To: Manatee County Board of County Commissioners and Planning Commission
We, the undersigned residents of Esplanade at Azario, surrounding Lakewood Ranch communities, and neighborhoods, strongly oppose the proposed development at 3705 and 3809 Lorraine Road (PLN2408-0109). We urge you to reject this proposal for the following reasons:
1. Incompatibility with Existing Neighborhoods: The proposed 362 dwelling units in two and three-story buildings is incompatible with our established single-family residential neighborhoods. The density of 18.5 units per acre is drastically out of character with the surrounding area.
2. Inadequate Buffers: The minimum landscape buffers proposed are insufficient to mitigate the visual and noise impacts on adjacent properties. This development lacks the substantial land use compatibility buffers
that are standard for similar projects in Lakewood Ranch.
3. Traffic Congestion and Safety: With only one main access point on Lorraine Road, this high-density development, in conjunction with the new apartment buildings on route 64, will generate increased traffic, peaking even higher at busy times, leading to congestion and safety issues on local roads not designed for such volume.
4. Infrastructure Strain: The proposal would place undue burden on existing water, sewer, and stormwater management infrastructure. Our communities already experience flooding issues that would be exacerbated by eliminating green space.
5. Quality of Life Impact: The scale and density of this project would negatively impact property values, privacy, and the overall character of our neighborhoods that residents have invested in, based on Res 1 Zoning Classification, and come to cherish.
6. Inconsistent with Lakewood Ranch Vision: This proposal does not align with Lakewood Ranch's planned community and tradition of thoughtful, integrated community planning and sensitive land use design.
We respectfully request that you reject the current proposal and require any future plans to be limited to single-family homes, significantly reducing density to levels consistent with surrounding neighborhoods. This change would naturally address concerns about building heights, buffer zones, and infrastructure strain. Furthermore, we ask that any revised plans demonstrate clear compatibility with Lakewood Ranch design principles, which have long prioritized thoughtful community planning and sensitive land use. A development of single-family homes would align with the existing character of our community, preserve property values, and maintain the quality of life that has made Lakewood Ranch a desirable place to live.
Our communities welcome responsible development that enhances rather than detracts from our quality of life. We trust you will make a decision that protects the interests of current residents by rejecting this incompatible and poorly planned proposal.
Thank you for your consideration.
