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Residents near Sarasota National press commissioners to reroute Manasota Beach Road extension
Summary
Scores of Sarasota National homeowners told commissioners they oppose the planned Manasota Beach Road extension alignment, saying it would run within feet of existing homes and harm property values, safety and water access. Commissioners heard multiple requests for study, mitigation and alternatives but took no final action.
Dozens of residents from the Sarasota National neighborhood appealed to the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners on May 20, asking the board to change the alignment or study mitigation measures for the proposed Manasota Beach Road extension.
At the meeting, multiple homeowners said the project as shown in planning presentations would pass within roughly 40 feet of some back yards and affect about 40 homes directly adjacent to the proposed corridor. “This equates to 1,800 vehicles per hour and up to 30 vehicles per minute during peak driving times,” said Kevin McMahon, who said he and his wife invested their retirement savings in their home and asked the board to preserve the community’s character. McMahon and other speakers asked the county to study alternatives, add buffers, sound barriers, lower the roadside speed limit to 35 mph and update environmental and economic impact studies.
Other residents raised technical concerns tied to community infrastructure. Donna Carroll said the proposed alignment “cuts directly between our community and the reservoir that supplies our irrigation system,” asking whether Sarasota National would retain access to irrigation lines if the road were built as shown. “This proposed location at best creates complications regarding our water supply,” she said.
Speakers also warned of property-value losses if the roadway is built so close to houses; one realtor cited a potential 10–20% decrease in sale prices for nearby homes. Several speakers described repeated public-engagement meetings and urged the county to work with residents on alternatives and mitigation that would protect property and neighborhood character.
The board did not vote on the road alignment. Commissioners acknowledged the volume of public concern and requested more information. Commissioners said they would pursue additional outreach and evaluation; Commissioner Ron Kutzinger suggested neighborhood and ministerial contacts could be used to collect venue and participation data for future engagement. No ordinance or alignment decision was made at the May 20 meeting.
The county’s planning staff previously presented conceptual alignment options in April and is continuing project-level evaluation; residents asked the board to direct staff to update traffic, hydrology and property-impact studies before the board commits to a preferred alignment.
The issue remains active. Residents asked the board to consider using funds freed from other canceled projects to pay for mitigation or route changes.
