Major Lakewood Ranch projects advance

The Manatee County Planning Commission recommended approval Sept. 13 of two projects that combined could bring one golf course and 3,250 single-family homes to 1,537 acres east of Lorraine Road between State Roads 64 and 70.

Taylor Morrison is planning an active lifestyle community, currently called Lakewood Ranch 1000, on 992 acres about a quarter-mile south of State Road 64 and east of Lorraine Road. It includes 1,750 single-family homes and a “neighborhood focal point” including a potential golf course, club house and resort pool. Four optional amenity parcels are included in the site plan.

Taylor Morrison is the developer of Esplanade at Lakewood Ranch. 

Lennar Homes will bring a gated amenities-focused community, currently called Woodlands, to the property immediately south of Lakewood Ranch 1000. Built in two phases, its plans call for a clubhouse, pool, fitness center and optional park areas.

The site also includes a set aside for a future cell tower.

“You need the service in Lakewood Ranch,” said Darenda Marvin, a planner representing both projects. “Planning it (the cell tower) in the beginning is best. It’s placed near an amenity parcel and a major roadway. Everyone moving into that community will know about it.”

Lennar’s Director of Land Acquisition Russell Smith said he expects the company to break ground on Woodlands in the first half of 2019 with home sales likely starting in fourth quarter 2020.

Lennar Homes is the developer of Lakewood National and Bridgwater.

Marvin said Taylor Morrison’s project likely will be similar to Esplanade, but Taylor Morrison has not yet announced a groundbreaking date.

Both the sites are within Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch’s 6,500-acre Northeast Quadrant project, which had been master-planned to account for major roadways and water and sewer connections. 

The Lakewood Ranch Stewardship District, a master community development district that spans sections of Sarasota and Manatee counties, is building out the major roadways, extensions of 44th Avenue East, Rangeland Parkway and the future Uihlein Road. It’s also incorporating utilities as part of those projects. Developers will tie in as their residential or other projects come online.

“By December next year, all those roadways and all their utilities will be complete,” Marvin said.

Richard Bedford, vice president of planning for SMR, said none of the projects proposed provide residents direct access to Lorraine Road. Instead, traffic from the projects are directed to roadways SMR, through the stewardship, is constructing.

With Planning Commission approval in hand, the Woodland and Lakewood Ranch 1000 projects now go to the Manatee County Commissioner for consideration.