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Board approves Chipotle preliminary site plan to redevelop former gas station at SR‑70 and 30th Street East
Summary
Commissioners approved a preliminary site plan to redevelop a vacant former gas station at State Road 70 and 30th Street East in Bradenton into a 2,325‑square‑foot Chipotle with a pickup-only drive‑through; staff said environmental and utility conditions must be met before construction.
The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners voted Sept. 4 to approve a preliminary site plan for a 2,325‑square‑foot Chipotle Mexican Grill with a pickup‑only drive‑through on approximately 0.81 acres at the southwest corner of State Road 70 and 30th Street East in Bradenton.
Linda Stewart, the applicant’s planner with Morris Engineering, said the site was most recently a mobile gas station that has been vacant since February 2018. The proposal does not require a zoning or future‑land‑use change; the parcel is currently zoned PDC and in the ROR future‑land‑use category.
Stewart told commissioners the plan proposes to demolish existing structures, extend a right‑turn lane on State Road 70, preserve internal sidewalks and provide an interconnect drive with the neighboring property. The proposed drive‑through is a pickup model (orders placed online or inside; no menu board ordering), and the applicant requested a design exception for driveway spacing that was granted. Stewart said the site provides nearly 39% open space — substantially exceeding the 20% standard — and the proposed floor-area ratio was 0.066, well below the 0.5 allowable.
Commissioners asked about environmental issues related to the site’s former gas station use. Stewart said any underground storage tanks and contamination issues will be addressed with FDEP-required remediation and a Phase I environmental process prior to construction.
County staff (CJ Mills) and multiple commissioners expressed support for redeveloping the long‑vacant corner; several commissioners said the project is the kind of infill development the neighborhood needs. The board voted to approve the preliminary site plan 5‑0 (two commissioners were absent) with conditions and standard final‑plan requirements.
