Future ideas needed now in Manatee County

It may seem too early to think about how Manatee County will look in 20 years, but county officials want residents to have the future in mind.

In May, it launches its visioning project, called “Back to the Future,” which highlights what the county looked like in 1998, how it has changed, and how the community might look in 2038.

The public sessions are scheduled with the first one to be held May 3 at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall.

“With government and development, it takes years to make things happen,” said project lead and Neighborhood Services Specialist Simone Peterson.

She noted that county commissioners made a major push toward constructing Fort Hamer Bridge in the 1950s but it just opened last year. “We’re hoping it doesn’t take this long to realize the vision the community has for the area, but it shows you something as massive as a bridge takes time. We want to start planning now where we want to be in the next 20 years or so.”

Peterson said topics of focus likely will include attainable housing, infrastructure and preparations for a future landfill. The county's current Lena Road landfill is expected to be open until 2042, however, county officials say if another hurricane hits the area, that lifespan could be shortened considerably. Hurricane Irma resulted in the collection of an additional 456,00 cubic yards of debris. The landfill’s total capacity is 3.8 million cubic yards.

“We need to start planning now," Peterson said. "Where is the next landfill going to go?” 

The public can suggest topics on anything from parks and recreation to transportation or economic development.

“We don’t want to limit people’s ideas,” Peterson said. “We want to get the community involved. Either the community can tell us or we can try to figure it out.  We want the community to tell us what it should look like.”

Manatee County will collect resident input through summer and is working on a website for residents who wish to contribute but cannot attend a meeting. Peterson said the county will share the workshop findings with county department heads and county commissioners so items can be prioritized.

Larger capital projects, like the Fort Hamer Bridge or 44th Avenue East extension, for example, will have to be taken in “bite-sized pieces" to get the ball rolling. Some projects may be able to get started sooner.

Peterson said the ultimate goal is to hear from residents.

“We’re not saying we can or can’t do anything. We want the vision,” Peterson said. “You need to be your neighborhood’s best advocate. If we don’t hear from you, we’re going to assume you don’t need anything. Citizens are the eyes and the ears of the county.”