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Year: 2023

Parking garage bill in high gear

Parking garage bill in high gear

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

TALLAHASSEE – A bill in the Florida House of Representatives to circumvent Holmes Beach ordinances and build a three-story, 1,500-plus space parking garage has passed its first roadblock on the way to becoming a reality.

HB 947, proposed by Manatee County Rep. Will Robinson Jr., passed the Federal Affairs and Special Districts subcommittee with a unanimous vote on March 15 despite Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth, City Attorney Erica Augello and other city staff members making a trip to the Florida Capitol to speak in person during the meeting.

After the subcommittee meeting, Titsworth said she was disappointed but not surprised at the outcome.

“We knew ahead of time that they had the vote,” Titsworth said in a statement to The Sun. “We still went so we could at least and on record state our position. The staff did great. This is Florida government at its finest, unfortunately, and an exercise on what to expect when a city takes a stance on quality of life issues. We will continue to fight for home rule and to save our public beach.”

During a March 14 city commission meeting, Augello and Titsworth both spoke about the hearing. The required economic impact statement filed with the bill and signed by Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione states that the proposed garage with a minimum of 1,500 parking spaces is forecast to bring in $4,698,900 in the first fiscal year after its completion and $4,823,300 in the second fiscal year. The garage is expected to cost $45 million to build with $400,000 in annual maintenance afterwards. Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said the garage’s parking spaces would have to be paid parking, around $2 per hour, to help pay for the construction and maintenance. The reasons for building the garage include providing additional public parking spaces for beachgoers and giving visitors more places to park to visit local businesses.

During the March 14 meeting, Titsworth said that she doesn’t think the ultimate goal of Manatee County commissioners, who first proposed the garage, is to provide beach parking for locals but to provide parking for businesses in Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria.

“It could turn into a bus depot to get other people to other parts of the Island,” Titsworth said of the garage. While Holmes Beach city leaders require businesses to absorb their own parking onsite or at an adjacent site, that isn’t the case in Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach, where businesses often have limited dedicated parking.

The bill becomes effective if it passes three committees in the House along with a floor vote and passes the same process in the Senate and is signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis. If that happens, Manatee County commissioners can skip all city approvals and permits to issue their own permits for the construction of the parking garage on the county-owned property at Manatee Beach, located in the city at 4000 Gulf Drive. Van Ostenbridge previously said the new garage would include new bathroom, concession and retail facilities at the public beach. The garage is planned to cover the majority of the county-owned parcel, from the setback on the south next to West Coast Surf Shop to Gulf Drive. According to the bill, the garage is anticipated to not break the city’s three-story height restriction except for the elevator shaft going to the top floor of parking.

City leaders passed an ordinance in 2022 specifying that parking garages are not an allowable land use in the city. The ordinance was a clarification as parking garages historically have not been a use in Holmes Beach except by special exception.

Van Ostenbridge, who said he’d planned to propose a parking garage on the county-owned parcel before city commissioners passed the ordinance, said he felt like city leaders “kept moving the goalpost” so he broached the issue with the Manatee County legislative delegation, who voiced their support of the project during a January meeting. The proposed bill was born from there.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that he patrolled the city over a busy spring break weekend March 10-12 and found that parking wasn’t completely gone despite more than 35,000 cars coming into Holmes Beach each day.

On Saturday, Tokajer said the public beach parking lot was filled by 11 a.m. with 79 public parking spaces empty citywide at noon and 52 available at 3 p.m. On Sunday, he said the beach lot filled at 10:30 a.m. but there were still 88 spaces near the beach open at 11:50 a.m. He said those numbers didn’t include any of the available spaces in city lots or open church lots that welcome visitor parking.

Titsworth said that Robinson and Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse both took her up on an invitation to view the city’s available parking first-hand and that both were impressed with the amount of available parking. By the time Robinson toured the city, the bill had already been submitted for consideration. Kruse was noted during the March 15 hearing as lending his support to the proposed parking garage bill despite not appearing in person in Tallahassee.

Since the first approval, the parking garage bill has moved to the Regulatory Reform and Economic Development subcommittee. If it passes there, it goes to the State Affairs Committee before a House floor vote.

Anna Maria officials oppose rental bill

Anna Maria officials oppose rental bill

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA – Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy traveled to Tallahassee last week to express the city’s opposition to Senate Bill 714.

SB 714 is the Florida Legislature’s most recent move to further limit local government’s ability to regulate short-term vacation rentals, giving more authority to the state. House Bill 883 serves as the companion bill. Both pieces of proposed legislation are currently working their way through various Senate and House committee stops. If SB 714 and HB 883 successfully pass through their respective committee stops, they would then be placed before both houses of the Legislature for final votes. If the Senate and House both adopt similar bills, the legislation will be sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign into new state law or veto.

Murphy arrived in Tallahassee on Wednesday and returned to Anna Maria on Friday. While in Tallahassee, he hand-delivered to key state legislators copies of the city resolution the Anna Maria City Commission adopted on March 9. The resolution expresses the mayor and commission’s opposition to taking away the city’s ability to regulate short-term vacation rentals at the local level.

When discussing SB 714 on March 9, Murphy said, “The only people this benefits is Airbnb and Vrbo. They’re the ones pushing this. Airbnb and Vrbo would like nobody between them and the person renting the house: No realtor, no government agency, no city. Everything’s mechanized and there’s no need for any humans to be involved. That’s what this is all about.”

