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Year: 2023

Island officials unite to preserve home rule

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

HOLMES BEACH – Anna Maria Island’s elected officials are uniting to preserve home rule in the face of recent attempts by state legislators to circumvent local parking ordinances and fund a study to determine if the Island’s three cities should be dissolved.

Not only the central city on the Island, but also the one central to a debate at the state level, Holmes Beach has a prohibition against parking garages that state legislators have threatened to overturn. City leaders took a few moments during a Jan. 24 city commission meeting to address that issue and that of dissolving the Island cities.

It was standing room only in city hall chambers as residents, property owners and other stakeholders came out to show their support to Mayor Judy Titsworth and city commissioners. More joined the meeting online through Zoom.

Titsworth thanked everyone in attendance for their “outpouring of support” and vowed to do everything possible to fight back against the state’s encroachment into home rule of the Island, the ability of local governments to govern themselves.

While she said she and the two mayors from Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria would be meeting on Jan. 30 to discuss options and strategy, she wouldn’t be discussing those things publicly so as to not give state legislators the upper hand.

During a January legislative delegation meeting, Rep. Will Robinson Jr. proposed putting a bill forth in the upcoming state legislative session to install a four-story parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach. Installation of a parking garage would undermine city ordinances that prohibit parking garages in the city and would break the city’s three-story building height limitation, which is written into the municipality’s charter. While parking garages were never an approved use in Holmes Beach, the ordinance officially stating that was not passed until 2022, after a meeting with Manatee County commissioners to discuss beach parking issues.

Titsworth said that Robinson, Rep. Jim Boyd and Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge were informed prior to the discussion that parking garages were not an allowable use in the city but that they could submit for a change of use. She said no one from the county, which owns the Manatee Beach property, ever did.

“There’s lots of misinformation from the county,” she said. “I’m over this. We’re not trying to privatize the Island. We’re a far cry from a private island.”

Robinson also proposed having a state-funded agency do a feasibility study to determine if the three Island city governments should be dissolved, putting the Island under the control of Manatee County commissioners. Consolidation of the three cities also has been discussed.

Florida Statutes 165.061(3)(b) requires that if a municipal government is dissolved by a special act of the state Legislature, a neighboring municipality would have to demonstrate that it is willing and able, including financially, to “provide necessary services to the municipal area proposed for dissolution.” Other statutory requirements prohibit the municipality to be dissolved from being “substantially surrounded by other municipalities.”

Data from the Florida League of Cities shows that only 11 municipalities have been dissolved since 1977 and only two of those were by special act of the state Legislature.

Commissioner Terry Schaefer, who attended the legislative delegation meeting, said that no one in the three Island city governments received prior notification about the parking garage proposal or the state-funded study.

“I think it showed a great deal of disrespect to everyone who lives on and loves this Island,” he said, noting that the dissolution study is “a stark warning to every community in Florida.”

“It’ll be really sad if there comes a time when all of our little coastal cities are gone,” Titsworth said.

“We’re not going to get into a fight,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said. “We want to move forward carefully and legally.”

Though the city’s elected officials committed to doing everything they can to halt both the parking garage and the attempt to dissolve the Island cities, they also encouraged all residents, property owners, visitors and stakeholders to lend their voices to the fight by reaching out to local and state representatives with their opinions on the two issues.

Schaefer also appeared on Jan. 26 at a ManaSota League of Cities meeting in Longboat Key on behalf of Holmes Beach. He was joined by Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and representatives from several other local municipalities. The group agreed to draft and send a letter to the state Legislature and local delegation in support of the three Anna Maria Island cities remaining as-is and decrying the state’s potential intrusion into home rule.

Fifteen non-profits receive trolley grant awards

Fifteen non-profits receive trolley grant awards

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, Business.

CORTEZ – The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce Business Card Exchanges are always a great opportunity for local business owners to network and get to know each other. The Jan. 26 event at the Seafood Shack in Cortez offered the added excitement of the Annual Trolley Grant Awards, which, this year, granted 15 local 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations cash awards of nearly $30,000.

In order to keep the familiar trolleys that carry passengers up and down the Island free of charge, the Chamber sells advertising space on the inside and outside of the vehicles. After administrative costs and expenses are covered each year, excess revenue is dispersed in the form of grants to not-for-profit organizations on the Island and in Cortez.

The annual award winners are selected by a committee and awarded annually in January based on submissions from local non-profit organizations that are due in mid-December. The program was founded by former Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker and the late David Teitelbaum of Anna Maria Island Resorts. The Chamber manages the award program with Manatee County leaders.

According to the Chamber, the Island trolleys carried more than 407,000 riders in 2022.

This year’s ceremony gave back a total of $29,341, bringing the total grants awarded to more than $447,000 since the program began.

