On Tuesday, October 6, at 10 a.m., North Port will meet regarding the Winchester Ranch proposal. The developer wants the City to make a new land-use designation, push North Port’s Urban Service Boundary out, and set up a new zoning district for nearly 3,000 acres, all this while the City and Sarasota County haven’t even finished hashing out annexation and service agreements.
Some neighbors aren’t happy. Kelly McCarron, who lives in Englewood Farm Acres right next to the property, puts it bluntly: “My kids are fourth generation here. We want to hold on to our memories, our land, our way of life. That’s why we’re here, and when it’s threatened, we have to speak up.”
This isn’t the final sign-off for Winchester Ranch, but it’s a tremendous step, one that sets the stage for everything else to follow.
If you are a resident or a local citizen, pay close attention. The plan would affect roads, infrastructure, water, sewer lines, drainage, public services, basically, the future of the entire area.
North Port City Hall
Tuesday, October 6
10:00 a.m.
Opponents of this proposal say the public needs to take a hard look at what’s happening before this process moves forward. This is the same proposal that hit a wall at the county level, where two commissioners pushed back and the developer’s team pulled it from a vote. Many allege the developer is working with the City, moving fast to change designations and boundaries, aiming to get this project locked in before annexation wraps up.
The stakes are high: the push is for 7,000 to 8,000 new homes along River Road, with City Hall ready to support it, drawn by future tax revenue. The developer wants the City to create a new land-use designation, stretch the Urban Service Boundary, and establish a new zoning district covering almost 3,000 acres, all to pave the way for thousands of homes, while the county and city still don’t have an agreement.
Again, this isn’t final approval, but it’s a crucial step in making the project real.
The Agenda
– A new land-use designation
– Expansion of North Port’s Urban Service Boundary
– Creation of a new zoning district
– Plans for 6,500 to 8,000+ homes along River Road
Right now, North Port and Sarasota County are still sorting out annexation and service terms. The meeting doesn’t approve full development, but if these changes move forward, they lay the policy groundwork for the rest.
“The developer isn’t merely asking North Port to annex the land,” according to Kell McCarron. “It is asking North Port to annex it, bring it inside the City’s urban service framework, create a new land-use designation, create a new zoning district, then approve a master concept plan.”
In the last county review, commissioners pushed back, forcing the developer’s team to withdraw the item from a vote, then the process shifted over to the city. Residents have raised concerns about roads, drainage, public services, and how all this new infrastructure would get paid for. Supporters point to the developer’s promise of covering infrastructure costs.
The process is heating up, and it’s time for the public to speak up before the decision is made for them.
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