[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6261765,"mediaKeyId","3119488-197d7a03981dc4bc9fc31047c51652a7","parentId",3119488,"title","Bradenton council approves amended purchase of Tropicana site; environmental testing found PFAS and arsenic","audioSeconds",725,"startMs",4518000,"endMs",5243000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3119488-197d7a03981dc4bc9fc31047c51652a7&start=4518&end=5243","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3119488-197d7a03981dc4bc9fc31047c51652a7/thumbnail_4518000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6261765/Bradenton-City/Manatee-County/Florida/Bradenton-council-approves-amended-purchase-of-Tropicana-site-environmental-testing-found-PFAS-and-arsenic","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261765-4dca3149ead39fcba6af2bc4807b19aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176129&Signature=RP-tH0qzw7ay9V8-3Ali6~2CQ7FituChasWkYwxGjCtL4b6NFad89CVe9F8bGTk7JnNwvrD5B4EMe72E16JhzvTkeyPVvvGYaEUGmRZIgqIQ8SmuMCnYhuvY6s90ghEHvpIZA5wUcfPS0RY6zVacyNmFORMgPR5XxrGrtWRkeh5jkPTiypbEQjRJ-WMhELTutNNSu8wPXT635O6X7aodwyo8-xq4IFDQupELZwLNqIrH0zBTGE6gsUqusY7Y8HHs00uLOb-DFHcrbQ~c5tgF1hOpz1wG6OSTvdYLS1DlJeSxUD4rieYZ1O0IdWDmCjeLnrM6nCIIltOrTvgbdoCM4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bradenton, FL","date","2025-04-25T05:17:35.397Z","article","The Bradenton City Council approved a third amendment to the city’s agreement to buy about 32.9 acres from Tropicana Manufacturing Company on April 20, a vote the council carried 5–0.

City Administrator Rob Perry told the council the city completed environmental due diligence that identified arsenic and detectable PFAS concentrations on parts of the property. The administration negotiated a lower purchase price — from $5,250,000 to $4,850,000 — and said the change is reflected in the amendment approved by the council.

Perry said the city plans to pursue a brownfield designation for all or part of the site and to secure environmental insurance; he said administration is considering a 10-year policy that could cover legal costs and third-party claims related to environmental conditions. Perry described the parcel as primarily industrial and noted that the groundwater flow generally moves back toward the Tropicana property.

Travis Hearn, an environmental attorney representing the city, told the council that brownfields status provides financial assistance for cleanups and can improve the economics of redevelopment. “The best thing about Brownfields is that it gives you…a lot of financial assistance toward the cleanup,” Hearn said, noting program grants and potential state support to cover portions of remediation costs.

Perry said the city intends to use mostly utility enterprise reserves for the purchase because the property would support Public Works operations such as sanitation and facility maintenance; he also said the site’s location is centrally useful for public-works logistics and could support other future uses in collaboration with county partners.

The amendment requires closing by May 15 under the terms presented. Councilmember Coachman moved approval; Councilmember Barnebey seconded. The council approved the amendment on a 5–0 vote.

Why it matters: the site gives the city a sizable centrally located property for public-works operations and future planning, but environmental testing creates remediation responsibilities and potential constraints on certain uses. Brownfield designation and environmental insurance are planned to reduce the city’s exposure and to support redevelopment options.

Ending: City staff said follow-up work will include cleanup planning, potential brownfield grant applications, coordination with state regulators and continued engagement with county partners on future site uses.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bradenton City Council Meeting, April 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved a third amendment to the purchase agreement for about 32.9 acres from Tropicana Manufacturing Company after environmental testing found arsenic and PFAS; the purchase price was reduced to $4.85 million and the city plans to pursue brownfield designation.","taxTitle","Bradenton City, Manatee County, Florida","taxId",12477,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6261769,"Bradenton administration lays out scope, costs and FEMA reimbursements for Lift Station 3 and storm recovery",830,1567000,2397000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3119488-197d7a03981dc4bc9fc31047c51652a7&start=1567&end=2397","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3119488-197d7a03981dc4bc9fc31047c51652a7/thumbnail_1567000.jpg","/articles/6261769/Bradenton-City/Manatee-County/Florida/Bradenton-administration-lays-out-scope-costs-and-FEMA-reimbursements-for-Lift-Station-3-and-storm-recovery","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261769-6ef13150884ed62416f656fbb8f9a324/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176129&Signature=I0okhdejOD7T-vHJlAg~sq254vlh1amDzCsVl0SbqWfVNXloXoGXGByRT9DtWM9qixqckoSzsZgwnDPcdAd7-DIFuTNv4LSZHFRlvQsosVXITlPxKnoOI6ZsTnLlGGMcQO8L~~9d5am5KGSsactYPmaogewXSYuk5O1yKlWWUgLlsUu26DmIts9hSKHby~5e46cEoYTth2SPmcGl1pIbXpV6k0aEoCuR2y14Y~X5B1mqViwtyXrO0W4tWqvlo2sWHkoZ8BTq~fZqGdzVYCxYVqXtK~Qptetc~tqKCpoyChiquH5Lm9kZMvH43JFwdjDdwnlJiafwPcdlLoliXBdwWA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Administrator Rob Perry told the Bradenton City Council on April 20 that the planned Lift Station 3 expansion and related collection-system work is a multi-phase, long-term project that will require work on roughly 170 private properties and extensive right-of-way construction.

