Conservationists Get One Step Closer on Braden River Preserve

BRADENTON – At Tuesday's Manatee County Commission meeting, commissioners unanimously voted to move forward with a plan to create a preserve in southeast Manatee County, where a new housing development was to be built. The $3 million acquisition of the property now hinges on resident approval of a new municipal services taxing unit to fund it.

The 33-acre parcel of wooded green space on the north side of the Braden River where Neal Communities was to build 32 homes, would become a "passive park," meaning that no amenities or attractions would be added. The site is located between the Braden Woods and River Club developments, just north of the river.

The plan approved by commissioners includes a public informational hearing on the new taxing unit, followed by polling to about 1,400 households in the area before the end of the year. If more than half of the property owners support the taxing unit, a public hearing could occur as early as January. The acquisition agreement is only on the table until March, however, giving the parties only five months to get the project across the finish line.

The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast would facilitate the sale, and the MTSU would pay off the property over 30 years. An additional 11 acres adjacent to the property could be added to the preserve. The late owner of that parcel had stated in his will that he wanted the land to be used for conservation, though the will is currently being mediated.