On Wednesday afternoon, Murphy sent an email update to city commissioners that noted SB 714 successfully passed through the Senate’s Regulated Industries Committee the previous day.

“An amendment was added during that meeting which clarifies fees and tax liability, none of which helps our cause of killing this bill,” Murphy stated in email.

“The good news is that our website (www.homerulefl.com) generated over 2,500 emails to senators on that committee, all speaking out in opposition to SB 714. What’s more, we added 250 new subscribers to our website and our distribution list. We are now very much a statewide website with subscribers throughout the state. We will continue to track SB 714 as it goes to its next two committees in the Senate and we will have campaigns ready to address the bill,” Murphy wrote.

On Saturday, Murphy provided The Sun with more details about his trip.

“I was able to meet the president of the Senate, Kathleen Passidomo, and I left her a copy of our resolution. I also discussed the pitfalls of this pending legislation, including taking away our right to limit the occupancy of vacation rentals,” Murphy said.

“I met with the bill’s sponsor (Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-St. Petersburg) and told him our concerns about ‘party houses’ and the catastrophic impact this bill will have on our Island community. Later, I met with Sen. Jim Boyd and State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. to discuss our concerns. My final meetings were with the House speaker’s office and the chairperson of the Commerce Committee, State Rep. Bob Rommel,” Murphy said.
“As an Island community, we need to bombard the Legislature with our concerns through phone calls and emails. We can utilize the HomeRuleFL.com website to send instant emails to the legislators as the bill moves through the House and the Senate. We are at a very serious and critical crossroads with this bill. Failure to speak up now could have long-term negative implications on our quality of life on Anna Maria Island,” Murphy said.

Holmes Beach opposes vacation rental bill

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Another bill in the Florida House of Representatives is proposed to undo local vacation rental regulations, pushing control to the state.

House Bill 105 is designed to preempt local restrictions on vacation rentals pertaining to sanitation standards, inspections, duration or frequency of rentals and any prohibitions of vacation rentals.

All local vacation rental ordinances that were in place on or before June 1, 2011 are exempt from the restrictions of the bill concerning the prohibition of vacation rentals and regulations regarding the frequency and duration of rentals.

In Holmes Beach, city leaders are concerned about the bill because it would effectively do away with the city’s vacation rental certificate ordinance and regulations, which were passed in 2016. Local governments would be able to require the owners and operators of vacation rentals to maintain the name of a designated contact and information for someone responsible for each unit.

Inspections related to enforcement of the Florida Fire Code would not be impacted, such as those planned by officials at West Manatee Fire Rescue to begin this fall to address potential life safety issues. Inspections of units related to the enforcement of the Florida Building Code would also be exempt.

City Attorney Erica Augello said the city’s lobbyist is working diligently to oppose the passage of the bill, which is currently in the state Regulatory Reform and Economic Development Subcommittee in the House. The House bill has also been referred to the Local Administration, Federal Affairs and Special Districts Subcommittee.

If the new bill passes in committees, it would need to make it through a vote on the Florida House floor before going to the Senate to go through the same approval process to reach Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk for final approval before it becomes law. The bill states it would take effect on July 1. As of press time for The Sun, no vote had been recorded for the bill.

Undefeated Luxury Services wins

Undefeated Luxury Services wins

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Football, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – In what was anticipated to be an action-packed championship flag football game last Thursday night, team Luxury Services and the Solid Rock Construction crew gave the spectators a game that did not disappoint.

After a season of lopsided scores, Luxury Services made it clear why they ended the regular season undefeated and on the top of the rankings. Putting up as many as 96 points in a game this season, the squad led by Chase Richardson continued to find his main target, Jonathan Soultatos, in the final game of the adult flag season.

The Richardson-Soultatos duo added 20 points on the scoreboard. Soultatos finished the season with 15 receptions in the championship game against the talented Solid Rock team.

Despite seven precise flag pulls by Charles “Tuna” McCracken, making amazing stops against Soultatos, Solid Rock Construction came up short of the 32-26 win.

Winning the game by just one touchdown, Richardson threw for five TDs including three to Soultatos, as well as singles to Tim Holly and Dustin Tomcho.

Tomcho made three big catches and possibly the game-winning interception on defense to help his team march to victory.

On the other side of the football, QB Dominick Otteni hit his marks with 11 solid catches by Corey Jacques and three by Tyler Brewer. Brewer added two points to the scoreboard with a focused catch in the endzone after a Solid Rock touchdown.

Solid Rock Construction’s Hannah McCracken played a hard final game and made four amazing flag pulls to stop the Luxury Services offense. The efforts of H. McCracken, older sister of Tuna, contributed to the fight that kept her team in it for two halves of play.

Defensively, Travis Bates put the heat on Richardson the entire game as the Solid Rock designated rusher. Putting the pressure on the Luxury QB kept the offensive players on their toes with Richardson’s quick-release passes.

Otteni added to his game stats with a catch thrown by McCracken and a flag pull. Solid Rock teammate Brian Leibfried made big contributions on the field throughout the season to help get the Solid Rock team to the big game.

A flag pull by Jasmine Muldoon added to the strong defensive effort by Luxury Services that earned the team the winter 2023 Center adult flag football championship title.

