Proposal to add commercial space in front of Savanna of Lakewood Ranch fails

A proposal that would have rezoned 5.23 acres of land near the entrance to Savanna of Lakewood Ranch from planned development residential to general commercial was denied by the Manatee County Board of Commissioners on Thursday.

Commissioners voted 5-2 not to rezone the land, which is located at the southeast corner of the intersection of State Road 64 and Rye Road. Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Misty Servia cast the dissenting votes. Manatee County's planning commission had recommended approval of the proposal by Meritage Homes of Florida, which owns Savanna.

Savanna residents raised a number of concerns about the proposal. They were worried about heavy increases in traffic on local roads their HOA pays for, the impact on a 100-year floodplain where the commercial development would’ve been located and the loss of the open, green space at the front of the neighborhood for aesthetic and recreational purposes.

“There are a lot of other neighborhoods in Manatee County that have beautiful frontage," Commissioner George Kruse said. "I would hate to think that all we’re doing is biding our time before we start strip-malling every single one of these neighborhoods.”