An alternative set of regulations now applies to six thoroughfares where the Manatee County Commission wants to encourage urban development. The new codes allow for more density and building height for developers who want to build in an urban setting. The rules are especially intended to encourage walkable, mixed-use development that combines retail, offices and residential and possibly shares parking. The inclusion of affordable housing will enable developers to qualify for density and building height bonuses. The redevelopment would be the antithesis of the typical, car-dependent strip suburban shopping plaza behind a vast parking lot with large roadside signs to attract passersby. Commissioners say they hear from young adults and baby boomers who say they would prefer to live in urban settings close to work and entertainment instead of distant suburbs. Planners stressed that the new rules are optional. Owners of properties flanking those six urban corridors can still develop according to the countywide code if they prefer. Planners assured commissioners that the codes would not permit the intensity that is occurring with redevelopment in the city of Sarasota, where new buildings can be built right up to the sidewalk.
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