Sarasota County approves first Hi Hat ‘village’

This, despite opponents’ concerns over fragmented wetlands and Fruitville Road traffic.

By Noah Bookstein

Original Air Date: October 8, 2026

Host: Sarasota County commissioners on Wednesday approved the first village of Hi Hat Ranch, a nearly 10,000-acre development between Fruitville and Clark Roads in east county. They also moved a future county sports complex to Fruitville Road, near rural homes. Neighbors say they learned of it only last month. Noah Bookstein reports.

Noah Bookstein: Hi Hat Ranch’s 2021 master plan allows more than 13,000 homes. Wednesday’s vote rezoned the first 2,000 acres, off Bee Ridge Road, for up to 3,000 units. The builders’ attorney Charlie Bailey started off with the land.

Hi Hat Ranch master land use plan

Charlie Bailey:  While its active use is agricultural, it contains some of the most pristine environmental lands in anywhere in Sarasota County—wetland systems and flow ways. In fact, it’s got the largest contiguous high ecological value parcel anywhere in Sarasota County that’s under private ownership.

NB: Sarasota County’s 2050 plan aims to protect sensitive wetlands by steering new residential development onto existing farmland. Developers claim Village One set aside about 57% of the acreage as open space. But at the Planning Commission, opponents argued, as they did against Lakewood Ranch, that parts of the preserved wetlands are carved into isolated strips. Bailey’s map shows wetlands, lakes and parks scattered inside the developed area.

The developer will extend Bee Ridge Road and put about $14 million toward widening part of it. Bailey also cited a contested 2021 finding that Hi Hat Ranch would pay its own way. The Planning Commission recommended approval 5 to 1.

CB:  My friend, Planning Commissioner Jon Thaxton, still had an issue with the fiscal neutrality determination that was made back in 2021. He’s a man of principle—I respect that—so he voted no for that and perhaps some other reasons, too.

NB: Thaxton, a former county commissioner, pointed WSLR to that September 17 hearing. He says 2050 policies require villages’ property owners to pay for infrastructure built for them. Yet the county’s surtax list includes $20 million to extend Lorraine Road, which the traffic study says Hi Hat significantly impacts. He questioned planning manager Todd Derry.

Jon Thaxton

Jon Thaxton: Is this $20 million of infrastructure surtax money funded solely by the property’s owners and residents of approved villages?

Todd Derry: I wouldn’t know that specifically.

Jon Thaxton: Of course it’s not. It’s being funded by every person in this county. Somebody made a really bad mistake here.

NB: Thaxton later said:

Jon Thaxton:  We debated all these policies for years, so you’ll have to excuse me if I get a little bit emotional about it, but when I see a blatant, demonstrable violation of two county codes and two county policies in the comprehensive plan, I have a sworn duty to say something about it, and I will continue.

NB: The developers argued state law limits how much they are required to contribute to county infrastructure and staff said fiscal neutrality was settled in 2021.

Staff also found the rezoning inconsistent with county rules because it has no village center, the shops meant to keep residents from driving elsewhere. An amendment speeds up when it must be built. And the roughly 450 affordable homes, which earn the builders extra density, come with no income check, and rentals stay affordable one year instead of five. 

Here’s Commissioner Mark Smith:

Mark Smith: It really gives me heartburn that we’re not making sure that the folks that really need it are going to be able to attain it.

NB: Developer Jim Turner of the family that owns the land said they do not need the bonus.

Jim Turner

Jim Turner:  When we have offered to include an affordable housing component in our development program, it’s really because we’re committed to the goal, not because we’re getting extra units. Those extra units would be units we might have or not have 25 years from now. We’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do.  We’re not gonna try to make 4,000 square foot homes affordable. We might try to make 1,800 square foot homes affordable. 

NB: An amendment also moves the sports complex from the ranch’s interior to Fruitville Road. Commissioner Tom Knight and other residents said they only saw the plan a few days before the meeting. 

Tom Knight: It’s the first time I saw. We haven’t had any discussions on it—didn’t know anything about it until Saturday. The master development order in 2021—the smaller star you’ve got there—help me understand why that’s not usable now. That was what the citizens were told in 2021. The only reason I bring it up is we heard the citizens earlier saying—I mean, to me, the MDO’s kind of like a contract with the community, as this is something that the board in 2018, 2021 passed. It’s a commitment from Sarasota County government.

NB: Parks staff said a regional complex belongs on a major road. Neighbors Heather Osterman and Martha Mahan disagreed.

Heather Osterman: You as a board are our safeguard, and we feel at this point that you’re not our safeguard.

Map of Hi Hat Ranch North with the proposed sports complex highlighted in red

Martha Mahan: Slow down. Do not put that sports facility on Fruitville Road. It’s not ready for it.

NB: Brad Grandbouche said the 2050 plan is bending to the developer.

Brad Grandbouche:  I think there should be an audit or something happening here. The overall picture is the developer will have the comprehensive plan fit their plan. This sounds like an open-ended plan to maximize profits upfront.

NB: Becky Ayech said the stormwater lakes will hold treated sewer water.

Becky Ayech: They have to leak. But do you want them leaking next to where your wetlands are that you’re trying to preserve?

NB: WSLR Board member Jane Grandbouche said neighbors on wells fear PFAS contamination and spoke further. 

Jane Grandbouche: This is a grief for me. I feel a grief of losing the land. I care about the land, and I don’t know that people care about the land. We wouldn’t exist without it. 

NB: No commissioner addressed the lakes or wells. Chair Ron Cutsinger did say this:

Ron Cutsinger: I believe in master plan communities because in Sarasota County we have some of the finest. Smart growth is master plan communities, and that’s what I see here.

NB: Commissioners Mark Smith and Teresa Mast said Hi Hat Ranch was close to the 2050 plan’s intent. Knight cast the lone no vote.

TK: The village center is a driving problem for me. The whole idea of 2050, is keeping people on the property and out of the other areas.

NB: The vote was 3 to 1, with Commissioner Joe Neunder absent. Turner had the last word.

Jim Turner: We’re the most impacted neighbors on this project. We surround this property. We’re proud of our legacy. We are not going to mess this up. We have our reputation at stake

NB: Reporting for WSLR News, Noah Bookstein.

WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm.