Eastward development could cost Manatee County taxpayers hundreds of millions
Local resident Stella Burnett remembers when the housing market crashed in 2008 and is worried Manatee County taxpayers could be on the hook for hundreds of millions in infrastructure investments to support major development out east if history repeats.
County commissioners discussed the issue Tuesday, including the need for a study to understand the cost of infrastructure for development already approved in East Manatee County. Staff estimates it could cost hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure investment, and they urged commissioners to take steps to address the matter before taxpayers are stuck footing the bill.
Commissioners also approved a $2.9 billion budget for the 2023-24 cycle, opting to keep the county's tax rate flat this year.
Growing pains
Manatee County staff does not know how much it will cost to build the necessary water and sewer infrastructure for major planned development projects approved east of the county's Future Development Area Boundary, also known as the FDAB.
The line represents the furthest east the county offers water and sewer services and infrastructure, but commissioners have recently approved a slew of major development projects east of it to accommodate a major expansion of Lakewood Ranch and new projects such as the Carlos Beruff-owned East River Ranch.
On Tuesday, county staff asked commissioners to greenlight a study to better understand the matter.
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More: Massive Lakewood Ranch expansion approved in East Manatee County
Utilities Director Evan Pilachowski estimated water and sewer treatment plant expansions could cost more than $100 million at each facility and said the county needs to assess the cost of new pipes that need to be installed as well. He said a study would help the county establish fees charged to developers to offset the cost.
"The further you get away from a treatment plant, the longer you have to pump it, the larger the pipes need to be, you're fighting gravity, especially in the water system," Pilachowski said. "So it's not just that it's they're building it from scratch. It's also more expensive to operate and construct the infrastructure the further you get from the treatment plant."
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Burnett, the Manatee County resident, was the final resident to speak at Tuesday's workshop meeting, which was adjourned immediately after her comments without further input from commissioners. She's worried about the potential for a housing market crash to cause development plans to fall short after major investment by the county.
She said the local market is resilient because the allure of owning a home in Florida draws new residents with deep pockets from out-of-state, but feels local residents are being priced out of the housing market in exchange.
"The idea of things is to have a New Yorker get their pension, come down here, and pay cash for your house," Burnett said. "People get outbid. But we have to have workers ... People who can clean the houses. People that can afford to be here."
"We need affordable housing, we need schools, we need growth to pay for itself," she said.
Comprehensive plan comment period is open
Manatee County residents have three weeks to give feedback on comprehensive plan changes through an online portal on the county website.
The county has contracted the Kimley Horn consulting firm to help the staff review long-term population trends, conduct an analysis of future land use, and review how new state statutes apply to the comprehensive plan.
The outreach effort is a step in the rewrite process, which has been ongoing since May and is expected to be finalized by the end of 2024.
County budget approved
On Tuesday evening, Manatee County commissioners cast a unanimous vote to keep the county tax rate flat and approve a $2.9 billion budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
That includes a net $1.2 billion county budget, as well as additional appropriations, reserves, transfers, trust funds, internal services, and cash balances managed through the county.
More: No tax rate cut planned in Manatee County for FY 2023-24
Tuesday's unanimous approval also includes a $2.18 billion capital improvement plan for the FY24-28 timeframe, with $385.6 million in FY 2024 investments.
Commissioners kept the same 6.2326 millage rate headed into the new fiscal year, although the board has opted to cut the rate the previous two consecutive years. An additional .6109 is levied in the unincorporated Municipal Services Taxing Unit, and another additional .2546 for residents in the Palm-Aire MSTU.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Eastward development could cost Manatee County taxpayers big bucks
