Tropicana's Bradenton plant may be first in program that slices construction time

BRADENTON -- Orange juice-maker Tropicana may soon become the first Manatee County business to acquire a new type of development plan that speeds the construction of new processing, warehousing and other manufacturing buildings.

The designation could cut months off construction approval for future building projects at the company's Bradenton orange juice processing plant.

Approved last September, Manatee County's Manufacturing Development Plan Program will give Tropicana a pass on much of the review process generally required when a manufacturer builds new facilities. The program stems from the state's 2013 Manufacturing Competiveness Act, which encourages counties and cities to streamline regulation approvals. It is intended to give manufacturers a leg up in competitive consumer markets.

Several other orange juice processors operate manufacturing facilities in Florida, including Indian River Orange Juice and the Coca Cola Company, which produces Minute Maid and Simply Orange juice. Tropicana is owned by Pepsi Co. Its Bradenton plant employs about 1,200 people, according to the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp.

In late March, Tropicana applied with the county to designate 175 acres of its Bradenton property under a manufacturing master plan. Its manufacturing facility occupies the bulk of that property. Tropicana is the first Manatee County manufacturer to apply for the designation.

Once a master plan is established, Tropicana would need only to apply for and receive building permits for expansions or any other new construction, according to Robin Meyer, the county's planning section manager. Currently, the company must go through a site plan approval process to make significant changes or additions at its property.

"It's kind of like doing a master development plan in any of our rezones," Meyer said.

Manatee County was the first county in the state to approve a Local Manufacturing Development Program. Tropicana advocated for the program prior to its approval by the Manatee County Commission.

In its application, Tropicana names the five parcels of land that currently constitute its production facility to be part of the master plan. They are located along 9th Street East and 13th Avenue East, and are home to more than 2.1 million square feet of manufacturing space and a railroad line.

About 34 acres of largely open space along 9th Street included in a site plan in Tropicana's application. At present, the company has no construction projects under way or proposed for its property, according to Bradenton city and county permitting records.

Not included in the master plan are 78 acres and another 470,000 square feet of Tropicana buildings, including the company's corporate campus.

Meyer said he expects that it will take four to six months for planning staff to evaluate Tropicana's application. The plan must address multiple development issues, including public utility easements, drainage and storm water runoff.

If staff recommends that the plan be approved, it must receive affirmative votes from both the county's planning commission and board of commissioners. Before each vote, the plan will be subject to a public hearing.

One opponent to the plan is Manatee County Commissioner Charles Smith. He voted against approving the manufacturing development plan program, citing persistent flooding he and nearby residents say come from Tropicana's property. Smith said he has since met with Tropicana officials about the issue and expects to talk to them again.

He said the company's master plan will only get his support if Tropicana controls its runoff. The water, he said, floods nearby streets and has damaged the interiors of homes.

"We're talking about deep flooding," Smith said. "I hope these issues are dealt with prior or I will strongly oppose it."

Tropicana officials and representatives contacted about the master plan had no comment on the application as of late Thursday.

Matt M. Johnson, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7027 or on Twitter @MattAtBradenton.

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 11:41 PM with the headline "Tropicana's Bradenton plant may be first in program that slices construction time ."