More entertainment districts could be named

City officials are wasting no time in pushing forward the creation of entertainment districts following last month’s passage of a new and hotly debated noise ordinance.

One week after that passage, Councilman Bemis Smith proposed carving out a section of historic Old Manatee, generally along Manatee Avenue East between Seventh and Ninth streets, as the city’s first entertainment district.

Now at least two more areas of the city are being eyed for potential new districts.

Among the suggestions for new districts include Ninth Street West, which has long been considered the city’s unofficial entertainment district. However, the early suggestion does not necessarily include Motorworks Brewing.

The lengthy noise ordinance battle primarily pitted Motorworks against residents of the neighboring Village of the Arts.

The district, along 17th Avenue West between Fifth and Ninth streets west area between Ninth and Fifth streets west, would include the Darwin’s brewery and LECOM Park.

Also discussed was designating Old Main Street in downtown Bradenton as an entertainment district.

Smith said Wednesday he doesn’t want new discussions to get in the way of his proposal for Old Manatee. Officials still appear to be in favor of expanding Smith’s boundaries to include the newly opened Caddy’s restaurant on the Manatee River. Smith intentionally left Caddy’s out of his proposal due to past complaints about the Tarpon Point restaurant at the same location.

“I’m all in favor of including Caddy’s, but I am, was and still am concerned that it will create a backlash that this board is unwilling to deal with,” Smith said. “So my concern is to get the area I’m talking about, but I am all for expanding the borders.”

Time is of the essence to move Smith’s proposal forward with the under construction Villages at Riverwalk expected to begin leasing apartments by this summer. Smith wants the district established before that happens so people moving in are aware they will be living in an entertainment district ahead of time.

Callahan said the council needs to make a decision on the proposed boundaries and draw up a legal definition. The city also has to determine what noise exceptions would be provided within an entertainment district.

The good news is that the city can walk and chew gum at the same time on this issue. Once the legalities of creating the city’s first district are documented, it’s an legislative framework that we can use to quickly move forward on other districts,” Callahan said. “This won’t be a process of delaying one for the other.”

This story was originally published April 5, 2017 at 12:43 PM with the headline "More entertainment districts could be named."