BRADENTON — At Thursday's Manatee Planning Commission meeting, commissioners voted 3-2 to recommend approval of a map and text amendment/rezone from RES-6 to RES-9, limited to a maximum density of 17.0 dwelling units per acre for a controversial development proposal.
The recommendation came despite fierce opposition from residents in the Center Lake community, who are concerned that they will experience worse flooding than they already suffer should even more density be added to another higher-elevation development surrounding them.
The development site is located at the southwest corner of Prospect Road and Saunders Road (63rd Avenue East). Commissioners also recommended approving a Preliminary Site Plan for 312 multifamily units with at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the units designated as Affordable Housing, subject to a proposed Land Use Restriction Agreement.
One by one, residents from surrounding neighborhoods plead with commissioners not to recommend approval, citing their experience with worsening flooding, particularly during Hurricane Debby (see video below).
The commission then heard from Tom Gerstenberger, Stormwater Engineering Division Manager at Manatee County Public Works. Gerstenberger explained that neighborhoods like Center Lake, Shady Brook, Rubonia, and Summerfield flood regularly mainly because the newer neighborhoods around them were designed after newer floodplain delineation was established and that most are Zone X, meaning they are not supposed to flood.
"It goes without saying, the source of flood plane information in this county is either obsolete, out of date or incorrect," said Gerstenberger. "The county presently has seven watershed management plans ongoing with the Southwest Florida Water Management District to update FIRM (Flood Insurance Rate) maps. Obviously, as we all know, that cannot happen soon enough. The unfortunate problem is that those studies take years."
Gerstenberger explained that in terms of addressing flooding, the county has a number of projects aimed at mitigation, including having acquired land across from Center Lake with plans to turn it into a flood mitigation area, acknowledging, however, that it would not itself solve the current flooding problems in Center Lake. Watch Gerstenberger's full presentation below.
Commission Chair Richard Bedford and Commissioner Paul Rutledge enthusiastically supported approval, while commissioners John DeLesline and Cindy Kebba said they could not find enough value in adding the affordable housing component to offset the flooding concerns. When Bedford pushed Kebba for specifics, she responded.
"I think the current zoning is better than what is proposed," said Kebba.
Bedford pressed on the basis of adding the affordable housing, and Kebba, a solid supporter of such projects, spoke of balance.
"I do (find value in it)," she said. "I think a lot of projects are doing that and doing it well. I think there's a balance here between providing more affordable units ... I don't see a real good reason other than the affordable housing to upzone this particular property."
When it came time for a vote, Commissioner Lorraine Prosser joined Bedford and Rutledge to recommend approval in a 3-2 vote. The matter will now come before the Manatee County Commission, which will decide whether or not to submit the requests to the state for review.
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moomba19
And here we go again. The SME, the one the county signs a check for every two weeks, told them it's a bad idea to go forward until the study can be completed. "It takes years to complete these things." Can we wait? Yes, we have to. You cannot undo what has already been done but we can certainly wait until a study is presented and an objective vote can be made verses one based on emotion and developer support.
5 days ago Report this
san.gander
My opinion is, the County Commission is doing a "retched" job of taking care of the citizens in this county. They are allowing development to go forward without completed studies of the changes cause by the increase building and population density in many areas of the county. That is "terrible" management!
The building growth and loss of natural drainage is obviously affecting neighborhoods... more water with no where to go! The infra-structure for flood control is lacking... and lack of planning - call it fore-thought - in the past is definitely a cause. Why do they delay now... they don't answer to the citizens needs, but to several powerful developers in the county. Citizens have the only answer... throw the "bums" out. Don't be distracted by so-called "values issues". If the home you value is under water!
5 days ago Report this
WTF
I drive Prospect Rd. practically on a daily basis and there is really no traffic jam until you get the 63rd and that is backed up east and West far greater than any traffic on prospect. We are currently 30,000 units short of workforce housing this project provides at least 25% which is going to help a lot of people that can't afford market rate rents. Anything with an affordable housing component in I'm all for it if every project had an affordable housing component even in expensive gated communities we would not have a shortage of workforce housing shame on the greedy developers for not stepping up to the plate and not building even a small percentage of affordable workforce housing in their developments. Live work and play where you live, unless of course your in a gated community, then they want none of you working stiffs in their housing development... For The Record
4 days ago Report this
NikkiforPalmetto
Shame on the 3 who voted to approve this.
4 days ago Report this
mcems1986
I feel for the 61 homeowners of Centre Lake, our planking board members and BOCC should too.
As a former resident of this small neighborhood for eleven years (87-98) we endured two water/flooding incidents (88 and 92). Both time's we heard the term 100 year flood. Centre Lake was built around 1986. The residents have heard the 100 year flood event at least 6 times in the 38 years of existence. We still have many friends that have lived thru all these flooding events and suffered rebuilding several times over. I watched the planning board and all the citizen comments, including the newer communities around Centre Lake they seem to provide excellent suggestions. Sadly, the Planning board moved to approve. Hopefully the same citizens will attend the BOCC mtg and voice strongly to deny until all the needs (Prospect Rd, 63 Ave East and Centre Lake) are solved. After Hurricane Andrew impacted South Florida in 1992, all building codes were changed and made stronger. Same is true with our flooding, and we should pause until these issues can be fixed.
4 days ago Report this