 

Sun Scoreboard

March 16

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football Championship Game

 

 

#1 Luxury Services 32

#3 Solid Rock Construction 26

Castles in the Sand

Condo ownership and Florida law

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

I have a condo personality. Not everyone does, but I do. Down through the years, I’ve written quite a bit about condo ownership, culture and personality. I have very happily been living in a condo for over 20 years; it suits me. I despise gardening, cleaning the pool and worrying about the roof, all of which were part of my previous everyday life. But there is one aspect of condo ownership that frankly I haven’t thought much about until the last few years.

After the collapse of the residential condo building in Surfside, there were developers hovering around older condo buildings, especially those with Florida’s most precious commodity, waterfront locations. The interest in these buildings became more intense after the subsequent passage of a Florida law that requires most condo buildings over 30 years old to undergo structural inspections and correct structural failures. Owners and their boards of directors were approached by developers and started conversations about condominium termination rather than perform expensive repairs many long-time owners couldn’t afford.

Florida condominiums are by definition considered legal entities, just like corporations. They have boards of directors, owners, financial budgets and reserves and creditors. It’s different from single-family homes in that once you become an owner, you become part of this legal entity as just one of its unit owners. And that, of course, is where the condo personality or lack thereof comes in. If you don’t like making decisions by committee, better keep looking for the single-family home.

Condo terminations have been more prevalent in Florida than in other parts of the country because of the large number of aging condo units in South Florida and the lack of developable land near the water. According to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, over the past decade there have been at least 400 buildings that have undergone condo termination.

So how do you actually achieve a condo termination? All condominiums have bylaws that address condo termination and what the required number of owners must agree to in order to take this action. Some are 80%, some are less, and some are 100%. Realistically, under the best of circumstances, getting 100% of anything is virtually impossible.

In 2007, the state of Florida stepped in and passed legislation that essentially contradicted some condo bylaws by allowing 80% of the condo unit owners to agree to dissolve or terminate the condo regardless of what was written in the original bylaws. The state decided it was to the advantage of current owners who were considering condo termination but were stuck. This was also during the period of foreclosure fraud and the real estate crisis impacting the country. The statute goes on to say that once a developer acquires 80% of the units, it can terminate the condo.

Granted, it appears the law was decided in favor of developers, but individual owners are also benefiting. Some of the buildings being terminated would be staring down the barrel of major special assessments in order to bring the property up to code, making it unaffordable for owners and downgrading the value of their units. Developers state they are offering market value to owners, eliminating structural risks to the building and its owners and enhancing the aesthetics of the area.

Could this happen in Manatee County? Of course it could, but because we have height restrictions in many areas of the county, our waterfront condos may not be as tempting to developers. Nevertheless, all condo owners need to be aware of the change in legislation and the reality that termination of condos is happening in Florida.

In the meantime, my condo personality will help me overcome whatever happens.

Mote receives another extension for pier facility

Mote receives another extension for pier facility

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Mote Marine Laboratory was given an additional two weeks to obtain a city-issued certificate of occupancy for the education outreach center being installed on the City Pier.

On March 9, Anna Maria City Commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of granting the two-week extension. Commission Chair Mark Short opposed the extension. Mote now has until March 24 to obtain from the city’s building official a temporary or regular certificate of occupancy.

The discussion began with Mayor Dan Murphy stating that March 10 was the deadline for Mote to apply for a certificate, according to a lease addendum the city and Mote agreed to on April 29, 2022. The addendum gave Mote an additional year to complete the interior buildout of the city-owned building and the installation of the marine exhibits that were originally supposed to be completed by March 2022.

Mote receives another extension for pier facility
Kevin Cooper represented Mote Marine at the March 9 city commission meeting. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Vice President of Communications and Strategic Initiatives Kevin Cooper represented Mote Marine at the commission meeting and he acknowledged Mote was going to fall short of its March 10 deadline. He attributed the latest delays to supply chain shortages regarding the air conditioning system and also the Square D stainless steel electrical components required by the city. Cooper said the alternative air conditioning system also required some additional engineering.

Cooper thanked Anna Maria Building Official David Gilson for his assistance in securing a different air conditioning system and the non-Square D stainless steel electrical components that still meet the city’s requirements.

Cooper said the marine life requires an onsite acclimation period before the outreach center can open to the public. He said a temporary certificate of occupancy would allow the marine life, and the marine exhibits built offsite, to be transported to the pier building. It would also allow outreach center manager Jessica Rhodes to occupy the building while awaiting the final certificate of occupancy that’s needed before the outreach center can open to the public.

Cooper said the fire marshal is willing to sign off on the fire suppression component of a temporary certificate if the work completed by March 24 doesn’t warrant a regular certificate of occupancy.

Mote receives another extension for pier facility
Mote Marine’s education outreach center is now expected to open in late April. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

According to the 2022 lease addendum, the outreach center was supposed to open this month. Cooper said Mote now envisions a public opening in late April.

Questions posed

Short asked Cooper why Mote waited until the day before the certificate of occupancy was due before seeking an extension. Cooper said those conversations began about a month ago and a March 7 onsite meeting with Gilson confirmed the need for an extension.

Short said he visited the pier building on March 6 and saw construction workers “mudding” the drywall and the ceiling. Short said it looked like a lot of work was still needed. He asked Cooper how much of the $500,000 in county commission-approved tourist development tax revenues Mote had spent thus far. Cooper said Mote expects to exceed the $500,000 allotted by the county but he did not say by how much. Mote’s rent-free lease with the city requires Mote to absorb any additional startup costs beyond the $500,000 approved by the county. Cooper also noted Mote will staff the facility at its own expense, with volunteers assisting with ongoing staffing needs.

