Manatee commission discusses 211 referrals
Meeting also eases path for food trucks, growth
Manatee County is taking a deep dive into its relationship with United Way Suncoast after Manatee County Republican Executive Committee Chair April Culbreath complained about 211 hotline referrals made to Planned Parenthood.
County commissioners discussed the matter on Thursday during a land use meeting, where they also discussed plans to move forward with land development code changes that accommodate food trucks and food truck parks. Commissioners also approved a slew of zoning changes that could lead to more development, particularly in the Parrish and Palmetto area.
Culbreath, who is running for an atlarge seat on the Manatee County Commission, drew attention to referrals made by the 211 hotline to Planned Parenthood abortion services during public comment at the beginning of Thursday’s land use meeting.
“That was a concern to me, knowing that most of our conservative board up here had made a proclamation a couple of years ago… that we would not give any taxpayer money to any organizations that refer to or use planned parenthood,” Culbreath said. “I was just hoping to bring that to your attention and hopefully you guys can look into it.”
By the end of the meeting, county commissioners made a motion to direct Chairman Mike Rahn and staff to delve deeper into its relationship with United Way Suncoast, which operates the 211 service, over the matter.
The county provides $101,681 in funding to the United Way Suncoast for 211 services. But in September 2023 commissioners approved an ordinance to defund any nonprofit organization that receives county funding that maintains affiliations with Planned Parenthood or any abortion provider.
The conservative board has battled against abortion rights for years, and undertook efforts led by Commissioner James Satcher to ban abortion providers from establishing facilities in the county until State Attorney Ashley Moody advised the county to defer abortion service policies to the state.
“If we passed that ordinance in September, moneys were probably disbursed in October,” Satcher said. “That’s violating the ordinance, so they need to write us a check.”
Commissioners stopped short of taking action and instead directed Rahn and county staff to delve deeper into the matter and to give the United Way Suncoast the ability to respond to their concerns.
“It does appear on its face to be in violation of county policy,” Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “I don’t necessarily want to throw the baby out along with the bath water.
“I think United Way Suncoast having the ability to come in here and speak with commissioners one on one or in a meeting is probably a good idea because there are good things that they are doing here, but we have a policy,” he said. “County tax dollars should not go toward directing people to planned parenthood.”
Efforts to facilitate food trucks in Manatee County in the works
Manatee County held a first reading for a county initiated land development code amendment aimed at facilitating the use of food trucks and food truck parks in specific zoning districts.
Food trucks are not currently recognized in the county’s land development code. Changes presented Thursday include terminology adjustments such as changing terms like “mobile vending” to “food trucks” and revising the definition of a food truck to mirror definitions in Florida statutes.
County commissioners will hold a second reading on the effort on May 2 to finalize necessary approvals.
Palm View multifamily housing in Palmetto
County commissioners voted in favor of zoning changes for 20.46 acres of land located at 590116th Avenue East in Palmetto to accommodate a project called Palm View with a proposed 264 multifamily residential units.
The 5 to 1 vote changed the zoning on property, owned by TAMLAKE, LLC, from suburban agriculture to planned development residential zoning. Commissioner Jason Bearden voted in opposition to the project, and Commissioner Amanda Ballard was absent from the meeting.
Mia Bella Palmetto residential housing project
Commissioners voted 6 to 0 in favor of a change in zoning for 9.1 acres of land owned by 1955 Palmetto BTR LLC at 1955 49th St. East in Palmetto to accommodate a housing project called Mia Bella Palmetto.
The decision changes the zoning on the property from Residential Single Family-2 and Residential Single Family 6 to a Planned Development Residential zoning. Commissioners also approved a general development plan for the property that includes the construction of 30 single-family residential units.
Rutland Road residential project
Commissioners approved a change in zoning for a 5 acre property owned by Charlie Hine at 13755 County Road 675 in Parrish to accommodate a project with a maximum of 15 single family homes.
Commissioners changed the zoning on the property from general agriculture zoning to planned development residential with a 5 to 1 vote. Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge voted against the proposal, and Ballard was absent.
Jones Potato Farm land rezoned
Commissioners voted 6 to 0 in favor of a change in zoning for 4.68 acres of land owned by the Jones Potato Farm from the county’s Agricultural Suburban/Parrish Commercial Village Overlay zoning to Village/ Limited/Parrish Commercial Village Overlay zoning.
The property is located at 12245 U.S. 301 North in Parrish, and the acreage is located on the eastern portion of a 10.69-acre parcel of land that is already zoned as such.
The development plan includes in the range of potential uses within the zoning, including low-density residential and medium-density clustered residential uses, short-term agriculture, commercial and office use, recreation and schools.
New substation in Parrish
County commissioners approved a change in zoning requested by Peace River Electric and AM Engineering, Inc. for a 5 acre site located on the northwest side of the U.S. 301 intersection with Moccasin Wallow Road in Parrish.
Commissioners voted 6 to 0 in favor of changing the property’s zoning from Planned Development Residential to Suburban Agriculture to accommodate a new substation.
Gattuso property rezoned
Commissioners voted 6 to 0 in favor of a change in zoning for about .88 acres of land owned by Joseph Gattuso from Residential Duplex Dwelling-3 to Planned Development Office.
The commissioners also approved changes to the property’s General Development Plan to include an additional 8,445 square feet of residential support usage space.
The site is located west of U.S. 41 and about .75 miles south of Tallevast Road.
The property’s general development plan allows for potential uses that include professional office space, church, child care center, school of special education, recovery home and public community uses.