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Year: 2023

Letter to the Editor: When is it enough?

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

When do the builders and developers have enough money so that they will stop destroying what used to be a great place to live, Anna Maria Island?

When will there be enough monster homes built by overzealous investors right next to smaller homes where people raised their families and came to vacation for generations? When will there be enough residents forced to move because of the noise of traffic or the unending disturbance of two, three or four families suddenly living next door, but moving in and out every week? The once-family homes that were razed and replaced with buildings that accommodate three, four and five families are mini-hotels, not homes.

When will there be enough gold lining the pockets of builders, investors and developers who are turning an unpolished gem into Clearwater, St. Pete or Fort Lauderdale? We need to wake up and see the destruction of the lifestyle we all thought we had on Anna Maria Island.

Sean Murphy is right – the issue is not parking; the issue is traffic! Why not have an engineering company perform a traffic impact analysis?

Who is going to pay for the proposed parking garages on the island? Will visitors then have to pay to park when visiting our free beaches?

Beachgoers could park in the two virtually empty parking deck garages in downtown Bradenton. The county can lease, on a seasonal basis, interstate/Greyhound-type buses that have plenty of storage for beachgoers’ chairs, etc. They can run every 20 minutes, significantly reducing congestion. This would eliminate idling cars either stuck in traffic or moving so slowly due to traffic that air pollution is increased, valuable fuel resources are wasted, and frustration and anger and angst are created – let us not forget people who LIVE on the island.

Residents cannot go out to shop, go out to eat, or leave the Island to go to church unless they spend hours in traffic for what used to be a 10-minute drive. Have you ever walked on the Island’s sidewalks in season while cars spew carbon monoxide in your face?

The fellow Holmes Beach resident who wrote, “We only have so much space; apply the math…” was so right.

It is painfully clear that parking isn’t the real issue – the true motive behind this is development and profit.

Stop the madness!

Last, but not least, the county commissioners and the FDOT should build a bridge to Longboat Key which would alleviate the Gulf Drive/Cortez traffic nightmare.

 

Paul Reed Steberger

Holmes Beach

Letter to the Editor: What is AMI’s carrying capacity?

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under the Division of Recreation and Parks has the responsibility of planning the use and management of Florida’s public lands and water areas. Governments are tasked with development and management strategies and plans for the quality of recreation experiences and protection of the natural areas which are directly affected by the implementation of the site plans, or land use plans. As we write our state legislators regarding the current hot topic of the “garage,” perhaps we should encourage a study using the DEP Carrying Capacity Guidelines.

Carrying capacity is the maximum population that can be sustained by a specific environment. Carrying capacity computations are vital to the planning of new use sites, alterations of existing use sites and continuous management of all areas of the system. To prevent overcrowding and resource deterioration, the collection of data is fundamental to assessment.

Carrying capacity for a given site governs the number of parking spaces, the size of restrooms and all quantities of support facilities to be provided. Surveys on tourists’ perspectives have shown that in addition to beach cleanliness, safety, information availability and habitat management, overcrowding is considered as a very significant criterion by potential tourists.

Without becoming too technical, these are the broad capacities:

  • Economic – maximum number of tourists that an area can support;
  • Biophysical – damage to the natural environment exceeds the habitat’s ability to regenerate;
  • Social – Reduced visitor enjoyment and increased crime/indicators of when the social carrying capacity has been exceeded;
  • Environmental – ecological and physical parameters, the capacity of resources, ecosystems and infrastructure.

Doug Lansky, an international tourism advisor, has a great YouTube video on tourism, “a new model for success in tourism that emphasizes sustainable growth, protecting local assets, and enhancing life for the locals while maximizing the local economic impact.”

The area of Anna Maria Island is less than a half of a percent of the total area of Manatee County. A $45 million parking garage for 1,500 is not a panacea. Encourage legislators to use smart and sensible planning strategies and studies for the benefit of residents, visitors, and the environment.

Margie Motzer

Holmes Beach

Castles in the Sand

When old is too old

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

Last week we talked about interest rates and the effect they may be having on the national and local real estate markets. But what if you’re a senior citizen, retired and want to buy another home? There may be barriers to obtaining that loan you never considered.

No secret that lots of real estate is sold to seniors in the state of Florida, and not just Florida. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports that 13% of all mortgages originated in 2021 were by people 65 years of age and older; that is over 1.9 million mortgages.

