PARRISH — A large area of orange groves and pastureland in northern Manatee County could resemble a small town in two decades if a landowner’s conceptual plans come to fruition.
Florida Land Management Inc. is considering 3,300 homes and 450,000 square feet of retail and office space on 1,155 acres east of Interstate 75 between Erie Road and Moccasin Wallow Road, according to the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council.
The council must review and approve the Parrish Lakes project because of its size and scope. If built as proposed, it would be the biggest single development in northern Manatee — and sixth-largest countywide — in terms of residential units, according to council records.
FLM, an agricultural services and management company based in Brandon, has not yet submitted a formal plan to the regional agency. Telephone messages left with the company were not returned Monday.
Parrish Lakes is the first such large project, officially called a development of regional impact, to be proposed in Manatee since the local real-estate market slump began in 2007.
The slump has stalled several other previously approved projects in the area. But a St. Petersburg real-estate analyst and certified appraiser surmised that FLM is preparing for a market recovery by getting its approvals in place early.
“The hope is, if you do that, you’re ready to get into the market,” said Robert Dunham, owner of Southeast Market Analysts. “You don’t want to wait until the market is re-established. You want to be ready when the market is re-emerging. This is the time for maneuvering.”
FLM initially approached the county with the Parrish Lakes concept in December but has not submitted anything officially, said John Osborne, the county’s interim planning director.
“So far, we don’t know what exactly they’re going to submit,” he said.
FLM told the regional planning council that Parrish Lakes might be built in two phases: the first by 2020, and the second by 2030.
Conceptual plans for the first phase include 900 single-family homes, 600 multi-family units and 250,000 square feet of retail space. The final phase would be larger, with 1,300 single-family homes, 500 multi-family units, 150,000 square feet of retail and 50,000 square feet of office space.
The retail and office space would be in a “town center” area along the project’s main road, according to a conceptual master plan submitted to the regional planning council.
Property records show the site is comprised of 15 separate parcels, with FLM acquiring the majority of it for $2.13 million in 2002.
Duane Marsteller, transportation/growth & development reporter, can be reached at 745-7080, ext. 2630.
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