Skip to main content

Month: June 2024

DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill

DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Business, Featured, Real estate | Development.

TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed proposed state legislation that would have significantly hindered city and county governments’ ability to regulate short-term vacation rentals locally.

The Florida Legislature proposed the vetoed legislation earlier as Senate Bill 280 and House Bill 1537. Legislators sought to preempt short-term vacation rental regulation and vacation rental advertising to the state, with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation serving as the statewide administrative and enforcement entity.

Sen. Nick DiCeglie (R-St. Petersburg) sponsored SB 280 and State Rep. Philip Griffitts Jr. (R-Panama City Beach) sponsored House Bill 1537. Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) and State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) supported the vacation rental preemptions sought in the matching bills.

The proposed legislation also included a controversial carve-out that would have allowed Flagler County to continue enforcing its existing vacation rental regulations.

Veto letter

At approximately 6:30 p.m. on June 27, DeSantis sent Secretary of State Cord Byrd a letter informing him of the veto.

“Beyond creating new bureaucratic red tape that locals must comply with, CS/SB 280 prevents local governments from enforcing existing ordinances or passing any new local measure that would exclusively apply to vacation rentals. Under the bill, any such measure must apply to all residential properties. The effect of this provision will prevent virtually all local regulation of vacation rentals even though the vacation rental markets are far from uniform across the various regions of the state,” DeSantis stated in his letter.

DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill
Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed CS/SB 280. – www.FlGov.com

“Going forward, I encourage the Florida Legislature and all key stakeholders to work together with the understanding that vacation rentals should not be approached as a one-size-fits-all issue. For these reasons, I withhold my approval of CS/SB 280 and do hereby veto the same,” DeSantis wrote.

Anna Maria discussion

Around the same time DeSantis vetoed the legislation, Mayor Dan Murphy told Anna Maria City Commissioners the city’s lobbyist, Matthew Blair, remained optimistic the governor would veto the bill.

Murphy said seven opposition campaigns recently initiated through the city-owned HomeRuleFl.com website resulted in approximately 3,000 letters, emails and phone calls being directed to DeSantis and his staff.

DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy actively opposed the proposed vacation rental legislation. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“The raw nerve was the Flagler County carve-out. There’s no logical explanation for the carve-out of Flagler County other than it’s the home of the speaker of the house (Paul Renner) and home to a relatively powerful senator (Travis Hutson),” Murphy said.

He also addressed the “pork chop” legislation references contained in the emails sent to DeSantis. He noted the Tampa Tribune newspaper coined the phrase “pork chop politics” many years ago while covering the patronizing and self-serving actions of Florida politicians who made laws that excluded certain people while impacting most others.

“It’s a lousy way to do politics,” Murphy said.

Island reaction

Later that evening, after learning of DeSantis’ veto, Murphy sent an email to city commissioners and others that said, “Congratulations commissioners and staff. Our governor vetoed the vacation rental bill tonight. I so much appreciate all of your support with our campaigns and efforts to stop this poorly thought-out piece of ‘pork chop’ legislation.”

Friday morning, Home Rule Florida distributed an email thanking subscribers for their efforts.

“Thanks to you and your thousands of letters and phone calls made to the governor, he saw that this was ‘pork chop’ legislation and simply bad policy. It’s amazing what we can do when we all pull together. The ‘pork chop’ has been chopped,” the email said.

When contacted Friday morning, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said, “I was out of town when I received the news. I am eternally grateful to the governor for allowing us to continue to self-govern and retain our ability to regulate our vacation rental industry accordingly.

DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth appreciates Gov. Ron DeSantis’ veto. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“The ability to regulate with daily fines allows us to bring all into compliance. The bill that was passed would have circumvented all regulations we have been able to use to restore the balance in our residential districts,” she said.

“Regulating this commercial industry in our neighborhoods is crucial in maintaining quality of life for our residents and to maintain our full-time population. This is crucial for our churches, our commercial and professional economy and our schools. The ability to enforce occupancy and length of stay would have been the biggest concern of this bill. It pretty much took all the tools out of our toolbox,” she said.

“I thank all those who wrote letters and participated in the Save Home Rule campaign. We are gaining residents in our city and it has everything to do with our ability to self-govern on quality-of-life issues. There is a lot to be said about being on the right side of history. I wish more leaders would figure that out,” Titsworth said.

DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill
The city of Holmes Beach can continue inspecting and regulating short-term vacation rentals. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “The mayor and I are ecstatic that the governor vetoed this bill and left it to the local governments. We, as a city, are doing a tremendous job at monitoring our vacation rentals for safety for our visitors and residents alike. We also want to thank all the citizens from Holmes Beach and Anna Maria Island that reached out to the governor asking for the veto of this bill. A village came together on this and it is much appreciated.”

When contacted late Friday morning, Murphy said, “I was elated that we were able to once again stop this legislation from going forward. It shows that when we all work together, we can accomplish great things. This is an illustration of the power of the people and getting the message up to the governor. I’m extremely grateful to the governor for having vetoed it and for listening to the people who would have been impacted by this legislation. This was a statewide effort and HomeRuleFl.com played a large part in getting that message out.”