This year’s grant recipients and their projects are:

Anna Maria Elementary School: STEAM Program (science, technology, engineering, arts and math)

Anna Maria Island Art League: Campaign to add artists and attendees to the Springfest art festival

Anna Maria Island Garden Club: Design and installation of an outdoor plant interpretive panel

Anna Maria Island Privateers: Testore the Skullywag landbound pirate ship

Annie Silver Community Center: Technology upgrades at its Bradenton Beach community center

Artists Guild Gallery of Anna Maria: Restroom renovations at the gallery

Cortez Village Historical Society: Orientation and reference materials to recruit new docents and for hiring a consultant to assist

Florida Maritime Museum: Stories from the Gulf Coast Commercial Fishing Industry in Cortez program

Friends of the Island Library: Sprout Early Learning Backpacks for children

Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria: Kiwanis Club-sponsored interdenominational Easter sunrise service

Roser Food Pantry: Sponsored food recipient program

Roser Memorial Community Church: Vacation Bible School

Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island: Anna Maria Elementary Peace/Conflict Solutions for Good Citizens program

The Center of Anna Maria Island: Beyond Classroom offerings

Wildlife Inc.: Care and feeding of animals

Food truck ordinance adopted

Food truck ordinance adopted

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

ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria has a new food truck ordinance in place that limits food truck operations to private properties located in C-1 (Commercial) zoning districts.

On Thursday, Jan. 26, the Anna Maria Commission unanimously adopted Ordinance 23-913 on second and final reading. The ordinance establishes the areas where food trucks are allowed to operate on a general basis.

Anna Maria’s C-1 zoning districts are located at the corner of Pine Avenue and Bay Drive South, the Galati yacht sales and marina property at the end of Bay Day Drive South, several Gulf-side properties between Elm Avenue and Magnolia Avenue (including the Chiles Hospitality group properties) and some properties along Gulf Drive between Magnolia Avenue and Palmetto Avenue. Food trucks will be allowed elsewhere during special events, as permitted by the city commission.

An accompanying city resolution to be presented at the commission’s next meeting will establish the specific food truck regulations that address operational hours, the size and number of trucks allowed, trash disposal and more.

Last year, the commission discarded a proposed food truck ordinance that would have created a designated food truck zone at the northwest end of Bayfront Park – a location that garnered opposition from several residents and property owners in that area.

Food truck ordinance adopted
Commissioner Jon Crane supports the new food truck ordinance. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“This version of the food truck ordinance is much better than the first attempt. This really hones in on what the city should be doing. I’m all for it,” Commissioner Jon Crane said during Thursday’s meeting.

The mayor and commission’s efforts to adopt a food truck ordinance are in reaction to state legislation adopted in 2020 that prohibits city and county governments from prohibiting food trucks citywide or countywide.

Cortez Bridge presentation details fixed-span bridge

Cortez Bridge presentation details fixed-span bridge

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

CORTEZ – The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is holding a public information meeting on the Cortez Bridge replacement project on Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 6-8 p.m. in the Kirkwood Presbyterian Church’s Pfrangle Hall at 6101 Cortez Road in Bradenton.

Documents to be presented are available online for those who cannot attend at the project website.

The in-person meeting will be an open house-style event that allows attendees to review the bridge replacement project materials at their own pace. No formal presentation will be given, but meeting attendees can pose questions to project team members and leave written comments as well.

Comments can also be emailed to FDOT Project Manager Ryan Weeks at Ryan.Weeks@dot.state.fl.us, mailed to Ryan Weeks/Florida Department of Transportation, District One, P.O. Box 1249, Bartow, Florida 33831-1249 or submitted online at the project website.

The project materials pertain to the construction of a fixed-span bridge that will replace the existing drawbridge. The materials presented for public review include a 19-minute video, presentation slides, display boards and a 3D animation.

The video provides details about the bridge construction process and the aesthetic design elements selected by the 11-member Bridge Aesthetics Committee (BAC), which includes local residents, business owners and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie.

Cortez Bridge presentation details fixed-span bridge
The Cortez Bridge drawbridge was built in 1956 with an anticipated 50-year service life. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The narrated video notes the existing drawbridge that will be replaced was constructed in 1956 with an estimated 50-year service life, and multiple bridge repair and maintenance projects have occurred within the past 20 years.

The 90% completed plans will be submitted in the summer of 2023. Final design plans will be submitted in the spring of 2025. The construction project will be awarded to the chosen contractor in the summer of 2025 and construction is slated to begin in late 2025 or early 2026.

The new fixed-span bridge will be 2,930 feet long and consist of 19 spans. The existing drawbridge is 2.616 feet long, with 53 spans.

