for the first phase of widening Price Boulevard, the second phase of widening the road was contemplated for another bond.

The commission could defer that until the eventual vote for the sales tax – in 2039 – which could free up roughly $50 million for bonding, pending voter approval.

Discussion of that, as well as other funding possibilities will be covered on March 5, with the possibility of a referendum appearing as soon as the Aug. 20 primary election or on the Nov. 5 general election.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: North Port commission sets sights on 108,900-square-ft. police station