Previous decisions forced their hand, one county commissioner says.
By Noah Bookstein
Original Air Date: September 24 2026
Host: Last month, Sarasota County’s Planning Commission voted 8 to 0 to recommend denying the final two rezonings for Lakewood Ranch Southeast. On Wednesday, the County Commission approved them anyway. Noah Bookstein reports.
Noah Bookstein: The rezonings cover about 900 acres north of Fruitville Road, next to rural Old Miakka. They allow up to 1,088 more homes to two pieces of the Lakewood Ranch Southeast development that is capped at 5,000 homes.
Lakewood Ranch is a sprawling, comprehensive development built by the Schroeder Manatee Ranch Company, or SMR, under CEO Rex Jensen.
The developer’s attorney, Kyle Grimes, said the big question was already settled.
Kyle Grimes: We’re not asking you to consider whether or not this property should be developed or even the specifics on how it’s developed. Those decisions have been made by the county in prior approvals.
NB: The county approved the overarching development in 2022, and it survived a court challenge by Mike Hutchinson. Commissioner Tom Knight, who joined the board later, asked another looming question.
Tom Knight
Tom Knight: Help me and the citizens to understand: If it’s done, why are we here?
NB: Sarasota County attorney Joshua Moye said, although Lakewood Ranch’s development rights were settled back in 2022, Wednesday’s hearing is not “not a rubber stamp” but a check on whether the developer is following the rules earlier boards set.
Becky Ayech, a farmer and longtime Old Miakka resident speaking for the Miakka Community Club, said a rezoning is not inevitable.
Becky Ayech
Becky Ayech: What I’ve learned is that you cannot vote to change the MDO—i.e, reducing the density—unless you have been presented significant information that would allow you to do that. On the other hand, you are allowed to deny the rezoning, and I checked with your planning staff.
NB: Much of the testimony focused on Fruitville Road. County staff confirmed the 4.6-mile stretch east of Lorraine Road has no money for construction. Old Miakka resident and WSLR board member Jane Grandbouche brought photos of last week’s backups.
Jane Grandbouche presents an example of Fruitville Road traffic
Jane Grandbouche: This is an everyday occurrence. This is a death trap. That’s how we feel when we’re on Fruitville Road now. This is not right. Who’s going to be responsible for this?
NB: Ayech said new residents will have to drive frequently for basic needs.
BA: When they want milk, they’re going to leave. When they want to go to the cinema, they’re going to When they forgot their bread, they’re going to leave. And they’re all going to be leaving on Fruitville Road.
NB: The developer said the new four-lane Bourneside Boulevard will send 75% of peak traffic to University Parkway. Opponents note the traffic counts were taken in June, with school out.
On the environment, planner for the developer Katie LaBarr said a wildlife corridor would include native plants, but where animals meet roads, there would be no separate passageways for them. The plan is to warn drivers of the wildlife crossings with signs.
Katie LaBarr: Wildlife crossings will be marked with signage so that motorists are aware of the potential for wildlife in the area.
NB: LaBarr said only one-tenth an acre of wetlands would be paved, but Old Miakka resident Brad Grandbouche said the numbers obscure the actual damage of fragmenting the wetlands.
Brad Grandbouche: Subdividing contiguous natural assets into disjointed strips satisfies a mathematical quote on paper but actively destroys the environmental protections by carving the project’s native habitats into narrow slivers and isolated parcels wedged between intensive residential infrastructure and stormwater basins. The proposed layout creates severe edge effects. These pockets are immediately susceptible to invasive species encroachment, chemical runoff and severe human disruption. An ecological island cannot sustain the biological diversity or the foraging and migratory needs of Sarasota County’s protected and native wildlife.
NB: Ayech also warned about the development’s unlined retention ponds, which hold treated wastewater.
BA: We don’t wanna be the drain field of Lakewood Ranch. We don’t want their treated sewer water leaking out on us.
NB: Commissioner Teresa Mast said she considers these issues but hopes residents will be more welcoming.
Teresa Mast
Teresa Mast: I think about wildlife and water and stormwater and I’ve got news for you: I hope that as a community, we can do a better job at saying welcome to our neighbors.
NB: No commissioner asked about the wildlife corridors, the wetlands or the ponds.
Commissioner Mark Smith objected that the 93 so-called affordable units, which afforded the developer extra homes, only stay that way for the first sale or first year of a rental. He voted yes—reluctantly.
Mark Smith
Mark Smith: The affordable housing component there is pretty much a joke. The compatibility thing is out the window, but that’s we’ve already decided by previous boards that this is what the definition is for this particular piece of property, and that’s that’s the way it is. I’m disappointed at previous boards, quite honestly, that put us in this position. I think there was an opportunity lost by Lakewood Ranch to embrace Old Miakka, and it didn’t happen. But that’s neither here nor there now, and it’s a sad day for me. Apparently, there’s no choice, really.
NB: County Commission Chair Ron Cutsinger saw it differently.
Ron Cutsinger | Photo courtesy Sarasota County
Ron Cutsinger: We are fortunate to have the amazing master plan communities that we have in Sarasota County. They are some of the finest. I’m not going to be voting for this grudgingly. I’m going to be voting for it thankfully. You look at the plan, and it is everything you want in a development.
NB: After hearing about the effects of fragmenting wetlands, Cutsinger said this:
RC: All of the habitat is being preserved. They’re going to do, I believe, some reforesting as well. This is the way master development should be done.
NB: The vote was 4 to 0. District 4 Commissioner Joe Neunder was absent. WSLR News asked District 4 hopeful Julie London, who is running against Jim DeNiro for Neunder’s seat, about her thoughts on the decision, which she called “insane.”
Julie London
Julie London: When you have the planning committee vote eight “no,” what is the point of even having one when commissioners vote to put this rezone under consideration? Bottom line, this is insane. The commissioners know that Sarasota’s low impact fees won’t cover the cost of the infrastructure, which places the burden on who? The taxpayer.
NB: DeNiro did not respond by deadline to a request for comment. Commissioners did not approve a cell tower proposed by Lakewood Ranch. That vote tied at 2-2 and failed for lack of a majority.
Reporting for WSLR News, Noah Bookstein.
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