A new bill in the Florida House would turn the University Town Center into a special government district and give one of the region’s most influential developers the power to set specific rules and levy new taxes.
House Bill 4091, introduced last week by State Rep. Bill Conerly, R-Lakewood Ranch, would give the largest private landowner in the district — Manatee County-headquartered Benderson Development Co. — its own local government to finance and oversee future expansions of the shopping hub, largely composed of commercial retail around the mall and rowing park.
The inclusion of Nathan Benderson Park in the special district, combined with the broad powers the new district would wield in an area that spans both Sarasota and Manatee counties, has raised concerns from a former assistant county attorney and at least one county commissioner…