Manatee County accepts growth discussion invitation

Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker accepted an invitation by the Barrier Island Elected Officials Organization to discuss growth and traffic in an Aug. 14 letter. But he wants the officials to drive to the mainland to discuss the issues in a different forum.

The Barrier Island Elected Officials Organization officially sent a letter Hunzeker July 29 asking how the county is planning for an influx of future residential developments coming online in the next 20 years like Lake Flores in west Bradenton.

The invitation letter was sent after a recent meeting of the BIEO expressed concern with how new developments in west Bradenton will impact what’s perceived as a traffic issue that already exists on the barrier islands in season.

Hunzeker, though, suggests the island mayors attend a future Council of Governments (COG) meeting at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto to discuss the issue at length with other municipalities and organizations.

“I certainly understand the desire of all the island communities to know more about what development is being planned and how best to meet the challenge of that growth,” Hunzeker wrote in his letter. “As discussion on this subject would also be of interest for the cities of Bradenton and Palmetto, as well as the (Manatee County) School Board, I think that the most appropriate setting for this conversation would be at a future COG meeting.”

COG is a quarterly meeting of representatives from local governments and districts to promote positive relations and to discuss items of mutual interest and concern.

The Sept. 1 COG meeting was canceled and the agenda item is likely to be placed on a future COG meeting.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].