Ordinance will resolve Azure Shores inconsistencies

The Azure Shores subdivision’s existing zoning and future land use map designations will remain the same.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – A city ordinance that clarifies, but does not change, the zoning and future land use map (FLUM) designations for 23 properties in the Azure Shores subdivision is ready for final review and city commission approval.

The residentially-zoned Azure Shores properties are located north of Bridge Street, south of the Cortez Bridge and east of Gulf Drive South.

In 2022, as part of their ongoing efforts to address inconsistencies that exist citywide between various zoning and FLUM designations, Building

Official Steve Gilbert and City Planner Luis Serna proposed rezoning the Azure Shores properties to make them consistent with the existing future land use map designation.

The zoning and FLUM designations determine what kind of development is allowed on a specific property. Changes to those designations could negatively or positively impact the ability to develop a property and/or the value of a property.

When the zoning and FLUM inconsistencies that exist throughout the city were first discussed several years ago, Gilbert said the existing inconsistencies could create land use disputes and potential legal challenges as to whether the zoning designation or the contrasting FLUM designation prevailed in term of how a property could be developed or redeveloped.

In 2022, Gilbert and Serna proposed changing the existing Multiple Family Dwelling District (R-3) zoning designation to a Mixed-Use District (MXD) zoning designation, while maintaining the Retail/Office/Residential (R/O/R) future land use map designation adopted by a previous city commission in 2008.

The proposed rezoning would have allowed ground-level retail and office space with residential units above, but the commission rejected the proposed rezoning and stated a desire to retain the subdivision’s residential character.

The city commission also rejected the Planning and Zoning Board’s contrasting recommendation to rezone the Azure Shores properties to R-2 (two-family dwelling) and change the future land use map designation to Medium Density Residential.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry advised the commission that downzoning those properties from R-3 to R-2 could negatively impact those properties’ allowed uses and property values and could subject the city to Bert Harris claims filed by negatively impacted property owners.

Pending Approval

The ordinance will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Board for a final recommendation in September. The board is expected to recommend future city commission approval. Gilbert and Serna presented the draft ordinance to the Planning and Zoning Board members on Aug. 2,

SEE AZURE SHORES, PAGE 20