Burnt Store Road corridor land sells for $5.3M, 252 homes planned

A plan to bring tiny homes to the Burnt Store corridor in southern Charlotte County was scrapped. Instead, 68.4 acres once slated for small dwellings will now become the site of 252 traditional homes. 

Michael Price, managing director of LQ Commercial Real Estate, confirmed that Simple Life Reflections LLC sold its land at 12200 Burnt Store Road for $5.3 million. Price, who handled the transaction, said Simple Life purchased the property years earlier from a developer who never built, paying about $1.8 million. 

Because much of the design work was already complete, the deal closed in just 120 days, Price said. National Home Builders approached LQ Commercial about handling the transaction, and Pulte Homes is expected to be the project’s builder. 

Company officials said the sale signals both the strength of the local housing market and the area’s ongoing construction boom. But for many residents, the project represents more of what they don’t want. 

The Burnt Store corridor already has more than 12,000 homes planned for development. Neighbors have increasingly voiced frustration at Charlotte County Commission meetings about the lack of nearby services such as grocery stores and medical offices. They argue new residential growth should be balanced with commercial amenities. 

The Burnt Store Corridor Coalition, co-founded by resident John Fleming, who is now running for the commission seat held by Chris Constance, has been outspoken in opposing additional construction along the corridor. 

Residents have urged the county to slow residential construction and instead promote commercial development along the corridor, noting that people living on Burnt Store Road must drive several miles to reach a grocery store or other businesses in Punta Gorda and Lee County. 

The coalition has been outspoken in opposing residential expansion along the corridor, citing concerns about traffic congestion and infrastructure. 

This is not the first time Simple Life’s project has drawn pushback. In 2022, company officials asked county commissioners for approval to increase their planned tiny home community from 230 to 278 units. Commissioners Joe Tiseo and Chris Constance expressed concerns about overdevelopment and traffic impacts before rejecting the request. 

At that time, the homes were expected to range from 585 to 1,085 square feet. No construction ever began, and the site has remained vacant. 

The new Pulte project will bring homes with at least two bedrooms and two bathrooms to the property, shifting the focus from compact living to family-style residences.