Mote receives another extension for pier facility
Mote Marine’s education outreach center is being installed in the pier building on the right. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Short asked if Mote had submitted any invoices to the city seeking reimbursement for costs incurred thus far.

Murphy said the city received a $96,000 invoice that morning and City Clerk/Treasurer LeAnne would review it and forward it to the county. The county will reimburse the city and the city will reimburse Mote as the invoices are received.

Multiple departments fight Bradenton Beach fire

Multiple departments fight Bradenton Beach fire

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Featured, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

BRADENTON BEACH – Black smoke could be seen rising high into the air after a fire started on March 8 at 403 Gulf Drive S., Unit D in a four-unit condo building known as Birds Nest.

Bradenton Beach Police Officer Steve Masi and Lt. Lenard Diaz were the first to arrive on the scene after getting through the long line of spring break traffic.

“Since it was unknown whether the building’s units were occupied, as soon as I arrived, I exited my vehicle and ran towards it,” Masi said in a police report. “In passing, I saw the building’s owner, and Unit A resident, Mr. Bettona. I asked him if anyone was in his unit or any other and he said nobody was in his, but they were all rented, so possibly, yes.”

Masi ran up to Unit D, which he said he could clearly see was on fire from the outside and touched the door handle to see if it was hot. Since it was only warm, Masi entered the unit, which was filled with smoke, and said he could visibly see the fire coming from the right side of the condo. He announced himself and asked if anyone was in the unit, while lying on the floor to reduce smoke inhalation. After Masi cleared the unit, he went back down to assist with traffic and crowd control with other officers, since fire crews were on the scene at that point.

In a department report, West Manatee Fire Rescue (WMFR) firefighters note they could clearly see the smoke from the fire as they were crossing the Cortez Bridge into Bradenton Beach. Engine 121 was the first to arrive on the scene and noted heavy smoke and fire coming from the Unit D corner of the two-story-over-parking structure building. The E121 team assumed command and advised a firefighter to stretch a 200-foot line to the affected area while another officer from E121 conducted a 360 check of the building, finding one vehicle and no residents present.

Additional trucks arrived, including ladder engine 139 and trucks from Longboat Key and the City of Bradenton, who also assisted. WMFR’s report notes that fire attack did a good job of extinguishing the fire both interior and exterior and all searches came back negative. According to Fire Marshal Randy Kwiatkowski, the fire started on the exterior second-story balcony of Unit D, but the exact cause was undetermined.

Multiple departments fight Bradenton Beach fire
Firefighters extinguish a fire in a second-floor condo at Birds Nest Apartments, 403 Gulf Drive S. in Bradenton Beach on March 8. – Lewis J. Unger | Submitted

“Our investigation could not determine the cause of the fire in part because the extent of damage to the area of origin compromised the integrity of the balcony, creating an unacceptable life safety risk to our investigators,” Kwiatkowski said. “I did call Bradenton Beach Building Official Steve Gilbert, who responded and condemned Unit D. There were no injuries to firefighters or residents. Also, one note of extreme importance is, at the time of the fire, there was one resident in Unit D in the shower who heard the sound of a smoke alarm. Because of the working smoke alarm, he escaped the fire unharmed. I cannot stress enough that working smoke alarms save lives.”

The fire marshal said the building is a four-unit, all-wood construction apartment building. Units B, C and D are licensed transient public lodging establishments/vacation rentals and all three were being rented at the time of the fire. Once the building was cleared of hot spots and the area was cleaned of debris, residents of the undamaged units were allowed to return.

“Without the extraordinary professionalism of West Manatee firefighters and our partnering agencies, this would no doubt have ended more tragically,” Kwiatkowski noted.

Spring break in full swing on AMI

Spring break in full swing on AMI

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Thousands of students, many with their families, have flocked to AMI to escape the still-freezing temperatures farther north, trading quizzes and tests for beach volleyball and fun in the sun.

Due to different regions of the country having spring break on different weeks, the season here on the Island runs from the first week of March through the first week of April, making spring break more than a month long. Traffic will be heavy, parking will be limited, beaches will be busier than any other time of the year and wait times at restaurants will be longer, but there’s plenty of fun to be had if these things are factored in when making plans for a day on AMI.

“There is parking, even this time of year,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “Saturday, March 11, the Manatee Beach lot was full by 11:15 a.m., but at 3 p.m. there were still 52 clearly marked parking spots that were open. On Sunday, March 12, the beach lot was full by 10:30 a.m., but more than an hour later at 11:50 a.m., there were still 88 clearly marked parking spots near the beach.”

Tampa International Airport issued a statement saying March 11 and March 26 were the two peak travel days for passengers coming to the area for the spring break season. When local Island residents are asked what the busiest day of the year is, the answer is often March 15, as it is a metaphorical bullseye in the middle of spring break season.

“We’re with Lone Star Soccer Club out of Austin, Texas. We have a tournament in Bradenton this week, so we get to spend our spring break here,” said Shelby Hollywood, who is here with three of her friends. “The water is so clear, the beach is beautiful and the people are friendly; we’re having a great time.”

