Affordable housing comes to East Manatee over opposition

The Terraces at Peridia, which will be built on the west side of Peridia Boulevard and north of State Road 70, will add 61 multifamily units to the county with 25 percent, or 16 units, being affordable housing.

After hearing from proponents and opponents of the project, the Manatee County Commission approved the rezone request and preliminary site plan 6-1 with the dissenting vote from Commission Chairwoman Vanessa Baugh, who represents the property.

“This is desperately needed,” Commissioner Carol Whitmore said of the affordable housing.

Commissioner Betsy Benac added: “Affordable housing is a great thing and a desperate need.”

The property where the housing will be built has been for sale for nine years, according to Glenn Buzbee, pastor of the Braden River Presbyterian Church, which is also on the 8.56-acre site.

“We believe it gives our small congregation a real needed financial boost,” he said. “It gives some much-needed affordable housing.”

While not against affordable housing, several Peridia Golf and Country Club residents spoke against the housing development saying it is inconsistent with the surrounding area.

“We are opposed to the design of this project,” Barry Miller said. “We feel it is obtrusive. Thirty-five foot buildings on State Road 70 are something that we don’t have anywhere else.”

The commission also:

▪ Continued a rezone to planned development residential and a preliminary site plan for 187 lots for single-family detached residences on the east side of Ellenton-Gillette Road and south of Amlong Road in Palmetto until the Oct. 6 land use meeting.

▪ Approved a preliminary site plan for construction of a 3,123-square-foot convenience store, 3,071-square-foot canopy over fuel dispensers/gas pumps and 896-square-foot car wash on the northeast corner of Lockwood Ridge Road and University Parkway, now home to a convenience store with gas pumps and car wash.

▪ Approved a rezone to general commercial for a 3.888-acre property on the east side of 14th Street West and south of 63rd Avenue West for a parking lot adjacent to the Gettel Toyota dealership.

▪ Approved a rezone to planned development mixed use and a general development plan for 33 nonresidential mixed use lots on approximately 111.14 acres on the northwest quadrant of 44th Avenue East and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

This story was originally published August 4, 2016 at 6:56 PM with the headline "Affordable housing comes to East Manatee over opposition."