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Commissioners approve Bradenton White Eagle commercial rezone after debate over wetlands and traffic
Summary
The Manatee County commission approved a rezone for the Bradenton White Eagle site to allow up to 45,000 sq ft of commercial uses on about 3.94 acres after the applicant removed gas-station uses and proposed off‑site wetland mitigation; neighbors raised concerns about wetlands, stacking and outdated traffic data.
The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve PDC 25‑01ZG, a rezone request for the Bradenton White Eagle commercial site, after a lengthy hearing that featured applicant presentations, staff responses and multiple public comments about wetlands and traffic.
The applicant, represented by Ria Hunter of RBI Planning and consultants for Casto, asked the board to rezone about 3.94 acres at the intersection of White Eagle Boulevard and State Road 64 from general agricultural to planned development commercial for a maximum of 45,000 square feet of commercial uses. "We're seeking to rezone this property from general agricultural to planned development commercial for a maximum of 45,000 square feet of commercial use," Hunter said in her presentation, noting design proffers, buffers and a proposed right‑in/right‑out access arrangement on White Eagle Boulevard.
The applicant said the site contains an isolated, lower‑quality wetland that would be mitigated off‑site through established mitigation banks in the same watershed, rather than preserved on site. The applicant also removed higher traffic uses from the schedule of permitted uses, including gas stations, to address earlier concerns about vehicle demand.
Neighbors and public commenters disputed aspects of the project's traffic and stormwater analyses. "The traffic study is based on very old data," said Mark Vanderie, who asked the board to deny the rezone and raised NOAA Atlas 14 and Mill Creek watershed stormwater concerns. He also said the project would destroy 31,000 square feet of wetland, a figure raised during public comment.
County staff and the applicant responded that the project team revised access to allow a right‑in/right‑out on White Eagle Boulevard and coordinated stormwater design with an adjacent, permitted development. Denise Greer of staff explained that NOAA‑based requirements were not included for this file because the adjacent parcel's stormwater design had already been approved without that standard.
After applicant rebuttal and commissioner deliberations that stressed both neighborhood concern and project changes, Commissioner George Cruz moved to approve the rezoning with the applicant's stipulations; Commissioner Jason Bearden seconded. The motion passed, "unanimously with Commissioner McCann absent," per the hearing record.
The vote followed multiple rounds of public comment and questions about stacking, emergency access and whether a smaller grocery or other retail users would occupy the site; the applicant said a small-format grocery is one potential tenant but not guaranteed. The board noted the applicant had made meaningful changes since an earlier hearing, including removing gas-station uses and adding access and design commitments.
Next steps for the project include final‑site‑plan level traffic and stormwater studies and any required permitting with water‑management and state agencies. The applicant and staff said detailed turn‑lane and stacking assessments would be completed at the final site‑plan stage.
Action taken: PDC 25‑01ZG (Bradenton White Eagle commercial rezone) approved with stipulated conditions; details of future site‑plan approvals and permit requirements remain to be completed.