Unlike Miami, Panama City, Daytona Beach and even Siesta Key, AMI isn’t known as a chaotic “party” spring break destination. Many young people come with their families, and the Island doesn’t experience many of the problems those destinations see year after year. Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach see the highest concentrations of spring breakers on the Island, and neither of those police departments have reported any serious crime or violence so far this season. However, police in all three Island cities warn visitors to practice common sense. Lock car doors and keep valuables out of sight, walk in groups after dark, don’t leave valuables unattended while on the beach, and don’t have pets or drink alcohol on the beach. Alcohol is not permitted on any public beach on AMI, and this is strictly enforced, especially this time of year.

“We want everybody to have a great time, but we also want everyone to be respectful and responsible,” Tokajer said. “Just remember you are vacationing in a residential area.”

According to the Holmes Beach Police Department, which has license plate readers that count how many cars enter the city each day, the first week of March saw 214,740 cars, for an average of 30,677 per day. The first weekend of week two (March 11-12) there were 36,718 and 35,468 respectively, a significant increase, showing the crowds are growing as the season peaks.

Water taxi agreement revisions continue

Water taxi agreement revisions continue

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – City and county officials continue to work on an interlocal agreement that would allow the Anna Maria City Pier to be used as a landing area for Manatee County’s pending water taxi service.

On March 9, Mayor Dan Murphy and the Anna Maria City Commission discussed but took no formal action on the revised interlocal agreement recently received from the county. That document includes the revisions county staff made to the original agreement the city proposed several months ago.

The discussion resulted in additional revisions being requested by the city commission. Those revisions will be included in an updated agreement to be presented during the commission’s Thursday, March 23 meeting or soon thereafter. If the commission deems those revisions acceptable, the city-revised agreement will be returned to county officials for their consideration.

Waiting for the taxi

The water taxi service was originally expected to begin in March or April. In October, Manatee County commissioners authorized then-County Administrator Scott Hopes to spend up to $700,000 to design and build two pontoon boats to be used as water taxis. Manatee County will initially own the boats to be managed and operated by the Clearwater-based Clearwater Ferry company.

According to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione, the water taxis will travel to and from downtown Bradenton with anticipated stops at the Anna Maria City Pier, the Bradenton Beach Pier and the Coquina South boat ramp in Bradenton Beach, operating from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Extended hours and/or additional service days are possible depending on demand.

When asked about a starting date for the water taxi service, Murphy told the commission that Falcione would not commit to a specific date but said it would be “right around the corner.”

City revisions

The county-revised agreement says the purposes of the water taxi program are “to relieve

automobile congestion coming to and from the Island, and to provide an alternative and affordable means of public transportation to and from the Island for Manatee County visitors, residents and service workers.”

City Commissioner Charlie Salem suggested removing the word “service” and making the reference inclusive to all who work on the Island.

Commission Chair Mark Short referenced the proposed agreement language that says the cost of any Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-related improvements, permits or studies required for water taxi dockage at the pier would be the financial responsibility of Manatee County or its water taxi contractor.

Short said those ADA improvements could potentially include safety rails being added to the existing boat landing area near the T-end of the pier. He noted the proposed language doesn’t address who would cover the costs of any water taxi-related ADA improvements needed elsewhere on the pier in order to serve as a water taxi stop. According to Murphy, the commission would have to approve any changes or improvements made to the pier.

Short also referenced the agreement language that says, “Subsequent maintenance and the cost thereof for the pier shall remain the responsibility of the city.” He suggested the ongoing maintenance remain the responsibility of the county.

Short noted the county-revised version of the agreement references Exhibits A and B, but those exhibits were not included with the document. City Attorney Becky Vose said the city can’t formally enter into the interlocal agreement without being provided with the documents.

Sato Real Estate turns it around for championship

Sato Real Estate turns it around for championship

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Football, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – In an action-packed flag football game, team Pineapple Market Place captured the 11- to 13-year-old league championship against Solid Rock Construction in a close battle last Tuesday night at The Center.

With the 8- to 10-year-old flag football league final game rescheduled due to an event at Anna Maria Elementary School, the top-seed Sato Real Estate squad faced the fourth-ranked Westfall’s Lawn Care and Pest Control last Thursday night.

Sato Real Estate’s 38-7 win against sixth-seed Moss Builders last Monday night earned them their spot in the championship game.

Going into the semifinal game a slight underdog, team Westfall fought their way through two halves of flag football play to win by nine points against Solid Rock.

As the clear favorites, the Sato Real Estate team was shook when their opponents came out onto the field playing to win.

With the much-needed mid-season add-on of Kellen Hunt behind center for Westfall, the Sato team fell behind for the first time in the season with a Westfall touchdown in early play.

In a cleanly physical and exciting game, Sato Real Estate’s Dylan Sato found himself injured and on the bench for several snaps of the football.

Team Westfall continued to play with accuracy and fire, taking advantage of a Sato squad struggling to find its footing in the game.

Self-determined with supportive coaching by volunteer and father Jason Sato, quarterback Brandon Sato lit up the field and ignited the excitement of the sideline with a game-changing interception. B. Sato’s nab of Hunt’s throw gave the Sato Real Estate team the positive play needed to ultimately win the championship.

Finishing the game with five touchdown passes, two defensive flag pulls and two interceptions, including one for six points, B. Sato was the unofficial game MVP.