Cortez Bridge presentation details fixed-span bridge
The new Cortez Bridge will be built north of the existing drawbridge. The top image shows the Bradenton Beach end of the bridge. The bottom image shows the Cortez end of the bridge. – FDOT | Submitted

The new bridge will be built north of the existing bridge, with horizontal curves introduced at each end of the bridge to bring the alignment back to match the existing roadway alignment. Motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists will continue to use the existing bridge until the new bridge is capable of handling that traffic.

A minimum vertical clearance of 65 feet will be provided above the 100-foot-wide navigational channel located below the center of the bridge and delineated by a fender system.

Cortez Bridge presentation details fixed-span bridge
The new bridge will provide at least 65 feet of vertical clearance at its highest point, with a delineated navigation channel below. – FDOT | Submitted

There will be retaining walls at four locations: two at the west end of the bridge and two at the east end of the bridge. The walls will serve as transitions from the bridge to the roadway. The BAC selected a multi-wave design pattern for the walls.

Cortez Bridge presentation details fixed-span bridge
Retaining walls will be built at both ends of the new bridge. – FDOT | Submitted

BAC members considered nine different pier styles and selected multi-column piers with cheek walls. The committee considered nine pedestrian railing alternatives and chose the wave infill pattern. They considered three overlook options and selected the rounded, open overlook shape, without benches.

The BAC members selected the color pallet that will include blue railings, sand/tan for the bridge and piers and white and off-white for accents. They also selected the outside face lighting option.

Cortez Bridge presentation details fixed-span bridge
The new bridge will feature blue railings and light poles. – FDOT | Submitted

Three stormwater retention ponds will be located along the west end of the bridge in Bradenton Beach: one in front of the Bradenton Beach police station, one in front of the Bradenton Beach Marina and another in front of the Bradenton Beach Marina that will extend under the first span of the bridge and require the existing pedestrian and bike path under the bridge to be reconfigured.

Cortez Bridge presentation details fixed-span bridge
A new road called Hunters Point Way will connect Cortez Road to 127th Street West. – FDOT | Submitted

One retention pond will be located on the east end of the bridge, near the Hunters Point Resort & Marina property. The eastern side of the project will also include the construction of a new road called Hunters Point Way that will connect Cortez Road and 127th Street West and provide access to the Seafood Shack, Tide Tables and the other businesses and homes in that vicinity.

Salem appointed to Anna Maria Commission

Salem appointed to Anna Maria Commission

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

ANNA MARIA – Charlie Salem now serves in the Anna Maria City Commission seat recently vacated by Carol Carter.

Salem will serve the remaining months of the two-year commission term that expires after the city elections in November. Former commissioner Brian Seymour was also considered for the commission appointment.

On Jan. 26, commissioners Jon Crane, Robert Kingan, Deanie Sebring and Mark Short ranked the two applicants according to their own first and second preferences. Crane, Kingan and Sebring ranked Salem as their first preference and Seymour as their second. Short ranked Seymour as his first preference and Salem as his second. The applicants received one point for a first preference and two for a second preference. Salem received five points, Seymour received seven and Salem won the seat with the lowest total score.

Salem appointed to Anna Maria Commission
City Clerk LeAnne Addy swore Charlie Salem into office after the appointment was made. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

City Clerk LeAnne Addy then swore Salem into office before he took his seat on the dais and participated in the rest of the meeting as a voting member.

Applicant presentations

For the first time, the appointment process featured a standalone commission workshop on Jan. 19 that allowed the two applicants to answer 24 questions provided in advance. The workshop also allowed Salem and Seymour to highlight their professional and political accomplishments.

Salem holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and government and a doctorate degree in law. He worked in Tallahassee as a special counsel for the State of Florida’s Office of Planning and Budgeting and then moved to Washington D.C. to run a state office of federal affairs pertaining to Hurricane Andrew recovery efforts in south Florida in the early 1990s. He then served as legislative director and chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Indiana) and finished his time working in the D.C. area as a public policy director for Microsoft.

Seymour served as an Anna Maria commissioner from late 2016 to late 2019. He owns and operates the Anna Maria General Store & Deli on Pine Avenue and he and his business partners operate the City Pier Grill in a pier space leased from the city.

Salem appointed to Anna Maria Commission

Former commissioner Brian Seymour also applied to fill the vacant commission seat. – Joe Hendricks | SunSalem and Seymour’s presentations helped the four sitting commissioners make their appointment the following week. When filling past vacant commission seats, the applicants were simply given a few minutes to address the commission before the appointment was made using the same ranking process.

Mayor Dan Murphy proposed the new candidate vetting process.

“I think this is a good process. I think it’s a much better process than what we were using in the past,” Murphy said after Salem was sworn in.

“It was great to learn more about the candidates. I think this was the best way to do it,” Short said. Crane and Sebring agreed.

“As a participant in the process, I thought it was well-thought-out,” Salem said.

Kingan thanked Salem and Seymour for putting themselves forward as candidates.

