Sarasota County pays for a proposal that mainly benefits a Neal Communities development. It also scraps its own road plans.
By Johannes Werner
Original Air Date: April 25, 2025
Host: After some recent pushback against developers by the Sarasota County Commission, it looked like “back to normal” on Wednesday. Pat Neal—whose Neal Communities has developed tens of thousands of homes in the region—presented, and the county commissioners unanimously approved, an unsolicited proposal to extend a road in the south county that benefits mainly the residents of a master-planned community developed by Neal Communities. Added twist: One of the commissioners’ own front yard will be affected by the road expansion and more traffic. But he passed the NIMBY—or rather NIMFY—test with flying colors.
The proposed expansion would give Wellen Park residents easy access to Manasota Key.
Johannes Werner: Pat Neal proposed to extend Manasota Beach Road two miles from his Wellen Park planned development to Englewood. That would connect Wellen Park residents with Manasota Key and its beaches to the west. It would also connect River Road, to the east of Wellen Park, with Englewood, providing an alternative to US 41, and it would substitute a road the county has in the planning drawer.
The private vehicle in Neal’s proposal is the “Economic Stimulus Group,” an 18-year-old consortium of developers, including Pat Neal. It played a role in Manatee County’s suburban road projects, such as extending US 301 from Ellenton to Parrish, and in getting the Fort Hamer bridge built. He proposes to get the Manasota Beach Road job done for $15 million. This comes out of the county’s infrastructure sales tax, gas tax, and impact fee collections. Not included in that estimate is the cost of widening existing segments of Manasota Beach Road.
In his presentation to the county commissioners, Neal said his road would impact wetland but that mitigation land is available. He said there was no opposition to his road from neighbors, and his Wellen Park planner argued the road could be done in time for the opening of the new Wellen Park high school, offering school buses a safer route.
Neal also made it clear he wanted the county to scrap its own plans for that connector road.
Underlining Neal’s argument, his presentation was followed by public comment from residents of Boca Royale, a 60-year old neighborhood in Englewood. They expressed their support for Neal’s road, because the county’s original road plan would cut through their backyards.
Interestingly, it was one of the commissioners who could have presented a NIMBY obstacle. Ron Cutsinger, whose district covers the area, has lived on Manasota Beach Road for more than 40 years. But he tried hard to project a positive attitude of “Yes in My Backyard.” Cutsinger suggested the county must widen the portion of Manasota Beach Road in Englewood, which would not only produce more traffic on the street he lives on but also cost taxpayers.
Ron Cutsinger.
Ron Cutsinger: I’m looking at the map there and I’m thinking how often I wish we would be able to think these things through ahead before we’re coming back and trying to fix problems, and it sure would have been nice to have that right away at the time. Well, I live on Manasota Beach Road. I’ve lived down there for well over 40 years. But this makes sense. Getting a grid, getting it open to River Road—one of the things we’re doing right now is we’re improving River Road. The north section is underway. The south section is being designed, and we have some funding for that which will get that road open as well. It will provide another way out for that whole region. Being able to cross Manasota Beach Road over to River Road out to the highway for being able to evacuate in the event of a storm or hurricane—just provide another access point. Manasota Beach Road already goes out to the beach, so it will work both ways. It’s a two-edged sword. We’re going to get some traffic from Wellen Park, but then we’re also going to be able to—that whole community—be able to get to Wellen Park and downtown and all the amenities there. That’s going to be very positive. So I support the project.
JW: Cutsinger not only expressed his support; it was him who made the motion to approve Neal’s proposal, saying he was a big fan of public-private partnerships.
RC: I am a huge fan of public-private partnerships. Proven track record here. Get it done quicker. Less expensive. Got the right-of-way. We’re going to get the collaboration of Wellen Park to get the section of the road finished. And it’s a high school coming in there. All the efficiencies that’s going to create—this makes a lot of sense.
JW: Tom Knight, the reliable development skeptic on the board, not only voted “yes” on both, but made the motion to scrap the county road plans. End result: The vote for Neal’s road was unanimous.
Florida statutes require the county, after receipt of an unsolicited proposal, to continue to solicit and accept other proposals for the same project.
In a separate motion, the commissioners voted unanimously to scrap their own road project.
Pat Neal.
While talking about other public-private road construction partnerships his company formed in this area, Neal explained why this is the best time to forge ahead.
Pat Neal: We’re going to have a real estate recession, and this is the time to go to bid.
JW: One of the risks in private-public partnerships is the bankruptcy of the private partner.
Johannes Werner, reporting for WSLR News.
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