Nevertheless, older borrowers who no longer draw a paycheck and rely on investments and the interest they generate may have a problem proving to a lender that they have sufficient income and assets to qualify for a mortgage. This is especially true now as housing prices have gone up substantially over the past couple of years.

In addition, widows and widowers could have another problem qualifying if they have lost income after their spouse has passed. Frequently pension benefits are lost or reduced and Social Security benefits will also be reduced. A woman I met told me that after the loss of her husband, she couldn’t afford to stay in her house and didn’t qualify for a home equity loan to help with expenses even though there was adequate equity in the property.

Seniors who are depending on investments to cover living expenses will qualify if they are taking regular distributions from IRA accounts, which are considered income. However, if they are just withdrawing funds as needed, lenders may not consider that as income. Every lender is different, so finding one that has worked with seniors in similar positions is helpful. And of course, keeping your credit score up is essential, so be prudent when considering cosigning a car loan for your grandson.

Last week, we also reported on the sales statistics for Manatee County and the national sales statistics came out right around the same time. The National Association of Realtors said the number of closed sales fell 36.9% from last January; this is in line with our statistics that single-family closings were down by 31.7% in Manatee from last year.

Not similar, however, were the national median existing-home prices, which rose 1.3% in January from a year earlier. Manatee County’s median sale price for single-family homes was up 5.4% compared to last January. This should be expected when you see the selling prices on Island homes and other coastal areas in Manatee County.

Also, according to the National Association of Realtors, seven of the top 10 cities with the largest year-over-year increases are in Florida or the Carolinas. Sarasota is up 19.5%, Naples is up 17.2%, Punta Gorda is up 15.2% and Daytona Beach is up 14.5% – the Florida hot spots. Lawrence Yun, the Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, says, “Even with a projected reduction in home sales this year, prices are expected to remain stable in the vast majority of the markets due to extremely limited supply.” I would add that supply is gradually improving with the possibility of it impacting sales values.

If you’re a senior and are experiencing a problem getting financing, remember that it is against the law to discriminate because of age. But it’s not against the law to discriminate because of a lack of income. Use the tools available to get that mortgage done before the prices go up again.

City officials prepare to defend local vacation rental regulations

City officials prepare to defend local vacation rental regulations

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

ANNA MARIA – City officials and their allies are gearing up to oppose the newest attempts by the Florida Legislature to preempt more local short-term vacation rental regulations to the state.

This year, the Legislature is considering Senate Bill 714 and House Bill 833. Senator Nick DiCeglie (R-St. Petersburg) sponsored SB 714 and State Rep. Wyman Duggan (R-Jacksonville) sponsored HB 833.

In addition to limiting local government’s ability to register, inspect and regulate short-term vacation rentals, the proposed legislation seeks to give the state the exclusive regulation of online advertising platforms such as Vrbo and Airbnb.

The proposed legislation would also impact Florida cities financially by cap- ping the annual vacation rental registration fee that can be charged.

“Local governments may charge a fee of no more than $50 for processing an individual registration application or $100 for processing a collective registration application,” according to SB 714.

Commission reaction

Commissioners discussed SB 714 at the Feb. 23 Anna Maria City Commission meeting.

“It pretty much makes us a gatekeeper for people to register a vacation rental,” Mayor Dan Murphy said. “Even with that, you could do blanket registrations. If you’ve got 75 homes in our city, you can just do one blanket registration. It takes away the registration fee we use to enforce our (vacation rental) ordinance. It takes away our being able to regulate the advertising program, which is key to enforcing occupancy.”

This year, the city of Anna Maria is charging an annual registration fee of $84.17 per occupant allowed in accordance with the city’s vacation rental ordinance. This year’s annual fee for four-occupant vacation rentals is $336, with a six-occupant vacation rental fee of $505 and a 12-occupant vacation rental fee of $1,010. The registration fees are projected to generate approximately $415,000 for vacation rental enforcement during the 2022-23 fiscal year.

“It totally guts everything,” City Attorney Becky Vose said. “It’s a horrendous statute. Hopefully, it won’t pass.”

“What this amounts to for people who live in Anna Maria is a tax increase be- cause the money that’s collected through these registration fees is only collected
in order to enforce these regulations. It’s going to have to be made up somewhere else,” Commissioner Charlie Salem said. “This problem stretches over the bridge. We hear more stories about vacation rentals popping up in Palma Sola, west Bradenton and Bradenton. So, this problem, while it’s been acute on the Island, is coming to a neighborhood in Manatee County. The residents of Manatee County and their representatives should be really concerned. It basically amounts to residents funding vacationers’ activities, and I don’t think that’s what their intent is.”

