A two-mile road extension near Manasota Beach could break ground early next year, and not everyone in Englewood is ready to wave it through. Sarasota County says the legal challenge is over and permits are in place. Neal Communities says the project has been part of long-range county transportation plans for decades. For officials and the developer, this is a long-scheduled improvement finally moving forward.
For longtime resident Kelly Bauman, it’s something else entirely. She questions whether the road was ever legally made public, noting that residents have maintained it themselves for years. She also worries the extension trades away what she calls the last stretch of Englewood green space, land that’s home to bobcats, deer, and possibly a panther. Bauman says she’s meeting with an attorney to review her options, which means this fight could head back to court even after the county declared it finished.
The bigger picture is one the whole Suncoast knows well: growth versus green space, beach access versus neighborhood character. Projects like this don’t just change traffic patterns. They change what a community feels like for the people already there. So we want to hear from you. Do you think the extension should move forward, or should Englewood’s green space be protected?
