As we navigate the housing and development landscape of 2026, it is clear that the battles of 2024 were not the finish line—they were just the opening salvo. Two years ago, our community stood together under the "Anti-Builder" banner, a movement born out of sheer necessity to protect our neighborhoods from reckless, profit-driven overdevelopment.
Unfortunately, two candidates who benefited from that movement have flipped and continue the urban sprawl. Today, the pressure from mega-developers hasn't waned; it has simply evolved with their help. If we want to preserve the character, build infrastructure, and restore the environment and natural beauty of Manatee County, we must renew our pledges to this campaign with fresh urgency.
In 2024, our message was clear: community before builder, special interest profit. We successfully put local government on notice, voted out the builder puppets, and demanded transparency while halting several egregious zoning exemptions that would have overwhelmed our neighborhoods and gridlocked our roads.
However, looking around our community today, the tactics of these large-scale builders have shifted. They are no longer just knocking on the front door with massive high-density proposals; they are slipping through the back door by exploiting new legislative loopholes, including state preemption, rebranding high-priced luxury complexes as "affordable housing," and fast-tracking permits before residents even know a shovel has hit the dirt.
We must revive and evolve the Anti-Builder campaign for 2026 by focusing on four critical fronts:
To be absolutely clear: this campaign has never been about opposing growth entirely. It is about opposing exploitative growth. It is about demanding that if you build in our backyard, you respect the people who already live here. It is about how the BOCC treats the people of Manatee County.
The momentum of 2024 proved that when residents organize, developers blink. In 2026, let’s remind them that we are still watching, still organized, and still unwilling to let our community be paved over for a quick special interest payout.
Dr. Bob McCann represents District 5 on the Manatee County Commission.
6 comments on this item
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Dave
Well said. I hope the other of the commissioners take this to heart.
Monday, May 18 Report this
mcems1986
Agree with this assessment. As a county planner said in 2015: IF WE ALLIW GROWTH TO OUT PACE COUNTY DELIVERY SERVICE, WE LOST THE BATTLE.
We need to control growth to allow all infrastructure to catch.
Tuesday, May 19 Report this
brussini
Well said Dr. McCann… now how to implement or control.
Wednesday, May 20 Report this
nellmcphillips
Let’s hope voters take this into consideration at the ballot box.
Wednesday, May 20 Report this
susieb.copeland
Thank you Dr McCann. We need more politicians who will call out what is wrong and always do the right thing.
Friday, May 22 Report this
Dianna
Surprising that the 5 other Commissioners are not supportive of putting the community first. I think what they have lost sight of is that citizens recognize and support the way of life for everyone living in the county regardless of what district you live in. One of the big draws to this area was that the county was so diversified having beach communities, rural communities, while also having huge areas of agricultural land. Citizens who choose to live by the beach or "in town" also appreciate all of the citizens who choose to live in the rural areas, yet 5 commissioners refuse to acknowledge that. The ridiculous overdevelopment is a detriment to our community. The flooding issue along with the fact that wells out east are going dry right now should be a wake up call that something needs to change immediately.
Sunday, May 24 Report this