Planning commission recommends approval for changes to Heritage Harbour

MANATEE -- A proposal to make changes to the Heritage Harbour Development of Regional Impact raised concerns among neighboring East Manatee residents Thursday.

Residents from the Heritage Harbour community and Waterlefe spoke against the proposal, which includes adding commercial, retail, multifamily and assisted living facility to an undeveloped parcel in Heritage Harbour.

"This is going to change the character of that area significantly if you allow the commercial retail aspect to go into place," said East Manatee resident James Carey, who lives near the proposed development. "We don't need banks anymore. We have enough. Do we need another gas station? No, we don't. We've got

to be a little careful and slow things down."

After extensive discussion, Manatee County Planning Commission recommended approval for changes to the zoning ordinance and general development plan for Heritage Harbour DRI, which allocates parcels from other parcels to the new development and also includes adding a land use equivalency matrix and realigning the Port Harbour Parkway extension through the parcel.

The Manatee County Commission will have the final say during the May 5 land use meeting.

The parcel is on the west side of Upper Manatee River Road approximately one mile north of State Road 64. Waterlefe Golf and River Club Subdivision borders the parcel to the north and Greenfield Plantation borders it to the south.

"It broadens the number of uses you can have in the area," said Misty Servia, a planner on the project.

With construction of the Fort Hamer Bridge underway, Waterlefe resident Terry Holinsky also expressed concern with increased traffic.

"I think that allowing the development to increase the density of housing is a mistake," he said. "We are creating a disaster and we need to look at what we can do with the traffic. That bridge will be finished long before this project even gets started."

Residents also expressed concerns with the number of units transferred to the site and the types of businesses that could open.

Businesses such as fast food restaurants, gas stations, stand-alone bars and tattoo parlors are among the businesses not allowed.

Compatibility issue

Planner Matt Bower, the lone dissenter on the commission, said the bigger issue is the compatibility.

"Upper Manatee River Road, to have commercial use up around that area, I think, is a bad idea," Bower said. "As a planning commission, we have to think about compatibility within all the areas of Manatee County and I don't see it as compatible."

Servia said since the commercial area would be neighborhood serving uses, it would be appropriate.

"It's not a detriment to the community," she said. "It's an enhancement. ... It keeps a lot of trips off the major roadways. It provides service and enhances quality of life. We need more of a mixture for a lot of different reasons, probably the most compelling reason is traffic."

The planning commission also recommended approval for:

A rezone to planned development mixed use and a general development plan for 33 nonresidential mixed use lots on 111.14 acres on the northwest quadrant of 44th Avenue East and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. The commission will take final action on the development at the May 5 land use meeting.

A rezone to planned development mixed use and a preliminary site plan for 22,500 square feet of nonresidential uses on 4.4 acres and 168 multifamily units on 15.09 acres. The project site, which totals 19.49 acres, is on the southwest corner of U.S. 301 and Oxford Road.

A revision to the zoning ordinance and general development plan for The Gateway North Development of Regional Impact, a mixed-use development on the northwest corner of Interstate 75 and Moccasin Wallow Road intersection. The planning commission also recommended approval of an amended and restated development order for the project.

A large-scale map amendment to residential, six dwelling units per acre, for 59.68 acres on the south side of Moccasin Wallow Road, approximately 1.75 miles east of the I-75/Moccasin Wallow Road interchange in Parrish.

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

This story was originally published April 14, 2016 at 11:15 PM with the headline "Planning commission recommends approval for changes to Heritage Harbour ."