Land purchase for Palmetto Park and Ride approved

BRADENTON – A parcel of land in Palmetto called the Ford Property now belongs to the county.

The site, which consists of four residential lots, was acquired for $400,000. With other costs, including the relocation of tenants, the total will be $692,800, according to the documents provided to the County Commission. There will be 55 parking spaces there for the future Palmetto Park and Ride facility.

County Administrator Ed Hunzeker said he recommended that purchase over the purchase of the Varnadore Property, which would have provided 73 spaces but would have cost the county a total of $1.085 million.

Commissioner Joe McClash made a motion to buy the Varnadore Property anyway for future expansion, but his motion failed on a 5-2 vote.

"A win-win might be to buy both properties," he said. "I'm looking at something 20 years down the road. If we're going to get people out of cars, let's do this."

Commissioner Carol Whitmore said she was against the idea. "It's not that I don't support it, but I don't want to put our hands more in the pot," she said. "I would rather wait and talk about it at a worksession."

The contract offer on the Varnadore Property was only good for Tuesday, County Attorney Tedd Williams said, so the commission would have had to act on Tuesday.

But Commissioner John Chappie said they shouldn't be rushed.

"We still have time," he said. "The price isn't going up."

Also, Chappie noted, if the county bought the land it would be taking the property off the tax rolls, thus hurting the city of Palmetto.

Attorney Bill Kaklis, representing Varnadore LLC, took issue with the idea that the property would not go up in value. Wait five to 10 years, he said, and it would cost them a lot more.

"McClash had the best idea. Buy both parcels and you'll have the land," he said. "The Varnadores aren't going anywhere. You ought to do it now. You got the funds.“

Commissioner Ron Getman made a motion for Hunzeker to bring back a report on the viability of the use for the county, and the funding and a full evaluation to allow commissioners to make a decision at a later date.

"I think it's a reasonable idea, though the contract offered was for today, but I believe we can continue the discussion with the Varnadores," Hunzeker said.