“Either of you would have been a very good addition to this commission. I very much hope, Brian, that you will remain in contention because I think you’re an asset to the community and definitely have what it takes,” Kingan said.

Workshop insights

During the workshop, Salem referenced the recently-expressed desires of State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and other members of Manatee County’s legislative delegation for a state-funded study regarding the possible elimination or consolidation of the three Island cities and the three city governments.

Robinson and his fellow legislators also announced their pursuit of state legislation that could allow Manatee County to preempt the city of Holmes Beach’s building codes and build a multi-story public parking garage.

“I’m really concerned about our permanent resident population and the ability of our citizens to be able to govern themselves. I have a background in putting together coalitions. I would use that experience to help craft a strategy to work with the commission, the mayor and our lobbyist on this issue,” Salem said during the workshop.

During the workshop, Seymour expressed concerns about the utility grids in Anna Maria and throughout the rest of the Island. He said Anna Maria experiences power outages even on sunny days and Spectrum internet service was recently down for two non-consecutive days, which he said impacts businesses’ ability to process payments.

“How can we partner with FPL and Spectrum to make our grid a little more stable?” Seymour said.

During Thursday’s meeting, Salem referenced Seymour’s concerns and said, “He raised an issue last week around utility liability that I frankly hadn’t considered. I’d like to dive into that a little deeper.”

Salem appointed to Anna Maria Commission

The Anna Maria City Commission consists of Charlie Salem, Deanie Sebring, Mark Short, Jon Crane and Robert Kingan, who work in unison with non-voting mayor Dan Murphy. – Joe Hendricks | SUnDuring the workshop, Salem and Seymour both said they’d seek reelection if appointed. Both will have the opportunity to run in the fall election that will determine who fills the commission seats currently held by Crane, Kingan and Salem.

 

Related coverage

 

Salem, Seymour seek city commission seat

Mayor proposes negotiation, not war, with state legislators

Mayor proposes negotiation, not war, with state legislators

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

ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy proposes communicating rather than waging war with state legislators over parking garages and the potential consolidation or elimination of Anna Maria Island’s three city governments.

During the Jan. 26 Anna Maria City Commission meeting, Murphy discussed his approach in reaction to State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and other members of the Manatee County legislative delegation recently expressing a shared desire for state legislation that could allow Manatee County to preempt the city of Holmes Beach’s building regulations in order to build a public parking garage for beachgoers. The local delegation of state legislators also seeks a state-funded study regarding the potential consolidation or dissolution of the three Island cities and city governments.

Murphy referenced headlines that ran on the front pages of local newspapers. One read, “AMI fights back against state representatives.” The other read, “Holmes Beach readies options for counterattack.”

Murphy, who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, said, “Being a combat veteran, I can tell you that those are fighting terms and they mean war. All you need to do is look at Ukraine and you can see how much is resolved by war. A lot more could be resolved through negotiation.”

Murphy said he already met with Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie to discuss these concerns.

“We discussed these issues, the parking issues, Rep. Robinson’s comments, who might be behind all of this and what the purpose is,” Murphy said.

“I’m a firm believer in ‘Occam’s Razor.’ Occam was a medieval philosopher. Occam came up with this brilliant idea that the most obvious answer to the question is probably the correct solution. I firmly believe that what’s behind all this is Representative Will Robinson. This is the person that made the comments. So, I picked up the phone and called him. Representative Robinson and I discussed his intent. He said he’s had a lot of grief and phone calls and complaints from his constituents about not being able to get a parking place at the beach, and that includes our city,” Murphy said.

Mayor proposes negotiation, not war, with state legislators
State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. recently proposed preempting city building codes and studying the potential consolidation of the Island cities and governments. – MyFloridaHouse.Gov | Submitted

Murphy said Robinson mentioned a past meeting in which Robinson, State Sen. Jim Boyd, Titsworth and others discussed the possibility of the county constructing a public parking garage in Holmes Beach. Murphy said Robinson left that meeting with the impression that a parking garage would at least be considered. Murphy said Robinson was then shocked and surprised when the Holmes Beach Commission adopted an ordinance that strengthened the city’s existing parking garage prohibitions.

Murphy said Robinson also told him he gets complaints from Island property owners about their taxes being too high. He said Robinson wonders if taxes could be reduced by consolidating some of the similar services provided by the three cities. Murphy said Robinson told him that he’s not advocating for the consolidation of the three cities.

Murphy asked Robinson if he’d meet with the Island mayors to discuss these issues face-to-face. Murphy then called Boyd, had a similar conversation and asked Boyd if he’d be willing to meet with Robinson and the mayors. Murphy said he, Titsworth, Chappie, Robinson and Boyd agreed to meet on Monday, Jan. 30, in a private, closed-door setting at Anna Maria City Hall.

