Manatee County reconsiders buying Mixon Fruit Farms

Mixon Fruit Farms didn’t meet the necessary criteria to be purchased through the Manatee County’s Environmental Lands Program, so the county is pondering a new plan for the property. 

Commissioner Amanda Ballard first suggested the purchase be reconsidered during the Jan. 28 commission meeting. She wants to retrofit the over 37,000-square-foot warehouse into a library. 

“We are severely behind on our libraries in this county,” Ballard said.

Even after the Lakewood Ranch Library opened in January 2024, Manatee County was still at half the state recommendation for how many libraries should serve a population.  

Only seven libraries serve Manatee’s over 400,000 residents. The nearest library from the Mixon property, located at 2525 27th St. E. in Bradenton, is over four miles away. 

Ballard’s additional argument was that there are already 250 parking spaces available and the building could be retrofitted “cheaply” compared to building a brand new library. 

The 50,000-square-foot Lakewood Ranch Library cost $17.6 million to build from the ground up, then another approximately $6.9 million could be spent to finish the second floor. 

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

The 39-acre farm was inspected Jan. 7, and an appraisal of $15,765,000 came back Feb. 13. The property was originally listed for $15.8 million in February 2023. 

Janet and Dean Mixon have received and are still receiving offers from developers. 

One developer offered to name a road in the proposed development Janet’s Way. Mixon joked that she wasn’t sure if he was trying to sweeten the deal or comment on her negotiation style. 

If Janet Mixon gets her way, the county will buy the land. The Mixons are willing to drop the price down to $13.5 million to see it happen. 

“The idea of just bulldozing this always makes me very, very sad,” she said. “Dean and I, our goal is that it becomes something that continues to bless the community.”

Mixon is “ecstatic” about the prospect of a library. However, that wouldn’t be the only use for the property. 

“There’s an area down 27th Street, which is always flooding,” Ballard said. “I believe that it’s possible that the acquisition of the Mixon Farm property, and then turning that into some sort of stormwater park, could alleviate some of that flooding.” 

Stormwater parks are dual-purpose. They manage stormwater and provide recreation space for residents. 

Courtesy image

Commission Chair George Kruse said he could be on board with the idea if the math makes sense. 

He didn’t like the county’s first plan to purchase the farm through the Environmental Lands Program because the discussions were more about the property not being sold and developed versus how it would be used by the county.

Kruse said between the golf course and Pirate City, the area has enough green space. East Bradenton Park is also within a mile.  

Plans to incorporate multiple elements, such as a park, a library and a community center is a plan he’s more apt to support. 

The Mixons would love to see some of the farm’s history included in the plans, too, but it’s not something that will make or break the deal for them. 

There’s a fairly new mural that was installed on the side of the store in 2022 that Janet Mixon can’t imagine the county would want to cover, but she's not pushing for anything. 

Instead, Mixon and her friends are praying. 

“We’ve got everybody praying for this,” she said. “This is our last chance.”

Mixon noted that the taxes are due each year, so the property will be sold either way. The couple would just prefer to sell to Manatee County over a developer. 

The Mixons were supposed to meet with county staff March 3, but staff asked that they postpone until March 7.