Manatee officials denied these apartments with affordable units. Here’s why
Manatee County Commissioners unanimously denied a housing project in Lakewood Ranch on Thursday to prevent setting a high-density precedent.
The project included 232 multifamily units, and at least 58 of them would have been designated affordable housing. Commissioners’ main concern was the dramatic increase in density proposed, which would have jumped the future land use from one dwelling unit per acre to nearly 12 units per acre.
Real estate firm Penler proposed the project near Lorraine Road, just south of Nate’s Honor Rescue near the Lorraine Lakes neighborhood. The 19.5-acre site along Lorraine Road houses a commercial nursery and single-family home owned by Ralph Taylor Nursery.
Most commissioners said they liked the general idea of the project, but did not want the density to jump that quickly in the area. Some also shared concerns about adding traffic to Lorraine Road, which is a two-lane road in need of improvements.
“There’s no funding mechanism right now to improve Lorraine Road,” Commissioner Jason Bearden said. “I like the project. I think it’s a great project. I think the timing is off on this particular project.”
Developer proposes affordable housing in Lakewood Ranch
Penler, a Georgia-based real estate investment firm, proposed a comprehensive plan amendment and rezone for the 19-acre property. The company has four developments in Florida, including in Sarasota.
The units were one-, two- and three-bedroom units for rent estimated to be ranging from $1,600 to $2,200.
“This is our two-story, direct-entry product,” said Penler’s Director of Development Connor McAdams. “So…it says apartments, but this probably looks and feels more like a townhome community, and has the density as such.”
Penler also offered to complete improvements to the intersection of Lorraine Road and Rangeland Parkway, potentially in exchange for impact fee credits, representatives from the project said.
The Planning Commission unanimously recommended denial of the project in September, citing concerns with timing, increased traffic on Lorraine Road.
John Taylor’s family has been in the agricultural business in Manatee County since 1968 and owns the land proposed for this development. He urged the Board of County Commissioners to approve the project.
Taylor mainly spoke about how the project would implement Florida Water Star standards, a program that would allow the project to utilize increased green space and decrease water consumption.
“We’re passionate about providing quality, responsible communities…that create value with equal ecological value,” Taylor said. “And we aren’t leaving town after we sell this parcel. We continue on being a centennial agricultural business in this community.”
When Commissioner Bob McCann asked the Penler group why they were planning that many units on the property, McAdams said it was about compatibility, and that Penler was “looking for a transitional use” for the land that’s in between commercial and single-family residences.
McAdams added that the developer aimed for a project with more than 180 units for it to be “operationally efficient,” and opted for the model with 232 units.
“When we looked at this site, we looked at kind of the surrounding (area) and how it was changing, we thought the two-story product was a good in-between,” McAdams said.
Commissioners deny 232-unit housing project
A few community members spoke in opposition to the project, many concerned with how adding more cars on Lorraine Road would exacerbate traffic congestion.
Resident Luzette Socash stressed the issues of Lorraine Road’s capacity, saying developments in the surrounding area are already straining the road, especially during peak hours.
“This is not about whether growth should happen. It’s about when and where growth is responsible,” Socash said. “Until Lorraine Road is improved and expanded, adding hundreds of more units is not responsible planning.”
Others, like Mark Van De Ree, also brought up concerns with the density increase.
“I don’t think the timing is good for it,” Van De Ree said. “I don’t believe that the compatibility is there, especially the density, with the surrounding areas.”
Commissioners shared similar concerns. Most said they liked the look of the project and the affordability component, but echoed concerns about the number of units and traffic on Lorraine Road.
Commissioner George Kruse worried that approving that many units on the property would encourage other developers to propose similar projects in the area.
“I think this sets a bad precedent in a bad location,” Kruse said. “I’m not against the concept of your project, I’m against the intensity of your project today.”
Kruse said he doesn’t think the property should remain a low density forever, but would have preferred a more incremental change. Commissioner Tal Siddique and Kruse also agreed that the traffic and timing were not dealbreakers, but rather the density was the main sticking point.
However, when it came to a vote, commissioners unanimously denied the comprehensive plan amendment and rezone for the project.
