What is an ‘agrihood?’ Manatee votes to advance rural concept community in Parrish
A 5,000-acre parcel of land in Parrish is on track to become the first community of its kind in Manatee County — an “agrihood.”
County leaders approved the first step in the approval process for the Gamble Creek Village project, which developers said would retain the area’s rich history of farming and agriculture. Planned for just south of Lake Parrish on State Road 62, the proposal would bring 7,200 homes and 13,500 residents to the area.
Speaking with the Board of County Commissioners at Thursday’s public Land Use Meeting, planners laid out their idea of a sweeping development that includes a variety of housing types, commercial space and recreational areas. The goal, they said, is to create a small-town feel — the kind of place where everybody knows your name.
“We’re trying to do a friendly community similar to what you used to see in the past. It’s available for everybody. You can walk to work, get a sandwich or go to the pub,” said Mark Barnebey, an attorney representing the development.
In promotional content online, Gamble Creek Village pitches itself as a “self-contained community” that will provide every service that future residents might need. Farming culture will be front and center, Barnebey said, with farm-to-table restaurants and markets that take advantage of local crops.
According to Barnebey, the land in question, roughly 3 miles wide by 3 miles long, is the largest undeveloped tract of land in the county. In order to strike the right balance in favor of rural traditions, most of that land will remain agricultural, he explained.
Other project highlights include more than 1,000 units of affordable housing, a network of natural trails and plots of land set aside for a K-8 school and other government services. Once the development is fully constructed, developers expect about 13,500 residents — roughly the same population as the city of Palmetto.
Two brothers, Bob and David Lindsay, have owned and operated the property as farmland for 35 years. As they step away from the farming business themselves, the brothers envisioned a unique development that preserves rural traditions.
“They want to do the right thing for this property and the right thing for Manatee County,” Barnebey said.
There are only 60 “agrihoods” throughout the United States. Planners said they drew inspiration from the award-winning Serenbe community just southwest of Atlanta, a 1,000-acre “agrihood” development that has been around for more than 15 years. Serenbe has been held up as the gold standard of New Urbanism for combining urban centers with preserved rural land.
The Gamble Creek Village development will focus most of its buildings around the community center in the heart of the project. The outer ring will remain agricultural open space, serving as a natural buffer from the surrounding properties.
Barnebey explained that Gamble Creek Village will also take advantage of a master plan, which will leave the developer in charge of several key amenities, such as roads, infrastructure and the overall design of the community.
Commissioners had little difficulty giving the project a thumbs up, despite its location 2 miles past the county’s Future Development Area Boundary (FDAB) line, which is meant to limit urban sprawl and protect agricultural areas.
“I like the idea. I think it’s really unique and forward-thinking,” Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “I don’t think Parrish needs one more cookie-cutter, sprawling community. This sounds different and I like that.”
“I think that it’s a very great opportunity for Manatee County. We do have Lakewood Ranch out east, and it’s very successful. We have Myakka — it’s very successful in its own right. And then we have a totally opposite lifestyle out on the beaches,” added Commissioner Vanessa Baugh, who complimented the plan’s dedication to preserving the farming aspect. “This is just another aspect for Manatee County to have us diversify in another way.”
Commissioner George Kruse also spoke in favor of the project. While some fellow board members said they had concerns about the traffic the project might place on State Road 62, which is currently a 2-lane road, he noted that the build-out will take place in phases over the next few decades.
“This is a 30-year build-out for 7,200 homes. That’s 250 homes a year. This is a long process. This is not like let’s turn State Road 62 into a six-lane highway tomorrow because there’s going to be a build-up at U.S. 301,” said Kruse. “This is a long process and it’ll take a long time to get this going.”
Board members voted 6-1 to transmit the map and text amendment to state officials, which is the first step in a long process before any construction may begin on the development. Commissioner Misty Servia cast the only vote against approval, noting that she wasn’t confident in the developer’s financial strategy to make the project work.
“I just didn’t have enough assurances that the county doesn’t have risk in the bucket. We have too much risk without understanding how that risk is going to be mitigated,” said Servia, who added that she was excited by the village’s concept.
The board’s approval also went against the recommendation of county staff, who argued in a 60-page report that the timing of the proposal “does not appear to be appropriate.” The county’s planning staff also echoed one of Servia’s concerns — the cost Manatee would need to pay in order to pay for the extension of roads and utilities between the FDAB line and the project boundary.
The Gamble Creek Village project will come before the board again.
After the proposal has been reviewed by planning officials at the state level, Manatee County will host another public hearing at a later date.
This story was originally published September 17, 2021 at 3:30 PM.
