Manatee County approves $13.5 million purchase of Mixon Fruit Farms for community agriculture hub

Manatee County commissioners voted unanimously July 29 to buy Mixon Fruit Farms for $13,500,000, a negotiated price below the county appraisal, with the aim of creating a community-focused agriculture and events hub.

The county’s deputy administrator, Brian Parnell, told commissioners the 39.06-acre property at 27th Street East and 26th Avenue East was appraised at $15,765,000 and staff negotiated a $13.5 million purchase price. Sports and Leisure Director Molly White said the site can be used quickly for events and community programming while longer-term work — including agricultural education, microgardens and a commercial teaching kitchen — is planned.

Commissioners and the property’s owners described an unusually large showing of local support during public comment. Commissioner Ballard said the purchase was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve the legacy of citrus growing in Manatee County,” and several community groups and education institutions voiced readiness to partner.

Dean Mixon, representing the selling family, addressed the board: “If you do anything, do it right,” he said, offering the family’s support and noting they accepted a sale price below appraisal to help preserve the property.

County staff gave a range of likely near-term and longer-term costs. Property-management staff said a minimal retrofit to activate usable space and the outdoor grounds could be about $5.5 million; more comprehensive renovation, or a new-build option for larger library or multiuse space, could run substantially higher. Sports and Leisure estimated ongoing operating costs for an initial program team of four full‑time employees at roughly $362,000 per year, plus annual operating costs just over $100,000 after an initial non‑recurring startup expense.

Commissioners and speakers pressed for specifics on the library component: library staff have allocated about $2.0 million from library reserves toward purchase and initial renovation planning, and county staff said they intend to repurpose existing building space to support library programming, study rooms and community classes rather than build a high‑cost new branch immediately. Staff warned final retrofit costs depend on the scope chosen; property officials estimated a range of roughly $5 million for modest retrofit of the concrete structure used for community gatherings, with larger projects significantly higher.

Public commenters and nonprofit leaders emphasized building services that meet immediate community needs: workforce pathways, wrap‑around services for people in recovery, and neighborhood access to fresh food. Several nonprofits that work with people leaving incarceration or in recovery urged more funding for operational programs; county leaders said the Mixon acquisition focuses on preserving land and creating a flexible community anchor that can host many of those programs.

The motion to approve the purchase, and the related budget amendment and positions to run the site, passed 7–0. County staff said they expect to close the purchase in the fall and begin immediate activation — vendor markets, music series and bookmobile stops — while refining longer‑term capital plans, fundraising and partner agreements.

The board also authorized staffing and initial operational funding tied to the property’s activation; staff will return with more detailed cost estimates and a phased implementation plan for major renovations, including specific estimates for any library retrofit or new construction.

Next steps: staff will finalize closing, coordinate immediate activation plans, and return to the commission with a detailed capital and operations plan and a community engagement schedule for refining programming and partnerships.