Revised Aqua by the Bay plan wins staff OK on eve of hearing

A topsy-turvy review by Manatee County staff of the proposed Aqua by the Bay development has come with a new recommendation for the county commission: approval, with stipulations.

After submitting revisions to Manatee County planning staff, as major changes to the development plan were made during Medallion Home’s presentation to the board of county commissioners last week, staff has found that the controversial 529-acre project between El Conquistador Parkway and Sarasota Bay is consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan and land development code.

For months, the process has been in a state of, “Will they or won’t they?”

On April 13, the planning commission voted 3-2 to recommend a project that included 2,384 multi-family and 510 single-family homes as well as a 78,000-square-foot commercial area.

Three weeks later, two sentences in the county staff report muddied the waters, leaving county commissioners unsure if the applicant meant there were only two tall buildings or two building types. It was the latter. That sent the proposal back to the planning commission to redetermine its advice to commissioners.

During a second planning commission meeting on Aug. 10, commissioners recommended denying the project, saying they felt the variable width buffers did not fit the comprehensive plan and four 145-foot buildings didn’t fit the area. The county staff report for the Aug. 16 county commission meeting — an acceleration sought by Medallion Home founder Carlos Beruff — also advised that the project was inconsistent.

But in the middle of that meeting, Beruff suggested the project essentially deleted the four tallest buildings, adding, “I’m prepared to say that any building over 95 feet, we’ll come back for specific approval.” The sudden change was required in writing and had to be reviewed by staff, which then recommended approval.

The major changes to the proposal include nixing the proposed four buildings at 145 feet, and adding four 95-foot buildings to make a grand total of 16. There are an undetermined number of buildings proposed at 36 feet to 75 feet, which King Engineering consultant Misty Servia has said would depend on “market demand.”

The applicant also removed the 30-foot setback that was proposed along the estuary enhancement area. In its place, a 50-foot fixed width buffer will extend across the entire property line between the wetland boundary and the upland retaining wall, according to the staff report. The buffer cannot be less than 13 acres.

The continuation of the special land use meeting will start at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Manatee County Administrative Center.

This story was originally published August 22, 2017 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Revised Aqua by the Bay plan wins staff OK on eve of hearing."