Palmer Ranch seeks expansion

More land, more units, no problem.

Although some residents oppose new development in their neighborhoods, residents of Palmer Ranch appear to welcome the new building planned for the area.

Margaret Brading, president of the Palmer Ranch Communities Coalition, the umbrella organization for the neighborhood associations in the community, said she’d be happy for an increased population to support businesses nearby.

These are welcome sentiments to Palmer Ranch Holdings. The development company behind the master-planned community is requesting to add 103 acres into its Development of Regional Impact (DRI), the plan that manages land development for the area.

Although the proposal still needs to get approved by Sarasota County, Taylor Morrison has a plan for the parcel, which is located west of Honore Avenue and south of Silver Oaks. The homebuilder has a contract, contingent upon the county’s approval, to purchase the land to build a gated community with between 140 and 170 single-family homes.

According to information presented during a Sept. 9 community workshop, the homes will range from 2,842 to 5,175 square feet and will cost between $180 and $200 per square foot. Of the acreage, 32% will remain open space.

The developer hopes to get the plan approved by the county by the spring and break ground by summer 2016.

The Palmer Ranch DRI was approved in 1984. The area has added 205.7 acres to the development in land purchases made in 1991, 1999 and 2011.

In addition to adding more land to the development, the developer has added approvals for more buildings as well. In November 2013, the Sarasota County Commission approved a proposal from Palmer Ranch Holdings to increase the amount of units allowed to be built in Palmer Ranch from 10,500 to 11,550, a 10% increase.

“We add as we feel needed,” said Justin Powell, the agent for Palmer Ranch Holdings.

Alex Parnes, president of the Silver Oaks Neighborhood Association, said his community’s only concern is the buffer between his neighborhood and the one proposed.

At the neighborhood workshop, county staff presented the development as having a 20-foot buffer, which would put the two residential areas back to back.

“Back to back is unheard of in Palmer Ranch,” Parnes said.

Parnes offered a comparison with the Silver Oaks estate homes: its 179 homes are on 200 acres. Taylor Morrison’s proposed development, at its maximum, would be 170 homes on 100 acres.

“That’s a lot to squeeze in a lot,” he said.

Parnes said Taylor Morrison has been in communication with Silver Oaks to create a buffer that will allow the communities to be insulated from each other.

“It’s too early to tell if the development will be detrimental,” Parnes said, adding he’s hopeful the developer will continue to work with Silver Oaks in the same cooperative spirit it has demonstrated thus far.

If Approved
103 — number of additional acres

170 — maximum number of homes

32 — percentage of acreage to remain open space

2016 — year of expected groundbreaking