[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6316472,"mediaKeyId","2377017-7fe4ee964c7c18191ddb0ffd99e5e2df","parentId",2377017,"title","County details face‑it‑and‑fix‑it wastewater work as $253M HUD disaster recovery funds are allocated","audioSeconds",2353,"startMs",8847000,"endMs",11200000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377017-7fe4ee964c7c18191ddb0ffd99e5e2df&start=8847&end=11200","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377017-7fe4ee964c7c18191ddb0ffd99e5e2df/thumbnail_8847000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6316472/Manatee-County/Florida/County-details-faceitandfixit-wastewater-work-as-253M-HUD-disaster-recovery-funds-are-allocated","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316472-cfa6d594405c844d5552f99e15f05683/orig.mp4?Expires=1771059815&Signature=mMfGk75Sjv9AY9E~QehVE-jBCfR~Vjlzxp07B2smMsITYDdsECM1E0QtcY6AKI1SisbRAnS~QTcKpvNbTjqQN-q9wIOUlSCpeIjRvG0c0CiHnXEqKISjATs5KB7Z0JvfKva0spegadizDTlM9YMKhw7YbDmqHP6TrkpSgdyPu6yuKwKKDAuRCUSaw625l-Y-H-LOq5pHNDL0rNbYAurjV0XpzxEt-S3BdkJbBQf1FOnAh0GNHd1vSGTT8DEJpzA-7YC2dfHC9FE1CUBh90Y2eheAIcYm6700R-GUZ6vi5G5CchaDeNF6u8f2N~a2g8vkObPXRJZxTRZ3paUDWC2zBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Manatee County, FL","date","2025-02-22T22:11:46Z","article","Manatee County and City of Bradenton officials used a joint meeting on Feb. 21 to review storm‑response lessons and to outline planned wastewater and stormwater work paired with a nearly $253 million HUD Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) award to the county.

Manatee County Utilities Director Patrick Shea described system vulnerabilities that worsen during heavy rainfall: aging clay and cast iron sanitary pipes, deteriorated manholes and inflow and infiltration (I&I) that can increase wastewater flows from typical averages (~7 million gallons per day) to 25–30 million gallons per day during storm events. Shea said the county and city jointly operate multiple interconnects and that staff worked overnight during recent storms to provide emergency water service to Blake Hospital.

Why it matters: County officials said I&I and an aging collection system drove recent treatment and discharge challenges and that reducing inflow through pipe lining and lateral repairs is a priority to reduce wet‑weather loading on treatment plants. They also outlined plant improvements such as clarifier replacement and the addition of equalization/storage (reject/reuse) capacity.

CDBG‑DR funding and requests: Michelle Davis, Manatee County grant administration division manager, presented preliminary project requests and the county’s CDBG‑DR application status. She said the county has submitted nearly $963 million in project requests covering housing, infrastructure and program services; the Bradenton area portion of requests totaled roughly $677 million. The HUD award the county received is nearly $253 million; Davis summarized categories of projects submitted for consideration, including:

- Housing (evacuation trailers, repairs, mobile‑home replacements, rental/mortgage assistance, reconstruction) — city requests totaled about $119 million.
- Infrastructure mitigation (stormwater and related utilities upgrades) — Bradenton area requested roughly $137 million.
- Flood mitigation (projects totaling $265 million for Bradenton area submissions; $131 million of those are fully within 100% low‑to‑moderate‑income census tracts in the city).
- Program services and equipment (generators and facility repairs) — submissions totaled tens of millions.

Davis said the HUD guidance (corporate notice) remains under review and the county is awaiting final deadlines and guidance revisions before allocations are finalized. County and city officials emphasized that CDBG‑DR funds come with federal rules that shape eligible projects and that the county intends to prioritize \"shovel‑ready\" projects and projects that address low‑to‑moderate‑income (LMI) neighborhoods.

Operational next steps: City and county staff discussed using the county as the grant recipient to administer funds and described a two‑step approach commonly used for large grants: (1) hire a grant administration consultant to ensure compliance and manage application and reporting requirements; and (2) hire project administrators to oversee construction procurement and ensure technical compliance with federal rules.

