Residents want their space

Despite a crowd of more than 70 and more than 50 letters petitioning the county, residents of Silver Oaks in Palmer Ranch failed to persuade the Sarasota County Planning Commission to support their request for a thicker buffer between their neighborhood and an incoming development.

The development, 103 acres at the south end of Palmer Ranch’s current boundaries and south of Silver Oaks, will be home to 170 single-family houses developed by Taylor Morrison if the rezone petition is approved. The developer is requesting to change the zoning from one unit per five acres to 2.5 units per acre.

When the application was initially filed in October, Silver Oaks residents were concerned with the 20-foot buffer between the homes abutting the new development. 

Jorg Hernler, a Silver Oaks resident of 10 years, is one of six homeowners who will face his new neighbor. He and a few other residents who are directly affected have banded together to rally support from Silver Oaks to try to gain some ground with Taylor Morrison. 

“We’re not objecting to the development,” he said. “We just want the same standards as the rest of Palmer Ranch.” 

Hernler and his neighbors asked Morrison to consider a 50-foot buffer and an 8-foot berm for the homes directly across from the new development. Wednesday before the meeting, the developer consented to a 30-foot buffer and a 4-foot berm with a fence or wall that would provide at least 80% opacity, said 10-year resident Paul Barlow. With the 30-foot buffer, the houses will be about 65 feet apart. 

Hernler and his neighbors suggested to Taylor Morrison — and planning commissioners — that a realignment of the planned street for the new development would give the houses between the communities enough room, at the cost of one or two lots to the developer. Taylor Morrison already had to eliminate two lots for a wildlife corridor per the direction of the county. 

“If they make room for wildlife, can’t they make a little more room for taxpayers?” Hernler asked. “All we’re asking for is a decent buffer.”

Charlie Bailey, an agent for Taylor Morrison, said the shift in the street would require a substantial redesign.

Silver Oaks, a deed-restricted residential division at the corner of Central Sarasota Parkway and Honore Avenue, has about 274 homes. About 11 of these homes will back up to the new development. However, part of the new development includes a wetlands area and a pond along the two communities’ border. Only about six homes will abut the new development directly. Both Silver Oaks and the proposed development have a 50-foot buffer between Honore Avenue and the Legacy Trail, which runs along the west side of both areas. The buffer to the north is mostly a wildlife area.

The Planning Commission unanimously approved the rezone request with the stipulation that Taylor Morrison not build more than 13 units against the new development’s northern border, and to consider an 8-foot wall or fence on top of the berm.

The rezone petition will go before the county commissioners April 21 for final approval.