Murphy noted the city has been fighting this annual legislative battle for the past six years. To combat these latest efforts, the city will again rely on its contracted lobbyist and the city-owned www.Hom- eRuleFl.com website that provides concerned citizens with issue-specific form letters that target key state legislators.

Fire department plans vacation rental changes

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

MANATEE COUNTY – At the urging of members of the district’s fire prevention bureau, West Manatee Fire Rescue’s board has approved changing the status of short-term rentals in the district from residential to commercial.

Fire Marshal Rodney Kwiatkowski first presented the idea to the district’s commissioners during a January meeting. He said that under the Florida Fire Code, the district has the ability to reclassify the properties for assessment and enforcement purposes. Under the code, short-term rental properties are known as transient lodging, a commercial classification.

Changing the classification of the properties is estimated to bring in an additional $1 million annually in assessment revenue. The funds will be used to implement an inspection program.

All short-term rental properties in the district will be inspected for fire safety, including where smoke alarms are placed throughout the property, availability and location of fire extinguishers, an easily visible floorplan of the structure with exits clearly identified and other safety measures. Kwiatkowski said that while owners may need to implement some new fire safety measures, they shouldn’t expect to have to do something costly, such as install sprinkler systems.

With the new program comes the hiring of a new fire inspector and administrative assistant for the fire prevention arm of the district to handle the increased workload. The district plans to post the jobs immediately with hiring and onboarding anticipated in July. Kwiatkowski said that there is enough money in the current fiscal year to cover salaries and purchase of new equipment for the new hires until the Oct. 1 beginning of the new fiscal year, when inspections are anticipated to begin.

During a Feb. 21 commission meeting, Kwiatkowski said that he had received good feedback from stakeholders in the local rental industry. The main negative feedback he said he’d received was concerning the percentage increase, not the dollar increase,

in annual fire assessment rates. The rate for commercial properties is about twice what it is for residential properties in the district.

District personnel also will be working with already-established vacation rental inspection programs, such as the one in Holmes Beach, to make sure there’s no overlap of efforts and rental owners’ businesses are disrupted as little as possible.

Security guard reports battery at Bradenton Beach Marina

Security guard reports battery at Bradenton Beach Marina

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – With millions of dollars worth of boats and equipment onsite, the owners of the Bradenton Beach Marina employ an after-hours security guard to prevent property theft, damage, trespassing and illegal after-hours parking.

Violence isn’t a normal part of the job, but that changed on the evening of Feb. 20.

Bradenton Beach Police Officer Kyle Orms responded to the marina in reference to a possible battery. When Orms arrived, he made contact with the victim, Francisco Martinez, who said he had been punched in the head by a man who was still on the scene. Orms found the man, later identified as Desmin Shaw, walking back and forth around the marina property.

“I observed that Mr. Shaw had the strong odor of alcohol about his person and was stumbling and having a hard time keeping his balance,” Orms said in a police report.

Orms handcuffed Shaw and placed him in the back of his patrol vehicle while he continued to speak with Martinez. Since the officer noticed Shaw had several scrapes and bruises, he called EMS to the scene to check on his physical welfare. The man was determined to not need medical attention.

Martinez told Orms, who by this time had assistance from Holmes Beach police, that he was sitting in his car with his wife when the suspect came up to the car and screamed at him using profanities to get out of the vehicle. Martinez’s wife said Shaw raised his fist and attempted to punch her in the face, but she was able to shut her door before he could make contact. Shaw then went to the rear passenger door and jumped in the car, she said, at which point her husband got out and confronted the man. She told police that Shaw then got out of the car and punched Martinez in the face. Martinez used his pepper spray to end the assault, at which time Shaw ran to one of the boats, which he boarded before jumping in the water.

The police report that Martinez was in full security uniform, which carries the same additional penalties as assaulting a firefighter or EMS responder, a felony.

Shaw asked Orms if Martinez and his wife would be pressing charges.

“When he asked if they were pressing charges, I asked him why charges would need to be pressed,” Orms said in his report. “He then backtracked and said he was just assuming the situation.”

Shaw was arrested and charged with burglary for entering the vehicle, as well as battery. He was transferred to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office before being transported to the Manatee County Jail, where he was later released on a $4,000 bond.

