More traffic out east? Manatee County residents question planned Parrish development

After an outcry from neighbors, the Manatee County Planning Commission recommended denying a developer’s plan to build apartments and a shopping center in Parrish.

The move came after dozens of residents spoke against the proposed Fort Hamer Commons development, which would include 496 residential units and up to 300,000 square feet of commercial space on 55 acres at the northeast corner of Fort Hamer Road and Mulholland Road.

Ahead of the meeting, about 80 residents wrote to county leaders to complain about over-development in the area, according to public records. Many say they already have to deal with problems like congested roads and crowded schools.

But the Manatee County Commission will have the final say on whether to approve or deny the proposed development at a future meeting.

Jane Borsik, who lives in the River Plantation neighborhood, said she was struck by the size of the proposed development.

“The development is just too large, almost 500 dwellings, that’s just outrageous,” Borsik said.

Residents push back on Parrish development

Margi Dawson, who lives nearby, said she did not want a Walmart or another big box store to go up near Williams Elementary School, 3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish.

“All those children have to walk all the way to school in that surrounding area,” she said. “That’s really dangerous.”

Kurt Kraus, who lives in the Chelsea Oaks neighborhood, said the proposed development would worsen the traffic on Fort Hamer Bridge.

“It’s a parking lot,” he said. “It moves very slowly.”

Planning Commission Member Paul Rutledge said he needed a clearer picture of what the developer would build on the proposed site.

“You have an extensive list of things you want to accomplish, and you give us no certainty,” Rutledge said.

Manatee Planning Commission raises traffic concerns

Rutledge pointed out that a smaller project created more traffic in the area.

“I worked on the Walmart at I-75 and [State Road] 70, and I live around the corner, and I do use it, but that project was on about 40-some acres, and it is popping,” he said. “It’s a massive traffic generator.”

Scott Rudacille, an attorney representing the developer of the project, argued that Manatee County’s development rules allow for this level of development at the intersection of two busy roads.

“Many of the comments that were submitted talked about how long it takes to get to stores and to get to places, and that is one of the reasons that it’s appropriate to put commercial here because you cut down those trips,” said Carol Clark, a planner working on behalf of the developer.

Planning Commission Member Lorraine Prosser also said she wanted to know more about the proposed development and how it could impact local traffic in the area.

“I don’t feel like I have all the facts,” she said.

Prosser pointed out that there are busy roads near Williams Elementary School, which sits just north of the proposed development.

“I travel that road daily, morning, afternoon and evening, so I don’t really need a traffic impact study to know what those roads are like,” she said.

What’s next?

The Manatee County Commission will consider the Fort Hamer Commons development during a public Land Use Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 26. That meeting is set to begin at 9 a.m. at the Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.