Regarding the proposed legislation, Murphy said, “The heaviest impact would have been pulling away the occupancy limits. For us, that would be an overnight increase of approximately 30% in terms of occupancy in our city. We don’t have the infrastructure for it. We don’t have the parking, the police, the sewer, or the water to cover a 30% increase. You could absorb it over time, but to pull the plug on us overnight is wrong. That was poorly thought out by Sen. DiCeglie,” Murphy said.

The proposed legislation would have allowed local governments to still conduct an initial inspection of a vacation rental property but would not have allowed annual follow-up inspections.

“That shows you how little the author of this bill knows about the vacation rental business. It doesn’t make sense,” Murphy said. “These homes experience constant turnover week after week. Things wear out. Things get broken. People will cram as many people as they can into a home. We find rooms with no egress, with smoke detectors underneath fans, with pool alarms and pool fences missing and those types of things. That’s not safe. This is not one-size-fits-all. Anna Maria, Orlando, St. Augustine and the panhandle attract different types of visitors.”

Despite this year’s success, Murphy expects the legislative battle to continue.

“It’s going to be back next year and the year after that,” he said. “They’re not going to go away, but fortunately the governor and his staff have enough wisdom to see this is not in the best interest of the State of Florida. It’s not in the best interest of the visitors and it’s not in the best interest of the voters. It’s in the best interest of out-of-state corporations like Airbnb and VRBO.”

Murphy will not seek reelection this fall and this was his final vacation rental battle with state legislators. During his 10 years as mayor, he repeatedly led Anna Maria’s annual efforts to defeat the Florida Legislature’s failed preemption attempts. He will soon turn those duties over to Anna Maria’s next mayor, Mark Short or Brian Seymour.

“I feel good that we have two candidates for mayor that are qualified to carry this fight on. We’ve got a good staff that’s trained and knows how to use these tools and we’ve got a good lobbyist. That’s what it’s going to take,” he said.

Hot Dog Guy coming to Jewfish Key sandbar

Hot Dog Guy coming to Jewfish Key sandbar

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Business, Restaurants | Bars.

JEWFISH KEY – The sandbar off Jewfish Key, a popular spot for weekend boaters to drop anchor, now has a floating food service option in the form of Capt. Marc Bouclier’s The Hot Dog Guy boat.

Bouclier bought the 21-foot Carolina skiff last year to support Crysten’s AMI, his family’s Holmes Beach-based boat tour and rental business, but after speaking to a retired relative who had opened a hot dog business in Arizona, the idea was born.

“I thought it was a great idea to be able bring food and drinks to people when they’re out on their boats and in the sun all day,” Bouclier said.

He had the former fishing charter bait boat customized to create the hot dog boat and recently received approvals from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

He plans to have the boat at the sandbar between 1-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, along with some Fridays, weather permitting.

“We’ll be able to anchor the boat and have people walk from all over the sandbar to us,” he said. “The boat is easy to maneuver around in shallow water, people can come right up to the side of the boat.”

A strong advocate for supporting independent local businesses, he has multiple logos on his boat representing Island businesses.

“Everybody that’s involved in this boat was a handshake of ‘Let’s have some fun and let’s keep it island,’ ” Bouclier said. “There’s a couple of companies on here that have something to do with either the building of the boat or the marketing of the boat.”

Logos on the hot dog boat include Crysten’s AMI boat tours, Drift-In AMI, Anchor Stow, Anchor Down Real Estate & Rentals, Snook Haven, Kick Azz Fishing Charters, JMF Boatworks, Crabby Joe’s, 941 Marine Electronics, Mulligan’s Bar & Grill, Auto Trim, A.M.I. Boatworks, Custom Marine Fab and Speed King Signs.

Bouclier said people from those businesses will have an opportunity to go out on the boat with him on the weekends.

“All of our products are going to be bought from locals,” he said. “We’re keeping it simple, it’s strictly hot dogs, water and sodas.”

In keeping with his mission to support small business, Bouclier recently started a new Facebook page: Anna Maria Island FUN.

“This page is open to anybody and everybody to promote their business,” he said.

Eyes on seagrass

Eyes on seagrass

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

Readers of this column know the importance of seagrass to the health of the region’s bays, estuaries, fisheries, fauna and economy. These critical meadows are under threat from overdevelopment, stormwater run-off, sewage releases, motor prop scarring and what I often refer to as death by a thousand cuts. This July, citizens and visitors alike can learn about, see firsthand and help scientists quantify this critical resource during the Sarasota Bay Estuary’s Eyes on Seagrass program.

The Eyes on Seagrass program is a bi-annual citizen science event held in partnership with Florida Sea Grant, Mote Marine Laboratory and Sarasota and Manatee counties to measure macroalgae and seagrass coverage. The program was expanded from Charlotte Harbor to cover Sarasota Bay in 2021 in response to a data gap in macroalgae monitoring. During this sampling window in April and July, participants explore various locations throughout Sarasota Bay to collect information on macroalgae and seagrass coverage. Results are then integrated into the Sarasota Bay Ecosystem Health Report Card.

Want to participate? Organize a team with a boat and register your team at https://sarasotabay.org/eos/. You can pick your site preference and in-person training date (for new volunteers) during registration. Organizers will then email you which site(s) you have.

Participants can pick up their sampling gear starting Monday, July 1 at the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program’s office in Sarasota at 111 S. Orange Ave. Suite 200 W.

