When There's a Lot at Stake
Kelly Bauman fights for a community's rights
by Julie London
A road to the east off of 776 in Englewood leads to a glimpse of the defining exquisite beauty of old Florida. Native vegetation lines the dirt road with nature’s secrets unfolding in the burrow of a gopher tortoise. A footprint in the dirt might reveal itself to be a bobcat, wild boar or coyote.
The residents living on Manasota Beach Road, where families and retirees go to sleep with the symphony of owls or frogs chirping are experiencing their peace being jeopardized by “progress / growth”. This is in part to a hasty decision from the Sarasota (FL) County Commissioners and one developer who put the plan in motion: Pat Neal, the Founder and CEO of Neal Communities.
A Public Private Partnership
There are various nomenclatures regarding how projects can get funded in the county. One is a Public Private Partnership (PPP). This is described as a long-term contractual agreement between government entities and private businesses to fund, build, and operate public infrastructure or services.
Handing over $15 million in funds to Neal, Sarasota County entered into a PPP with the developer to extend Manasota Beach Road. This was at Neal’s behest. The county commission approved the project with the hopeful conditions that it would alleviate congestion on Tamiami Trail, River Road, and Englewood Road, and to support new schools in the Wellen Park area.
Many saw a much more nefarious agenda emerging.
Enter Kelly Bauman
A PPP requires only one public hearing (if certain requirements of 225.71 are met); and Sarasota County Transportation Department Director Spencer Anderson got the ball in motion for August 27, 2025. However, in informing residents, he left out many of the major stakeholders, including those living on Manasota Beach Road. One of those residents was Kelly Bauman who learned of the hearing in July via a resident who lives in a new development on 776
Despite a family tragedy the previous month, Bauman, along with neighbors, began the process of resistance. They would voice their concerns about damage to the environment and the possible illegality of a developer moving in on what they believe is a private road in front of the commissioners.
Residents showed up on that broiling August day with photos and evidence to the lone hearing. Yet on the same day, the county commissioners unanimously approved Neal’s proposal, without a blink of an eye. Here’s $15 million, Pat. Do your thing.
From that fateful day to the present, Bauman has been told “it’s a done deal”. Yet, at a June 10, 2026 rally, the fight continues. County Commissioner for District 2, Mark Smith showed up and got the grand tour. With Bauman behind the wheel of a golf cart, alongside her constant sidekick and advocate, Vicki, she drove Smith for over 30 minutes throughout the properties in almost 90-degree temperatures.
They are compared to being a modern-day Thelma and Louise.
“I’m going to have plenty of fun with the citizens.” - Pat Neal
Peeling back the layers
How did Bauman not even get notice to begin with? Anderson informed Bauman during a phone call, that the distance for notice was 200 feet away from the road. The parcel Bauman owns directly in front of the road doesn’t have a house on it, he explained. Bauman owns 9.7 acres of land on Manasota Beach Road. It was pointed out by Sarasota County Commissioner Teresa Mast that the distance for notice was 750 feet, not 200.
Other neighbors didn’t receive notice as well, including Pennington Place (first neighborhood when turning on East Manasota Beach Road). No homeowners across 776 were notified. Neither were the residents in the neighboring Beachwalk development.
Maybe this is why Neal expressed surprise that there would be a turn out to protest. If they weren’t told about it, how could they fight it after the fact? He called it an unexpected complication. “I’m going to have plenty of fun with the citizens.”
Bauman faces off against Neal “I’m not done yet.”
In a video recorded by Cullen Andrew, Neal asks Bauman innocently how he benefits from the road expansion. The gaslight is on full power, as Bauman brings the receipts of Tik Tok and YouTube videos that market several Neal communities in Wellen Park as having easy beach access. Widening and paving over the dirt road only benefits sales of his properties, it appears. Upon attempting to interrupt her, the brave and bold advocate advised Neal: “I’m not done yet.”
Crossing over 776, homeowners on the west side, are astounded that increased traffic along the winding two lane road that leads to a small parking lot on the Beach could have even been a consideration. Tonya, a resident declares: “Manasota Key is up for grabs. They have no conscience of the harm it’s doing.”
Referring to the possibility of hurricanes, she adds, “Nature put it in and can take it out.”
Bonnie who has lived in the area since 1982, remembers when the road had a strawberry farm and spoke of poignant memories of picking them off the plant. “Manasota Beach is already overflowing. It makes no sense. There’s no parking!”
Englewood is known for being a quiet “non-flashy” microcosm of small-town Florida.
Wellen Park, on the other hand, is projected to house more than 60,000 residents and 22,000+ homes at full buildout. The infrastructure can’t keep up, said one protestor.
Emilia, a protestor, repeats that the new buyers of homes have “been promised this road. Developers have been selling the dream of people coming to the beach.”
Flooding that never occurred previously took place on Manasota Beach Road since the building of a development down 776. A paved road would add more flooding problems with storm water having nowhere to go, but on their properties. There is grave concern about damage to the wetlands.
With approximately 10 cars driving down east Manasota Beach Road daily, that could be upped to as many 21,000, according to the Oppose Manasota Beach Facebook page.
Bauman argues back about access for Lemon Bay High School, touting the dangers posed of too many roads that give access to a public school. Additionally, Bauman believes there is a violation of setbacks. “The distance from the road to the homes do not meet the requirements for connector roads,” she states. “I believe the county said that it’s grandfathered in.”
Where are the environmental / traffic studies done?
The Florida FDOT said that at the intersection of 776 and Manasota Beach Road, a study was not required because it was not a direct entrance to a Neal development. The county has not ordered an independent environmental study. This is what they paid Neal to do. Residents see discrepancies, however.
Making Progress
Bauman’s dedication is paying off. WWSB Channel 7 reports that the homeowners’ fight has moved forward with a formal challenge that will now be heard by a state hearing officer with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. This had to clear an important procedural step in order to advance.
Commissioner Smith says that it will be up to Bauman to prove that the dirt road is indeed private. She has the documents, but they appear to not be enough. In a title search,she asks the question: “If it is not public, then what is it?
“It is not a right of way. Our title paper reads, The Private Maintenance Road Agreement is listed and the survey says “undetermined - not ROW. How do you record a Private Road Maintenance agreement with an instrument number if it is not a private road? Look at the language, it states: “Which is a private road in Englewood, FL.”
While some think this should have been the county’s responsibility to get an answer to this major question, Bauman is going full steam ahead in hiring the right experts.
As more eyes are pointing the finger at Neal and the County Commissioners’ complicity, the question for Pat Neal now is: Are you still having plenty of fun with the citizens?
A petition to Oppose Manasota Beach Road can be signed here.
If you’d like to donate for legal fees and a surveyor, the Oppose Manasota Beach Road Go Fund Me is here
Cullen Andrew’s video is here. (Good work, Mr. Andrew.)
Dear Bubbie Note: We sometimes wonder how people can continue to fight, despite long odds against a well-oiled machine. Bauman has been called a “David vs. Goliath”, but the woman who wears a loose braid in her long hair and speaks in a soft tone, must wonder how she does it herself. As she advocates for old Florida before the county commissioners and against the big money that is fast tracking to destroy it, she has had help from the community.
Beyond that, what makes this woman so powerful, so unrelenting, is the unseen. The intangible that the heavens surely bestow upon her presence and fight. A star shining brightly down on her in the silence of the night, on a dark road surrounded by natures solace reveals that she is never alone.
In dedication to her son, Brandon Johnson August 25, 1995 - June 12, 2025
London is running for Sarasota County Commission, District 4
This is an ongoing struggle in Florida. It bears close scrutiny.
Thank you so much for fighting for this.