BRADENTON BEACH – With vote-by-mail ballots already being cast, Bradenton Beach voters have begun deciding whether the city charter will prohibit or allow parking garages.
The Bradenton Beach ballot for the general election that concludes Tuesday, Nov. 3 includes two separate charter amendment questions pertaining to parking garages. City voters are being asked to vote yes or no on each proposed parking garage-related amendment to the city charter.
In August 2018, the city commission amended the city’s comprehensive plan and land development code in a manner that currently prohibits the construction of stand-alone or multi-level parking garages anywhere in the city. Those existing prohibitions could be lifted by a future city commission.
Amending the city’s comprehensive plan to allow for a parking garage would require the four-fifths supermajority support of a five-member city commission. Amending the land development code would require the simple-majority support of at least three commissioners. Both documents would have to be amended to allow for the construction of a parking garage. Currently, there are no plans or proposals to build a parking garage in Bradenton Beach.
Ballot Question 1
After a two-year legal battle, Bradenton Beach Ballot Question 1 was placed on the ballot at the request of the Keep Our Residential Neighborhoods (KORN) political action committee formed in 2018 by Reed Mapes and John Metz. Mapes has since moved and is no longer a Bradenton Beach resident.
The ballot language for Bradenton Beach Ballot Question 1 reads as follows:
“Amendment 1 to city of Bradenton Beach charter.
“Prohibition of multi-level parking garages only.
“Should the charter of Bradenton Beach be amended to prohibit the building of any multi-level parking garages within the city of Bradenton Beach? All other parking garages, facilities and structures are allowed as permitted by local law.”
According to City Attorney Ricinda Perry, the adoption of Ballot Question 1 would add language to the city charter that would prohibit the future construction of a multi-level parking garage anywhere within the city limits. Perry has previously stated the adoption of this proposed charter amendment would not prohibit the construction of single-level parking garages or parking facilities.
Similar to the existing height restriction placed in the charter many years ago, a parking garage prohibition added to the city charter could only be reversed by a future charter amendment approved by Bradenton Beach voters. If this amendment is adopted, the city commission would not have the authority to allow for the construction of a multi-level parking garage. That authority would lie solely with a future vote of Bradenton Beach voters.
Ballot Question 2
Suggested by Perry in response to KORN’s proposed amendment, and supported by the city commission earlier this year, Bradenton Beach Ballot Question 2 reads as follows:
“Amendment 1 to city of Bradenton Beach Charter.
“Prohibition of multi-level parking garages and mandated citywide voter referendum to increase its density.
“Should the city amend its charter to: (1) Prohibit the approval, development and building of any stand-alone parking garage structures in all residential zoning districts; (2) Prohibit any multi-level parking garage, structure, or facility exceeding a total density of one multi-level parking garage within the entire municipal limits; and (3) Establish a mandatory citywide voter referendum to increase the multi-level parking garage density?
Voter approval of this amendment would allow for the potential construction of a single multi-level parking garage in Bradenton Beach should any government and private entity choose to pursue such an endeavor.
According to Perry, if city voters approve both proposed charter amendments, neither amendment would be adopted and neither would be placed in the city charter because they would be in conflict with one another.
If city voters reject both proposed amendments, parking garages will remain prohibited according to the comp plan and land development code.