Ending: Elected officials agreed to continue coordinating project lists, engineering, permitting and procurement to ready CDBG‑DR projects; commissioners asked city staff to identify priority projects that the county can include in the county‑administered application.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BCC Joint Meeting with City of Bradenton - February 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Manatee County officials reviewed wastewater collection and treatment problems, the 'face it and fix it' remediation program and the county's HUD CDBG‑DR allocation of nearly $253 million; staff described priorities including lateral repairs, sewer lining, plant upgrades and stormwater mitigation projects targeted to LMI neighborhoods.","taxTitle","Manatee County, Florida","taxId",12476,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6316474,"Bradenton outlines LECOM/City Park master plan; county and city see sports complex as catalyst for downtown redevelopment",1664,6712000,8376000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377017-7fe4ee964c7c18191ddb0ffd99e5e2df&start=6712&end=8376","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377017-7fe4ee964c7c18191ddb0ffd99e5e2df/thumbnail_6712000.jpg","/articles/6316474/Manatee-County/Florida/Bradenton-outlines-LECOMCity-Park-master-plan-county-and-city-see-sports-complex-as-catalyst-for-downtown-redevelopment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316474-90698bc7dc3deab90fde823ebe756f8d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771059815&Signature=X0ZwUMmuGa6pXxpFy7ByHWxqEx0cLQ1vM3Hl5lGoYjBAk~2g5O2DPXkI-XyrBwnzvRlnANvSkiYE0SsRXU5mFQxv7byShmk2Vgt4ppuxSAS5rb2AQqxJ5WIWdXsw27dlqPnbmjxnbyAQRMxTu9xM9k~lHX5O~QKejNQgPZ7kvAPGLgENyDvkeBvfNmf6o1I6fooHp8YuAv8CXd3AQNZDd9vHDSaCWXZqvt1oe9RIN8DQovMB6Sj7enq-l2q0iOs2uwYTwjZ~49HBlwcH68PnyT0gVXW0NwI8w0Y2o1Vg5JKiLkY7plzgY9hO3ztEk3FmwK85ru85UrcLPZAaycvQdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Bradenton officials presented the LECOM/Village of the Arts mobility study and a City Park master plan that pairs a proposed competition baseball complex and a multiuse Police Athletic League facility with a broader mobility and stormwater program intended to improve walkability and support sports tourism.

Rob Perry, the city administrator, described the MPO‑funded mobility study and said it documents safety problems, limited sidewalk networks and inadequate lighting in the Ninth Avenue/LECOM study area. The study identified 22 crashes in the study area between 2017 and 2021 that resulted in serious incidents and recommended complete‑streets and intersection improvements, mid‑block crossings, upgraded LED lighting, sidewalk maintenance and possible roundabouts.

Why it matters: City Park and the LECOM area sit adjacent to downtown and Village of the Arts; officials said investing in fields, community facilities and stormwater infrastructure would support sports tourism and create demand for hotels, restaurants and housing that in turn would help downtown retail and transit options.

Project elements and community services: City plans described a roughly 55,000‑square‑foot multiuse facility that could host Police Athletic League programs, school‑district partnerships for reading and career programming, and vocational training. The park master plan would also add competition baseball fields and expanded parking pads, backed by planned underground stormwater improvements and permitting work. \"We think we can build this probably faster and perhaps cheaper, and really improve a significant area, of downtown,\" Perry said.

Funding and schedule: City and county representatives said some financing is in place from the city’s CRA, county Tourist Development Council (TDC) assistance, state appropriations and federal grants. City staff said engineering and stormwater design are underway and that construction documents could be ready in the next 3–4 months, with construction potentially beginning in about a year, contingent on permits and contractor procurement.

Neighborhood and safety concerns: Council members and county commissioners emphasized coordinating streetscape improvements and sidewalks between city and county jurisdictions so the project links to surrounding neighborhoods. Several speakers highlighted the corridor’s pedestrian safety problems and urged joint funding for sidewalks, crossings and multimodal connections.

