<\/p>\n
Lennar Homes LLC proposed a rezone of over 680 acres of agricultural land near Buckeye Road to build about 2,000 single-family homes in Manatee County, shown on Feb. 12, 2026.<\/p>\n
Tiffany Tompkins<\/p>\n
ttompkins@bradenton.com<\/p>\n
Bradenton<\/p>\n
A 2,000-home project near Bradenton has been rejected by local leaders over concerns about a lack of infrastructure and amenities to support new residents.<\/p>\n
Manatee County commissioners heard arguments for and against the \u201cLone Valley\u201d project proposed by Miami-based Lennar Homes. The project, in unincorporated Parish, would have added up to 2,047 homes to a rapidly developing area.<\/p>\n
Lennar Homes is the developer for several other residential communities in Manatee County, including Seaire, Legends Cove and Rye Ranch in Parrish. The company planned to build the Lone Valley project north of the North River Ranch neighborhoods<\/a> along Moccasin Wallow Road and U.S. 301.<\/p>\n The proposed new development included up to 15,000 square feet of land dedicated for a potential fire station, which would have expanded emergency services to the area. The developers also proposed an impact fee credit agreement for about $23 million if they enhanced Buckeye Road to four lanes.<\/p>\n But commissioners found that their concerns outweighed potential benefits. They cited a lack of nearby commercial spaces for amenities such as grocery stores and also doubted whether Buckeye and surrounding roads could support thousands of new residents.<\/p>\n Commissioners unanimously denied the Lone Valley project, and the applicants pulled the impact fee credit item from consideration.<\/p>\n Lennar Homes proposed rezoning about 683 acres of agricultural land along the north side of Buckeye Road to build up to 2,047 single-family homes. Manatee County\u2019s Planning Commission unanimously suggested approval for the project.<\/p>\n With the proposal, Lennar designated 15,000 square feet of land to be used for public safety, extending the Parrish Fire District\u2019s service area to Lone Valley and the surrounding new developments.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have been working closely with the Parrish Fire District to provide a site in an area that would improve response times for both current and future residents,\u201d said Kayla Witkowski, a planner for the project.<\/p>\n Parrish Fire Chief Stacey Bailey also spoke to commissioners, saying that the fire district supported the project because of the public facility use. Bailey said the fire district is not meeting National Fire Protection Association standards for the number of fire trucks in the area.<\/p>\n He added that space is running out in Parrish to build a fire station.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re in support of the project,\u201d Bailey said. \u201cWe\u2019re running out of space. There\u2019s not much up there. We have to take what we can get. It\u2019s not the best place, I\u2019ll be honest with you, we can do much better. But we\u2019re going to take what we can get, because we have to serve.\u201d<\/p>\n Lennar representatives also said the project had minimal impacts on wetlands.<\/p>\n Kyle Grimes, an attorney with the Grimes Galvano law firm in Bradenton, spoke on behalf of the applicant. Grimes focused on an impact fee credit that the developers proposed for improvements to Buckeye Road.<\/p>\n \u201cLennar has shown that they are good partners to get this infrastructure in this area of the county. They want to continue that relationship with the county,\u201d Grimes said.<\/p>\n As it stands now, Buckeye Road is a two lane road with aging asphalt. The developers proposed a deal \u2014 in collaboration with other nearby developers \u2014 to improve Buckeye Road.<\/p>\n In the short term, the road would be redone as an improved two-lane road with a 15-foot multi-use path. However, the developers\u2019 long-term vision is to widen Buckeye Road to four lanes, including roundabouts planned for the community\u2019s entrances.<\/p>\n The company offered to pay about $2.5 million to start the Buckeye Road improvements. In return, developers asked the county to grant them about $23 million in impact fee credits to complete the rest of the work.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a project that was very thoughtfully designed. We knew we wanted to work with the county staff up front \u2026 to provide the desperately needed funding to do these improvements to Buckeye Road,\u201d Grimes said.<\/p>\n County staff found the project in compliance with the Land Development Code and consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. However, one of the main negative aspects county staff raised about the project included lack of fire and EMS services.<\/p>\n A few citizens spoke during the hearing, with concerns mainly about the scale of the project, emergency services capabilities and whether the new houses would be affordable.<\/p>\n Parrish resident Anthony Sciullo urged moderation with development. He said infrastructure like roads should be upgraded first before adding thousands of new homes.<\/p>\n \u201cAdding more [homes], at this particular time, is not a good plan. Growing without moderation is not a good plan,\u201d Sciullo said. \u201cWhat\u2019s in the best interest of the county? Pump the brakes. Let infrastructure catch up.\u201d<\/p>\n Manatee Commissioner George Kruse found it odd that the project was unanimously approved by the Planning Commission, arguing that it would create a bedroom community without any commercial development, like a grocery store.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot continue to approve these things until we can figure out a better way of handling it, and get our (Comprehensive Plan) fixed,\u201d Kruse said. \u201cAll we\u2019re doing is putting ourselves deeper and deeper in a hole.\u201d<\/p>\n Agreeing with Kruse, Commissioner Tal Siddique cited the lack of commercial land as his main detraction for the project.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, I\u2019m just not in favor of this,\u201d Siddique said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to even further perform a disservice for this region and these residents \u2014 future and today \u2014 by not having some form of commercial entitlements in this property of this scale.\u201d<\/p>\n Before motioning to deny the project, Commissioner Carol Ann Felts attributed the problems to poor planning.<\/p>\n \u201cParrish is going to have a new identity. We have a hospital going in, we have our school going in,\u201d Felts said. \u201cBut we need to fix the identity and we need to fix the lack of planning from many, many years of decisions that have been made up here before.\u201d<\/p>\n Lennar Homes LLC proposed a rezone of over 680 acres of agricultural land near Buckeye Road to build about 2,000 single-family homes in Manatee County, shown on Feb. 12, 2026. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com A look at the Florida homes project<\/p>\n
Lennar Homes LLC proposed a rezone of over 680 acres of agricultural land, shown below green potato fields, near Buckeye Road to build about 2,000 single-family homes in Manatee County. on Feb. 12, 2026. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com Developer offers impact fee agreement<\/p>\n
Lennar Homes LLC proposed a rezone of over 680 acres of agricultural land near Buckeye Road to build about 2,000 single-family homes in Manatee County, shown on Feb. 12, 2026. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com Residents oppose new Parrish development<\/p>\n
Lennar Homes LLC proposed a rezone of over 680 acres of agricultural land near Buckeye Road to build about 2,000 single-family homes in Manatee County, shown on Feb. 12, 2026. Tiffany Tompkins ttompkins@bradenton.com What commissioners said about the Lennar project<\/p>\n