You can then attend an in-person training (for new volunteers), and/or read the sampling instructions and watch a video to learn how to sample and record your data. Training sessions will be held at the following locations and times, on Tuesday, June 25 at 9 a.m. at Bayfront Park in downtown Sarasota (5 Bayfront Drive) and on Wednesday, June 26 at 9 a.m. at Bayshore Gardens Park and Recreational District (6919 26th St. W., Bradenton). If you are unable to attend a scheduled training, please email christine@sarasotabay.org to coordinate an additional training session. Site sampling takes place from July 6-21.

This is an excellent opportunity to get in the water and see the amazingly rich ecosystem that lies just under the water’s surface. You’ll come away with a new appreciation of the beauty and complexity of our marine world, meet like-minded citizen scientists and make a difference. See you there.

Home sales and hurricanes

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

This is one of those times when I just want to put my head in the sand or at least lay on top of it and totally zone out. The weather is hot, hot, hot, the real estate market is cold, cold, cold and the threat of hurricanes is breathing fire down on us. Let’s start with the hurricanes.

Every hurricane prediction is in agreement that this will be an above-average season in the Atlantic Basin. The one I always look for is the Colorado State University forecast because I love that we’re getting our hurricane forecast from a landlocked mountain state. Nevertheless, their prediction is for 23 named storms, 11 hurricanes and five major hurricanes.

Before you put your head in the sand along with mine, remember that the Eastern Seaboard coastline is very long from as far north as Massachusetts to the southern tip of Florida and around into the Gulf of Mexico. My point is the hurricanes have a lot of area to choose from, but as they say, it only takes one and you have to be ready.

Anyone reading this lives either on the water or close enough to it that will require knowing your evacuation route, including emergency shelters and/or hotels or friends and relatives to evacuate to.

Get your three days’ worth of supplies for each family member where it is easily accessible. Nonperishable food, water, medications, first aid kit, flashlights, batteries, radio, cash, some clothing and important documents.

Secure your property, hopefully not the day before a storm is due, but how about right now? Window and door protections are at the top of the list.

Put away any outdoor projectiles, chairs, tables, toys, tree branches. If you have a garage, use it or move your vehicles to a more protected area. Get a backup power source, a generator, if you can arrange that. Turn off utilities, especially gas, and if you evacuate, leave your refrigerator and freezer free of raw meat or anything else that will go bad and damage your refrigerator if the power is off for several days.

Getting ready for hurricanes is one thing, getting ready for the real estate market is another thing. Let’s see what the May sales statistics show, released by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:

Single-family homes closed 0.2% fewer properties than last May. The median sale price was $525,000, 1.9% lower than last year, and the average sale price was $709,406, up 3.4%. The median time to contract was 45 days compared to 32 days last year and there were 24.8% more new listings. The month’s supply of available inventory is 4.1 months compared to 2.7 months last year.

Condos closed 25.8% fewer properties compared to last year. The median sale price was $361,495, 5.5% lower, and the average sale price was $412,368, 32% lower than last year. The median time to contract was 56 days compared to 37 days last May, and new listings were down 5.3%. The month’s supply of available listings is 6.3 months compared to 3.4 months.

As you can see, the report of fewer sales and generally increased inventory is shifting the market to a potential buyer’s market. Condos are feeling the effects more than single-family, I believe partly because of the summer season, where potential buyers for winter condo retreats has declined. We’ll have to wait until the fall to see if this is the case; in the meantime, the condo market may continue to decline the further we get into hurricane season and warmer weather.

Meanwhile, be prepared for storms, stay alert and enjoy the warm Gulf waters.

Privateers award annual scholarships

Privateers award annual scholarships

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

BRADENTON – The Anna Maria Island Privateers awarded 14 scholarships at LECOM Park before the June 21 Bradenton Marauders baseball game against the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

The Privateers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping kids in the community, hold fundraising events throughout the year with the two primary goals of funding Christmas gifts for underprivileged children and scholarships for students.

Scholarship recipients for 2024 are:

FIRST YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS ($1,500)

– Jake Burdette of Manatee High – $500 – AMI Privateers Scholarship

– Ella Evans of Palmetto High – $500 – AMI Privateers Scholarship

– Jack Love of Manatee High – $500 – AMI Privateers Scholarship

SECOND YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS ($2,750)

– Jessica Burdette of University of Florida – $750 – AMI Privateers Scholarship and Dean’s List Bonus – $500 – Davey Jones Locker Memorial Scholarship, in honor and memory of beloved Privateers who are now at rest.

– Laila Singer of University of North Florida – $750 – AMI Privateers Scholarship

– Isabella Pasquale of University of Florida – $750 – AMI Privateers Scholarship

THIRD YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS ($3,000)

– Carissa Bailey of University of Florida – $1,000 – Theresa Kunze, Sandpiper Resort Memorial Scholarship

– Gabe French of University of Central Florida – $1,000 – Theresa Kunze, Sandpiper Resort Memorial Scholarship

– Keile O’Dell of Southeastern University – $1,000 – Theresa Kunze, Sandpiper Resort Memorial Scholarship

FIRST RESPONDERS ($1,500)

– Medical: Courtney Bauer of University of South Florida – $500 – AMI Privateers First Responder Scholarship

– Fire & Rescue Academy – Accepting on behalf of Manatee Technical College, Jay Bush, Director of the MTC’s Fire Academy – $500 – AMI Privateers First Responder Scholarship

– Police Academy – MTC Police Academy – $500 – Drift In AMI Scholarship

COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS ($1,500)

– Early Learning Coalition: Accepting on behalf of ELC, Rachel Spivey, Director of Grant Management – $1,000 – Theresa Kunze, Sandpiper Resort Memorial Scholarship

– Veteran’s Continuing Education: Accepting on behalf of MTC Veterans Financial Aid, Brittany Burton, Financial Aid Specialist – $500 – Drift In AMI Scholarship.

