MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A local developer aims to bring a new housing development to a 2,300-acre property east of Lakewood Ranch and just south of S.R. 64.
The project has been dubbed ‘Taylor Ranch’ and ahead of a vote that could move the proposal forward this week, some community members are speaking out in opposition.
The property sits adjacent to a big destination for the racing community, including Bradenton Motorsports Park and Freedom Factory.
Owner of Freedom Factory Cleetus McFarland told 8 On Your Side he fears the development, if approved, would end up shutting the racetracks down for good.
McFarland said the tracks have been operating off of S.R. 64 for 50 years and races draw large crowds and a whole lot of noise on a regular basis.
“These tracks run all the time and if you put a standard neighborhood next door, you are going to be waking up babies, you are going to be causing problems and a lot of these people who are going to move in aren’t going to understand they are moving next to a racetrack,” McFarland said. “It is a classic case of how a racetrack dies, it has happened time and time again around the country, and we don’t want our racetracks to die.”
The county’s planning board voted 5-1 to recommend approval of the development, but some community members hope they can sway county commissioners before they make a final decision.
County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge said he’s received a large influx of emails surrounding the proposal, but said he couldn’t comment on camera with 8 On Your Side ahead of Thursday’s Land Use Meeting and vote.
“Land use votes are important decisions that have serious ramifications for property owners. It is crucial that commissioners give all stakeholders an opportunity to present their position before we form our opinions,” Van Ostenbridge said in a statement.
For the racing community, proximity and compatibility are a big concern. McFarland said it’s frustrating because the racetrack has been here for decades.
“If I went to the board and said, ‘hey county commissioners, I want to build a race track next to these 4,500 homes that have been here for 50 years, they would laugh at me. There shouldn’t be 4,500 homes built next to the racetrack. It goes both ways. It doesn’t work and it is not compatible in any way, shape, or form,” he said.
The commission is set to vote on the issue Thursday following a public hearing where they will hear from the applicant and the public.
McFarland hopes to see the community come out to voice their concerns.
“There are race tracks closing all around the country,” the track owner said. “It seems like every week that I see what was a successful race track being shut down because of neighbors moving in, not knowing what they are moving in next to, and complaining until the race track is stripped of his rights. I don’t want that to happen to Manatee County’s successful race tracks.”