Big brother D. Sato caught three of his brother’s throws for touchdowns and had a big defensive stop to help win the game.

Teammates Braylen Briggs and Kellen Reed each were the scoring targets for B. Sato, scoring 12 points in receiving touchdowns.

Scoring three total points, Silas DeWitt, Beau DeWitt and Reed all caught for one point conversion after Sato Real Estate TDs.

The remaining team Sato flag pulls came from Reed, B. DeWitt and Briggs. S. DeWitt had three crucial flag pulls to assist his team defensively.

Game-winning and season-making contributions came from Sato Real Estate players Camden Rudacille and Leo Tyler, helping to make the championship win possible.

Despite the loss, Westfall’s players fought hard until the last second of the final youth flag football game of the season played before the adult flag football semifinal games.

Hunt’s touchdown duos in the big game were Ethan Angel, Carter Hey and Callin Westfall, each with a scoring catch for six points. Westfall put four receptions in the stat book.

Angel finished the game with five catches and two flag big flag pulls. Hey made two stops in addition to his TD catch.

Elijah Karabagli and Cody Stockton caught three and two passes for positive yardage for team Westfall, respectively.

Helping the Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control work their way to the championship game, Thadeous Daniels and Ruby Kesten made critical plays throughout the season.

The high-scoring championship game for the older age group was a shootout with 17 total caught passes thrown by Pineapple Market Place quarterbacks, including by Jack Mattick, for a total of 18 points.

Sato Real Estate turns it around for championship
8- to 10-year-old flag football league champions, team Sato Real Estate, are, from left, (top row), Braylen Briggs, Camden Rudacille, Kellen Reed and Brandon Sato, (bottom row) Coach Jason Sato, Beau DeWitt, Silas DeWitt, Leo Tyler and Dylan Sato. – Monica Simpson | Sun

The caliber of play on both sides of the football by both teams makes it difficult to determine who would walk away with the most valuable player honors for the season-ending game.

Mattick threw for three TDs, pulled three flags, caught for one interception and one two-point conversion.

Carter Eurice and the offensive team for Solid Rock Construction threw for 16 passes, scoring 24 points.

Despite the in-the-air action, it ultimately was the two rushing touchdowns that may have been the difference for the 11- to 13-year-old league Pineapple Market Place team.

The speedy wheels of Mattick raced the football past his Solid Rock opponents.

The Pineapple scoring receptions came at the hands of Krosby Lamison with two scoring catches. Cyrus Ryan was the receiver for six points in the endzone.

Lamison’s hot hands made six catches and snagged a flag while on defense.

Rounding out the scoring, Peyton Hovda scored three points with two one-point conversions and a two-point play after a TD. Defensively, Hovda had a team high four flag pulls.

Kaleb Romangnino had a single catch and two flag pulls, while teammate Brantley Kobialka scored one point with a point after conversion.

Brantley finished the last game of the season with two catches in the game.

On defense, Colin Bankert made a huge stop for Pineapple Market Place. Bankert’s teammates Jordan Tobey and Riley Karecki each made team contributions in the winning season.

Working on the other side of the field, quarterback Eurice hit the hands of Hyden Eurice and Audrey Guess for 24 points, each with two TD catches.

Eurice made four catches, two flag pulls and had one interception in the game. Brother Carter Eurice had two flag pulls in addition to his scoring throws.

Guess was the top receiver in the game with eight catches and had five defensive stops.

Austin Guess contributed to his team’s efforts with one catch and three flag pulls, while Addie Guess had two nice receptions and a one-point conversion.

Making a nice two-point conversion and catching a pass for Solid Rock was Colson Mendiola.

Solid Rock Construction’s Bella Roadman had a beautiful defensive stop with a flag pull.

Obi Roadman and Avery Guess made huge team contributions throughout the season, helping the Solid Rock squad make it to the championship game against the top-seed Pineapple Market Place as underdogs.

In the adult co-ed flag football league, #1 met #2 in the final game of the season. With an easy win against The Briley Mortgage Team, with the final score 96-39, the Luxury Services squad secured their position in the big game.

Despite the name, Solid Rock Construction’s owners and family represented Moss Builders on the football field against the Solid Rock team. The Solid Rock squad slotted into the final championship position with the 35-28.

Ready for battle on Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m., top-seed Luxury Services meets team Solid Rock Construction, with the young team looking to take home the championship.

 

 

Sun Scoreboard

March 6

 

8- to 10-year-old league
Round 2 Playoffs

 

 

#1 Sato Real Estate 38

#6 Moss Builders 7

 

#4 Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control 33

#2 Solid Rock Construction 24

 

11- to 13-year-old league
Round 2 Playoffs

 

#1 Pineapple Market Place 29

#4 Shady Lady Horticultural Services 13

 

#2 Solid Rock Construction 19

#3 Moss Builders 13

 

March 7

11- to 13-year-old league
Championship Game

 

#1 Pineapple Market Place 37

#2 Solid Rock Construction 27

 

March 9

8- to 10-year-old league
Championship Game

 

 

#1 Sato Real Estate 39

#4 Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control 18

 

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football
Round 2 Playoffs

 

 

#1 Luxury Services 96

#4 The Briley Mortgage Team 39

 

#3 Solid Rock Construction 35

#2 Moss Builders 28

‘The 39 Steps’ is outlandish fun

‘The 39 Steps’ is outlandish fun

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – When hearing that “The 39 Steps” is an early Alfred Hitchcock film from 1935, comedy is probably not the first thing that comes to mind, especially considering the adaptation by Patrick Barlow actually follows the plot of the film fairly closely.