Public access project at FISH Preserve begins in July

Public access project at FISH Preserve begins in July

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Outdoors, Parks.

CORTEZ – The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) board unanimously approved a proposal by Allen Garner to complete a public accessibility project at the FISH Preserve at the eastern edge of the historic fishing village.

The project will fulfill the conditions of a grant from the Barancik Foundation.

Garner, a retired landscape architect with more than 40 years of experience, will:

• Design and construct two new bridges. One of the bridges will be sufficiently strong and sized to accommodate both pedestrians and maintenance vehicles. The second will be for foot traffic.

• Create and grade 12,000 square feet of shell trails.

• Build an information kiosk, which will be a relocatable structure.

• Create and install signage, including a FISH Preserve entrance sign, four education signs, four orientation signs and 12 trail markers.

• Build two picnic shelters.

• Provide and install four picnic tables and six benches.

• Provide construction support for the completion of the Bradenton Kiwanis-funded bridge.

“I will be starting work in mid-July and I expect to have this all done in about six months,” Garner said.

The total budget for the project is $180,000, including $165,000 of grant funding with FISH providing the additional $15,000. The grant funds were awarded on Feb. 9.

According to FISH Treasurer Jane von Hahmann, it is a two-year grant with a report on progress due by March 2025.

According to the grant application, “This project is both environmental and educational. Educational signage along the trails will share the history and biology of this coastal habitat, providing information to visitors that will enhance their understanding of local flora and fauna, and provide context on why this land was important to save.”

In 2000, FISH and community members came together in a grassroots effort to raise the money to purchase 95 acres of land immediately adjacent to the village. The parcel now is one of the only undeveloped waterfront properties on Sarasota Bay. The habitat supports one of the last working waterfronts in Florida.

FDEP educates officials on mangroves

FDEP educates officials on mangroves

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors.

HOLMES BEACH – Representatives from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) want to make sure that city leaders know what they’re getting into if they opt to take over mangrove regulation from the state agency.

Holmes Beach city leaders are considering partnering with Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key officials to locally monitor and regulate mangrove trimming and removal under the authority of FDEP. Issues of unauthorized removal of mangroves, large-scale trimming and lot clearing have led local leaders to consider taking on the permitting and enforcement duties.

FDEP Environmental Administrator Hannah Westervelt visited city commissioners during a June 11 meeting to explain how mangroves are regulated by the state and what the limits of their power would be if commissioners opt to apply to take over regulations from the state.

Florida Statute 403.9321, the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act, states the intent for the government regulation – to protect mangroves from unregulated removal and destruction, protect uninhabited mangrove islands and conservation/preservation lands, give property owners a riparian right of view and encourage property owners to plant and maintain mangroves.

A lesser-known regulation that Westervelt stressed in her presentation is that the act doesn’t distinguish between living and dead mangroves, therefore it protects both and the same trimming and removal rules apply even if the tree is dead.

While she said that a local municipality can create a delegation to enforce mangrove protections and make their own rules regarding mangrove trimming and removal, they are limited by established exemptions, which they cannot change. Only state legislators can change the exemption qualifications for mangrove trimming, alteration and removal.

“There is the ability for local governments to apply and obtain the ability to regulate and enforce this act,” Westervelt said. To qualify, she said the local government must create a program, budget funds for running the program, and handle both permitting and compliance.

Exemptions are not required to have a permit from FDEP, Westervelt said, though they can have an exemption verification done if the work is questioned. She said all exempt trimming, defined by FDEP as “to cut mangrove branches, twigs, limbs and foliage; does not include roots; does not mean to remove defoliate or destroy the mangroves,” must occur only in a riparian mangrove fringe. The riparian mangrove fringe is where mangroves growing along a shoreline do not extend more than 50 feet waterward from the most landward mangrove trunk to the most waterward mangrove trunk.

Homeowner exemptions include trimming within the riparian mangrove fringe on land owned or controlled by the homeowner, including submerged land. Mangroves cannot exceed 10 feet tall before they are trimmed under an exemption, or be trimmed lower than 6 feet tall. All trimming should be done by a certified professional mangrove trimmer and within regulations determined by height and shoreline length. Any trimming or mangrove alteration that doesn’t fall within an established exemption should be discussed with the local governing authority before any work takes place to determine if the work can be legally done and if a permit is needed.

Westervelt also advised that anyone doing mangrove trimmings take before and after photos of the mangroves in case a question of a violation comes up when the mangroves are inspected. If a violation is found, she said both the owner and the person trimming the trees are liable and may be required to restore the mangroves or perform some kind of mitigation on the site.

Mangroves are protected in Florida due to the protection they provide for properties against erosion and flooding and their role as nurseries for sea life.

City commissioners question paid parking contract

City commissioners question paid parking contract

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners took issue with multiple provisions of a proposed parking lot management contract between the city and Shawn Kaleta-owned Beach to Bay Investments Inc., opting to continue the discussion at a Tuesday, July 16 meeting.