Reel Time: Suncoast Waterkeeper launches ‘Eyes on the Suncoast’

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

The waters on the Suncoast need the protection of those who love them. You can help Suncoast Waterkeeper (SCWK) do that with a new program the nonprofit launched recently by keeping your “Eyes on the Suncoast” and reporting what you see.

Whether you’re boating, biking, swimming, fishing or walking, everyone on or near the water can help SCWK remind residents and visitors why the Suncoast’s marine ecosystem is worth protecting. Suncoast Waterkeeper can’t be everywhere at once, that’s why your contributions are vital to their efforts.

Suncoast Waterkeeper launches 'Eyes on the Suncoast'
You can help Suncoast Waterkeeper by report- ing conditions such as this light-colored plume in area waters. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

SCWK has designed a platform that makes it easy for you to submit and share what you see. Sharing what you see using your phone, social media and the hashtag #eyesonthesuncoast can be invaluable in efforts to preserve water quality and habitat.

Here are two ways you can report what you see:

1. Use the form on their website for bad conditions or pollution reports only. The form will let you post an image, add a description and give the location of the report.

2. Post to Facebook or Instagram. Here is the perfect place to post what you love about the Suncoast and why it’s important to help organizations like SCWK keep it sustainable. A YouTube video walks you through the process on the webpage. Follow these four easy steps to post to your social media platform:

• Upload a picture;

• Include a description of what you’re reporting;

• Provide the latitude and longitude for your location using your phone’s compass or by dropping a pin on a map app; and

• Add #eyesonthesuncoast.

Need a couple of tips on what to report?

Post the things that inspire and amaze you – wildlife sightings, clear/clean water, a special sunrise and/or sunset, healthy seagrass or marine scenery.

Post the things we need to be aware of like trash/debris, excessive mangrove trimming, including dead mangroves, fish kills, dead or sick aquatic animals, discolored, foamy
or foul-smelling water, sewage spills, algae blooms, gas, oil or grease spills, runoff from construction sites, direct pollution or chemical spills, invasive species as well as other concerns.

If you have questions, visit Suncoast Waterkeeper online.

Don’t underestimate the impact that your contributions can make.

As Margaret Mead, the famous cultural anthropologist said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Ugly Grouper hoping for playoff miracle

Ugly Grouper hoping for playoff miracle

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

ANNA MARIA – Last Thursday, The Center’s adult co-ed flag football league closed out the regular season with team Luxury Service undefeated with a 7-0 record.

On the flip side of the coin, the Ugly Grouper squad finished without a win.

The two teams meet up in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs on Feb. 3. A playoff miracle for Ugly Grouper is needed against the high-scoring Luxury team.

The Briley team easily defeated the Ugly Grouper lineup last week 41-0, finishing the season with a 4-3 record.

A late player substitution was made to The Briley Mortgage Team roster with the addition of Jon Moss working behind the center as quarterback.

The change led to a passing game with 30 receiving points, including four thrown by Moss and one by Connor Haughey.

On the receiving side of the scoring, the hot hands and body control by Karri Stephens scored 12 points. Stephens had one defensive stop in the game. Jesse Skipper, Mike Bolognone and Haughey each had a six-point catch to help The Briley team capture their fourth win of the season.

Skipper had a single flag pull and a sack. Haughey’s game stats include one receiving reception, a single one-point conversion, seven total catches and stop while on defense.

Topping off the offensive scoring for The Briley Mortgage Team were Jana Whitehead and Alonzo Lemus, each with a point after a touchdown conversion.

The remaining defensive stops included flag pulls by Bolognone, Whitehead and Lemus, with an interception by Lemus.

Despite the loss, the Ugly Grouper players put critical statistics into the books in last week’s game. Kiatrell Zachery led the defense with six flag pulls and one interception.

Credited with an INT while on defense, Limarcus Waller lit up the football field with three catches and four flag pulls.

Daniel O’Connor had two defensive stops, adding to a single by Colton Fox.

Contributing offensively, Zachary Blakeney and Devyn Larson each had a catch for important yardage in the game.

With Jon Moss as the QB for Briley Mortgage Team, there is a potential match-up against family members on team Moss Builders.

Brother Ryan Moss, cousin, Greg Moss, and father, Ed Moss, make up nearly a third of the team that defeated The Banks Home Lending Team on Feb. 23 with a score of 38-19.

Moss Builders finished the season with a 6-1 record and faces Gulf Drive Café in the first round of the adult league playoffs at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

The café team had a single win in the regular season, with a loss handed to them by The Sandbar team in the final week of pre-playoff games.

