County Planners Advance Affordable Housing Project
By Lisa Neff
Manatee County planners are recommending approval of a preliminary site plan to build 80 multifamily dwelling units reserved for affordable housing.
Officials in local municipalities and at the county have identified a need for more affordable housing and workforce housing as a high priority.
The Cedar Cove project, brought to the county by Blue CASL Manatee Land LLC, would be built on 3.64 acres at 600 Orlando Ave., Bradenton, near Fifth Street West.
The Manatee County Planning Commission on March 27 reviewed and recommended approval of a preliminary site plan, which the county board of commissioners will consider next.
During a public hearing at the county administration building, planning commissioners were presented with a recommendation from staff that “the requested multifamily development is appropriate given the surrounding land uses. It can also serve as appropriate infill on a vacant parcel of land located in a largely developed area of Manatee County.”
Planning commissioners also received presentations from the development team, which characterized the project as a strategic public-private partnership to address a critical need for affordable housing.
“We’ve been working on this project since 2019” hand-in-hand with the county, the state and Community Assisted & Supported Living Inc, said Robert Freeman, assistant vice president of development for Blue Sky Communities, a developer and owner of multifamily affordable housing using government credits.
Freeman said housing will be created for people who have experienced homelessness and families earning at or below 60% of the area median income.
“This is truly an affordable housing solution that is being brought to Manatee County,” Freeman said.
What’s planned are three, three-story buildings containing a total of 80 apartments, including 14 “half dwellings,” as well as a stormwater retention pond, a clubhouse, 1.8 acres of greenspace, sidewalks and parking.
The project requires permission from the county to deviate from some land development code requirements, including OKs to place walls along the property line at the exterior edge of a greenbelt buffer, to remove some native plants on the site and to create 106 rather than 133 parking spots.
During public comment, several people endorsed the project and applauded the proposed addition of affordable housing. Several others raised concerns about flooding in the area.
Braulio Grajales, principal with High Point Engineering in Tampa and a member of the project team, pledged that the development would not exacerbate flooding.
“Our drainage design is very responsible,” he said, adding that the parking lot design incorporates pervious pavement. “Any water falling on top of those parking spaces will go into the ground. It will not go anywhere else.”
County commissioners could consider the project as early as April 6.