Those facts noted, there is absolutely nothing serious in the Island Players’ production of this hilarious spoof in which four actors play more than 100 characters in a little more than 90 minutes on stage, leaving the audience little time to catch their breath between laughs from a talented veteran cast.

Colin Brady is cool-headed as Richard Hannay, an English gent who, after a visit to the theater, gets swept up by pure chance into a convoluted plot of murder and international espionage. Sylvia Marnie is a mysterious German secret agent, a Scottish farmer’s wife and a stranger on a train who wants nothing to do with Hannay, but becomes ensnared in his plight nonetheless.

Mark Shoemaker and Joseph Smith each play dozens of roles without missing a beat. To accomplish this feat, there are a lot of quick costume changes, many of which take place during the action in front of the audience. To do it any other way would not accomplish what is at the core of “The 39 Steps,” being 180 degrees opposite of what community theater audiences are used to seeing.

At the beginning of the play, director Heiko Knipfelberg warns the audience that there will be special effects including gunshots, strobe lights and dense fog, which all add to the fun, but are not the norm for the Island Players.

Fans of Hitchcock should make sure to keep an eye out for references to many of his other films. Some are subtle, while others are more “in your face” references. It’s all part of the extremely fast-paced fun.

The only thing audiences may have a difficult time keeping up with is the actual plot, but it doesn’t matter, it’s supposed to be that way. Even the protagonist seems lost about what’s going on at times. The laughs come from the journey, which proves the old adage that getting there is often more fun than the destination.

“The 39 Steps’” runs through Sunday, March 26, with daily performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. There are no performances on Mondays. Tickets are $25 at the box office and $27 online. The box office is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and can be reached by phone at 941-778-5755 or online.

Reel Time: Spring is in the air

Reel Time: Spring is in the air

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

I heard my first whippoorwill almost three weeks ago. It’s one of my favorite times of the year and one of the most productive for anglers who fish with flies, artificial lures or live bait. I like to think of this time of the year as spring training. March and early April can be challenging months, but they can also be very productive. It’s a time when the changing seasons can bring clear skies and balmy breezes one day and high winds and late-season cold fronts the next. It’s a good time to keep an eye on the weather and water temperature.

Water temperatures that hover in the 70s bring fish out of their winter haunts. It doesn’t matter if it’s winter one day and spring the next. Even if the weather is unpredictable, anglers know to start watching for the signs of spring. They’ll keep an eye on the Gulf, looking for flocks of diving sea birds as they feast on schools of baitfish that gather off the beaches in their seasonal migration. They know from experience that schools of little tunny, Spanish mackerel, cobia and kingfish will be attracted by and feed around the schools of bait.

In the bay, trout, redfish and snook will be roaming the flats in search of pilchards, shrimp and glass minnows. Spring is the time when local anglers have a host of piscatorial choices and some of the best conditions, mostly. The weather, while always unpredictable during the changing seasons, seems to be warmer every year. Of course, it’s always possible that a late-season cold front can rile Gulf and bay waters. It’s a swing time and the kind of weather that can play with the emotions of the die-hard angler. But hope springs eternal and we know from experience that it won’t be long before spring is here.  That’s why it’s time to be prepared, flies tied and tackle ready for that day when it’s no longer a question of when it will happen, but what species we’ll fish for!

I like this time of year even if it can be exasperating. One day the flats and Gulf can be barren and the next the action is red hot. When fishing the Gulf, having a rig on board that can handle a big cobia or kingfish makes good sense and having wire at hand in case toothy kingfish and Spanish mackerel make an appearance can make or break a day.

If you’re fishing the Gulf and bait isn’t showing on the surface, try fishing areas where they congregate, like artificial reefs, rocks, and ledges. I like to work a top water plug or fly-over structure and have often found fish where there was no outward sign of their presence.
In the bay, work the areas of the flats on the outside seams of grass flats and the edges and ends of sandy potholes. Pay particular attention to deep grass that’s often present at the end of a pothole and work your casts into the area by casting short and then progressing right over the hole. Top water plugs and flies are particularly effective when waters warm and can be an invaluable aid in finding action.

Whatever your fishing style or whether you like fishing the Gulf or bays, take advantage of this swing time and you might just be rewarded with the promise of spring.

IGW says goodbye at Art Walk

IGW says goodbye at Art Walk

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Art, Entertainment.

HOLMES BEACH – Monthly Art Walks always draw a crowd to Island Gallery West (IGW) and the Artists’ Guild Gallery of Anna Maria Island, as well as many surrounding businesses that participate in the event. The March 10 Art Walk was bittersweet for IGW, as it was the final day the gallery would be open before closing its doors after 33 years to move to downtown Bradenton.

It was the largest crowd to attend an Art Walk at IGW this season, as most of the 33 member artists gathered to say farewell to both locals and visitors who have visited the member-run co-op art gallery, some for decades. While IGW has issued no official statement on the exact reason for the move, conversations over the past few months have alluded to a rent increase and reduced visitation to the gallery due to ongoing road construction in the direct vicinity of IGW being reasons the move was necessary.

