Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/316941
Saying they were "disappointed" and left with an "ugly feeling," the Sarasota county commissioners this week declined to allow a "pretty unappealing" new commercial center to move forward on Bee Ridge Road just east of Interstate 75. Developer Richard Fischer and Terracap BR Investors' pro- posal for seven acres of land on the north- east corner of Bee Ridge and Mauna Loa Boulevard includes a 77,000-square-foot retail and office building that would wrap around a new RaceTrac service station sched- uled to go in nearby. Two smaller buildings that would be located closer to Bee Ridge are also part of the project, dubbed the Bee Ridge Park of Commerce. But for that plan to be realized, the property needs to be rezoned t o C o m m e r c i a l Neighborhood, which, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e county code, includes the "retail sale of food, drugs, hardware, and According to plans, the Bee Ridge Park of Commerce would be located behind a new RaceTrac service station on Bee Ridge Road. Photo by Joe Goldberg, via Flickr 'UGLY FEELING' FROM BEE RIDGE PROJECT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BLAST DEVELOPERS FOR BEE RIDGE ROAD PROPOSAL Usually we just get, 'Deny it.' I greatly respect the neighbors for putting the amount of work that you put into this one. I have a bad taste in my mouth over this one. Christine Robinson Vice Chairwoman Sarasota County Commission By Cooper Levey-Baker Associate Editor