BOCC to Vote on Another East of FDAB Development Thursday

BRADENTON  At Thursday's meeting, the Manatee County Planning Commission voted 3-1 to recommend approval of a comp plan amendment and rezone that would allow for yet another major development east of the county's Future Development Area Boundary.

Pulte Homes would be the master developer on a large-scale project that would see 1,100 residential units (single-family detached and single-family attached) on 495 acres off of Rye Road. Lazy C Ranch, which includes no commercial element, would be sandwiched between three other developments: The Aviary to the west, Foxbrook to the east, and Rye Ranch to the south.

Around 80 percent of the development area is east of the FDAB and zoned AG-R (agriculture), which allows for one house per five acres. The applicant is asking for a max density of 2.2 units per acre.

Cindy Kebba was the only member of the commission to vote against a recommendation. Kebba said she felt that 2.1.28, the policy that allows for continuous and contiguous development by a master developer east of the FDAB, remains in conflict with the stated goals of element 2 of the county's comprehensive land use plan and was something of an end around in which decisions are being made against the public interest in a way that lacks transparency.

The application is on a fast track, as a vote for transmittal to the state will go before the Manatee County Commission at this Thursday's land use meeting. Click here to view attachments for the item on the land use meeting's agenda.