Planning Commission recommends density increase despite flood concerns

BRADENTON — At Thursday's Manatee Planning Commission meeting, commissioners voted 3-2 to recommend approval of a map and text amendment/rezone from RES-6 to RES-9, limited to a maximum density of 17.0 dwelling units per acre for a controversial development proposal.

The recommendation came despite fierce opposition from residents in the Center Lake community, who are concerned that they will experience worse flooding than they already suffer should even more density be added to another higher-elevation development surrounding them.

The development site is located at the southwest corner of Prospect Road and Saunders Road (63rd Avenue East). Commissioners also recommended approving a Preliminary Site Plan for 312 multifamily units with at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the units designated as Affordable Housing, subject to a proposed Land Use Restriction Agreement.

One by one, residents from surrounding neighborhoods plead with commissioners not to recommend approval, citing their experience with worsening flooding, particularly during Hurricane Debby (see video at link below).