‘Save the Panther.’ Ellenton residents mount campaign to ward off housing development
Residents are pushing back against a proposed development that would knock down a cherished Old Florida-style jungle to make way for 70 new homes.
On Friday, several neighbors hit the corner of 60th Avenue East and 29th Street East, where developer Pulte Homes plans to move forward with a housing project. The Manatee Board of County Commissioners is set to vote on the proposal at a public meeting on Thursday.
Residents fear the development would destroy most of what’s described as a “dense jungle.” Protecting the existing wildlife in the 18.75-acre tract of land is the chief concern for protesters, who believe at least one endangered Florida panther calls the area home.
“I’m not against development, but this is a special piece of land,” said Katherine Nelson, a resident of the Oakley Place subdivision to the north.
“This is for real. There’s a panther in there. We’re trying to mobilize because it would be a tragedy to destroy this area. I would hope the community or the state would buy this land and turn it into a wildlife preserve,” said John Nelson, Katherine’s husband.
Naylor Environmental Solutions, an environmental permitting firm, conducted a site survey in March 2020 that did not find evidence of any federal- or state-protected species.
Wildlife experts estimate that fewer than 200 adult Florida panthers are alive today. The endangered species is more common in South Florida, closer to the Everglades.
According to an interactive map, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has only verified a handful of Florida panther sightings in Manatee County since 2014. All four of them were at least 20 miles to the east, in undeveloped parts of the county.
But panthers are hard to spot and even harder to capture in a photo. Producing evidence of their sightings is an uphill battle, neighbors say. In a letter to commissioners, Lisa Brave, who describes herself as a wildlife specialist, attested to spotting a Florida panther herself.
“...I was as shocked at seeing an endangered species in this little bastion of wilderness as you probably are in disbelief at hearing of this sighting,” Brave wrote. “When we moved into the area, several neighbors told me of seeing not only one but a mother and cub/kitten. I believed them to be (mistaken) at the time, but I have now seen one with my own eyes.”
The thicket, located just north of the Ellenton Premium Outlets shopping center, is also home to bobcats, woodpeckers, foxes and countless other species, neighbors said.
“I’m here to fight for the life and freedom of our Florida panther. Animals have rights, too,” said Ella Haremza, an Oakley Place resident. “We can’t make everything a concrete jungle.”
“They need to be represented because they can’t represent themselves,” added Victoria Shaffer, a resident of the Oakley subdivision just west of the property.
According to the Manatee County Property Appraiser, developers purchased most of the property for the Marwood subdivision about 30 years ago for $150,000. A smaller parcel on the southwest corner of the lot was purchased by the developer about 10 years later for $35,000.
Environmental concerns are not the residents’ only gripe with the proposal. In letters sent to commissioners, neighbors argued that traffic and safety issues would arise if the land is developed.
Similar objections have been made about other developers along 60th Avenue East, where the county has approved an incoming hotel, a movie theater and luxury apartments in recent years.
Commissioners are slated to vote on the rezoning and preliminary site plan for the Marwood development at Thursday’s Land Use Meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. at the Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
This story was originally published May 29, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