Almost pulling out a win last week, with the final score 48-41 in Sandbar’s favor, Gulf Drive Café goes into the playoffs as underdogs against the solid Moss squad.

In the final game of the first playoff night, The Briley Mortgage Team snaps against The Sandbar at 9 p.m.

 

Sun Scoreboard

 

Feb. 20

8- to 10-year-old league

Week 6

 

 

#5 AMI Coconuts (3-3-0) 28

#8 SynLawn (0-6-0) 12

 

 

#1 Sato Real Estate (6-0-0) 25

#2 Solid Rock Construction (4-2-0) 13

 

 

#3 Island Real Estate (4-2-0) 28

#6 Moss Builders (2-4-0) 6

 

 

#4 Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control (4-2-0) 35

#7 Cloud Pest Control (1-5-0) 30

 

 

Feb. 21
11- to 13-year-old league

 

 

#1 Pineapple Market Place (6-0-0) 34

#3 Moss Builders (4-2-0) 26

 

 

#6 Intentional Resilient Intuitive (2-4-0) 25

#7 Sandhoff Construction (1-5-0) 20

 

 

#4 Shady Lady Horticultural Services (3-3-0) 45

#8 Chick-Fil-A (1-5-0) 20

 

 

#2 Solid Rock Construction (5-1-0) 40

#5 Storage Building Company (2-4-0) 6

 

 

Feb. 23
Adult Flag Football – Week 7

 

 

#4 The Briley Mortgage Team (4-3-0) 41

#8 Ugly Grouper (0-7-0) 0

 

 

#1 Luxury Services (7-0-0) 46

#3 Solid Rock Construction (4-3-0) 28

 

 

#5 The Sandbar (3-4-0) 48

#7 Gulf Drive Café (1-6-0) 41

 

 

#2 Moss Builders (6-1-0) 38

#6 The BanksHome Lending Team (3-4-0) 19

Castles in the Sand

Real estate market warming up

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

It’s winter in Florida and it can be a little chilly in the morning, but, if you pay close attention, you may feel a slight warming breeze. However, the breeze I’m talking about is not in the air, but in the real estate market, and it’s starting to stir demand among buyers.

Mortgage rates have fallen by about a full percentage point for a 30-year fixed-rate loan, signaling that the Federal Reserve may be nearly finished lifting interest rates. As of this writing, the average 30-year fixed-rate loan is averaging about 6.79%, but there are loans out there that are as low as 6.46%, and a 15-year fixed-rate loan is averaging about 6.22%.

The last time we saw mortgage rates in the 6% range was for several years between 2003 and 2008 after which the rates started dropping. Understandably, new buyers to the market were appalled when the rates went over 7% from a low of 3% since they had never seen rates this high.

Redfin reports that the number of people contacting real estate agents to start their buying process has increased from a November low. In addition, real estate contracts rose in December and mortgage applications are up by about a quarter nationally since the end of last year.

The real estate market has always been a barometer of how the economy is doing in general because so much of a successful economy is driven by a successful housing market. Goldman Sachs Group economists said this past month “they expect the worst of the downturn has passed and housing is poised to exert less of a drag on economic growth going forward.”

And buyers are hearing the message and getting accustomed to their monthly housing costs being higher if they plan on buying a home. It’s a correction in their thinking which has finally taken hold.

Let’s see if Manatee County residents are also getting the message. These are the January sales statistics reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

Single-family homes closed 31.7% fewer homes than January of last year. The median sale price was $505,710, up 5.4%, and the average sale price was $650,544, up 5.8%. Median time to contract was 32 days, compared to 7 days last year, and the month’s supply of properties is 3.2 months.

Condos closed 24.4% fewer properties than last January. The median sale price was $345,000, up 14.4%, and the average sale price was $392,332, up 3.4%. Median time to contract was 26 days, compared to 6 days last year, and the month’s supply of properties is 3.2 months.

Cash sales continue to drop 31.6% for single-family and 34.6% for condos. However, inventory is increasing and the median and average sale prices are still in positive territory compared to last year. The combination of increased inventory and values that are holding is a great thing. There are regions around the country that would love to be in our position.

In addition, historically, 6% interest rates are not unusual. What was unusual was when they got down to 3%. We as a country have always survived high-interest rates frequently much higher than 6%. Buyers continued to buy even then because owning a home is ultimately the goal of most Americans. So, enjoy the warming trend and be patient it you haven’t felt it yet, it’s coming.

