BRADENTON BEACH – An ordinance that will fix existing zoning map and future land use map inconsistencies for 23 properties in the Azure Shores subdivision is ready for city commission review and approval.
The city’s zoning map and future land use map designations determine how a property can be developed or developed. The Azure Shores properties are the first of many properties in Bradenton Beach with map inconsistencies the city wants to cure. The map inconsistencies could result in land use disputes or legal challenges that question whether the zoning map or the future land use map prevails when the two are inconsistent.
On Sept. 6, the Bradenton Beach Planning and Zoning Board unanimously recommended city commission approval of Ordinance 23-550. The ordinance contains new text amendments that would make the zoning map and future land use map designations for 23 Azure Shores properties consistent with each other.
The ordinance adds R-3 (multiple-family dwelling) as an implementing zoning district for the retail/office/residential (R/O/R) future land use category in the land development code. It also adds bed and breakfasts and hotels/motels as permitted uses in the R-3 district if the underlying future land use category is high-density residential.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Building Official Steve Gilbert said the text amendments also clarify that commercial uses for a bed and breakfast, a hotel, or a motel would only be allowed where the underlying land use is high-density residential.
“The underlying land use here is ROR, so bed and breakfast, hotels/motels will not be allowed in this section of Azure Shores,” Gilbert said.
Third Street North resident Evelyn Stob was the only potentially impacted property owner to attend Wednesday’s meeting. During public input, she sought clarification on the potential impacts for affected property owners.
In response, Gilbert said, “The zoning map will not change. It will stay R-3 high-density residential. The future land use map will not change. It will stay ROR (retail/office/residential). We’re not changing the maps at all. What we are doing is by text saying that the R-3 high-density residential zone district will partially implement the underlying ROR land use.”
Gilbert said there would be no financial impacts for the affected Azure Shores property owners regarding property taxes, assessed property values and fire district assessments.
Stob asked why a small section of the Azure Shores subdivision, south of Third Street North, is excluded from the area being addressed by the ordinance.
Gilbert said the Azure Shores subdivision extends from First Street North to the Cortez Bridge, and from the Gulf of Mexico to Sarasota Bay. The proposed text amendments would not apply to some properties along Second Street North.
“We had one applicant that wanted the zoning designation to change to remove that 25-foot setback requirement that only applies to the R-3 zone district. That’s a separate issue for the Planning and Zoning Board to address at some point,” Gilbert said. “The R-1 district front yard setbacks are 20 feet. The R-2 front yard setbacks are 20 feet. Commercial can be as low as zero and typically it’s 20 feet and R-3 is 25 for some reason.”
After the meeting ended, Gilbert explained that a property owner on Second Street North wanted to build a small deck above his swimming pool, and the current 25-foot setback requirement would only allow for a very small deck.
“Eventually we’ll do the rest of Azure Shores as well,” Gilbert said. “At that point, it behooves these folks to say we’ll keep it R-3 but we’ll give you a 20-foot front yard setback.”
Several months ago, a representative of the Chiles Hospitality group expressed the group’s desire to create a designated parking lot at the corner of Highland Avenue and Third Street North. That property is located in the Azure Shores subdivision and carries the R-3 zoning designation that prohibits standalone parking lots. Gilbert said Chiles Hospitality can accomplish their goal by initiating a comprehensive plan change and/or rezoning the property.