‘Light Up Manatee’ nears 70% completion; residents split over new poles

Manatee County’s Light Up Manatee street‑lighting program is about 70% complete, officials told commissioners Sept. 1, but the rollout surfaced sharp differences among neighborhoods over aesthetics, pole placement and process.

Traffic operations manager Aaron Betette said the program — funded initially with approximately $3 million in one‑time generational impact funds — was data‑driven: staff prioritized areas by nighttime crime and crash heat maps and set design standards (concrete pole, 5,000‑lumen COBRA fixture). "So far we've installed 2,455 lights," Betette said, adding the program projects 3,531 lights total and an estimated $800,000 annual operating cost once installations are complete.

Public commenters described contrasting experiences. Elizabeth Traylor, whose block on 47th Street West is "pitch black at night," urged completion: "These lights would make a marked difference in crime prevention and auto accidents." By contrast, Harbor Oaks resident Vicky Bannister presented petitions showing 37 of 40 lots opposed to poles in that HOA, citing aesthetics and property‑line placement. Staff said installations would pause where neighborhoods show strong opposition and suggested MSBU (neighborhood funding) or opt‑in processes for decorative fixtures. Commissioners asked staff to return with clearer options for decorative fixtures, an opt‑in pathway and post‑installation impact analysis to measure changes in nighttime crash and crime data.