Residents say building this new stretch would destroy Manasota Key. The county’s behind the project, a $15 million extension that would connect Manasota Beach to Wellen Park. Pat Neal, who used to be a Florida senator and now runs Neal Industries, is developing it.

But many people aren’t on board. They organized before, back in February, when residents covered their cars with ribbons and signs and drove out to get the commissioners’ attention.

Over 2,000 people have already signed a petition to stop the extension. The county recently held a meeting to show off the road’s design, but from what the opponents say, nothing in those plans changed their minds.

Many residents living near the proposed road believe the county should spend its money and energy elsewhere. Spending money on River Road is a popular option.

The county has explored widening River Road and Winchester Boulevard, all hoping to ease the region’s notorious traffic. With new schools in Wellen Park, K-8 and High School, and growing neighborhoods, leaders argue solutions must be reached.

People in the community aren’t staying quiet about this. They’ve started petitions like “STOP PAT NEAL: Saving the Wetland, Wildlife, and Preserving Land – STOP MBR Expansion” to push back against the Manasota Beach Road expansion.

Residents from Englewood and nearby areas have come together, determined to stop the project. They believe property rights are being ignored, and the threat to wildlife is real. The campaign says Pat Neal, his company Neal Communities, and other developers keep chipping away at what makes Florida unique. Every new development means more wetlands and open land disappear. Their petition is just one part of a much bigger fight.

Protesters are also concerned about the wildlife living in the wetlands nearby. Residents plan to keep showing up and making noise.

The post Manasota Key at a Crossroads: Residents Challenge County’s Expansion Plan appeared first on Englewood Review.

Scott outlined five reconstruction options to replace pavilions, boardwalks, restrooms and showers lost to hurricanes Ian, Adalia, Helene and Milton. Commissioners initially favored a lower-cost approach but ultimately backed the $1.5 million Alternative 3 recommended by Giffels-Webster Engineers. The design trims overall boardwalk length while preserving elevated viewing areas, a defining feature of the beachfront park.

A less expensive $924,000 proposal, Alternative 4, would have removed all linear boardwalks and relied solely on walkovers. Commissioners hesitated, concerned that eliminating shoreline strolls and panoramic views would diminish visitor experience and potentially jeopardize Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement at the higher project cost.

Alternative 3 would remove the northernmost and southernmost segments of the boardwalk, connect remaining portions to central walkovers and raise the main pavilion and restroom complex by 1 to 4 feet. The design adds an ADA-compliant ramp and aims to strengthen storm resilience while maintaining key public amenities.

Other options ranged from a $172,000 pavilion-free concept that faced permitting challenges to a $2.151 million reconstruction of elevated structures mirroring pre-storm conditions. Giffels-Webster evaluated each plan for storm performance, environmental impact, ADA access, public safety and FEMA eligibility.

By advancing Alternative 3, commissioners signaled support for a balanced redesign that retains signature features while addressing storm vulnerability at one of Charlotte County’s most heavily visited beaches.

The post Charlotte County Backs Rebuild Plan for Englewood Beach and Chadwick Park appeared first on Englewood Review.

Progress continues at other parks. Portions of Bayshore Live Oak Park, 23157 Bayshore Road in Charlotte Harbor, have reopened, including parking, greenspace and the fireplace pavilion. Other areas remain closed due to damage and safety hazards. Repairs to the pirate ship playground at Englewood Beach are complete and the playground has reopened.

To improve transparency on storm-related work, the county launched a revised Disaster Recovery Projects Dashboard on Wednesday at www.charlottecountyfl.gov/disasterprojects or via the project status graphic on the county homepage. The dashboard catalogs more than 1,200 projects that are completed, underway or planned. Users can view a map to find projects by location, search by project name and review funding sources and amounts, work descriptions and the storm event associated with each project.

Resilience planning remains a commission priority. The county hosted the 4th Annual Florida Resilience Conference Sept. 17-19 at Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte Harbor, where state and local leaders shared strategies to strengthen community resilience amid funding challenges.

The commission will hold a public meeting at 2 p.m., Oct. 14, in Room 119 of the Charlotte County Administration Center, 18500 Murdock Circle, Port Charlotte, to gather input on the Resiliency and Modernization Plan.

In parallel, the county is seeking public feedback on the draft Integrated Master Plan and Resiliency Implementation Roadmap before submission to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The project will help prioritize utility operations and engineering initiatives using a decision framework that incorporates resilience and modernization.

Information contained in this article is from Charlotte County Administrator Hector Flores’ Weekly Column.

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Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings affirmed “AA+” ratings with stable outlooks for the county’s utility system revenue and refunding bonds. Moody’s Ratings also reaffirmed its “Aaa” county-wide rating, which reflects the government’s overall capacity to repay debt.

The county is issuing about $154 million in Utility System Revenue Bonds, Series 2025, to help fund enhancements at the Venice Gardens Water Reclamation Facility. The project includes upgrading the facility to Advanced Wastewater Treatment to meet Florida Department of Environmental Protection standards by June 2025 and expanding treatment capacity from 3 million to 6 million gallons per day. The full expansion is expected to be operational by mid-2028.

Credit agencies cited several factors in their ratings, including Sarasota County’s stable and diverse customer base, affordable utility rates, strong reserves, and formalized fiscal and asset management practices. Both Fitch and S&P noted that these financial policies support long-term predictability and resilience, particularly in the face of climate risks.

Moody’s pointed to the county’s comparatively low tax rate, significant increases in property values and reserves since the pandemic, and the institutional presence of Sarasota Memorial Hospital as strengths supporting its “Aaa” rating.

The high ratings are expected to help Sarasota County secure lower borrowing costs as it advances its capital improvement program. County officials say the funding is essential to ensuring reliable infrastructure and continued progress in water quality improvements.

The Series 2025 bonds are expected to close in September.

For more information, call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 3-1-1 or visit scgov.net.

The post Sarasota County Utility Maintains High Bond Ratings for Expansion Project appeared first on Englewood Review.

Thirty-six of the trees are located on the west side of the street, and six are located on the south side. The black olives were planted in 2022 as part of a streetscape project, but have since struggled. According to Sarasota County’s website, many trees are leaning, creating overhead hazards for pedestrians and vehicles. Others have root systems that have pushed up sidewalks, making the walkways uneven and unsafe.

County officials said maintenance costs for the black olives have continued to grow, and replacing them with Christmas palms will reduce long-term expenses. The palms require less irrigation, are more drought resistant, and already line the south side of the corridor.

According to Sarasota County, the black olive trees will most likely not be relocated. Officials said the selected vendor, whom has not yet been determined, will be responsible for the removal and disposal of the trees, but it is unlikely they will be able to offer the trees to citizens “…due to liability concerns.”

The project is expected to cause intermittent disruptions to on-street parking in front of businesses on West Dearborn Street. Construction timelines have not yet been released, but county representatives confirmed the tree removal and replacement will begin soon.

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