BRADENTON — The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners will reconvene this week, concluding its annual recess. Commissioners will take up several matters of local interest during their first post-recess meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 29 at 9:00 a.m.
Commissioners will take up a lengthy 72-item agenda that consists of 58 consent items, five advertised public hearings, one presentation, five regular agenda items and two commissioner-requested items.
Among the regular agenda items, commissioners will vote on the possible purchase of the Mixon Fruit Farms property located in East Bradenton.
Since the farm’s closing nearly two years ago, several county residents have advocated that the county should explore potential public uses for the historical site. The current owners, Janet and Dean Mixon, say they would also like to see the old farm preserved as a public asset, as opposed to selling it to a developer.
If the sale were to be approved by commissioners, the $13.5 million purchase would be inclusive of the 39.06 improved acres, including the 38,026 square foot former Mixon Farm store (furniture, fixtures, and commercial kitchen equipment), the pavilion, and a 2,538 square foot house.
District 2 Commissioner Amanda Ballard recently detailed her vision for the potential future use of the site to Your Observer and Bay News 9. Mixon Fruit Farms is located within the county’s second district.
Ballard also shared some of her vision for Mixon with TBT earlier this year when she appeared as a guest on the TBT Podcast.
If the purchase is approved, Ballard is hopeful her colleagues will be supportive of a plan that could include the development of a new public library, event space, agricultural education resource with opportunities for microfarming, and hands-on community experiences geared toward Manatee County’s agricultural history and future.
In addition to the Mixon item, the regular agenda also includes an item for the commissioners’ appointment of five individuals to serve on the county’s recently established Government Efficiency Liaison Committee, and the final approval of $1 million total in Opioid Impact Grant funds to six agencies as recommended by the county’s review committee.
The agencies recommended by the review committee are: Safe Children Coalition ($270,000), Harvest House ($68,000), Operation PAR ($252,066), Turning Points ($109,231), School District of Manatee County ($250,703), and Manatee County EMS/Community Health ($50,000).
Two items under the advertised public hearings portion of the agenda include commissioners' consideration for the adoption of a resolution that would increase and expand phosphate mining fees for out-of-county applications, and an ordinance establishing local regulations for the operation of electric bikes
In May, commissioners directed staff to draft an ordinance establishing regulations on the use of e-bikes on public roadways and sidewalks. If adopted, the drafted ordinance would restrict adults from operating e-bikes on sidewalks wherever bike lanes are available, set a maximum speed for all vehicles on sidewalks at 15 mph, mandate sidewalk traffic to flow in the same direction as roadway traffic, among other measures.
As for commissioner-added agenda items, Commissioner Tal Siddique has scheduled two topics before the board: a motion to direct a lobbying firm to advocate on behalf of Manatee County on preemptive legislation, and a discussion with possible motion on the development of a framework for form-based codes for the urban service area.
According to the items’ coversheets, Siddique is requesting that the board consider the following actions:
Preemption of Local Government
Motion to direct Johnston & Stewart Government Strategies to lobby on behalf of Manatee County to (1) repeal current Florida legislation which preempts the County from updating its comprehensive plan and/or land development regulations and (2) oppose proposed Florida legislation which will have the effect of preempting the County from updating its comprehensive plan and/or land development regulations.
Establishing Form-Based Codes in the Urban Service Area
Motion to direct county staff to (1) develop a framework for form-based codes for the urban service area in Manatee County and (2) to update and/or modify the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code in accordance with this framework.
At 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 31, commissioners will convene for the scheduled FY26 Budget Reconciliation meeting.
The meeting's agenda includes commissioners' approval and adoption of a tentative millage rate for the upcoming budget year, as well as a presentation item on the possible creation of a stand-alone county Stormwater Department.
BOCC meetings are held in board chambers on the first floor of the downtown Manatee County Administration Building, located at 1112 Manatee Avenue West.
Meetings are open to the public, and citizens wishing to address the commission concerning items on a meeting’s agenda, or on a possible future agenda, will be permitted time to do so.
Call-in public comments are also taken during meetings for all non-quasi-judicial items. Instructions for participating by phone can be found at the top of Tuesday's meeting agenda published online here.
Written public comments can be submitted at: mymanatee.org/services-and-amenities/service-listing/service-details/submit-public-comment
To review upcoming meetings and agendas, visit agendaonline.mymanatee.org/OnBaseAgendaOnline.
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