Perry said the lift-station work is one of the largest utility projects the city has undertaken and will include design, fabrication and construction for major storage and transmission components. He described the schedule as phased and cautioned that patience and careful documentation would be important throughout the process.

The administration also updated the council on storm-recovery and FEMA reimbursement efforts tied to last season’s storms. Perry said the city has removed about 144,000 cubic yards of debris — a figure he compared to “27 football fields” — and about 14,000.5 cubic yards of construction debris. He said the city has recorded more than 6,300 hours of emergency work by public-works staff tied to immediate response efforts.

“We’re eligible for a 50% immediate payment, which we have received,” Perry said about FEMA’s expedited Category A/B payments. He described the FEMA documentation and reimbursement process as tedious and said the city is working with Hagerty (a FEMA consultant) to compile required paperwork and to prepare staff for future submissions.

Public-works staff described the operational scale of the project: the work will involve digging in public rights of way, relocating collection and transmission lines and managing legal and property issues for dozens of private parcels. Perry said the city is evaluating options to accelerate the program, including project-management capacity, and that any council decisions on funding or procurement would be brought back to the council.

The administration reported two emergency procurements related to storm damage: an HVAC repair for an administrative building (around $30,000) and contracted landscape/grounds repairs connected to the Forever Lawn restoration. Perry also said the city is reusing some materials (for example, fence sections) to reduce costs and that staff are training public-works crews with Hagerty on better documentation for FEMA and FDEM standards.

Council members repeatedly asked about public communication; several said they wanted real-time public updates given the large scale of the work. Council members and staff said communication teams will publish project updates and that a standing project-team structure is being established for regular briefings to council members.

Why it matters: the Lift Station 3 work touches core wastewater infrastructure and individual landowners (about 170 properties), involves high construction and relocation complexity, and depends on multi-agency reimbursement and grants to limit local net costs. That combination affects timing and household-level impacts.

Council direction and next steps: staff said they will continue phased design, pursue funding opportunities and return to the council with formal budget or contract requests as required. Perry and public-works staff emphasized that work will proceed in steps, with legal and property coordination required before construction on private laterals and right-of-way work.

Ending: The council and administration emphasized that the project will be long-running and will require continued public updates and careful documentation for FEMA reimbursement. City staff told the council they expect further budget and schedule items to come before the council later in the year.","City Administrator Rob Perry told the Bradenton City Council that the Lift Station 3 expansion and related collection-system work is a phased, long-term project that touches roughly 170 private properties and will require major public-right-of-way construction.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6261755,"Bradenton Shuffleboard Club seeks seamless move as city and county discuss site options",339,1131000,1470000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3119488-197d7a03981dc4bc9fc31047c51652a7&start=1131&end=1470","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3119488-197d7a03981dc4bc9fc31047c51652a7/thumbnail_1131000.jpg","/articles/6261755/Bradenton-City/Manatee-County/Florida/Bradenton-Shuffleboard-Club-seeks-seamless-move-as-city-and-county-discuss-site-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261755-66f8771506834b19ac54e81c177c667d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176129&Signature=Gohv23UZCnOXPIlJZmFjseg3AG0E9QE3Wil8yJET56Z6Z7cyNaeroq5DYxL~BQzobOhQXlwv1w8b~A5d0v222cVni-YRjQ5-HS5X9DtexDsfhu34Xaxxfe76cWlhuOOCU-t~eojG5zSEYQoUtXlOrkFaSPfEinPUQi2aSoTOD6mMzunuOpGTW0zNh1nfyGQGXfg4Xvg9QdsvNm3rX5TD02vrS4EPw60QhoQSLHyNMAE-8wX-FyiVzUK1uFbOvyoPEsEBQdDeC6LjZPWXd8RxWNJU9MltusJB3gvbs4sEEIVDU0O3zl7R0JP0HBUhC5FOijl7VDJXAfeK-UroSAOzZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ron Nirenberg, president of the Bradenton Shuffleboard Club, told the council during the citizen-comment period that the association’s long-running facility is slated to close and that club leaders and supporters want a seamless transition to a replacement site in Manatee County.

