Manatee commission vows to improve communication on road projects

As Manatee County moves forward with plans to widen Lorraine Road between State Road 64 and S.R. 70, three residents who will be affected by the project complained Feb. 14 at a County Commission meeting about how the county’s plans would have a negative impact on their properties.

While it is not unusual for the commission to receive complaints about a road project, commissioners said better communication with those residents could have solved potential problems with less frustration.

Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge said communication with residents about road projects needed to be more centralized, suggesting that Acting County Administrator Lee Washington create a plan to include a communications director to coordinate information between the county and residents about projects that would affect their properties.

Washington said the administration already was working on revamping its  communication efforts and would bring possible models for a system to the board.

With big projects upcoming that include Upper Manatee River Road, Lorraine Road, Lena Road, 75th Street West, 59th Street West, and 63rd Avenue East, Van Ostenbridge said providing residents with information about those projects is critical. 

“It’s just one example because everyone ends up a loser in this specific situation,” he said of not communicating well with residents. “It just puts everyone in a bad spot, and communication is everything.”

A new alignment for the stretch of Lorraine Road was placed on the commission’s consent agenda, which is the series of agenda items commissioners agree to approve without debate, for the Feb. 14 meeting shortly before it was scheduled to be held.

Photo by Ian Swaby

The three residents didn’t get a chance to talk initially about the Lorraine Road project in the public comment period. District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh became aware they were attending the meeting and made sure they eventually could address commissioners.

Diaeldin Said, the secretary of the Lorraine North Property Association, said the item about the Lorraine Road realignment had been added to the agenda too late. He estimated 20 members of his group would have attended the meeting if they knew the road alignment was on the agenda.

He said even though placing an important item on the agenda at short notice builds distrust, he was nonetheless eager to work with the county, and did not want to pursue litigation.

“I’m glad Commissioner Baugh wanted to hear us and she wants to work with us,” Said said. “We’re thrilled to talk to her and to try to influence some of this early design,” he said.

Said said the main concern of residents is drainage. He claimed that following the construction of Rangeland Parkway near its intersection with Lorraine Road, some residents had experienced flooding issues. He said he wanted to ensure a similar situation would not occur with Lorraine Road’s widening. 

He had other concerns as well. He said with many of the Lorraine Road property owners having animal trailers and utility trailers, the ability to turn out of their driveways would be hindered by planned road medians.  

He also was concerned about noise.

“This is going to be a four-lane highway,” he said. 

He said if the county wants to add berms, it would have to purchase more land. He said a wall would be an issue with many residents as it would not be aesthetically pleasing. 

George Widunas, who owns parcels at 2912 and 2020 Lorraine Road, both of which are potentially subject to acquisition by the county based on the current alignment, said developers were influencing plans for the widening.

“This is breaking the rules,” he said.

Manatee County engineer Scott May said with plans for up to 1,200 new homes in the area, along with commercial uses, new pond locations were needed.

Widunas said he should have been asked for input before commissioners would vote on a plan for the widening. He said the only information he has received about the project has come from eminent domain attorneys.

He said surveyors had entered the property to perform preliminary work, drilling holes and placing stakes without his permission. He said he did not want to move from the property and that if he did, he would have done so two years ago when he began receiving letters warning him of the road project.

Baugh said when commissioners vote in favor of a project, they are simply providing the county with the right to look into what is feasible, not instructing the county to begin buying the property.

“We’re not at that point yet, and I can assure you, being your commissioner, we will not be at that point without a meeting with the public,” she said.

Members of the Lorraine North Property Association said no commissioner had attended their meetings.

Baugh said the reason she did not attend a past meeting by the group was that she did not have any information to share. 

Baugh promised to take the interests of businesses and residents into account before making any decisions.

“I’m not looking for us to harm a business. I’m not looking for us to harm a resident. I am looking for us to work together to try to find a solution that is amicable, that makes the road safer to travel.”

Deputy Director of Public Works Clarke Davis said the county was at a stage where it had performed a conceptual design, which tentatively identifies pond sites and right-of-way and helps the county to go forward with final design and an acquisition plan for later.

He said when the county reaches the final stages, it will address issues of exact pond locations and driveways.

He said public meetings will be held for the “Big Six” road projects in Manatee County, the dates for which will be posted on the county’s website.

In response to Widunas’ comments, Davis said to his knowledge, county employees would not enter a property without permission. He said surveying was contracted out to third parties and the staff would confirm whether a party affiliated with the county had entered Widunas’ property.

In response to a suggestion by Commissioner James Satcher, Clarke said the engineers designing the road could examine alternative ponds along the road.

“It is something that I’m sure they will consider. Whether it’s feasible here or not is something they determine during that design,” he said.