Proposed auto dealership would be unsafe for East Manatee neighborhoods | Letter to the editor

I oppose Cox Chevrolet’s application to rezone 18.22 acres of property on State Road 64 and 117th Stree East from agricultural to commercial.

This parcel of land is not appropriate for an auto dealership. It is in a 25-year floodplain that includes Gates Creek on the west side of the property, a wetland on the southeast side, and a swale (the SR 64 ditch) along the south side. Additionally, it is surrounded in all directions by residential properties already prone to increased flooding due to the recent development of properties in the immediate area. This proposed project will further exasperate the area’s flooding problems.

Furthermore, the county has a responsibility to increase the safety and maintain the vehicular capacity of public roads. If this application is approved and the proposed project allowed to go forward, the residential neighborhoods surrounding the property will witness a dramatic increase in traffic in an already heavily congested area, which will lead to more accidents, injuries, and fatalities. The lights, noise, and toxic wastes coming from an auto dealership are other significant reasons this does not belong in a residential area, not to mention the eyesore an auto dealership will create for the residents living nearby.

A dealership of the size being proposed is a regional serving business, not a local community serving business. It belongs in a location that will better serve its regional customers. Perhaps closer to I-75 near the new Costco would be a better fit for Cox Chevrolet. This location would allow easier access right off the expressway and it would be located near other like-minded businesses, including other car dealerships.

East Manatee County has enough development issues to deal with right now. Let’s not bring even more unsafe living conditions to residents.

Carol Wulczak

Bradenton