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ICYMI: Myakka City development plans cause clash over growth

Stories by Bradenton Herald journalists, with AI summarization

In case you missed it: A proposed housing project in Myakka City has sparked a conflict between the property owner and residents who oppose high-density growth in East Manatee County.

Critics of the development plans at TerraNova share concerns about protecting the Myakka River and the area's rural lifestyle, while the property owner says his plans were mischaracterized and he wants to hear more about residents' concerns.

However, the conflict escalated recently when the property owner filed a defamation lawsuit against two of the residents who have been outspoken critics of the development plans.

Read more below.

Looking north on Myakka Road at the Myakka River on September 24, 2025. By Tiffany Tompkins

NO. 1: MYAKKA CITY RESIDENTS ALARMED BY CREEPING DEVELOPMENT GETTING ‘OUT OF HAND’

Residents and officials who oversee the Myakka River are worried about the impacts of development inching closer to one of the region’s final frontiers. | Published September 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Carter Weinhofer

One of the entrances to the TerraNova Equestrian Center on Clay Gully Road in Myakka on September 24, 2025. By Tiffany Tompkins

NO. 2: ‘SERIOUS STUFF.’ TERRANOVA ACCUSES RESIDENTS OF DEFAMATION IN $50,000 LAWSUIT

TerraNova launched a lawsuit against two Myakka City residents, accusing them of defaming the equestrian center’s development plans in social media posts. | Published October 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Carter Weinhofer

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.