Manatee County’s growth and development skyrocketed in 2021 despite pandemic
For more than two decades, growth and development have been at the heart of Manatee County’s master narrative.
That was never more true than in 2021 when there was unprecedented demand for homes. So much demand, that builders could not keep up and competition for the minuscule inventory of existing single-family homes helped drive prices to record heights.
During the year, Manatee County approved permits for
- 4,810 single-family detached houses
- 823 attached single-family houses
- 57 two-family buildings
- 743 permits for residential additions, alternations and conversions.
In a typical year, Manatee County adds about 3,000 homes with a taxable value of about $1.3 billion, said Mark Johns, director of appraisal services at the Manatee County Property Appraisers Office.
The month of December started off in typical fashion with a flood paperwork from developers seeking approvals from Manatee County Building and Development Services.
The largest submitted for Dec. 5-11 was a request from SMR Taylor Ranch LLC for a rezone and general development plan for 2,307 acres from agriculture to planned development. Planned for 18900 State Road 64 East are 4,500 homes, a communications tower and 20 acres for a school site.
Here is a sampling of other major development projects submitted during 2021:
▪ In September, the developer of the proposed 1,300-acre Lake Flores project in west Bradenton filed a petition with the Manatee County government to establish a community development district there.
The Lake Flores property is the largest remaining undeveloped property in the west Bradenton area. Plans approved by the Manatee County Commission in 2015 allow 6,500 residential units, one million square feet of retail space, two million square feet of commercial space and 500 hotel rooms.
The property stretches from the vicinity of IMG Academy west to 86th Street West and borders El Conquistador Parkway on the south and Cortez Road on the north. Construction could start in 2022.
▪ Parrish McClure Properties requested rezoning for acreage at 10403 Buckeye Road between Buckeye Road and Moccasin Wallow Road that would allow 1,900 residential units and 122,600 square feet of nonresidential use.
The McClure property required a rezone because the owner wanted to reserve three parcels for commercial development, which is not allowed under planned development residential zoning.
▪ A 50-acre parcel near Robinson Gateway Project and Del Webb BayView called McClure MWR Mixed Use Development is proposed at 8670 Moccasin Wallow Road. Plans include 360 multi-family units, 276,700 square feet of retail/commercial space, and 45,000 square feet of office space.
▪ Lakewood Ranch, home to more than 50,000 residents, began adding its 32nd village, Star Farms in March. Star Farms is planned for 1,500 residences on 700 acres between State Road 64 in the north and 44th Avenue East in the south. It’s envisioned as a multi-generational lifestyle community with single-family homes, villas and town homes.
▪ More of the pasture land closest to Bradenton that ranchers have leased for years to graze their cattle is being developed for home sites. A Miami Beach company, Mas Development Corp., filed paperwork with Manatee County Building and Development Services early in the year seeking final site plan approval to develop 35.88 acres at 3806 30th St. E. as a 310-unit town home community.
The town home project, called Braden Pointe, would extend from 38th Avenue East in the north to 44th Avenue East in the south and from U.S. 301 in the west to 30th Street East in the east.
▪ Minnesota-based Dominium, one of the nation’s largest providers of affordable housing, had more than 200 apartments under construction on six acres at 751 Haben Blvd. in Palmetto.
The Reef at Riviera was being constructed for tenants 62 and older who earn 60% or less of the area’s median income. The Reef, with one, two and three-bedroom units, is projected to open in late 2021 or early 2022.
▪ Along with all the thousands of single-family homes coming to the Parrish and North River areas are new apartment complexes. One is the 306-unit apartment complex at 9009 Moccasin Wallow Road called The Floridian at Moccasin. The project is billed as an exclusive resort community of single-story villas, designed for a laid back, coastal lifestyle.
Another new complex, which is now leasing, is the Parrish Oaks project with 120 units of garden apartments at 5111 Oxford Road. The affordable housing project includes one, two, and three-bedroom apartments.
▪ In October, the Manatee County Commission approved a request to turn a portion of a 635-acre potato farm into a community of more than 1,800 homes along the county’s northern border. The project stretches from Buckeye Road north to Hillsborough County.
Just south of the Jones property, home sales at North River Ranch are already underway. North River Ranch is projected to eventually be home to 28,000 residents.
This story was originally published December 28, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