“We need to sort through the issues and people need to be able to say what they want to say. I don’t know what the outcome of that meeting might be. It might be a miserable failure on my part to try to stop a war from happening between the cities, the Island and the state of Florida. That’s what my intent is,” Murphy said.

“I realize that no good deed goes unpunished, but I think it’s the right thing to do. I wasn’t elected to throw gasoline on the fire. I was elected to get things done. The first step in getting things done is communicating. Having open and honest communications, if for no other reason than there’s no more surprises and we don’t have to worry about Occam’s Razor anymore because we know what the answer is and who’s behind it. That’s what the mission is,” Murphy said.

In response, Commissioner Jon Crane said, “Godspeed.”

Commissioner Deanie Sebring said, “If we can discuss how we all can work together that’s going to go a long way.”

Newly appointed Commissioner Charlie Salem said, “It’s clear that they have a particular point of view and it looks like there could be some room for discussion. They did a lot of this without consulting the Island. Time is short. The legislative session starts in a few weeks. I think it will be important to have some measurable outcomes from this discussion with them, and on their part to signal that they’re interested in two-way communication as well. It’s admirable that you picked up the phone to call them. I encourage you to get something out of that meeting that will make us all more comfortable.”

Past communications

In June 2020, Senate President Bill Galvano and Robinson sent a letter to Titsworth about the on-street parking reductions that occurred in Holmes Beach in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In part, that letter said, “Representative Robinson and I are writing today to share our growing concern with myriad impacts of locally-imposed restrictions on public parking in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has come to our attention that on-street parking has recently been reduced by at least 45 percent, impacting the ability of residents and visitors to patronize local businesses and participate in recreational activities on our beaches. Florida’s legislature has invested significant taxpayer dollars to support the long-term health of our local beaches, yet local government is now eliminating parking, effectively restricting public access to public beaches. We respectfully request that you re-evaluate plans to reduce on-street parking.”

In February 2022, Robinson, Boyd and State Rep. Tommy Gregory sent Titsworth a similar letter that said in part, “As members of the Manatee County Legislative Delegation, we are writing today regarding the ongoing locally-imposed public parking restrictions in Holmes Beach. Manatee County residents and visitors should not be turned away from our beaches due to parking restrictions. As a delegation who has secured taxpayer dollars for beach renourishment, we respectfully request you reexamine your decision and approach to reduce on-street parking.”

 

Related coverage:

 

AMI fights back against state representatives

 

Bradenton Beach Commission opposes state attacks on home rule

 

State representatives suggest eliminating Island cities

Confederate monument discussion cancelled

Confederate monument discussion cancelled

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

BRADENTON – The Manatee County Commission discussion on the potential restoration of a controversial Confederate monument has been removed from the commission’s Tuesday, Jan. 31 meeting agenda.

According to the agenda item, county commission authorization was to be sought for County Administrator Scott Hopes, or his designee, to reinstall the monument at its previous location in front of the historic Manatee County Courthouse in downtown Bradenton, adjacent to the Manatee County Judicial Center.

The monument was removed as a result of a 4-3 county commission vote in 2017. The statue was fractured during its removal and has remained in storage ever since.

Confederate monument discussion cancelled
One of the monument inscriptions includes the words: “True to the best traditions of the South.” – Joe Hendricks | Sun

On Jan. 27, The League of Women Voters of Manatee County distributed a monument-related email that carried the headline: “Citizen Advocacy Won! But more is needed.”

The email said, “The vote on reinstalling the Confederate monument has been removed from the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners agenda for Tuesday, Jan. 31 because of your hard work. There is no guarantee that reinstalling the statue will not be raised again on a different date. The county staff is continuing to spend time and taxpayer dollars attempting to find a place for the monument in another location in Manatee County.

Confederate monument discussion cancelled
One side of the monument features the likeness of the Confederate flag and pays tribute to Confederate soldiers. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“If you wish your voice heard about the monument, whether it should stay in storage and why, please consider speaking at Tuesday’s meeting (during citizen comments). You must physically go to the meeting to comment. Phone in comments are no longer available,” the email said.

 

Related coverage

 

County commission to discuss reinstalling Confederate monument

Letter to the Editor: Try ‘park and ride’

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

My family and I have visited Anna Maria Island for more than 30 years and we have witnessed firsthand how the place is strangling itself with its popularity. Our three-month stay ends at the end of the month and we have never before seen such slow-moving traffic so early in the season.

A multi-story car park anywhere on the island is not the solution.

Our full-time home is in the Roman city of Chester in the United Kingdom, one of very few ancient walled cities in the world. It too gets swamped with tourists from around the globe, but it has a solution to gridlock – so-called Park and Ride car parks serviced throughout the day, throughout the year, by an excellent hop-on, hop-off bus service. For a small fee, users can leave their cars and ride into the city to be dropped off at numerous points on a set route, while the return is just as simple.