Pizzano’s packs a punch with pizza

Pizzano’s packs a punch with pizza

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Business, Restaurants | Bars.

HOLMES BEACH – Nobody is quite sure if being two blocks from the beach makes pizza taste better, but the owners of Pizzano’s Pizza and Grinderz say it’s good for the soul if nothing else.

While new to AMI, Pizzano’s has been established in Florida for decades, with the first location opening more than 30 years ago in Orlando. Born in Sicily and raised in Michigan, owner Sam Marhi has been connected to AMI long before he opened his restaurant here.

“My family’s vacationed down here for lots of years,” Marhi said. “We always said if the opportunity came up on the Island, we’d love to do a pizza place here. Over the years, not too much became available that fit what we were looking for, then we got lucky enough and this spot came open.”

The spot Marhi speaks of is 5318 Marina Drive in a popular shopping plaza that has ample foot traffic and is highly visible. There are now 11 Pizzano’s; the first nine locations are all in the Orlando area and are still very successful, with the 10th being their Bradenton location.

However, it was number 11 that made Marhi and his wife, Missy, relocate to Anna Maria Island and make it their permanent home. Like so many others, they just want to work hard and live the “Island life.”

Sam and Missy work open to close just about every day in their new location, but always have a smile on their face because they feel fortunate to be in their dream location. The couple met nearly 30 years ago when Sam had just opened his first Pizzano’s and Missy was a customer. A saucy romance began, and the couple has been together, feeding the public ever since.

When asked what the secret to their success has been, Marhi says it’s his attention to the details he says many pizza restaurants no longer do.

“We still do things old school,” Marhi said. “I still make all my pizza dough in-house, and I still make all of our pizza sauces and other sauces in-house. We don’t buy anything frozen or anything pre-made. It makes a big difference, and a lot of places don’t do that anymore, especially out here on the Island.”

Pizzano’s has a large menu that offers something for everybody. While the traditional pizza is very popular, they also do a Detroit-style Sicilian pizza, wings, subs, various breads and garlic knots, salads, pastas, desserts and grinderz. It should be noted for those from the Northeast that in Michigan, a grinder is similar to a calzone, not another name for a “sub” or “hero” sandwich. Marhi admits there is sometimes confusion due to the origin of the customer, but they’re “keeping it Michigan.” “A new item we’ve introduced here on the Island is a gluten-free cauliflower pizza crust and we have a dairy-free plant-based cheese option too,” Marhi said. “We’re also in the process of adding some gluten-free pasta to the menu as well.”

Anyone visiting Pizzano’s will be greeted by a friendly staff that seems genuinely happy to see them walk through the door. Many customers have become friends of the staff and a great deal are already on a first-name basis. Pizzano’s is open seven days a week with both carry-out and delivery available during all business hours: Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-12 a.m.; Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-1 a.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m.-12 a.m.

To place an order, call 941- 778-3663 (FOOD) or order online. During the busy spring season, delivery and carryout times may be longer than at other times of the year.

Island Gallery West moving off Island

Island Gallery West moving off Island

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

HOLMES BEACH – Island Gallery West (IGW) has been operating in the same location for 33 years, but on Friday, March 10, they will say goodbye to AMI and begin the move to downtown Bradenton, where they will open their new gallery in May. They have not yet announced where the new location will be but said the announcement will come soon.

“Our final day will be Friday, March 10 and will include an evening ArtWalk with our featured artist, Terri Westbrook. We would love to see you. We will miss our Island home dearly so please join us to celebrate the past and toast the future,” the gallery said in a recent press release.

The gallery members did not wish to comment on exactly why they are moving, but ever since a road construction project in Holmes Beach began last year, multiple IGW artists have told The Sun that foot traffic has seriously decreased due to the work being done just a feet away from their parking lot. They think that many tourists likely don’t know how to enter the parking lot due to multiple road closures and changing traffic patterns in the area.

“We asked ourselves how we could continue to grow as a gallery; offering more artist demonstrations and adding hands-on classes in the space we have occupied for 33 years,” member artist Karen Beach said. “Having a larger space would be ideal. We explored the possibilities off-Island and downtown Bradenton is undergoing a revitalization and that central location would allow us to reach a wider audience in the greater community.”

IGW isn’t the first gallery to leave or dissolve in recent years. While the Island Art League is still active on AMI, hosting popular events such as Springfest, they no longer have a physical location on the Island. The Studio at Gulf and Pine in Anna Maria is also gone, as well as ArtSpace.