At a March 7 commission meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a bid from Beach to Bay Investments, the sole bidder for RFP 2024-03, to manage the existing parking lot between Church and Highland Avenues by the Public Works Department in a 50/50 split partnership with the city.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry read the terms of the proposed contract to commissioners on June 20 and several of the provisions raised concerns among the commission.

One of the sticking points was a clause that stated in part, “All decisions as to changes, charges and rates, and the timing and modification of same during the term of this Agreement and extensions or renewals of same shall be made by the operator (Beach to Bay) in its sole discretion.”

Commissioner Ralph Cole said that stipulation conflicted with his recollection of the discussion of parking rates at the March meeting and he requested time to review the audio recording.

“I thought we had thoroughly discussed pricing in March,” Cole said.

“I hate to say this to a client, but an open-ended determination of the cost was agreed upon by the city,” Perry said. “Nothing in the RFP said it was capped. We’d have damages if we walked away.”

At the March 7 Commission meeting, the following discussion took place.

Mayor John Chappie said, “We’d like to look at a cap on what we charge per hour.”

Pricing would change during the time of the year, Beach to Bay Investment representative Sam Negrin said.

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh asked what the parking rates would be and Negrin said that was open to discussion with the city.

“That’s something we could certainly put a cap on,” Negrin said. “I don’t know what we’re going to charge there yet. The lot across from Beach House charges $5-$10 an hour, so I think it will be somewhere in that range.”

Cole said he would like to know what the hourly charges are in order to make a determination as to which of three offered partnership plans to accept.

Some of the other issues discussed by commissioners at the June 20 meeting were the costs to the city for termination of the agreement.

“Either party shall have the right to terminate this agreement with or without cause upon providing 30 days’ notice to the other party,” according to the agreement proposal.

Beach to Bay Investments will be improving the city-owned parking lot with paving and striping, landscaping, clearing of the lot, signage and installation of lighting and security cameras.

A discussion ensued as to when the city’s obligation for reimbursement for the improvements would be ended in the event of a termination of the agreement.

“We need to have a good number for the cost of the improvements,” Cole said. “I need to see all the numbers before the contract is signed.”

“We can come up with a number the city is comfortable with,” Negrin said at the meeting. “It can be made more specific.”

Perry said she had an issue with indemnification and insurance.

“They want to cap it at $250,000,” Perry said. “Our agreement with John Horne at AMOB is $1 million per occurrence. I have an issue with indemnification and insurance. That’s very important.”

Perry suggested resuming the contract discussion at a future meeting.

“Let’s carry this on to the next meeting,” Chappie said.

A motion to continue the discussion to the July 16 meeting was made by Commissioner Jan Vosburgh and seconded by Cole. The motion passed unanimously.

Least tern chicks hatch in Bradenton Beach

Least tern chicks hatch in Bradenton Beach

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Birds, Outdoors.

BRADENTON BEACH – Since a colony of least terns began nesting the week of May 6, their numbers have grown to include 45 birds, with 20 of them sitting on eggs, along with five new hatchlings.

Rainfall during the week of June 10 raised concerns about the colony’s survival. At that time many of the eggs had been incubating for more than 25 days and were expected to be close to hatching.

Not only did the colony survive the storms, but throughout the weekend five chicks could be seen peering out from under their parents, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella.

Least tern chicks hatch in Bradenton Beach
A least tern chick is learning to stand. – Submitted | Kathy Doddridge

“Least tern chicks are highly mobile within a day of hatching. The adults can be seen using fish to coax the chicks to stand, open their bills and experience a fish in their mouth,” Mazzarella said in a press release. “At two days the adults lead the chicks around the colony to strengthen their legs and may leave the chicks unattended.”

Eventually, the chicks will use chick huts, upside-down V-shaped shade structures, as shelter, allowing the adults to forage offshore and feed fish to the chicks. The chick huts protect the chicks from predators such as fish crows and laughing gulls.

“Chick Crossing” signs have been placed at the north and south ends of the colony. In addition, chick fencing has been placed to deter chicks from going into the beach access area.

Beachgoers are asked to watch for chicks that may decide to explore outside the posted area and allow the least tern adults to call the chicks back into the enclosure.

Mazzarella offered the following tips to keep the colony safe:

• Keep your distance. If birds become agitated or leave their nests you are too close. A general rule is to stay at least 300 feet away from a nest.

• Respect posted areas. Avoid posted nests and resting areas and use designated walkways.

• Never intentionally force birds to fly. When birds are chased or disturbed, they use energy they need to reserve for nesting and migration.

• Pets are not allowed on AMI beaches. Keep cats indoors.

• Keep the beach clean and do not feed wildlife. Food scraps attract predators such as raccoons and crows to the beaches. Litter on beaches can entangle birds.

• Spread the word. If you see people disturbing nesting birds, gently remind them how their actions may hurt birds’ survival. If they continue to disturb nesting birds, please call and report their activities to FWC’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

For more information or ways to help protect nesting shorebirds and seabirds, visit islandturtlewatch.com.

Holmes Beach logo

City leaders discuss charter review commission changes

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

HOLMES BEACH – Last year’s election left city leaders in a bit of a pickle. While there’s been no shortage of people volunteering for most of the city’s volunteer boards, the charter review commission is another story, with only one candidate, William Romberger, running to fill the five-person CRC.