The farewell evening was not a sad event; it was very much the opposite, with most of the artists (none of whom resigned from the gallery because of the move) being excited about the future and more grateful for the past 33 years than sad.

“I’ll miss this place very much, but I’m excited to get in the new space,” member artist Charlotte Sorsen said. “We are going to have a lot more space and will be able to hold classes, demonstrations and a lot of things we just didn’t have the space for here at this location. In the end, it’s going to be a very good thing for all of us.”

IGW officials initially kept the new location a secret, but now say the new gallery will be located at 456 Old Main St. in Bradenton.

“We’re going to have so much room at this new location,” member artist Judy Goldman said. “We’ll have room for classes, a design studio, an open studio for artists that are learning to paint and even a painting with the pros studio. It will be a lot of things that will give back to the community. It’s kind of sad because we have so much of our heart invested here, but we’re growing; that’s just how progress goes.”

The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island is now the only remaining member-run artist co-op gallery on the Island and many members there said they are sad to see IGW leave, believing the two galleries helped each other by providing access to the arts for both locals and visitors alike.

“I’m sad they’re leaving, it’s nice to have more than one gallery because people come and shop then they walk around, so things will change a little bit,” Artists’ Guild member and former president Sharon Tarras said. “We have a meeting in the next few days and we’ll have to talk about restructuring the Art Walk now that we have lost IGW. Maybe make it more of a Holmes Beach shopping event. It’s not just the galleries involved, there are businesses here that participate, and I’m sure they want it to continue.”

The Artists’ Guild confirmed there are no plans to leave the Island and the gallery will remain at its current location in Holmes Beach.

Jewelry sale success for Island Library

Jewelry sale success for Island Library

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Clubs, Entertainment, Events.

HOLMES BEACH – Thanks to the efforts of the Friends of the Island Library, significant funds will go to help the Island Branch Library and those who use it, raised at an event that couldn’t have happened without the generosity of many in the community.

“This is the first-ever jewelry sale that we’ve had,” said Julie Perry, a member of the Friends of the Island Library and the chairperson of the jewelry sale committee. “It’s all via donations from the community, so without the community support, we couldn’t support our Island library.”

The March 10-11 sale featured deals on jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, rings, watches, earrings and more for reasonable prices ranging from $1 to $10. All the items for sale were donated by people in the community so all the money raised could go to projects related to the library.

“The reason we support this is because libraries run on such a small and tight budget,” Perry said. “With help from the Friends, the added value is funding programs for kids and adults, new furniture, craft supplies, equipment, beautification projects and other things that add value to our wonderful libraries.”

The Friends send a special “thank you” to the many who donated their jewelry and time to make the sale a success. Although the total amount of money raised from the sale is not yet known, they said they were very pleased with the turnout and expect this to be an annual fundraiser.

Castles in the Sand

Navigating the real estate market

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

I recently read a very extensive and well-researched piece in The Wall Street Journal regarding how foreign buyers are back in the United States to buy real estate and relocate their families. As expected, the majority of these buyers are wealthy individuals who are ready to make a move they may have been thinking about and weren’t able to do during COVID-19 lockdowns in their own countries. Well, they’re here now and buying in Florida and other sunbelt states and, naturally, New York City.

Obviously, if you come across a buyer from another country with a pocket full of cash considering your home, it could be your lucky day. That doesn’t mean you still don’t need to adhere to common sense. No one wants to overpay just because they can.

Everyone knows that cleaning, decluttering and making obvious repairs or paint touch-ups is essential in selling your home, however, that isn’t the most important thing to take care of. The most important decision a seller makes is pricing their property correctly and, in a fluctuating market, it’s not as easy as it sounds.

The old real estate adage that all real estate is local should not be ignored. Since anyone reading this will likely be selling a property on the Island or coastline of Manatee County, what you’re really selling is the Gulf of Mexico. Our region has an abundance of waterfront, water view, water peek, canal front, sailboat water, direct access to the Gulf and I’m sure other descriptive wording I haven’t thought of. Every single one of these “water” possibilities changes the value of your home. Reviewing recently closed properties as close to yours and as recent as possible is a good start. Manatee County’s property website provides access to the public and has every closing available and can be sorted in a variety of ways.

You may have the best waterfront on Anna Maria Island, but if you overprice the property with the assumption that you’ll have plenty of leeway to negotiate, it could be a mistake. You may be missing an entire block of buyers who won’t even look above a certain price point. Pricing a home correctly when it first lists is a much better strategy. Remember there are buyers out there who have been actively looking for just the right thing and have educated themselves in the value of the area. They or their agents are aware of anything new on the market and will know instantly if this property is priced right and worth looking at.

Likewise, pricing a property high because of improvements you have made and perceive to be valuable could be another mistake. What you value is not always what buyers are looking for, especially if the improvements are dark or not neutral or specific to your tastes.

During the pandemic frenzy you could sell just about anything that had four walls and a door. No one cared if your 10-year-old daughter glued almost impossible to get off stars on her bedroom walls or if your husband insisted on a black guest bath, but now they do. According to Zillow, in December 2021, about 44% of homes sold above list price; in December 2022, only 25% sold above list price. Today’s buyers now have a more critical eye and are calculating how much those stars are going to cost to remove.

Whatever market adjustment we’re going through in the country, remember there are always foreign buyers who want to move here. It’s a confidence in our country and our markets we may take for granted, but others don’t. If they have the confidence, certainly we should also.