Is historic Old Manatee ready to pump up the volume?

The Bradenton City Council on Wednesday will take up the first of two votes to create the city’s first entertainment district in Old Manatee, which would come with higher limits on how loud things can get.

Ward 4 Councilman Bemis Smith proposed the new district soon after the council adopted a new noise ordinance on March 22.

The city council immediately backed the plan, noting that adoption of the noise ordinance was only the first step in a broader plan to create entertainment districts in various parts of the city. Smith’s proposal did come as a surprise, however, as many believed the Ninth Street West corridor near LECOM Park and the Motorworks and Darwin’s breweries would be the first entertainment disctrict.

However, officials were not eager to tackle it first since differences between Motorworks and the adjacent Village of the Arts neighborhood were at the heart of the noise ordinance debate.

According to the entertainment district ordinance up for consideration, businesses in the Old Manatee district would be allowed five additional decibels, from 75 to 80, from 7 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight on weekends.

The ordinance proposes 10 extra decibels for all other times, from 65 to 75. Key businesses that would benefit include the Central Cafe and 3 Keys Brewery. The main goal is to get the district established before Villages at Riverwalk begins renting its first apartments by next month.

Smith said tenants needed to know up front that they were moving into a “noise exception area.”

What remains unknown is whether the new Caddy’s restaurant on the Manatee River will be included in the district. Caddy’s was initially left out of Smith’s proposal to avoid a drawn out battle with nearby residents, but he has been encouraged by other elected officials to include the establishment. The map being proposed on Wednesday does include Caddy’s, according to Planning and Community Development Director Catherine Hartley.

“This is only a first reading and it’s not a public hearing,” Hartley said. “As of right now, Councilman Smith said he didn’t want it included but would be open to discussion on Wednesday. At that time, the council can change things and draw the lines the way they want and we’ll know one way or the other at that time.”

Also Wednesday, the council will have a final public hearing on a proposal to extend the city’s medical marijuana moratorium for an additional six months.

This story was originally published May 23, 2017 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Is historic Old Manatee ready to pump up the volume?."