Helistop proposal lands at Commission meeting

Residents of Panther Ridge and the surrounding community will stand their ground Sept. 1 in opposition of a proposed helistop at The Concession Golf Club.

After more than a year of uncertainty, opposition has not waned.

“We’re going to show up on Sept. 1 and we have a good group of neighbors,” Panther Ridge resident Cindy Bray said. “There are people from The Lake Club who have shown concern and even from The Concession itself. It’s just not a good place to put this. It’s not compatible with surrounding neighborhoods.”

The Manatee County Commission is expected to decide the fate of the helistop at its Sept. 1 meeting, at the county administration building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. 

Panther Ridge resident Daniela Drillman, whose home is one of the closest to The Concession’s northern entrance and who is organizing opposition efforts, said she hired an attorney to help build a legal case against the proposal, especially after the Manatee County Planning Commission recommended approval of the project in April.

“We felt after the Planning Commission there were some legal aspects that were misstated by the staff,” she said. “We have many arguments against the helistop and several legal arguments that will brought to the county commissioners. We intend to keep our neighborhoods peaceful and safe for our horses, riders and residents.”

Representatives of The Concession Golf Club did not return inquiries by press time, but previously told the East County Observer the entity is trying to be a good neighbor and believes it’s request is reasonable and legal. Attorney Ed Vogler said he, too, has been compiling evidence in support of the application.

“There’s been a lot of emotional feedback that needs to be validated by fact,” he told the East County Observer in June. “It takes a little time to develop this response.”

The item has been delayed twice since the Planning Commission.

Panther Ridge residents say the helistop is incompatible with their equestrian community and poses a safety hazard for horses and riders, among other worries. An online petition circulated by Drillman has garnered nearly 13,500 signatures, of which only 4,108 are from Florida. There is no figure available for local signatures.

The Concession Golf Club had discussed adding a helistop within its boundaries in 2010, but the plan was abandoned before any proposals were submitted to the county, The Concession Golf Club spokesman Otto Jack Jr. previously told the Observer.

It submitted new plans in early 2015, but modified them mid-year in efforts to accommodate neighbors. It moved the proposed helistop adjacent to the clubhouse rather than near the northern entrance off Lindrick Lane.