Chester is not unique. Several other UK tourist hotspots have adopted the idea, enabling traffic-free city streets, pedestrianization, cycle routes and a reduction in air pollution and traffic-related accidents.

The irony is that you already have the excellent shuttle bus solution in place, and, unlike the UK, acres of land off the island on which to locate car parks, multi-level or otherwise.

I urge the powers that be to give the idea some thought. Sadly, I don’t have a solution to the suggestion that AMI’s three cities should be amalgamated, but I suspect that might go away if the car parking was resolved.

Christopher Proudlove

Bradenton Beach

Letter to the Editor: Dissolution of AMI cities

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

The state of Florida appears to have a strong legal argument for the authorization of the founding and dissolution of cities. However, if you take a step back, the formation of cities is commonly driven by a nucleus of local citizens with a desire for better control of their future. The process is rarely initiated by the state Legislature.

Instead, the state Legislature typically responds to the needs of its constituency by approving or denying a grassroots effort for the formation of a city.

Since the state Legislature is unlikely to initiate an effort for the formation of a city, why would it feel it has the mandate to dissolve a city? Isn’t it more appropriate to leave the question of dissolution of a city to the local needs of the citizenry with the state Legislature serving the process by approving or denying the request?

Jeff Rodencal

Anna Maria

Letter to the Editor: Open letter to AMI representatives

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

This is a copy of the letter I have sent to:

Rep. Will Robinson Jr.
Rep. Mike Beltran
Rep. Tommy Gregory

Sen. Jim Boyd
Sen. Joe Gruter
Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge

It has taken me several days to compose my anger at you and ALL of the other members of the local state legislative delegation. Who do you think you are and how dare you make an attempt to subvert our three local governments? I can’t tell you how disgusted and terrified I am with every one of you. I have always been under the impression that Republicans believed in as little government intervention as possible. It seems as though that has changed with you. Our democracy is now being taken over by a dictatorship!

I discovered early on that Commissioner Van Ostenbridge, who supposedly represents Anna Maria Island, does not support his constituents, apparently, unless they are investors, realtors or wealthy folks who can line his political pockets. He does not think or care about the residents of our three cities. He certainly appears to be another self-centered politician who is only interested in his own well-being. Now, unfortunately, it has become apparent that ALL of you legislative delegates are only interested in your own political futures. Why don’t you come out to the beach two to three times a month, especially during the summer months, and observe that there is no room for one chair, let alone for a group. The overcrowded beaches are becoming unsafe for all of us. But NO!! We have to continue to advertise all over the world and bring more and more tourists here. And then you complain that there is inadequate parking for the thousands of off-island beachgoers and then threaten us with a four-story parking garage.

I have lived here for 30 years and my parents for 20 years before that, so 50 years of being high taxpaying residents while watching AMI lose its quiet charm, especially in the last 10 years. Do you see what is happening to local residents who are leaving in droves? Do you even really care? No, because you receive more money and support from investors, etc.

Now I wonder if we need to warn residents from Sarasota, Pinellas, Hillsborough and other counties with small coastal communities that they may be next? Why don’t you take over Mar-a-Lago???

Please contact the delegates and voice your dissent before it is too late.

May God help us.

Ruth Cawein

Anna Maria

Letter to the Editor: Robinson right

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

First of all, I am a believer of home rule. However, when a government creates an atmosphere of dictatorial leadership, it has failed and must be changed. It is time for a change and I think that State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. is on the right track to being the catalyst to do it.

Holmes Beach has long been ruled by Mayor Judy Titsworth who has ruled with an iron hand. The one thing that she and Police Chief Bill Tokajer have created is a system of traffic-related fines that have punished both residents and visitors for a myriad of fines for anything involving traffic. Among the worst action on their part is the elimination of 645 parking spots in Holmes Beach alone. The reason given by the police chief was to help prevent crime in Holmes Beach. Has anyone read the police reports in the local Island newspapers? If you do, you will typically find a domestic dispute, a bicycle stolen, someone urinating in public. Not exactly a Chicago crime wave. Now she so generously allowed homeowners to purchase parking permits on their own property after paying a for- tune in property taxes. It is not right.

Millions of dollars every year are spent every year to attract more visitors to “old Florida.” I think not; the slogan should be, Welcome to our Sunny Island, but leave your car at home.

When invited by the county to attend a meeting in 2022, both Ms. Titsworth and Chief Tokajer refused to meet to discuss the parking situation created by them. How is that a sign of open government? You cannot govern properly by shutting the door to discussion. Somehow in the fourth quarter they were convinced to meet, but it was to no avail and nothing positive came out of that meeting. One of the things Ms. Titsworth brought up was that the parking situation was a county problem, not hers, and get this, she said they should build a parking garage at the county beach. Now in the latest news she states that she is against such a plan. Talk about flip-flopping.

