BRADENTON BEACH – The Bradenton Beach Planning and Zoning Board (P&Z) has made several more recommendations regarding potential zoning and future land use map revisions.
The proposed revisions are intended to resolve inconsistencies that exist citywide between the city’s zoning maps and future land use maps. The proposed revisions could potentially impact property values and development rights for many residential and commercial properties.
As a follow-up to its April 21 discussion, the P&Z members met again on Wednesday, May 5. The map revision discussions will continue on Wednesday, May 19 at 10 a.m.
Building Official Steve Gilbert and City Planner Luis Serna are guiding the board through this preliminary review process. According to Gilbert and Serna, the existing map inconsistencies could expose the city to legal challenges because the maps are in conflict.
All P&Z and staff recommendations are subject to final city commission approval. No final decisions will be made until public hearings are conducted and potentially impacted property owners are notified.
Gulf Drive North
The P&Z members discussed three areas along Gulf Drive North that, for clarity’s sake, were referred to as 5A, 5B and 5C.
Area 5A is in the 2400 block of Gulf Drive North, along the east edge of the road, between 24th and 25th streets north. Potentially impacted properties include the Bluegreen Via Roma resort and several residential/vacation rental dwellings.
Gilbert and Serna suggest amending the existing future land use designation to high-density residential. With member Dan Morhaus absent, the board voted 4-0 to instead recommend maintaining the medium density residential future land use that allows single-family dwellings and two-family duplexes and rezone those properties from their current R3 zoning (multi-family dwelling) to R2 (two-family dwelling).
Serna said the board-recommended zoning amendment would result in some of those properties becoming non-conforming with city code, which might impact how they could be redeveloped.
The board made a similar recommendation for the 5B map area along the eastern side of the 2300 block of Gulf Drive North. Potentially impacted properties include Las Palmas Beach Rentals, the Anna Maria Island Inn, Beach & Sun Villas and some residential/vacation rental properties.
Map area 5C encompasses the Beach Club at Anna Maria and other residential/rental properties along the east side of the 2200 block of Gulf Drive North. Gilbert and Serna recommend increasing those future land use designations to high-density residential. In contrast, the board recommends reducing the current R3 zoning to R2.
The triangular-shaped area bordered by Gulf Drive North, Avenue C and 22nd Street North includes The Anna Maria Island Inn at Tropic Isle resort. The board and staff recommend changing those future land use designations to high-density residential while retaining the current zoning.
Avenue A
By a 3-1 vote, with P&Z chair Ken McDonough in opposition, the board recommends rezoning 10 residential properties along the west side of Avenue A, between 23rd and 22nd streets north.
City staff recommends changing the future land use designation to medium-density residential, which allows duplexes. In contrast, the board recommends maintaining the low-density residential future land use and reducing the current R2 zoning which allows duplexes to the R1 zoning that does not. This area already includes duplexes at 2218 and 2204 Ave. A.
Board member John Burns proposed the zoning change as a means of preserving the residential character of that neighborhood. McDonough opposed the zoning change because it would make the two existing duplexes non-conforming with city code and prevent the future construction of duplexes in that area.
Regarding the board’s recommendation, Serna said, “The only caution we have in recommending for a downzoning is someone could say, ‘I had a right to do this and now you’ve taken it away.’ That opens the city up to some liability.”
The board made a similar 3-1 recommendation to reduce from R2 to R1 the zoning for the residential properties along the west side of Avenue A, south of 22nd Street North.
Beachfront, bayfront properties
The board and city staff recommend changing the Beach House Resort’s future land use designation from commercial to high-density residential while maintaining the R3 zoning.
Regarding seven elevated beachfront residential dwellings along the west side of Gulf Drive North, near 11th and 12th streets south, the board and staff recommend maintaining the low-density residential future land use while reducing the zoning from R3 to R1 (single-family dwelling).
The board discussed potential map revisions for the bayfront residential properties along Bay Drive North, from 10th Street North to 12th Street North – including the lot that contains the Summer Sands’ community pool.
As a starting point for future conversation with those property owners, the board and staff recommend changing the future land use designation to low-density residential, while maintaining the R1 zoning. Serna said some of those property owners may want to preserve their current single-family zoning and others may want to allow for more intense residential use.
Previous recommendations
On April 21, the board contrasted city staff when recommending the rezoning of the Sandpiper Resort mobile home park and several properties along the east side of Gulf Drive North. Those potentially impacted properties include Sharkey’s Seagrill, the Shell gas pumps, the Circle K convenience store, Club Bamboo, Studio 104, KW on the Water, Blooms by the Beach, Aluna Wellness Center & Spa and Wagner Real Estate.
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