Nirenberg said the Bradenton Club has statewide backing and hosts tournaments and a century-old history room and asked the city and county to work together to avoid any gap between closure and a new facility. He offered to participate in planning and said the club’s lease expires in 2028.

Mayor Gene Brown and other council members said the city is not seeking to “close” the association but is exploring long-term uses for the land to better serve a broader set of residents. Brown said the city has engaged the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the county in conversations and that facilities at GT Bray Park (run by Manatee County) could be part of solutions.

Council members and city staff described damage from recent hurricanes and said the city and the county are discussing collaborative options to either support improvements or identify a replacement location that can host tournaments and club activities. Staff noted the lease timeline gives time for planning and encouraged coordinated work to avoid a service gap.

Why it matters: The Bradenton Shuffleboard Club is a long-standing recreational institution in the city. The future location and continuity of the club affect residents who play, state and national tournament planning, and the city’s land-use and redevelopment choices.

Ending: Council members said they will continue conversations with the Braden board, the CRA, and Manatee County to explore options and to try to find a replacement facility before the club’s lease ends.","Club leaders urged the council for an orderly transition after the club’s current lease approaches expiration; council members and staff said they are discussing options with Manatee County and the CRA and emphasized collaboration to avoid a service gap.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6261760,"Council approves Left Coast Soul lease for City Center garage retail space, members ask tenant to coordinate event hours",318,4344000,4662000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3119488-197d7a03981dc4bc9fc31047c51652a7&start=4344&end=4662","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3119488-197d7a03981dc4bc9fc31047c51652a7/thumbnail_4344000.jpg","/articles/6261760/Bradenton-City/Manatee-County/Florida/Council-approves-Left-Coast-Soul-lease-for-City-Center-garage-retail-space-members-ask-tenant-to-coordinate-event-hours","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261760-cf8f91446b272c62d40dcd7d236b7e00/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176129&Signature=mGvciAdcBdP1MQcxrO96oNMaSjhk1TwmLjLqMsGh5ah6sstpMj8sy0L-RMs4y2F3ApGM69zMah06f-KDY8daw3g2~sp02VKfLkj99OSeAKyTr9zIXgbI1C5tcCWjt9KVhxaitmAOZQlnPXEMfpc2tZjaMlMPxmRWU3ndQ-ssdrZejfTncnMGJTR~x54cCUH1tBo3PGKvtgqf3zGE3yL1GMmo4g-f~q9W7HmZyOCp5xbop4K6ldFyfjNkDQK1ww7ce78gLCegp3SUqCHvtYwcePEYOG1xJQ2DqvN~yNqqmSD1ZmWn9ltkn51sviKG8SekVc-GKoEtZw-tw-pWJOV8MA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council voted 5–0 on April 20 to approve a lease for the City Center garage retail space with Holly Kim of Left Coast Soul, with a lease start date of July 1, 2025.

Vice Mayor Josh Kramer moved approval and Councilwoman Kocher seconded. The council discussion focused on downtown activation and whether the new tenant would keep hours that align with large downtown events. Several council members said they would like the tenant to coordinate staffing and opening hours for special-event days so retail storefronts are available to event attendees.

City staff said the proposed lease uses the city’s standard form and includes an annual rent escalator (reported by staff as 3%). Councilmembers asked staff to provide tenants with an event calendar and to improve communications between the city’s events team and garage tenants so store hours can align better with high-attendance events.

Why it matters: downtown store openings during events can affect foot traffic, sales for small retailers and the perception of downtown vitality. The council approved the lease to avoid prolonged vacancy in a prominent downtown storefront.

Ending: The lease was approved 5–0. Staff said they will provide communications about event schedules to the tenant and will use the standard lease term and rental escalator already in the city’s contract template.","The council voted 5–0 to lease City Center garage retail space to Holly Kim of Left Coast Soul, with a July 1, 2025 start; council members asked the tenant and staff to coordinate store hours with downtown event schedules.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bradenton council approves amended purchase of Tropicana site; environmental testing found PFAS and arsenic

Bradenton administration lays out scope, costs and FEMA reimbursements for Lift Station 3 and storm recovery

Bradenton Shuffleboard Club seeks seamless move as city and county discuss site options

Council approves Left Coast Soul lease for City Center garage retail space, members ask tenant to coordinate event hours