Bradenton has its first entertainment district

With no public opposition, Bradenton officials on Wednesday made quick work of creating the city’s first entertainment district.

In a unanimous vote, several blocks within the heart of Old Manatee in East Bradenton could be a focal point of redevelopment involving businesses that feature outdoor entertainment. While the process to make it the city’s first entertainment district was fairly smooth given the lack of existing residential areas within the boundaries, efforts are expected to continue to target more complicated areas of the city for more districts.

“It’s at least one area we can start off with and implement this to encourage redevelopment there,” said Ward 4 Councilman Bemis Smith, who wasted no time in proposing the district just one week after a new noise ordinance passed in March. “This is something we needed to try after the failure of passing a similar citywide ordinance.”

The Manatee Chamber of Commerce has supported the creation of entertainment districts from the beginning of the noise ordinance battle. Michael Gallen, chamber vice president of public policy and small business, said the city took a good first step and hopes more districts will be considered.

Gallen thanked the city. “For your foresight on this amendment to the noise ordinance the chamber supports and encourages you to keep going,” he said.

The new district will allow for higher decibel levels, which will climb from 75 to 80 from 7 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and until midnight on weekends and holidays. The biggest change is that decibel levels can be maintained at 75 at all other hours compared to 65 in residential areas of the city under the new ordinance.

The only question all along is whether Caddy’s at the Pointe would be included in the district, and it is. Smith initially left out Caddy’s believing Riversong residents would create the kind of backlash similar to those in the Village of the Arts that forced city officials to quiet down their originally proposed citywide ordinance.

Smith said the new district will be a “work in progress, and if we need to expand the district or adjust the hours, I am more than willing to support that. This is a first step to make our community more friendly as a whole. I hope the success in this area will show how important having a vibrant nightlife is where people can sit out on a patio, have their dinner and listen to music.”

This story was originally published June 28, 2017 at 7:54 PM with the headline "Bradenton has its first entertainment district."