Manatee County commissioners talk walking, biking; developer wants more roads.
By Sera Deniz
Original Air Date: April 4, 2025
Host: Too much new development in rural areas is the issue that produced a big upset in Manatee County elections last fall, adding three grassroots candidates to the county commission while turning at least two incumbents into outspoken development skeptics. This week, as part of its ongoing effort to update the comprehensive plan—the document that is supposed to guide all new development—the Manatee County Commissioners spent a good amount of time discussing transportation alternatives. Meanwhile, one of the county’s biggest developers appeared before the commission to plead for more roads. WSLR News reporter Sera Deniz followed the commission meeting on Tuesday.
Sera Deniz: A consistent theme in the discussions about the comprehensive plan was the need to address pedestrian and cyclist connectivity. As part of the comprehensive plan update, commissioners are calling for better pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, emphasizing that improved walkability and bike access can significantly reduce dependence on vehicles. Commissioner Siddique:
Tal Siddique
Tal Siddique: Just because we have something in the comp plan doesn’t mean it’s certainly going to happen. That can be a good thing. But what it does accomplish is it starts the conversation. On level of service, I’ll highlight this: What I have to see—and, I think, would be of interest to the board, based on conversations—would be, “What does adopting a lower level of service look like in terms of alternative solutions that we and future boards would have to plan for?”
SD: One of the main points was the discussion about the county’s approach to road development. The current comprehensive plan requires a minimum level of service, which has driven many transportation plans towards widening roads. However, Commissioner Siddique believes that adopting alternative solutions may be more sustainable.
Illustration of a typical section of the widened Moccasin Wallow Road during the interim phase of the project. Graphic via https://moccasinwallowroad.com.
TS: Today, we’re just driven towards widening roads, and that’s not always useful. I think if we do—we should have an option to adopt lower levels of service somewhere in the comprehensive plan and then also have a recommendation for, “What do we accomplish instead?”
SD: The conversation also touched on how future updates could focus on lowering the required service levels for roads and incorporating more sustainable mobility options, reflecting a broader vision of urban planning for the county’s future.
Meanwhile, one of Manatee County’s biggest suburban developers made a surprise appearance, pleading for the apparent opposite: more roads. During the public comments segment, Pat Neal made his pitch to extend Moccasin Wallow Road in the rural north county.
Pat Neal
Pat Neal: I’m Pat Neal. This is the first time I’ve done this at citizens’ comments since 1979, and on that day, I got into a big fight with Patricia Glass over local property taxes. I’m planning to have a very pleasant two-minute discussion with you at this time.
First, news: After 11 years, and with the work of Jason Bearden, we have worked hard to get an agreement to go forth on Moccasin Wallow number five. What it does, of course, is connect the east portion of Moccasin Wallow to Highway 62 going to Bowling Green, and it bypasses two intersections. I think it’s very important for traffic efficiency. I might say I’ve been trying to do this since 1985, when we had functional reclassification. You and I, Mr. Chairman, attended a presentation that said there were going to be 250,000 new people in our community by 2050. That sounds like a lot. I think it’s true. You know, there’s 49,000 dwelling units already approved in north Manatee County, and you may slow or stop growth, but the market is still there. I might say Collier County is full to the Interstate, Lee County is getting to be, and there are more growth pressures from the market, Mr. Chairman, in Manatee County than we’ve ever had before. There’s going to be growth. You certainly have the job to manage it. But one of the management tools will be to find a way to get people from here to there, as transportation is a major life quality issue in Manatee County.
SD: The conversation on mobility will carry on in the next few weeks, with workshops set for May 7 and 8 to further explore alternative transportation solutions.
The county’s current comprehensive plan was adopted in 1989. The commission has been discussing an update for two years, and it is expected to adopt the new version by December 4.
Reporting for WSLR News, Sera Deniz.
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