Ending: Both governments said they will continue to work on permitting, stormwater engineering and procurement and to align CRA and county funds for area redevelopment; city and county leaders called for ongoing meetings to coordinate the project’s infrastructure and neighborhood benefits.","City of Bradenton presented the LECOM/Village of the Arts mobility study and a City Park master plan focused on a competition baseball complex, a Police Athletic League facility and stormwater improvements; city and county said the project could spur hotels, retail and housing nearby.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6316479,"Officials say FDOT bridge/connector studies moving forward; local leaders urge urgency on DeSoto/Palmetto corridor",1557,4271000,5828000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377017-7fe4ee964c7c18191ddb0ffd99e5e2df&start=4271&end=5828","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377017-7fe4ee964c7c18191ddb0ffd99e5e2df/thumbnail_4271000.jpg","/articles/6316479/Manatee-County/Florida/Officials-say-FDOT-bridgeconnector-studies-moving-forward-local-leaders-urge-urgency-on-DeSotoPalmetto-corridor","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316479-86d623f4f6e64e96b113c83bf28b7d8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771059815&Signature=G4iXcX9WFULb5HIPpugg6wkLq5XoKN4tdmoJh1Dharj0T4aRLxV8VnurG0-6PyvcOn1XMK-H7Hfx6Qr95Yzhn33BXjqavBTdG1g23q-DxbzR6cOy1IrY34sPWjiIkw4QVOXCwX~8TzTfyfPmYSYWOHhyVds0A2GMo~o38dCTSYGMX-5hGqMISUhFSuaKhOWZPLBlkVVTmHRayI~lzX2FTX5m15ocLt43B3L7iF6wVAQJwxtAPE1f0F2m-wk6~Dm512hXcImhdba9SqrAtMKrCHpPTxEm4IMr1b1Zg88hTOGMqzZFDZPqMOSYkosdVlPoX3eS6xOxcwPO5njmcfr5BQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County and city officials reviewed Florida Department of Transportation planning and environment (PD&E) work for the DeSoto Bridge replacement and the Bradenton‑Palmetto corridor, with local leaders urging steady pressure on FDOT while acknowledging federal environmental review timelines.

FDOT materials summarized the study phases and identified corridor alternatives being evaluated; county staff said the DeSoto Bridge replacement is in FDOT’s work program for FY 2027 and that the corridor study has narrowed several alternatives and will enter the formal PD&E phase soon. \"The replacement bridge is in FDOT, fiscal year '27,\" Director Buttsko noted during a recap of DOT slides.

Why it matters: Elected officials repeatedly framed the lack of additional river crossings as a chronic bottleneck for downtown Bradenton and said improved capacity, whether by widening, a six‑lane section or an elevated flyover, is needed to keep through traffic out of the downtown core.

Key points and timeline: County and city staff explained the PD&E and corridor evaluation process FDOT is using. County staff and FDOT officials emphasized NEPA (the National Environmental Policy Act) requirements and related analyses — which can take multiple years — and said many federally funded projects rely on categorical exclusions where applicable. County Commissioner Bearden urged aggressive standards for capacity, saying \"We need 6 lanes instead of 4\" if feasible, while other commissioners recommended considering elevated lanes or flyovers to avoid creating pinch points north or south of the river.

Engineering and funding considerations: FDOT’s corridor work has examined multiple alignments (examples cited in the briefing included alternatives linking 27th Street to Ellenton/Glenn and alignments along 15th Street to Canal Road). Staff said corridor evaluations are being tuned to allow for multiuse paths and future capacity increases; project delivery will depend on permitting, environmental review and the availability of state and federal funding.

Local cooperation: Speakers urged coordinated municipal support through the remainder of the PD&E process to reduce the risk of litigation and delay. County staff recommended that Bradenton, Palmetto and the county maintain consistent positions during DOT outreach to hasten decision‑making.