The only remaining gallery with a physical location on AMI after IGW closes its doors will be The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island. After doing signif- icant renovations while closed during the COVID pandemic, the gallery, with more than 100 member artists, says they have no plans to leave the Island.

During the transition period, you can view IGW online and purchase artwork through their website. They also will be operating during regular hours, Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some of the artists will be offering special prices on their work at the gallery. Also visit the final ArtWalk they will participate in where the gallery will stay open until at least 7:30 p.m. along with other businesses in the area, including The Artists’ Guild.

Island Gallery West is located at 5368 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach and can be reached at 941-778-6648.

Heritage Day honors Island’s past, present

Heritage Day honors Island’s past, present

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Entertainment, Family fun, Festivals, Museums.

ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria Island Historical Society is hosting its annual Heritage Day celebration on Tuesday, March 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The free, family-friendly Heritage Day celebration will take place on the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum grounds at 402 Pine Ave.

Historical Society board member Barbara Murphy provided some details on the upcoming event.

“We are really looking forward to Heritage Day. We’ll be showing off our museum, the historic Belle Haven cottage and the Island’s wonderful and rich history that dates back over 100 years. We’ll have lots of arts and crafts stationed around the museum area. We’ve got Howie Banfield performing live music for us. We’ll have Poppo’s Taqueria as our food vendor and we’ll be selling fresh strawberry shortcake for $5 a bowl. We’ll have wonderful gift baskets filled with donations from our Island restaurants and businesses and we look forward to our Island residents and visitors coming to visit us,” Murphy said.

Heritage Day honors Island’s past, present
The annual Heritage Day festivities include the AMI Privateers capturing Mayor Dan Murphy and holding him for ransom. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The Heritage Day festivities will also include the Anna Maria Island Privateers capturing Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and holding him for ransom in the “Old City Jail” until enough funds are raised to secure his release. Those funds and all other proceeds raised during Heritage Day will be donated to the AMI Historical Society.

Letter to the Editor: Show some respect

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

I have to express my disappointment at the lack of respect and consideration the Holmes Beach commission gave to the two residents that got up to speak at Tuesday’s meeting.

The residents of our city have been working day and night to save our city from a potential takeover. It wasn’t as if there was a room full of people that wanted to speak. There were just two. Giving them 2 minutes to talk was an insult.

Residents have been writing letters and offering their expertise to form web pages, research documents, write letters, design yard signs and collect petitions.

If they think they can resolve the lack of communicating with legislators and initiating controversial plans such as the elimination of parking and garage bans on their own, I personally think they are not facing reality. Right now, they need the support of their residents more than ever.

I’m afraid they have just shown a lot of us that our opinions are not worth their time.

Very sad for us and for the future of our city.

Renee Ferguson

Holmes Beach

City wants to reestablish obstructed alleys

City wants to clear alleys

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City officials want to reestablish some city-owned alleys that are currently obstructed by landscaping, equipment, debris and other obstacles.

During a Feb. 16 city commission meeting, Building Official Steve Gilbert said the first step is to get cost estimates to survey each alley to help determine where the city-owned alleys are located in relation to the privately-owned properties that abut them and how much it will cost to reestablish them.

“In the meantime, we can tell the folks that we are getting surveys done and they will get marked and eventually they’re going to get a notice to move their stuff out. I think you’ll find that some folks will move their things voluntarily when they find out you’re actually spending money to fix it,” Gilbert told the commission.

Gilbert said he and Public Works Director Tom Woodard have discussed reclaiming city-owned alleys many times during the past 10 years.

Woodard told the commission Manatee County recently had a water main break and the repair crew’s efforts were hindered by an inability to access the break area through an obstructed alley.

Mayor John Chappie said the water main break occurred in the alley between 24th and 25th Streets North and Avenues A and B.

Chappie suggested the alley between 25th and 26th Streets North as a potential starting place for the latest alley reestablishment efforts.

Commissioner Jake Spooner said reestablishing the alley between 23rd and 24th Streets North would provide a nice walkway for pedestrians.

City wants to reestablish obstructed alleys
Some residents and property owners along the 2500 block of Gulf Drive North want that alley cleared and reopened. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Chappie noted there are no funds budgeted in the current fiscal year for alley reclamation projects. Gilbert said there might be enough funds to clear one alley during the current fiscal year, depending on the estimated cost. Chappie said additional funds will need to be budgeted for additional alley-clearing projects in future fiscal years.

