Manatee County overrun with development

Forty years ago I came to Manatee County from the U.S. Navy. It was a nice, quiet area of dirt roads, low density housing, abundant wildlife and cattle and farming operations — no interstate, no intense development and a 1985 Comprehensive Plan that I worked on along with others who were far more knowledgeable than I.

We worked natural resources and after quite a while we came up with a plan fair to all. It became part of the 1985 Comprehensive Plan. We were all very happy that something had been put together that could make the citizenry proud.

Jump ahead 40 years. A sardine can couldn’t hold more than the homes allowed on one acre of property pushed by developers and OK’d by your cheerful county commissioners

Oh, I forgot, we have traffic and the snowbirds aren’t here yet! What has caused all this traffic? What happened to a quiet, farming community called Parrish that is now overrun with people, cars and, oh yes, developments, those pesky developments.

In fairness to the commissioners, laws prohibit them from preventing development. I don’t want to prevent development, but intensity can be regulated. Instead of four homes per acre, how about one home per one to three acres? The developers still get what they’re owed and life around here will become a bowl of cherries.

Not likely, but daily living could become more tolerable; drive out to Panther Ridge or Pomello Ranches for a “look-see.”

We have elections coming up. Eastern Manatee is still semi-rural; put someone in office who doesn’t kowtow to developers.

I am a staunch conservative, love the Lord, Republican. This said, most conservatives and liberals can agree on one thing: We need to save or cut back on the destruction of our natural resources.

This story was originally published August 15, 2016 at 4:24 PM with the headline "Manatee County overrun with development."