Romberger is currently running for election to the city commission in 2024. Now city commissioners are considering a change to the charter to help fill the board in coming years.

During a June 11 work session, City Attorney Erica Augello presented commissioners with two charter amendment options.

The first option allows city commissioners to appoint the five members of the CRC by a supermajority vote instead of the members having to run for office and be elected by voters. If the five people appointed are unwilling to serve, the city’s charter would not be reviewed in that year. Currently, the Holmes Beach city charter is scheduled to be reviewed every five years without exception. This is the first time the charter has not been reviewed as scheduled since the city’s incorporation.

The second option presented by Augello leaves the election of CRC members as-is, requiring them to run for office during a general election cycle and be selected by voters. If there are fewer than five qualified candidates, the charter would not be reviewed during that fifth-year cycle as scheduled.

Neither option would change the requirement for any proposed charter amendment to be approved by a supermajority vote (four of five) of city commissioners before being put to the voters for final approval on the next general election ballot.

Augello said that the two options she presented are intended to start the discussion with city commissioners. Once commissioners make a decision, they would need to get the suggestion in ordinance form to be approved and then put on the November ballot for approval or rejection by voters. She added that the deadline for the 2024 general election ballot is Aug. 19.

“I think it’s important that we move forward with this,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said. “I think it’s very important that we have a charter review every five years.”

Commissioner Carol Soustek said that she felt some people shied away from applying for the CRC because they would have to run for election.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said she was in favor of the first option which would allow city commissioners or the mayor to nominate members of the CRC with each nomination approved by a supermajority vote.

Commissioners agreed to move forward with the first option suggested by Augello to allow for the CRC members to be nominated by city commissioners and approved by a supermajority vote with the charter review to be skipped if not enough people step forward for consideration. Augello said she would look into whether city commissioners could take part as members of the CRC or if it would be considered dual office holding.

City commission approves Bridge Street parties

City commission approves Bridge Street parties

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners approved Australian pine tree removals, monthly street parties on Bridge Street, a new member of the Scenic Highway Committee and donations to local community centers at their June 20 meeting.

SUNDOWN GET DOWN APPROVED

City commissioners heard details about the planned Bridge Street Merchants Association’s Sundown Get Down monthly street party events on Bridge Street. The events will be held at 4 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month beginning on July 18 with a retro beach party theme.

“There will be additional trolleys, a kid-zone and family-friendly themes,” Leah Brown of Big Idea Events said. “The goal is to drive business to Bridge Street’s established businesses.”

The monthly events received an open container waiver from the city. Bradenton Beach Police Department Lt. Lenard Diaz said the department will be fully staffed for the events.

Bridge Street will be closed to vehicular traffic during the events and commissioners expressed concerns about parking.

Sam Negrin of Beach to Bay Investments said the Shawn Kaleta-owned parking lot at the corner of Bridge Street and Gulf Drive will be available at either zero or reduced fees during the street parties.

“Yes, parking fees will either be waived or greatly reduced for the events,” Negrin said.

Merchants will allow for the use of public restrooms during the events.

Commissioners unanimously approved a motion for the monthly event to run from July through December.

AUSTRALIAN PINES REMOVAL APPROVED

Commissioners unanimously approved a $7,500 bid from Sarasota-based Harley’s Tree Service to remove two Australian pine trees on city property around 1102 Gulf Drive N. with funds to come from the city-wide tree trimming budget line item.

A second bid for $7,600 from Harley’s Tree Service to remove nine Australian pines from Children’s Park and Herb Dolan Park was also unanimously approved by the commission with funds to come from the half-cent sales tax fund.

NEW MEMBER ON SCENIC HIGHWAY COMMITTEE

Commissioners unanimously approved the appointment of Bradenton Beach resident Brie Bender to the Scenic Highway Committee.

“I’ve been a resident in Bradenton Beach since 2019 and I’m interested in seeing how I can give back to the community,” Bender said to commissioners. “I’ve been very involved in the community in South Carolina.”

The committee serves as an advocacy group for the Bradenton Beach Scenic Highway corridor.

Bender listed her occupation as director of brokerage operations at INNOVATE Real Estate.

“We appreciate you being here,” Mayor John Chappie said.

CITY DONATION SPLIT

With an available city budget of $4,750 for donations to Island community centers, commissioners voted to donate two-thirds of that amount to the Bradenton Beach-based Annie Silver Community Center and one-third to The Center of Anna Maria Island in Anna Maria.

City commissioners unanimously approved a donation of $3,182 to Annie Silver for its programs and $1,568 to The Center of Anna Maria Island for programs to help with the organization’s senior program collaborations with the Annie Silver Community Center.

Commissioner Ralph Cole is the liaison to The Center of Anna Maria Island and Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce is the liaison to the Annie Silver Community Center.

Mayor vetoes proposed charter amendment

Mayor vetoes proposed charter amendment

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

ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy has vetoed an ordinance containing a proposed charter amendment that will now not be placed on the fall ballot unless the city commission overrides the veto by a 4-1 supermajority vote.

On June 13, the commission voted 3-2 in favor of including on the ballot a proposed amendment that called for the insertion of mission statement-like language that expressed a desire to maintain Anna Maria’s home rule rights and residential character. Commissioners Jon Crane and Mark Short opposed the proposed amendment because they felt it was more aspirational than actionable.

During commission discussions, Murphy, as the non-voting mayor, expressed his opposition to the proposed amendment. On Monday, June 24, he sent an email to commissioners informing them of his veto.