Ending: Officials asked staff to continue close coordination with FDOT and to prepare to brief elected bodies as PD&E milestones are reached. Commissioners highlighted both the need to be patient with federal processes and the desire to keep public‑pressure on funders to keep projects moving toward construction.","Bradenton and Manatee County officials heard an FDOT update and urged action to relieve downtown traffic, including support for the DeSoto Bridge replacement and the Bradenton‑Palmetto connector PD&E study; commissioners stressed patience with federal review while pressing for six‑lane or elevated options.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6316484,"Bradenton, Manatee County leaders press gap‑financing plan to serve lower‑wage workers",2291,991000,3282000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377017-7fe4ee964c7c18191ddb0ffd99e5e2df&start=991&end=3282","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377017-7fe4ee964c7c18191ddb0ffd99e5e2df/thumbnail_991000.jpg","/articles/6316484/Manatee-County/Florida/Bradenton-Manatee-County-leaders-press-gapfinancing-plan-to-serve-lowerwage-workers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316484-73778bef0dde3a28ce4507158e7674bb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771059815&Signature=Y4wolinhQVXeZo22CbEMO~aLZSdVflHxdLF8pf9AUmoAADZb0r0PYOWa-GrqqUCJQI4HC4APcRMB4BZ6NvuGxbHSVYOiFuRTE4TJV0vNB00BJnYidy3yxuslk8mgBNa9ogODh8em8aJ9snNB131IwSp6658TpFIPn5bN9RCd7nhnLZadoz7uM3cf-aKvnW2E4QT3LWQSEGHCbYMK1-iUGc1yFipmRKPd~SSOoL5yaVhB5Rxbbr2JEEA6S6ffjxHx6lYxH1GGPZh6T3dxRy6OlE4yJIP3phLgw07lUOP4RxNpvI7fl90U6LtpKP4Q24DRpYrRX7b4Dpal-4NLlbmbiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City and county officials at a Feb. 21 joint meeting described a pipeline of workforce and senior housing projects in Bradenton and said Manatee County is working to restore a gap‑financing program to help developers close funding shortfalls.

The discussion focused on whether county gap financing should be targeted to lower Area Median Income (AMI) tiers so workers who earn roughly $17–$20 an hour can afford to live near downtown. \"I've had a few people that work within the county that have applied for these 2 developments...they simply didn't make even enough money to qualify for these units here, and they work within the county,\" Commissioner Jason Bearden said.

The city presented a list of projects it said total about 808 units either built or under construction in the Bradenton‑Manatee area, including Riverview 6 (about 80 units), Astoria (senior, 62+), Lincoln Village, Addison, The MET (199 units) and a 920 project noted as coming online. Rob Perry, city administrator for the City of Bradenton, said many of the completed and planned projects use low‑income housing tax credits, state incentives and developer financing to reach reduced rents that target teachers, nurses and firefighters.

Why it matters: County officials said restoring gap financing — previously used to close deals on projects such as Astoria and Riverview — is one tool to steer development toward lower AMI bands. Several commissioners pressed for mechanics that tie gap funding to deeper affordability (for example, requiring some portion of units at 50–60% AMI when backing market‑rate or 80% AMI units).

Details and debate: Tracy Adams, deputy director of Community and Veteran Services, said county staff are working with the county attorney to draft an application and process for gap funding. \"We are in the process of developing a process for gap funding,\" Adams said. Commissioners and council members raised two recurring issues: (1) qualifying rules and underwriting that make it hard for people who rely on Social Security or who have low monthly earnings to meet developer income thresholds; and (2) the balance between increasing supply at 80% AMI (which several said now approximates market rate) and adding deeper subsidies for lower‑income workers.

Councilman Koger and others said that supply increases help affordability broadly, but several county commissioners urged targeted conditions on county gap funding. Commissioner Bearden proposed exploring ratio‑based requirements (for example, allowing market‑oriented units only if a defined fraction of the project is set aside at lower AMI levels).

Other points: Participants also discussed non‑subsidy tools: modifying minimum lot sizes, reducing minimum parking requirements and using CRA and TIF proceeds to make downtown development more financially feasible. City officials noted the CRA is pursuing incentives to attract a downtown grocer once sufficient rooftops exist. Several speakers said transportation and infrastructure capacity must improve to attract more downtown housing and commercial services.

What’s next: County staff will brief commissioners on the proposed gap‑funding application and process after legal review. City and county elected officials said they will continue coordination on density bonuses, impact‑fee credits and other incentives as draft program rules are developed.

Ending: Officials characterized the meeting as part of an ongoing collaboration; multiple speakers urged faster implementation of a formal gap‑funding program while cautioning that underwriting and program rules will determine whether the units produced are affordable to the county’s lowest‑wage workers.","City and county officials described a pipeline of roughly 600–800 workforce and senior housing units and discussed restoring county gap financing, prioritizing lower‑AMI units for county employees and workers who cannot afford market‑rate rents.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County details face‑it‑and‑fix‑it wastewater work as $253M HUD disaster recovery funds are allocated

Bradenton outlines LECOM/City Park master plan; county and city see sports complex as catalyst for downtown redevelopment

Officials say FDOT bridge/connector studies moving forward; local leaders urge urgency on DeSoto/Palmetto corridor

Bradenton, Manatee County leaders press gap‑financing plan to serve lower‑wage workers