BayCare Health System wants to build a 12,800-square-foot freestanding emergency department southwest of the intersection of State Road 64 and Lena Road, a corridor connecting Lakewood Ranch to I-75.
The Manatee County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposal Aug. 13 at 9 a.m. in the Patricia M. Glass Chambers at the Manatee County Government Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. West in Bradenton.
The rezone application, filed under case number PDC-25-23(Z)(P), asks to convert about 2.81 acres from General Commercial to Planned Development Commercial zoning. Core Suncoast III LLC owns the parcel; BayCare is listed as the contract purchaser, according to the county's public notice published Wednesday.
What sets a freestanding ED apart from a hospital ER
A freestanding emergency department operates around the clock with board-certified emergency physicians and full diagnostic equipment but is not physically attached to a hospital. The proposed site is in unincorporated Manatee County east of I-75.
BayCare has not released operational details, staffing plans or a projected opening date for this specific site.
$563 million Palmetto hospital anchors a broader BayCare expansion
The proposed ER fits into BayCare's broader expansion across the region. On July 10, the health system held a topping-out ceremony for BayCare Hospital Manatee, a $563 million, 436,000-square-foot full-service hospital on Moccasin Wallow Road in Palmetto scheduled to open in 2028 with 154 private patient rooms.
BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners said at the July 10 ceremony that the Palmetto hospital represents the system's commitment to bringing care closer to home for Manatee County families.
BayCare is also building a 46,000-square-foot HealthHub outpatient facility adjacent to the Palmetto hospital, expected to open in late 2026. The not-for-profit system has announced freestanding EDs in Valrico, Davenport and Lakeland as well.
A second freestanding ER already pending on the same corridor
The BayCare proposal is not the only freestanding emergency department seeking a foothold on the SR 64 corridor. A separate project, "ER at Lakewood North," went before the Planning Commission in February 2026 for a 13,450-square-foot facility at 10106 SR 64 East, roughly 0.8 miles west of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. That application involved a different owner and a 2.31-acre rezone from General Commercial to Planned Development Commercial.
How residents can weigh in before the vote
The Planning Commission hearing is the first step. The commission will forward a recommendation to the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners, which holds the final vote.
Residents can submit written comments to the Manatee County Development Services Department, Attn: Agenda Coordinator, 1112 Manatee Ave. West / P.O. Box 1000, Bradenton, FL 34205, or by email to [email protected]. The Development Services Department office is at 9000 Town Center Parkway in Lakewood Ranch; phone 941-748-4501, ext. 6878.
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