The email said, “Commissioners: This is to inform you that I have vetoed the above referenced ordinance for the following reasons:

• The ordinance is unnecessary,

• Cannot be effectively enforced,

• Could potentially cause harm to the city,

• Should be addressed as a part of the ‘land use element’ in the comprehensive plan, not the charter.”

During the June 13 meeting, the commission voted 5-0 in favor of placing on the ballot four additional proposed charter amendments that pertain to building height limits, calling special commission meetings, the charter’s designation of city officers and strengthened residency requirements for sitting mayors and commissioners. These four proposed amendments will be placed on the fall ballot for Anna Maria voters to accept or reject.

The city charter can only be amended with the majority support of the city’s registered voters.

ADDITIONAL ACTIONS

During the June 13 meeting, the commission unanimously approved providing $50,000 to assist with the replacement of The Center’s aging air conditioning system. The commission also approved providing The Center with an additional $28,000 for a previously completed restroom remodeling and shower installation project.

Mayor vetoes proposed charter amendment
The Center’s air conditioning system needs to be replaced. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

When first presenting the funding requests on May 23, Executive Director Chris Culhane said the $50,000 provided by the city would serve as matching funds for a $90,000 grant The Center received earlier that day from the Bishop-Parker Foundation. The two funding sources provide The Center with $140,000 for a new air conditioning system.

On May 23, Murphy noted the city owns The Center building and property. He also noted the commission previously approved a similar $50,000 funding request last year that was not utilized before the 2022-23 fiscal year ended on Sept. 30.

“I firmly believe that improving our own property is the right thing to do. I also like the way the community center has been running for the last of couple years,” Murphy said during the May meeting. “There were times when I worried about having to take over that community center because it was adrift. I have to congratulate Chris and his staff on bringing it back in line. You’re running a good operation there.”

PLAYERS’ ROOF

The commission authorized the mayor to spend up to $65,000 to replace the asphalt roof on the Island Players building. Murphy said the theater group’s long-term lease with the city obligates the city to help maintain the city-owned building.

Murphy said the Island Players canceled their wind insurance policy due to the roof’s current condition.

He said the theater group obtained two roof replacement bids and he obtained three additional bids. The five bids ranged from $38,000 to approximately $60,000.

Murphy said he would prefer to put a metal roof on the Island Players building because of the low maintenance requirements but for sound and acoustic purposes, the Island Players prefer another asphalt roof.

Murphy said Building Department General Manager Dean Jones would analyze the five bids with the goal to have the new roof installed and the wind insurance policy reinstated before peak hurricane season arrives.

PINE AVENUE

The city commission voted 4-1 in favor of issuing the first of four RFPs for the section-by-section installation of new pervious brick paver sidewalks along Pine Avenue where no paved or hard-surfaced sidewalks currently exist. Where applicable, the brick paver sidewalks will follow the same meandering paths that veer away from Pine Avenue and closer to the business entrances.

Mayor vetoes proposed charter amendment
Some of the unpaved pedestrian paths along Pine Avenue meander away from the street and closer to the businesses. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“I oppose the meandering sidewalks. People don’t use them. They walk the street,” Commissioner Gary McMullen said when expressing his opposition to the new sidewalks following those same meandering paths.

Construction companies have until July 17 to submit bid proposals to install brick paver sidewalks and new and improved crosswalks along Pine Avenue between Gulf Drive and North Shore Drive. Murphy expects this first section of the multi-phase sidewalk and crosswalk installation project to be completed by the end of September.

He also presented a schedule for subsequent RFPs to be issued later this summer. The RFP for the section of Pine Avenue between North Shore Drive and Crescent Drive will be issued on June 30. The RFP for Crescent Drive to Tarpon Street will be issued on July 15 and the RFP for Tarpon Street to Bay Boulevard section will be issued on July 31.

Murphy said the goal is to have the initial four phases of the brick paver and crosswalk installations completed by the end of November. The existing concrete sidewalks along Pine Avenue will then be replaced in a future phase of the project.

STATE APPROPRIATIONS

During the June 13 meeting, Murphy informed the commission that DeSantis approved a $500,000 state appropriation to assist the city in developing a long-term plan to eliminate the need to dredge the Lake La Vista inlet and jetty area every few years at the city’s expense.

DeSantis vetoed the city’s $1.9 million request to extend the multi-use trail along Gulf Drive and he also vetoed a $475,000 request for the installation of stand-alone public restrooms near the city-owned public parking lot adjacent to city hall and the Island Players building.

Earthy drinking water smell, taste caused by algae

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

MANATEE COUNTY – If you’re noticing a musty or earthy taste or odor in your drinking water, it’s being caused by algae that grows in all lakes, including Lake Manatee, the source for two-thirds of the county’s drinking water, according to county officials.

“Customers of Manatee County Utilities may notice a temporary and non-harmful change in their water taste or odor. Algae blooms are regular seasonal occurrences in Lake Manatee but vary in frequency and duration,” according to a June 21 press release from Manatee County.

“Current conditions favor a bloom, and tests conducted over the past several days indicate the presence of algae at elevated concentrations in Lake Manatee. This can create an earthy and/or musty taste or odor in the treated drinking water. While the odor or taste may be noticeable, the water remains safe to drink.”

