The commissioners vote unanimously, despite opposition about flooding, traffic and environmental impact.
By Dania Hefley
Original Air Date: August 29, 2025
Host: Developer Pat Neal did get his road cutting travel time to beaches for residents of Wellen Park, one of the biggest and fastest growing new developments in the region. The Sarasota County Commission let him shift the originally planned south county connector to a different location, expanding Manasota Beach Road. Taxpayers will bear most of the cost, but Neal and the commissioners argue Neal’s road is better and will cost less. Dania Hefley reports.
Wellen Park is one of the fastest-growing and biggest master-planned communities in the area. The Manasota Beach Road extension seeks to connect River Road and Englewood Road. It would improve access to two new schools, help with hurricane evacuation, and cut travel time for the new residents to the beaches.
Dania Hefley: On Wednesday, the Sarasota County Commission approved a public-private partnership to extend Manasota Beach Road. The county’s comprehensive plan originally had the connector road further north. This decision has sparked both strong support and vocal opposition from the community. The project is an unsolicited proposal from a working group led by developer Pat Neal and is being presented as a cost-effective solution for a much-needed piece of infrastructure. Sarasota County’s Transportation Director, Spencer Anderson, confirmed the financial details.
Spencer Anderson: The applicant has provided a professional engineer’s opinion of probable cost that has construction at $20,502,429, which includes a 30% contingency.
DH: The developer, Pat Neal, presented the proposal, highlighting a history of successful public-private partnerships. He emphasized that the project would serve a greater good, connecting a new school and thousands of students to major thoroughfares and providing a crucial evacuation route.
Pat Neal
Pat Neal: There is no other way to connect 777 River Road with 776, and this will complete that connection. It will serve the 3,200 students in two new schools under construction there, one of which I believe has been opened this week. We feel that we can be completed in late 2026 or early 2027.
DH: However, a number of residents raised concerns during the public comment period, focusing on traffic safety, environmental impact, and the private-public nature of the partnership. The public reaction was visibly divided. Opponents of the development wore red shirts, a show of protest organized via a Facebook post. Supporters wore green and displayed stickers reading “YES to MBR.” In total, 16 members of the public spoke, presenting a mix of support and opposition.
Many in opposition were concerned about flooding. Michael Phillips was one resident who echoed the thoughts of several other speakers on this point.
Michael Phillips: Now you’re talking about putting a road at the front of my property. I already have an eight-foot berm and an eight-foot wall at the back of my property. You obviously don’t build roads below grade, so the road is going to be elevated, and now it’s going to literally put us into, like, a bathtub.
DH: Another point of contention was the road’s ownership. While county officials asserted the road was public, resident Rick Freshwater claimed otherwise.
Rick Freshwater: We’ve taken care of this road once it got deeded to us from Taylor Ranch. We all had to pay a dollar. Amazing how many people in Sarasota County keep saying it’s a Sarasota County public road. I got the papers in my pocket which I showed to people, which they didn’t like. It has been a private road. And for them to just take our road and extend it—can’t they just go around it a little bit and then tie it into the rest of the road? Is this an option? Leave our dirt road alone.
DH: Those in favor of the project, like resident Allie Luke, focused on the broader public good.
Allie Luke: It’s not just about traffic. It’s about connecting our community to resources that make it all better. If we don’t plan ahead, our roads will only get more congested and future generations will miss out on those connections as well. This project is an investment in our kids and grandkids and it’s about ensuring Englewood remains not only a wonderful hometown but also a place where families can grow and have access to everything they need.
DH: The commissioners unanimously voted to approve the agreement. During the discussion, Commissioner Smith asked a final clarifying question about the road’s ownership. Anderson responded, confirming county ownership, which prompted audible pushback from the audience.
Commissioner Ron Cutsinger represents the district. He owns properties in the area that stand to rise in value thanks to the Neal road. An office building and a vacant piece of land he owns on Manasota Beach Road west of the new connector could benefit from increased traffic.
Cutsinger made the original motion to approve the project in the April meeting of the county commission, while mentioning his ownership of the land. This week, he seconded the motion and spoke in favor of the road project.
Ron Cutsinger. Image from Sarasota County video
Ron Cutsinger: As I mentioned, obviously, I’ve lived on Manasota Beach Road for 40 years and lived in this community for over 50. I drive this road every day, and I think there’s been some promises made here, and my experience makes me believe that the promises we kept in terms of meeting with the community, meeting with the folks who’ve expressed their concerns about stormwater.
DH: We reached out to Cutsinger for comment on the properties and his vote, but he was not available for a statement before our deadline.
Reporting for WSLR News, Dania Hefley.
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