784-lot East Manatee subdivision wins preliminary site plan approval

EAST MANATEE -- The Aviary at Rutland Ranch would bring something new to rural County Road 675: a 784-lot subdivision on 400 acres.

There are larger subdivisions planned or under construction in East Manatee, but The Aviary is the largest planned along County Road 675. Wednesday, Manatee County government awarded the project preliminary site plan approval, principal planner Barney Salmon said.

That means it has been found to be in compliance with the Manatee County Land Development Code and Comprehensive Plan.

But before any houses can be built, property owner John Falkner would still need to get final site plan approval, Salmon said.

Falkner, one of the county's largest land owners, has had the project in the works since at least 2007.

The Aviary has been scaled back from original plans that called for 868 lots extending north of Gamble Creek to State Road 62. Now, the project ends south of Gamble Creek, said Hugh McGuire, Falkner's attorney.

Planned for 16410 C.R. 675, the tract is due north of, but does not border, Lake Manatee.

The Aviary would be built in four phases on what has traditionally been ranch and farm land. Because it has been used largely for grazing, there are relatively few trees on the property.

The Aviary is located about four miles north of Rosa Fiorelli Winery, and about 4.5 miles south of Foxbrook, a neighborhood developed by Leslie Wells on about 945 acres. Ground was broken on Foxbrook in 2000.

The lots in The Aviary will be smaller than those in Foxbrook. Foxbrook lots were originally sold in one, three and five-acre sizes. Lots in phase one of The Aviary would be 40- to 50-feet wide.

James A. Jones Jr., East Manatee reporter, can be contacted at 941-745-7053 or on Twittercface fontname="Roman" naxe="0" iaxis="0"/>

This story was originally published February 26, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "784-lot East Manatee subdivision wins preliminary site plan approval."