ANNA MARIA – The opening of the new Anna Maria City Pier and the subsequent opening of the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop were among the top Anna Maria news stories in 2020.
Mayor Dan Murphy also spent much of the year leading the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
City Pier opens
The new Anna Maria City Pier reopened on a limited basis on Friday, June 19. The new pier was then open to the public only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop operated by Brian Seymour, Nick Graham and Vic Mattay opened on Thursday, Dec. 10. The pier, the grill and the bait shop are now all open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Necessitated by the closure of the old City Pier and pier buildings in September 2017 due to damage sustained during Hurricane Irma, the ensuing pier replacement project cost approximately $6.8 million and was paid for using federal, state, county and city funds.
The city currently has no plans for the larger, vacant pier building that sits next to the smaller building that houses the City Pier Grill.
COVID-19 response
Led by Murphy, the city of Anna Maria took a proactive response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the pandemic unfolded, Murphy enacted several emergency orders aimed at keeping city residents, business owners, employees and visitors safe.
On March 24, Murphy enacted an emergency order that prohibited the acceptance of new vacation rental reservations for arrival dates between March 26 and June 30.
On March 27, Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended vacation rental operations statewide for two weeks. He later extended that order.
On May 21, the State of Florida approved Manatee County’s plan to reopen vacation rentals countywide, with certain restrictions and new cleaning standards. This led to Anna Maria Island vacation rentals being allowed to resume normal operations in time for Memorial Day weekend.
On June 27, Murphy enacted an emergency mask order that applied inside Anna Maria businesses when proper social distancing could not be maintained. That order was extended several times.
On Sept. 25, DeSantis issued his Phase III reopening order that now prohibits local jurisdictions from fining or penalizing individuals who violate local COVID-19 orders, including local mask mandates.
On Oct. 1, Murphy responded to DeSantis’ order with the issuance of a new emergency order that no longer imposes fines on violators but reiterates business establishments’ rights to trespass those who refuse to comply with a business establishment’s mask policy.
Still in effect, the emergency order also requires visitors to city hall and other indoor city facilities to wear masks or face coverings. It also requires masks or face coverings at city-sponsored events at City Pier Park, including the weekly farmers market and the weekly Movies in the Park. Masks are not required on the City Pier, or while dining outside at the City Pier Grill, which offers no indoor dining.
The pandemic resulted in the cancellation of the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration and the Veterans Day parade. It also caused the postponement of the AMI Chamber of Commerce’s annual Bayfest celebration.
Impact fees and other actions
In early 2020, Murphy, City Commission Chair Carol Carter, City Attorney Becky Vose, and lobbyist Chip Case played significant roles in defeating proposed state legislation that sought to strip local city and county governments of their authority to regulate vacation rental operations.
In June, the commission adopted an amended sign ordinance that allows only one sign to be placed on a construction site or vacant property. The amended ordinance also reinstated a previously suspended prohibition on A-frame sandwich board signs. Enforcement of the sign ordinance is complaint-driven and code enforcement officers are not asked to actively enforce it.
When adopting the 2020-21 fiscal year budget in September, the mayor and commission committed $1.28 million for drainage and stormwater improvements and $656,772 for street and road improvements.
In August, the city commission adopted Murphy’s proposed impact fees program that then took effect in late November. Those developing a new residential structure in Anna Maria must now pay a parks and recreation impact fee of $1.15 per square foot of habitable space. The impact fee also applies to the redevelopment of an existing residential structure that increases the structure’s habitable space.
New residential or commercial development of any kind – or redevelopment that increases habitable space – is now assessed a roads and mobility impact fee or $0.73 per square foot of habitable space. When both fees are applicable, the combined impact fees are $1.88 per square foot of habitable space.
Running unopposed in the November elections, Murphy and City Commissioner Mark Short earned additional two-year terms in office.
In late November, Murphy and the city commission formalized via city ordinance the previous elimination of 88 public parking spaces throughout the city, including 37 spaces along North Shore Drive.
In December, the commission appointed Doris “Deanie” Sebring to fill the commission seat vacated by Commissioner Amy Tripp. The commission also appointed Carter to chair the commission for another year.
