West Bradenton is on the brink of making the final transition from farming to homes.
The largest of three developments being planned within a 5-mile radius of Anna Maria Island and Cortez — and the only one already approved by Manatee County commissioners — is Lake Flores.
It is under the control of developer Whiting Preston, president of the company known for developing and growing gladiolus on its farms, Manatee Fruit Co. The project is proposed on 1,291 acres, now being leased for tomato farming, off Cortez Road West, east and south of the village.
Approved in August for 6,500 homes, 500 hotel rooms and 3 million square feet of office, retail and industrial use, Lake Flores leads other large proposals in the county’s development pipeline, including Aqua by the Bay/Long Bar Pointe, seeking 3,200 homes, and another Preston development, Peninsula Bay, looking to build 1,950 residential units.
Lake Flores calls for an urbanized mix of residential and commercial, 12 miles of roads, a 50-foot-wide multi-modal trail for pedestrians, bicycles, shuttles and golf carts, as well as a 19-acre lake at the center.
“Overall, this will have a positive impact,” Preston said about an influx of tax revenue to the county and the school district and job growth.
“It’ll be a new place for people to go,” he added, pointing out the “need for some investment in West Bradenton.”
Lake Flores will develop in two phases — one building out by 2025 and a second by 2035 — though plans could change if IMG Academy, an adjacent professional sports training facility on 500 acres, needs additional land, according to Preston. Preston’s family has already sold 130 acres to IMG, he added.
Under the county’s 2.2-person per household matrix, the maximum build out at Lake Flores translates to more than 14,300 residents on completion.
Linda Gross of Advice Inc., Preston’s marketing company, points out the development’s density is 25 percent less than the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan allows.
Preston expects people will come for theater, shopping and other entertainment, mostly planned near Cortez Road West. He hopes the bike trail will bring IMG students and others into the development.
By 2035, a maximum of 69,283 daily automobile trips are projected to be generated, though less than 6 percent of the trips will be between Anna Maria Island and Lake Flores, according to Gross.
Former Manatee County Commissioner Jane von Hahmann called the approved plans “scary,” saying they lack detail.
“They were broad brush and all future approvals for the what, where and when will pretty much come from staff,” she added.
Preston agreed that unless the plans change, the project, still in the planning and design phase, no longer needs county board approval.
While the development is not along the shoreline like the two other projects, von Hahmann and other Cortezians are concerned about light pollution, displacement of wildlife and increased traffic.
“How many cars are going to be added to the two lanes of Cortez Road traffic that’s currently a huge problem?” asked Linda Molto of Cortez.
According to county planning official John Osborne, developers are not required to correct an existing traffic problem.
Preston hopes the “smart growth” concepts used in Lake Flores — encouraging a variety of transportation sources, including golf carts and bicycles — will alleviate the traffic issues and someday become part of the county’s comp plan.
Preston said he hadn’t considered the impact of light pollution von Hahmann and others predict will occur with development.