BRADENTON – Citing strong opposition from Cortez residents along with lack of funding to complete a proposed boat ramp, Manatee County commissioners floated the idea of making the Seafood Shack site a public park, at least temporarily.
The county purchased the parcel for $13 million last December with the stated intention of constructing a marina with a public boat ramp, but at last week’s meeting, commissioners asked county staff to return in February with two conceptual designs – one with a boat ramp and one without.
The county conducted five informational community open houses attended by 313 people. Common concerns were traffic congestion, water quality, preserving the character of the area and a boat ramp’s traffic and noise impacts on adjacent neighborhoods.
Cortez resident Mark Havens characterized the county’s public information surveys as inconsistent and unscientific.
“You collected a total of 967 responses. Using the current estimated 458,000 people residing in Manatee County, you collected feedback from .2% or 2/10 of 1% of your constituents, an insignificant response rate.”
Kathleen Strakes, HOA president of Harbor Landing Estates, said, “In 2005, the then-board of county commissioners voted unanimously to purchase the Seafood Shack property for the purpose of installing boat ramps. The citizens of north Cortez united under the Concerned Citizens for Cortez Coalition to inform the commissioners on the infrastructure challenges of the area that proved that boat ramps could not be located safely on the site.”
Strakes said nothing has changed to make boat ramps feasible at the site.
Mark Silagy, president of Cove Pointe Condominium Association and a coalition board member, expressed concerns about traffic safety.
“There are unique infrastructure challenges in our area as well as existing traffic congestion. Our residential roadways cannot safely accommodate boat ramp traffic,” he said. “These narrow winding streets have hazardous 90-degree blind corners that are impossible for vehicles towing boats to navigate without encroaching completely into the opposite lane.”
Michael Albert, president of Mariner’s Cove, said 96% of residents oppose the inclusion of boat ramps in the redevelopment plan.
“This is a call for smart sustainable growth that benefits all county residents and visitors without compromising the safety and quality of life in Cortez,” he said.
Commission response
“The need for a boat ramp to relieve the pressure on the existing Anna Maria ramps dates back almost 15 years when we began discussing options and alternatives to service the area south of Manatee River,” Manatee County Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker said. “The last 11 years we have been working with the developer of the Peninsula Bay and we found the cost of that development public/private partnership was too great to meet the objectives of our ramp relief and we backed away. And we did so almost simultaneously with the opportunity to acquire what we call the Cortez Marina, Seafood Shack.”
Hunsicker said there is roughly $4-$5 million in funding for improvements to the property, adding that the site is a possible landing site for the county-owned Gulf Islands Ferry.
“We have very limited public funds,” Commissioner Tal Siddique said.
“The initial thought is to come back with two conceptual plans,” Manatee County Deputy County Administrator Bryan Parnell said, adding that there will be a focus on traffic flow through the property.
Siddique made a motion to authorize staff to initiate the development of the conceptual plans for the property.
“There’s a lot wrong with this, there’s a lot of public safety issues,” Commissioner Bob McCann said. “How much does it cost to start planning and permitting?”
Parnell noted that the property will have to be rezoned based on what is designed.
“Can this be done without a boat ramp there?” McCann asked.
“Without a boat ramp that would not be in line with the original requirement and the funding that was approved for the project,” Parnell said. “The original CIP project that we moved funding from was for boat ramps.”
“It sounds like there’s a lot of objections to this by the people that actually live in the area there,” McCann said. “How are we going to make sure they have a cohesive area where they live and enjoy their life?”
“I don’t have an answer to that question,” Parnell said. “Right now, we’re directed to execute the project to build boat ramps and that’s what we’re moving on. “
McCann said he would vote against boat ramps. Meeting attendees applauded.
“I think we’re rushing this a little. When we went under contract we didn’t anticipate Helene and Milton,” Commissioner George Kruse said. “We’re also rushing this at a questionable budget time. We don’t know what our taxes are going to look like after November’s ballot initiative. If you think you’re building whatever your concept plan is for $5 million, you’re delusional.”
Kruse suggested that for the short term, the property could be developed as a green space with a concession and playground.
“I think you could make something extremely nice there that goes along with Cortez and allows for nice park green space,” he said. “I’m not saying that’s the final plan.”
Kruse said he would like to see a concept plan with boat ramps and without boat ramps.
“We owe it to the public to show them both,” Commissioner Mike Rahn said.
“I don’t know if we have the funding for a boat ramp,” Commissioner Amanda Ballard said. “I don’t dislike the option of parceling out and selling portions to private businesses and then utilizing those funds to make what we have better. “
“We have enough right now to proceed with design master planning of the site,” Parnell said.
“I like the gradual step utilizing the property as a green space right now,” Commissioner Carol Felts said.
“If we only have the money to do the plans, and we don’t have the money to do the building, there’s no real hurry to build this,” McCann said.
A motion to approve authorizing staff to bring back multiple conceptual plans including some with boat ramps and without boat ramps passed 5-1 with McCann opposed. Commissioner Jason Bearden was absent.
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Cortez residents form coalition to oppose boat ramps at Shack
