MANATEE COUNTY – Members of the local state legislative delegation are making plans to permanently change the face of Anna Maria Island, beginning with a parking garage and potentially ending with the dissolution of the three Island cities.
During a Jan. 12 legislative delegation meeting, Rep. Will Robinson Jr. brought up beach access, specifically beach access and parking in Holmes Beach. Robinson, a Republican, proposed introducing a bill during the upcoming state legislative session to pre-empt Holmes Beach city leaders’ decision to ban parking garages and allow a four-story parking garage to be built on the Manatee County-owned parcel at Manatee Beach. His fellow Republican members of the delegation, Rep. Tommy Gregory, Rep. Mike Beltran, Sen. Jim Boyd and Sen. Joe Gruters, voted unanimously in favor of the proposal and putting the bill forth for consideration at the state level.
Contact Manatee County state representatives
Rep. Will Robinson Jr.
District office: (941) 708-4968
Capitol office: (850) 717-5071
Email: Will.Robinson@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Mike Beltran
District office: (813) 653-7097
Capitol office: (850) 717-5070
Email: Mike.Beltran@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Tommy Gregory
District office: (941) 893-5434
Capitol office: (850) 717-5072
Email: Tommy.Gregory@myfloridahouse.gov
Sen. Jim Boyd
District office: (941) 742-6445
Capitol office: (850) 487-5020
Email: boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov
Sen. Joe Gruters
District office: (941) 378-6309
Capitol office: (850) 487-5022
Email: gruters.joe.web@flsenate.gov
If the proposed bill makes it through all of the levels of state government, including passing votes through committees and the Senate, and gains the approval of Gov. Ron DeSantis, it would allow county commissioners to subvert local governments and issue their own building permits for construction on county-owned property regardless of in which municipality the property is located. It also would allow for the construction of a parking garage in excess of the city of Holmes Beach’s building height restrictions, which limits structures to three stories tall.
“I thought it was incumbent for the Legislature to step in and pre-empt that authority to allow a four-story parking garage if the county commission so votes and funds that parking garage to be built,” Robinson said. “It is fundamental for anyone to be able to visit our public beach and, in my view, parking spaces have been strategically taken away over the last few years under the guise of COVID to not allow folks to access the beach. Folks are getting frustrated – they can’t park, they can’t access the beach, they’re turning around and they’re going back home. And, to me, there’s nothing more important than to allow a person, a taxpayer, who pays for that beach, by the way, to visit that beach.”
Currently, the majority of beach renourishment funding comes from state-funded renourishment programs and the county resort tax, paid by visitors, not local tax dollars.
Dissolving Island cities?
The group also agreed to look into the possibility of engaging The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to do a study to see how feasible it would be to dissolve the three city governments on the Island. If that were to happen, Robinson said it would remove the city governments in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach, replacing them with Manatee County commissioners and administration. He said it could be a good tax break for residents who would no longer have to pay city taxes.
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth issued a statement in reply to the legislative delegation discussions.
“I am disappointed at the position that Will has taken regarding pre-empting city ordinances to construct a parking garage in a coastal community when the city currently and historically has always exceeded the number of parking spaces required for state-funded beach renourishment and interlocal agreements with the county,” Titsworth said. “As a mayor in his district, I would have appreciated Mr. Robinson to have, in the very least, given notice prior to getting out of his lane in making such a bold move. At this point in time I shouldn’t be surprised about anything that comes from this district. I do not feel Mr. Robinson needed the support of the local delegation to move on this bill but next time he moves on a bill that will affect the lives of our city residents, I hope that he would first reach out to the representatives of the city so he can become better informed. A four-story parking garage at the entrance to our city is not in keeping with the historical character of our quaint city. For this to happen, the potential gutting of our height restrictions would also be in play. These restrictions are in our city charter. This undoubtedly is what led to the next proposal by the representative which is the consideration of the consolidation and/or dissolution of the three Island cities.”
“I believe that is probably the biggest overstep and attack on home rule yet,” she continued. “Holmes Beach has been incorporated for over 70 years. We are a vibrant and prosperous city. Our population continues to grow. Our city is responsible for the majority of the contributions to the tourist development tax in the county and has contributed over $30 million since its inception. We continue to improve roads, sidewalks and storm infrastructure and continue to make public safety a number one goal. We have a very strong commission and numerous appointed boards. All board positions are readily filled by residents who desire to give their time to civic duty. The city of Holmes Beach is proud of not only retaining its residents but providing a tourism experience that is a top vacation destination. Property values continue to soar and our city has investors from all over the world. For a representative to single out Anna Maria Island to study dissolving our city chartered governments is a wake-up for all cities of this state. Because of this, I do not believe this will receive the legislative act that this representative is seeking.”
Robinson said that he feels “very confident” in the proposed legislation and that he feels it will pass during the state legislative session beginning Monday, April 10.
