Manatee County's Neighborhood Wellness Strategy to help with redevelopment

MANATEE -- Manatee County officials say a new Neighborhood Wellness Strategy, which will kick off in Bayshore Gardens, will help better coordinate government services within neighborhoods.

The strategy "sets the stage for the creation of a prescription for redevelopment concepts in the area using both existing resources and considering future resources," according to agenda materials for a Manatee County Commission meeting Tuesday.

As part of the strategy, which is an element of the Neighborhood Improvement Program, each community within the Southwest Tax Increment Financing District will be reviewed and given a prognosis of assets and needs. The prognosis will be used to "prescribe the appropriate services to improve communities in the SWTIF, and identify lead county entities that would be made responsible for services delivery when adopted by the BOCC," according to county documents.

"This is something (that is) cutting edge, new for Florida," said Ogden Clark, county neighborhood services ambassador coordinator.

The wellness strategy includes five steps: site selection, wellness assessment, prescription, consultation and routine checkup.

In the wellness assessment, each SWTIF community will be rated in housing, public safety, infrastructure, socioeconomics, civic engagement and community assets.

"We feel that they are very good indicators of the wellness of a community," Clark said of the categories.

Cheri Coryea, Neighborhood Services Department director, said they are going to manage all the way through the project, which is "key for the area to grow economically." This year there is $1.7 million for the SWTIF.

"The enhancement needs to enhance the area," she said. "We are ready to move forward in identifying potential projects in this first target area."

Commissioner Charles Smith expressed concerns with the program. Smith held up a Community Redevelopment Plan created in 2002 for north of the river that was never implemented.

"The TIF districts fail when they are set up like we are setting it up," he said. "It's a good plan if we put someone in place to implement this plan."

County Administrator Ed Hunzeker said they are not going to repeat what happened in early 2000s, reminding the board none of them were around then.

"We are prepared to make projects happen," he said.

Commissioner Robin DiSabatino, who represents Bayshore Gardens, said the county didn't get here overnight.

"It's not going to be resolved overnight," she said. "It's going to be a long road."

Playing off the TV show "Project Runway," DiSabatino said it can be Project Bayshore, possibly including a potential TV show.

"I think it's going to be a great shot in the arm," she said. "I just think it can be a really big partnership."

Bayshore Gardens resident Bob King said the only thing that has changed for the good since a study was completed in 2001 on Bayshore Gardens, is fewer dogs are running around the neighborhood.

"We still have the same issues. We have more issues now," he said.

Once one area adopts the strategy, DiSabatino said she thinks others will follow.

"We already have the formula," she said. "We have invented the wheel. We will have a basic protocol of how to take our show on the road."

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter@Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 6:36 PM with the headline "Manatee County's Neighborhood Wellness Strategy to help with redevelopment ."