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Long Bar Pointe Protestors Storm Manatee County Commission Chambers
A new agenda item scheduled to come before the Manatee County Commission on Aug. 6 has been the subject of controversy for months. Opponents say it could ruin the southwest Florida habitat that is crucial for local fisheries.
Protestors of the Long Bar Pointe Development in west Bradenton stormed Manatee County Commission chambers on Thursday afternoon to object to a project that they say would ruin fisheries near Cortez.
They held inflatable dolphins and signs that read "Keep your five-star hotel far away from our five-star bay;" then around 3:30 p.m., they went to the ninth floor of the building. However, the commissioners wouldn't come out of their offices to speak to them.
Ed Goff, of Save Our Shores, presented Shirley Tally, executive assistant for the MCC, 1,000 signatures urging against the development.
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Yvonne Tryon, who works in the MCC administration building, said it was the first time she had ever seen a crowd come up to the commission chambers. Usually, she said, they "schedule an appointment."
Prior to storming the chambers, cars honked at the protestors outside as they passed by the MCC administration building located at 1112 Manatee Ave. W.
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Jane Von Hahmann, a former Manatee County Commissioner, was among the crowd.
"We approved this plan in 2004 for 1,658 homes with the stipulation that they wouldn't destroy the mangroves," she said. "But that wouldn't generate as much as 2,000 homes, plus a hotel, a marina and retail and office space." It would also require dredging.
Jack Richardson, a Bradenton local, said the project was just about "people making money" and added "there needs to a balance between natural resources and development."
The project would require a change in the county's comprehensive plan that was designed to accomodate the next 30 years of development.
Altering the plan, would mean building in a flood zone and removing and trimming mangroves, protestors said.
Long Bar developer is now seeking compensation, damages for land given to county for road extension, which runs through the development and was paid for with impact fees, according to officials.
"When it goes, it's gone," Richardson said.
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