Manatee County residents are calling for stronger protections for the Myakka River, but a new state law may complicate future decisions.

For Lindsey Leigh, who grew up along the river, the connection is deeply personal.

“You feel so connected to nature when you’re here—anywhere along this river,” she told Bay News 9.

Each week, Leigh brings her four children to the Myakka Road bridge to spend time by the water.

“It’s really magical. I even see my kids calm down out here—you can watch their nervous systems regulate,” she said.

For her, preserving the Myakka is about more than scenery.

“This is old Florida,” Leigh said. “You hear the birds and insects all around. It’s such a beautiful space. To lose wild Florida in the name of development and profit seems crazy to me.”

She’s not alone in that fight. The Myakka River Management Coordinating Council is also pressing for change, worried that unchecked development could threaten the river’s future.

Earlier this month, the council urged Manatee County commissioners to create an evironmental protection zone. Their proposal calls for requiring residential structures to be set back at least 150 feet from the river and enforcing dark-sky lighting rules within a five-mile radius.

“The Myakka River in Manatee County is mostly surrounded by ranch land,” said council member Becky Ayech. “This is the time to put protections in place, so that when development comes, the river is safeguarded.”

However, at an Aug. 19 meeting, commissioners delayed a discussion on wetlands protection. Chairperson George Kruse said he was concerned that moving forward could conflict with a new state law banning local governments from adopting land-use rules stricter than those of the state.

Leigh acknowledges the challenge but hopes the county will press on.

“SB 180 could certainly slow or even stop our efforts,” she said. “We know it’s a big ask, and many groups have tried before and failed. But right now it feels critical, with all the building happening in front of us.”

As development pressures mount, residents like Leigh say they’ll keep pushing for protections—and hope county leaders will do the same to preserve the river’s future.

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(Image credit: Florida State Parks)

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