Ms. Titsworth has said if the county took over, the residents would leave. That is exactly what has been happening under her watch for the past five years because of the construction of six- and eight-bedroom rental properties. This is a fact that family houses built in the 50s or 60s are being bought by developers, torn down and replaced with massive rental houses.

This is not a private island; if you want tourists, treat them like you really appreciate them. Be reminded that the Florida law states that everyone in this state is allowed to walk the beaches. There is also a federal law that backs that up.
My suggestion is to have the Manatee government withdraw the Holmes Beach parking ordinance and have the parking restriction eliminated. They should also dissolve the municipal governments, as an island with three governments in a seven- mile long strip of land is ridiculous.

I suggest that as a first step, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department take over the police force for the entire Island. They are a professional organization that already has roots on the island and has experience across the entire county.

Have the state create a single entity to govern the entire Island, either as Rep. Robinson suggested as an unincorporated part of Manatee County or establish a municipal government for the entire island.

Anthony Accatatta

Perico Island

Letter to the Editor: Keep AMI low-rise

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

Reference recent “bombshell” articles; it appears money and greed have purchased Bradenton power.

Busting height restrictions will destroy our “old Florida” uniqueness and ignores our lessons of Martinique.

Consolidation smacks of power; conquer and control.

Top-down bullying is never good, nor professional or acceptable. The proposals benefit a “noticeable” very few.

Islanders wake up, stand up and speak up, for the “rape” of our Island is gaining momentum.

To our county commissioners and state representatives, you were elected to represent our best interests, not those of foreign investors!

You need to visualize how the change to four stories will change the Island. It will not stop at a parking garage!

Bill Hahn

Holmes Beach

Letter to the Editor: Home rule at risk

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

I would like to thank you for your coverage of the controversial local bills being introduced by Rep. Will Robinson. It is extremely important that we educate all on the dire consequences of loss in home rule.

Cities were founded on the belief that local government understands best the needs of local citizens. The state then determined that cities could legislate themselves. We are currently in a time where the state had giveth and now with precedent, the state can taketh away.

Rep. Robinson has stated that the reason for the first bill on mandating a parking garage at the public beach is because the city would not budge on the reduction in parking in the city. On the contrary, the city of Holmes Beach agreed to the use of AME school, the library, and city hall for additional overflow parking. A suggestion was also made that they purchase the large Bank of America lot that has close and safe access to the public beach for overflow parking. Although county and state leaders choose to lob insults at the city of Holmes Beach, we historically have and continue to be a part of the solution for the county’s failure to plan.

Rep. Robinson has stated that the sole reason for the second bill, a study on dissolving the cities, is due to declining populations on the Island. He even went so far as stating that this is a proactive approach instead of reactive, as this will get ahead of the time when there are no longer enough residents to maintain three cities. What he said is entirely different than what I heard. Being that this study was not initiated by the city leaders and local bills are historically never controversial, it brings me to ponder on whether the proactive approach that our state representatives are taking was generated years ago with the intended outcome, the elimination of cities.

You see, when the cities lost their ability to regulate vacation rentals taking over the residential districts, this brought an onslaught of developers from all over the country gobbling up every beach house in site. The market value soared, and the local hard-working citizens were pushed out of their homes and forced to move inland. The holdouts remain but are subject to a declined quality of life due to noise, trash, nutrient loads in bays, congestion and no longer having the ability to know their neighbor.

As mayor, it is my job to support our residents and businesses and to make decisions to maintain and improve the quality of their lives. Because of these efforts, full-time residents
are returning. I have witnessed the drastic increase in property tax that the county receives by no longer being constrained by homestead caps ($17 million in the past 10 years). Add to that, the Tourist Development Tax that was sold to the voters lacking foresight. The voters thought this tax would be a good thing, it would bring money to our cities from visitors instead of just property owners. What they didn’t understand is what a cash cow it became. The city of Holmes Beach alone has contributed well over $30 million in bed tax to the coffers since its inception with little in return. It isn’t because we haven’t asked. It is because the county commission chose to use it elsewhere.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that this is all happening at the same time entire boards of county commissions are being replaced by potential “yes men” for developers. Campaigns are being driven by strategists, all heavily funded by big developer PAC money. I believe our state representatives have been taking a proactive approach for many years now and it is setting up Florida coastal cities to fail.

Mayor Judy Holmes Titsworth

Holmes Beach

Fireside chats: Vacation rentals

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

Our community is changing. That’s a given, but communities are always changing, and change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When it comes to changing communities, the fire district’s goal is to adapt to the change and continue providing the needed services. We are not politicians, but public servants and among the most valuable service we provide is safety. Walk into any supermarket, doctor’s office, library, etc., and you will find occupancy-specific passive and active fire and life safety features designed to protect life and limit the damage caused by fire; fire barriers, fire alarms systems and sprinklers systems to name a few. Local fire districts have done a commendable job of keeping up with the change in these areas. However, there is one area where change has outpaced our ability to keep up… vacation rentals.

