Villa project gains traction

EAST COUNTY — Homebuilder Neal Communities is one step closer to converting a retail parcel at the southwest corner of Lockwood Ridge Road and Honore Avenue into a 92-unit paired-villa community.

On April 9, the Manatee County Planning Commission unanimously endorsed plans for the Villa Amalfi project without raising concerns.

The infill project will go before the Manatee County Commission for final approval May 7.

“We (hope) to break ground in the summer and have models open in January 2016,” said Dale Weidemiller, who oversees special projects for Neal. “This is a sequel to our Fairfield development. It’s really a very good fit with the neighbors, and of course, it would have the Neal quality.”

The 18.6-acre Villa Amalfi parcel is zoned as planned development commercial, a use that allows for the development of a grocery store or up to six dwelling units per acre.

 Neal requests a rezone and plans to build a single-story, tiled-roof paired village concept on the property, which is bordered to the south and west by The Cascades of Sarasota.

The homebuilder modified the site plan for Villa Amalfi slightly, following a neighborhood meeting with Cascades residents in February, by moving the community’s amenity center away from its shared border with Cascades and closer to the center of the Villa Amalfi project.

Neal has the site under contract, pending approvals, and has worked to accelerate the entitlement process by preparing permits and approvals and processing the final site plan and construction plans simultaneously.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].