Wawa wants to build another store in Bradenton. These residents say enough is enough

The same developers who are bringing Lucky's Market to the old Albertsons location in the shopping plaza near the intersection of Manatee Avenue West and 75th Street West are planning a new Wawa store on the northern end of the parking lot.

It would be the third Wawa location within the city limits alone as the company rapidly expands its presence in Manatee County. BRNK Bradenton LLC purchased the Albertsons building and its parking lot in June of 2013 for $3.5 million about a year after Albertsons closed.

The remainder of the shopping center is owned by another company.

Despite some opposition from nearby residents, the Bradenton Planning Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to recommend that the city council approve a required special use permit for the project. The council will consider it July 11.

The developer plans to demolish the 60,000-square-foot Albertsons building to make way for a 30,000-square-foot Lucky's Market, leaving room for a new Wawa, as well.

"I'm a lifelong Bradenton resident having spent most of life in West Bradenton," said Darenda Marvin, senior planner representing Wawa. "It's been very sad to me and many others in western Bradenton to watch that shopping center decline over time. I'm thrilled to be here today to talk about the redevelopment of this site and the opportunity the city has there."

Residents of the nearby Village Green community voiced opposition. Several cited concerns about increased traffic through their neighborhood, already used by beach-goers who skirt through the community on Village Green Parkway after stopping at a 7-Eleven store at the corner of Manatee Avenue West and the parkway.

"I'm very concerned and strongly oppose it for several reasons," said resident Stella Ruiz. "There are four gas stations between Village Green Parkway and 59th. We feel pretty well serviced in this area as far as having places to gas up. We all know what a Wawa will do. It will bring lots of traffic through the neighborhood, which we don't like. I don't feel like it's going to add anything positive to our neighborhood. It brings dirt, noise and traffic."

Planning Commissioner Diane Barcus said the number of nearby gas stations is irrelevant.

"There are also six banks within one block," Barcus said. "That argument doesn't stand with me."

Marvin rebutted the traffic concerns, citing multiple access points into the plaza.

"Unless you live in Village Green, you have no need to travel into that area from Wawa," she said. "One of the positives about this site is that there are several cross avenue easements. This is the first opportunity the city has had to redevelop this plaza since Albertsons closed."

Planning and Community Development Director Catherine Hartley instructed the commission that their responsibility was to approve or deny a project based on whether it adhered to code. She said the Wawa proposal does.

"I completely appreciate the neighbors' approach of this but for a quas- judicial hearing, you can only consider the facts," Hartley said. "I suggest to the neighbors that they go to the city council meeting with criteria in the code and make your arguments from there."

The planning commission unanimously approved the special use permit. The city council will hear the Wawa proposal on July 11.

This story was originally published June 21, 2018 at 1:30 PM with the headline "Wawa wants to build another store in Bradenton. These residents say enough is enough."