It is amazing how anyone can justify tripling the density for a piece of property when we have thousands of empty houses and tens of thousands of approved building lots in this depressed economy sitting empty in Manatee County. I guess we can use the clichŽ: ”It will create jobs!“ However, only the developer profits at the expense of our community's character and quality of life.
Neal Communities, a developer, is requesting tripling the density that was denied years ago in a rural part of Northwest Bradenton. The community character in this area has been protected for years by maintaining a Comprehensive Plan designation of RES 1 (1 residential unit to the acre).
However, once again, this important community surrounded by the Robinson Preserve, The Palma Sola Botanical Park, and Geraldson's Community Farm is threatened. I find this request an insult not only to the people living in Northwest Bradenton, but also to the rest of the County.
The current Comprehensive Plan designation of RES 1 was developed after many well attended community meetings. Comprehensive Plans contain the protection of the fabric that makes Manatee County a special place to live. It has many goals and policies, such as: not to increase density in hurricane evacuation areas, not to impact failing road systems, and protect the compatibility of special communities like Northwest Bradenton.
I have always found Northwest Bradenton special. Like other neighborhoods, it has unique community characteristics. It is a great place to call home. Tripling density, would chisel away at our quality of life and ruin the reason we chose to make this area our home for only one reason; increasing the profit of a developer.
Tripling the density will create further congestion on Manatee Avenue, which is already not meeting proper levels of service and labeled constrained. It will also increase the time it takes to evacuate during hurricanes and increase the need for hurricane shelters, of which we do not have enough with our current density. So why, oh why, do we have this threat? I believe the community should come first. Have we not learned from the current housing meltdown we just experienced?
When the greed of the developer is more important than what is important and right for our community, it gets pushed forward. Maybe it is also because of Amendment 4.
Under Amendment 4, it would require final approval by the voters. Neal may be afraid his request would be rejected if Amendment 4 was approved. So the logic is to gain approval now for something the voters would not support.
Once again, the citizens have come forward to request the County to not triple the density to their community for the benefit of Neal Communities and the property owner. They have to take time away from their jobs and family during these hard economic times to attend the public meeting in person to voice their objection. This creates an unjustified cost to these citizens to defend their community and protect their quality of life.
The citizens are concerned that the political influence of Neal may be the reason this may get passed. Their concerns are valid. The last threat was fought off after comments were raised by the Florida Department of Community Affairs.
So what has changed since then? Nothing that justifies tripling the density! But maybe Neal sees a smaller and weaker State Department of Community Affairs, and a new developer friendly attitude at the County. I will oppose this as I did last time. A Comprehensive Plan should not be changed just to increase a developers' profit. It is just wrong to do so at the expense of a great community.
The County will consider this request March 16. The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m. at the Manatee County Government Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton. [Map link]
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