Let me be clear, West Manatee Fire Rescue District is not proposing the enactment of any new legislation or ordinance aimed at restricting or prohibiting residential occupancies from renting as transient public lodging establishments; that is not our goal, nor is it our role. As a fire district, we recognize the value both small and large business provides to a healthy, vibrant community. Our objective is life safety!

Safety in vacation rentals

It is estimated that someone is injured in a vacation rental every 44 seconds, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Estimations aside, during the last three years on Anna Maria Island there were 11 structure fires at single-family residential occupancies. Of those 11, eight, or 73%, occurred at licensed transient public lodging establishments (TPLE).

Furthermore, on Anna Maria Island in 2022, not counting on our beaches or in swimming pools located at multi-family occupancies, there were three pediatric drownings or near drownings; of those three, 100% occurred at TPLEs.

The drowning crisis last year provoked a WMFR Water Safety Campaign that was kicked off by a press conference in Holmes Beach where, among other experts, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth gave impassioned pleas imploring the public to commit to overseeing young people while in and around our waters. Since then, WMFR has continued its efforts to provide water safety materials to local vacation rental companies. Along the way, questions have been asked as to the extent of oversight the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) has over vacation rentals. This article wishes to address that question.

What is a vacation rental?

Florida Statute 509.242(1) states, “A public lodging establishment shall be classified as a hotel, motel, non-transient apartment, bed and breakfast inn, or vacation rental if the establishment satisfies the following criteria…” Florida Statute 509.242(1)(c) goes on to define a vacation rental as, “Any unit or group of units in a condominium or cooperative or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit that is also a transient public lodging establishment…” And finally, Florida Statute 509.013(4)(a)(1) defines Transient Public Lodging Establishments as “any unit, group of units, dwelling, building, or group of buildings within a single complex of buildings which is rented to guests more than three times in a calendar year for periods of less than 30 days or 1 calendar month, whichever is less, or which is advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests.” Transient public lodging establishments are licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations (DBPR).

There are some exclusions, however. For example, if one had a single-family home and wished to convert it into an assisted living facility, a license from the Agency for Healthcare Administration (ACHA) would be required. Similarly, requirements for daycare centers and nursing home licensure would be required. The aforementioned are occupancies that WMFR has been inspecting annually for years without hesitation or question. WMFR inspects these occupancies utilizing the appropriate prescriptive chapters of the current edition of the Florida Fire Prevention Code.

Fire code and vacation rentals

Florida Statute 633.206(1)(b) Uniform Fire Safety Standards states: “State Legislature mandates local fire jurisdictions protect the health, safety, and welfare of “all-new, existing, and proposed… nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult family-care homes…  transient public lodging establishments…” Additionally, it goes on to say in 633.206(2)(b), “All such local authorities shall enforce, within their fire safety jurisdiction, the uniform fire safety standards for those buildings specified in paragraph (1)(b).” Lastly, the Division of State Fire Marshal’s Florida Administrative Code 69A-43 Uniform Fire Safety Standards for Transient Public Lodging Establishments, Timeshare Plans, and Timeshare Unit Facilities further address the required inspections of TPLEs and which specific prescriptive code sections to utilize.

Changing together

As Manatee County, Anna Maria Island and the vacation rental industry continue to grow and change, it is incumbent upon WMFR to keep up with the change. The fire district has a state mandate to protect the health, safety and welfare of those vacationing in transient public lodging establishments. To that end, WMFR wishes to partner with all state and local stakeholders to ensure those living, working and playing within our community are safe. Please join us at our first vacation rental stakeholders meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall.

Tree house closer to demolition

Tree house closer to demolition

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

MANATEE COUNTY – Holmes Beach city leaders have won a judgment in their favor in the long-debated case of a two-story beachfront tree house constructed at the Angelinos Sea Lodge.

Now, Mayor Judy Titsworth says the city can seek an order to have the structure removed.

The written order was handed down from the Manatee County Circuit Court late Jan. 20, with Judge Edward Nicholas ruling in favor of the city on four counts.

Tree house and Angelinos Sea Lodge owners Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen alleged that the city leaders violated their due process rights under the Florida constitution when the city refused to issue after-the-fact building permits for the structure. Nicholas ruled that the city’s leaders and representatives did not violate the tree house owners’ rights. Hazen and Tran are set to meet in a Feb. 3 case management hearing with representatives from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in front of Judge Charles Sniffen to discuss any potential settlement negotiations in another case concerning the refusal to issue after-the-fact building permits for the tree house. That case was previously set to go to trial later this year.