Lakewood Centre site set to double acreage

Schroeder-Manatee Ranch’s Lakewood Centre site is being readjusted to add more land to the phased development without adding more approved residential office and commercial uses.

In a land use meeting Dec. 4 in downtown Bradenton, the Manatee County Commission unanimously approved SMR’s request to more than double the size of the Lakewood Centre development of regional impact (DRI) — from 697 acres to 1,493 acres between State Road 64 and State Road 70.

SMR requested the addition of 796 acres north of 44th Avenue East between the two state roads.

Despite the addition of the new acreage, SMR has agreed to keep original approvals granted in 2008 (see box below).

“We’re expanding territory and spreading out entitlements previously granted,” said Caleb Grimes, SMR’s attorney.

The open space on the DRI now encompasses 38% of the entire project. The DRI has 76.6 acres of recreational space.

Lakewood Centre, which will be built in phases through 2026, includes residential office, retail and commercial shopping.

The intent of the DRI is to prevent the development from adding traffic to the state roads.

The Lakewood Centre development is poised to become one of the Ranch’s largest developments, along with its 5,144 residential home project in Sarasota County planned for just south of University Parkway.

IN OTHER ACTION
At a land use meeting Dec. 4 in downtown Bradenton, the Manatee County Commission also:

• Reappointed John DeLesline and Timothy Rhoades to the Manatee County Planning Commission. Paul Rutledge was appointed to a one-year term on the board. Lakewood Ranch resident Jim Hill was not appointed but District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh urged Hill “to stay involved.”

• Directed attorneys to hold discussions with individual fire districts, including East Manatee Fire Rescue, about whether fire districts have the authority to adopt their own land use ordinances. Because the county is currently updating its land development code, the commission and fire districts will work to create uniform language that addresses concerns of residential street width and cul-de-sac length for fire truck access.

BY THE NUMBERS
3,239 - multifamily units

1,444 - single-family homes

1.67M - square feet of commercial

1.46M - square feet of offices

300 - hotel rooms