Planning for a parking garage at Manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach is underway at the county level.
Manatee County commissioners were set to meet Aug. 14, after The Islander’s press deadline, for a work session to discuss conceptual plans for four county parking garages, including a three-story structure at the county-owned beach.
The garage was proposed by County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge after he came into office in 2020 and began criticizing the city’s park-by-permit system.
City officials argue the park-by-permit system protects residential quality of life.
County officials argue that it restricts island parking for off-island residents and visitors.
State Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton, sided with the county and filed House Bill 947 to allow it to build a 36-foot-tall parking structure on county-owned property within the city — such as Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive — without obtaining a permit from the city.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law June 23.
Now, the county is working on plans for such a structure.
The county has presented plans for a $45 million parking garage that would be funded by tourist taxes and would provide 1,500-1,700 paid parking spaces in place of the existing 400-space parking lot at the beach.
A presentation prepared for the Aug. 14 work session showed plans for a three-story parking structure on the footprint of the existing parking lot, with a public access drive-through on the ground floor and a drop-off area along the beachfront — where existing retail, restaurant and restrooms are located.
The public access drive begins at the beach parking lot’s two current entrances, at the intersection of Gulf Drive and Manatee Avenue and north of the S-curve along Gulf. The plan calls for a roundabout at the north end, where it connects with northbound Gulf Drive.
The drop-off area connects to terraced platforms, which lead to a circulation area that leads to the beach.
Plans also include a retail area on the second floor of the structure.
Holmes Beach officials have discussed launching a legal challenge to oppose the construction of a parking structure but no motions to pursue official litigation have been made by city commissioners.
County staff, in the presentation, is asking the county board for approval to move forward with the concept design and to pursue a public/private partnership for the project.
Later, according to the presentation materials, staff will pursue environmental, stormwater, traffic and lighting studies.