50-foot wetland buffers restored in Manatee County

Robert McCann made his first major move since joining the Manatee County Board of Commissioners. 

The District 5 commissioner made a motion Jan. 7 that took an immediate action to reverse the decision that was made in October 2023 to cut additional wetland buffer requirements and defer to the state minimums. 

The motion was approved in a vote of 6-1 with Commissioner Mike Rahn opposed. 

Commissioners Tal Siddique and Amanda Ballard pushed back to defer to the county attorney, but ultimately there were four clear votes in favor of McCann’s motion. 

The motion moved to void the ordinance that originally cut the buffers and to restore the language as it originally existed. 

Commissioner Jason Bearden made a similar motion in September 2024. However, on the advice of County Attorney Pamela D’Agostino to allow staff and the attorney’s office to review the issue first, Bearden’s original motion was diluted to direct staff to bring back Comprehensive Plan amendments that would restore Manatee County’s 50-foot wetland buffers. 

On Jan. 7, Director of Development Services Nicole Knapp said the county couldn’t reverse the decision until the Comprehensive Plan was amended. 

Bearden asked for the county attorney’s opinion, to which D’Agostino said she hadn’t had enough time to review the matter.

“I have a motion to restore the wetlands, and we have the authority to do that,” McCann said.