Huge Parrish Lakes project moving toward date with planning commission

The long-stalled Parrish Lakes project that would bring 3,300 homes and 400,000 square feet of retail and office space to a 1,150-acre site between Moccasin Wallow Road on the north and Erie Road on the south appears headed to the Manatee County Planning Commission.

The development of regional impact first surfaced in 2009 but was sidetracked by the Great Recession.

In 2015, Florida Land Management of Brandon filed documents with Manatee County Building and Development Services to start the process of resurrecting the project.

Stephanie Moreland, Manatee County’s principal planner for Parrish Lakes, said Thursday that the project likely will go before the planning commission in August or September.

Manatee County staff members have until July 19 to complete their comments on Parrish Lakes, located east of Buffalo Creek Golf Course, between Carter Road and Sawgrass Road.

Parrish Lakes would be built in two phases. Planned for phase one, due for completion in 2026, are 900 single-family residential units, 600 multifamily units and 250,000 square feet of commercial or retail space.

Planned for phase two, due for completion in 2036, are 1,300 single-family residential units, 500 multi-family residential units, 150,000 square feet of retail space and 50,000 square feet of office space. Most of the retail space would be located along Moccasin Wallow Road, according to documents filed with Manatee County.

Parrish Lakes would be built adjacent to another huge project, Robinson Gateway, planned for 900,000 square feet of retail space, 600,000 square feet of office space, 542 residential units, a movie theater and hotel rooms.

The development of regional impact report forecasts Parrish Lakes would add 925 students to Manatee County schools by buildout, the Herald previously reported.

Claude and Lydia Melli, principals of Florida Land Management, did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

This story was originally published July 6, 2017 at 1:54 PM with the headline "Huge Parrish Lakes project moving toward date with planning commission."