Officials praise proposed changes to encourage redevelopment along urban corridors in Manatee

MANATEE -- As Manatee County gets closer to implementing changes to the county code to encourage redevelopment along southwest Manatee's urban corridors, a sixth corridor, First Street, has been added to the corridors the changes will target.

The other corridors include Manatee Avenue West; Cortez Road West; 53rd Avenue West; 14th Street West (U.S. 41); and 15th Street East.

During a joint work session with the Manatee County Planning Commission, the Manatee County Commission heard a report from Littlejohn Engineering Associates of Orlando on proposed changes to the county Land Development Code, which implements the Comprehensive Plan, for urban corridors.

"We need to incentivize quality infill and redevelopment," said Pat Tyjeski, senior planner for Littlejohn Engineering Associates. "We want to protect the established neighborhoods. That was No. 1 on our list."

On Tuesday, Tyjeski highlighted some proposed changes to the county's land-use policies that are intended to encourage redevelopment along these corridors. If a development has certain characteristics such as mixed-use or workforce housing, then the developer will receive a bonus from the county such as maximum height, density and intensity.

"We are increasing the density and intensity along the urban corridors," she said.

There are also proposed changes in the required approvals and fees associated with development.

"They are going to be saving money and spend some of that into the project, instead of fees," Tyjeski said of the streamlined regulations.

Since it was a work session Tuesday, the commission did not take any action. The proposed changes will be made available for public review before going before the planning commission and commission in a series of public hearings.

But even with the proposed changes, if approved, developers will still be allowed to do develop under the current regulations.

"We want to make sure people can still do what they have been doing," Tyjeski said.

Commissioner Betsy Benac said she was very excited the changes are finally happening.

"This is finally a significant change to recognize that we have an urban area in Manatee County and we want to direct growth," she said. "We know that people are changing. They want to live, at least a certain segment want to live, in a more urbanized area. ... We are trying to incentivize this area to allow for growth."

Commissioner Robin DiSabatino, who represents South County, suggested looking into adding U.S. 301 as one of the corridors.

"This will be great," she said. "We need to be forward thinking."

Commission Chairwoman Vanessa Baugh said an increase in density is something people will have pros and cons with.

"This is something that the public is going to have to put their arms around," Baugh said. "It's not just about us that are here today. It's about the future population of Manatee County as well."

Some community members applauded Manatee County for the work on the endeavor.

"I want to start by complementing Manatee County for being so forward thinking," said Leslie Loveless, executive director of the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness. "I hope when you talk about mixed use you will also talk about mixed income housing. There needs to be adequate rentals for workers making $10-15 an hour."

Dave Gustafson, former executive director of the Bradenton Downtown Development Authority, said "this is really progressive."

"I think this is something that Manatee County has needed for quite some time," he said. "I think this is a really positive direction that the county and city need to see move forward."

Also during Tuesday's joint work session, the boards heard a presentation about adding a Complete Streets section to the county's Public Works Highway & Traffic Standards Manual.

Caleb Grimes, an attorney who worked with the Lake Flores project, said they worked "long and hard" at developing and getting approval for the complete streets as part of that project.

"There are places for them and places where not appropriate," he said. "Where they are appropriate we need to be able to take advantage of them. ...T here are some other areas in our county where we are going to be able to do complete streets."

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twittercface fontname="Regular" naxe="0" iaxis="0"/>

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 2:10 PM with the headline "Officials praise proposed changes to encourage redevelopment along urban corridors in Manatee ."