“If we’re going to do this, it needs to be notified,” Woodard said. “That’s the first step. The people encroaching in the alley that are causing the problems are aware of what they’ve done. I’ve already been threatened. I had some guy pull a gun on me.”

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said, “We’ve been talking about alleys for quite a few years. People are already anticipating we’re going to do something. It’s not going to be a surprise.”

City wants to reestablish obstructed alleys
These palm trees obstruct a portion of the alley between 25th and 26th streets north. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

In reference to a previous alley reclamation discussion that took place last November, Woodard said some residents and property owners along the 2500 block of Gulf Drive North want that alley cleared and reopened.

During that November discussion, it was noted that a large grass-covered mound is blocking most of the alley behind the vacation rental/resort structure located at 2503 Gulf Drive North. Another portion of that alley is blocked by palm trees. A visit to the alley in November also revealed a construction dumpster blocking the north end of the alley.

Commissioner Ralph Cole said he wants to know how much it will cost to re-establish the alleys before moving forward with those efforts. He then made a motion authorizing Gilbert to get cost estimates for the alley surveys and the commission unanimously supported his motion.

Bill filed to build beach parking garage

Bill filed to build beach parking garage

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

HOLMES BEACH – Just like the traffic headed to Anna Maria Island on holidays, an effort by Florida legislators to build a parking garage at Manatee Beach is inching forward.

House Bill 947 was filed on Monday by Rep. Will Robinson Jr., who represents Manatee County, including Anna Maria Island. If the bill passes, it will allow Manatee County commissioners to erect a three-story parking garage at the county-owned beach with no approvals from city leaders needed.

Previous plans mentioned by legislators were for a four-story garage, which would exceed the height restrictions in the city.

Though parking garages were never an allowable land use in Holmes Beach, city commissioners voted in 2022 to formally disallow multi-level parking facilities. At a meeting where that ordinance was discussed, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge warned commissioners against the action, stating that he had planned to present an application to the city to build a parking garage on the property.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said that she’s disappointed by Robinson’s decision to file the bill and feels that it’s a blatant infringement of home rule. She said county leaders never submitted a formal application to the city for consideration of a parking garage and never put anything before city commissioners to consider allowing one through a special exception.

During a Feb. 14 commission meeting, Titsworth said that Robinson was scheduled to come to Holmes Beach later in the week to speak with city staff and tour the available public parking with her. On Monday, she said he decided to move the meeting to the end of the month.

In addition to the parking spaces already available in the city for beachgoers, Titsworth said she’d been speaking with two area churches about using their parking areas for the public outside of church service times. If the parking garage bill goes through at the state level, she said she’s unsure if those organizations will go through with providing extra parking since part of the reason for that potential solution was to avoid having a parking garage built at Manatee Beach.

She encouraged everyone to continue writing letters to state legislators and to write to each of the committees that HB 947 goes to for consideration.

While a parking garage is becoming more of a possibility, a state-funded study to look at the consolidation or elimination of the three Anna Maria Island cities is off the table – for now.

The state legislative delegation recently backed off its January proposal to pursue consolidating the cities at the state level if Island city leaders agreed to work together to consolidate some services at the city level.

Titsworth said she’s begun regular meetings with Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy to begin a discussion on how they can consolidate some services across the three cities.

While she said she’s unsure right now of where they can consolidate, she said she’s hopeful that by working together, the three can find solutions that will take away the threat of consolidation or elimination by state legislators.

She was also quick to reassure city staff that no positions were being eliminated, saying, “No one’s losing a job in the city.”

Titsworth said she’s having a bit of a difficult time trying to decide what could be consolidated.

“This is going to take quite a bit of time between the three cities to determine what can be consolidated,” she said. “We are committed to look and see what could be consolidated, listen to each other and work together.”

The mayoral meetings are a result of a recent meeting between state legislative representatives and the Island mayors concerning the consolidation of all three Island cities into one municipality or into unincorporated Manatee County.

Robinson began the year with a quest to launch a state-funded study to determine if the three cities should be eliminated or consolidated. The study, which was supported by the other members of the Manatee County state legislative delegation, has since been abandoned, at least temporarily, in favor of allowing the three Island governments to work some issues out among themselves.

“I can’t thank the citizens, visitors, residents, everyone enough,” Titsworth said of the outpouring of support from the public to fight against the consolidation study. “I couldn’t be more proud. You did an amazing job.”