Local Government Future SR-64 Auto Sales Lot by I-75 Narrowly Approved by Bradenton City Council

BRADENTON — A Special Use request to turn an unoccupied property on State Road 64 into an auto sales business narrowly passed Wednesday, after Bradenton City Council members debated the merits of having such a property sit at the city's main entrance from I-75.

Bemis Smith, who voted 'no' on the 3-2 motion, said he was concerned about the effects of placing a car lot at what he called the "primary visual corridor" area for the city. Noting that the area is poised to become Bradenton's "future downtown," Smith said that the property "will have an opportunity to be a car lot for the rest of our lives," and that the city could eventually end up with additional and neighboring car lots by the proposed one.

Pat Roff, while stating that an auto lot "is not the best use" of the property, was not concerned about its long-term presence in the area. "This is most probably a temporary Special Use," he said, believing that the property would eventually sell for a higher price than its current value. "That area is going to be the new downtown, we are going to grow eastward ... that gap is going to close in," he said.

In response to Smith's comments about the SR-64/I-75 area being "prime for medical" and "not compatible with what" the city wants seen for the corridor entrance, Harold Byrd, Jr. said approval should depend on economic development and jobs, and "on what the market is calling for." U.S. auto sales in 2015 have seen substantial growth in comparison to sales in the past 15 years.

But Gene Gallo said he agreed with Smith's comments about potential growth for medical offices, noting the large medical facility recently built in the property's area. "If you start permitting special exceptions, (such as a car lot,) it's going to start discouraging" other types of businesses from developing there, he said.

The final vote had councilmen Gene Brown, Byrd and Roff approving the motion, with Smith and Gallo dissenting.