Local Government Lake Flores Flourishes at Planning Commission

BRADENTON — You would have thought someone had just reinvented the wheel when Whiting Preston presented his Lake Flores project to the Manatee County Planning Commission at Thursday's meeting. Finally, a developer has an "a-ha" moment that suggests being smart about mobility, diversity and being human. His Lake Flores project, if executed as planned, may change life in Manatee County as we know it; or is it too little too late for that.

Not to take any credit away from Preston's plan, but much of what he presented at Thursday meeting exists elsewhere—just not here and not now.

Lake Flores is a proposed mixed-use development in southwest Manatee County that is adjacent to both IMG Academy and the upcoming Long Bar Pointe development, on the last large piece of undeveloped land on Manatee County's Sarasota Bay coastline (see aerial below and future land use map at page bottom). It is slated to offer a live/work/play concept, while promoting alternative means of transportation (Whiting's words). 

The project is located on 1,292 acres, south of Cortez Road, to the east and west of 75th Street West and northeasterly along El Conquistador Parkway, with plans for 6,500 residential units; 3,000,000 square feet of non-residential uses, and 500 hotel/motel rooms.

Preston's goal is to have walkable development, with a full complement of on-site housing, recreation, employment opportunities, where services and shopping for residents and neighboring communities are included in the package.

The project provides a variety of open space areas and trails, including a central Multi-Model Trail/Greenway providing recreation, exercise and connectivity between the eastern project boundaries through residential areas and ending in the District Area where the businesses and retail will be located (again, Preston's words).

The project is proposed to have 28 percent open space (374 acres) and 200 acres of lakes throughout.

Transportation objectives embrace 'complete streets' that include walking paths, bike paths and low-profile people movers that use alternative fuel sources.

Of the near twenty citizens signed-up to comment on the project, comments were all in support of the project and what little criticism that came from a couple of the speakers they were suggesting the developer make efforts to manage the traffic that might come from a project that size. 

Planning Commissioner Bower said he was skeptical at first, but was convinced by the presentation to support the project. Both Commissioners Rhoades and Horrigan stated they had never seen a project so 'crafted' as Flores and Chairman Conerly agreed.

The only setback is the hopes to mitigate 62 of the 69 acres of wetlands, which is easier said then done, but this truly may be a situation where the good outweighs the bad (seldom seen) in terms of how a land that is going to be developed, gets developed.

The project will now go to the Manatee County Commission when they return from their hiatus in August.