Manatee County makes U-turn on roundabout

Manatee County commissioners are attempting to rescind a contract with Lakewood Ranch Corporate Park LLC, a subsidiary of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, to construct a roundabout at the intersection of University Parkway with Legacy Boulevard and Deer Drive. 

Saying he received several complaints from residents about the planned roundabout, District 5 Commissioner Bob McCann added the item to the May 6 Manatee County Commission meeting’s agenda at 5:45 p.m. the evening before.

A motion to direct staff to come back with a written contract to mutually terminate the reimbursement agreement carried 6-0 with Commissioner Mike Rahn absent.

The original reimbursement agreement was signed with Schroeder-Manatee Ranch on Nov. 12, 2024.

McCann said the roundabout was “forced” upon the residents by SMR, Lakewood Ranch’s parent company. He argued that the contract should never have been signed by outgoing commissioners because the new commissioners already had been elected.

Commission Chair George Kruse didn’t object to the motion, but he objected to the last minute addition to the agenda since SMR was not given notice of the move to cancel the contract.

SMR CEO and President Rex Jensen was furious at the action since SMR never was informed that the commissioners were going to be asked to consider such a move. He noted that SMR originally had asked for a traffic signal at that intersection but was convinced by Manatee County's staff that a roundabout was a better and safer alternative. After signing the agreement, SMR began work on the roundabout and has spent considerable funds.

Commissioner Carol Felts, pointing at the complaints about the roundabout she had received, chalked it up to “the power of the people.” 

“I agree that it’s not fair, but I’ve read a lot of emails,” she said. “We could put it as a motion for later on, but I think the people spoke, and the other party is free to look at the citizen comments that are posted with our agendas.”