“We will continue monitoring and conducting treatment efforts until water quality returns to normal,” Manatee County Utilities Deputy Director Katie Gilmore said. “It is our hope that by informing the public of this algal bloom, we can alleviate any concerns that may arise should a customer experience taste or odor issues in their drinking water.”

The county has implemented a treatment process that involves the addition of powdered activated carbon.

“This process is very effective in the removal of taste and odor-causing compounds. However, when the levels reach quantities that exceed the limit of the systems’ removal capability, customers may notice a slight earthy/musty taste to their water,” the press release stated.

“The water remains entirely safe for consumption. If desired, customers can utilize a carbon filter hooked up to the faucet to the water system of the refrigerator or a filter pitcher designed for taste and odor removal to help minimize the off-taste and/or odor,” the release said.

According to the Manatee County online Water Odor and Taste Fact Sheet, “Certain algae and bacteria produce compounds (MIB Methyl-Isoborneol and geosmin) as part of their metabolism that impart the earthy/musty odor/taste to the water (These same compounds are produced by bacteria in soil and make ‘dirt smell like dirt.’). The compounds do not affect the safety of the water but produce odors at very low levels (part per trillion).”

The algae blooms occur most frequently in late spring and early summer. They occur two to three times a year and last between two and four weeks.

Local candidates meet and greet potential constituents

Local candidates meet and greet potential constituents

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Manatee County.

CORTEZ – Karen Bell hosted five candidates running in local political races at a meet and greet event at the Star Fish Co. dock on Sunday evening.

Invited candidates were Scott Farrington (R) for Manatee County Supervisor of Elections; Charlie Hackney (R) for Manatee County Property Appraiser; George Kruse (R) for Manatee County Commission District 7 at large; Tal Siddique (R) for Manatee County Commission District 3; and Carol Whitmore (R) for Holmes Beach City Commission.

“I decided to do this because I am concerned about the current state of our local government and thought it would be good for people to have an opportunity to meet these candidates who I know personally and respect,” Bell said.

Farrington, who has more than 20 years of experience in the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office as chief of staff, spoke first.

“This election is important to make sure there are accurate and secure elections,” Farrington said. “I believe that experience matters, doubly so, when it comes to elections. I have 20-plus years in elections, in Sarasota County for 10 and in Manatee County. That experience gives me the ability to run the elections office and in a way you expect the elections office to work.”

Farrington, a Republican, reminded those assembled to vote in the Aug. 20 primary.

“In order to vote in the primary, you must be a registered Republican,” he said. “I understand some of you may not be Republican, but understand in the primary a 30% turnout is considered really good, so that means the winner is going to be selected by less than 30% of the Republican party. It’s your choice, but if you want to have a say, vote in the primary. I’m not asking you to switch parties.”

Charlie Hackney, Manatee County’s property appraiser for 32 years, is running for another four-year term.

“If I get elected, we can keep doing what we’ve been doing for the past 30 years, what I’m proud of,” Hackney said.

George Kruse spoke next.

“I’m at large so everybody in Manatee County will have me on their ballot Aug. 20,” Kruse said. “This is having a voice in your government and you’ve lost a voice in your government. Every year it’s getting chipped away more and more and more.”

Without mentioning names, Kruse spoke about the Manatee County Board of Commissioners.

“Those people don’t actually care about you, they don’t answer your calls, they don’t answer your emails,” Kruse said. “You need to fix that. This year is incredibly important. In the supervisor of elections race you have somebody in there now that has no business being there.”

“We’re not hoarding money from developers and LLCs who tell us to do what we’re told,” Kruse said. “We’re not sitting on our couch with mailers full of lies going out. We’re here speaking to you and hearing your concerns so we can govern for the next four years.”

Tal Siddique spoke next.

“I’m running to be your next grassroots commissioner,” he said. “If you’re a registered Republican and you live in the district, you can vote for me in the primary. I want to see a new generation of leadership.”

Siddique referenced a benefit for boat captain Marty Lee in Cortez on Saturday night.

“In no other town in this country have I seen that,” he said. “This is old Florida. When we see a problem, we fix it. That’s what I want to see happen on this board.”

“We need good people on this board,” Siddique added.

Carol Whitmore spoke next.

“I’ve been there done that, I was mayor of Holmes Beach, city commissioner and county commissioner. I came back to the Island after I lost my election to Bearden and I worked for a year and a half raising money for a non-profit. I cannot live in Holmes Beach and not try to repair the relationships with what’s going on. They’re trying to consolidate the Island because of one person,” Whitmore said, adding, “I promise you this is my last time in public service.”

Jonathan Lynch (NPA), candidate for the Manatee County School Board, was invited but unable to attend.

Vacation rental bill transmitted to DeSantis

Vacation rental bill transmitted to DeSantis

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Business, Featured, Real estate | Development.

TALLAHASSEE – The fate of the Florida Legislature’s latest attempt to reserve the regulation of vacation rentals to the state lies in the hands of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

On June 17, DeSantis received the vacation rental preemption bill proposed by the Florida Legislature in the form of Senate Bill 280 and its matching House bill.

The proposed legislation seeks to assign vacation rental regulation and vacation rental advertising regulation to the state and take those regulatory rights away from local city and county governments.

As of June 23, DeSantis had not yet signed the bill into law or vetoed it. He also has the option to allow the bill to become a new state law without his signature.

As part of its ongoing efforts to maintain the right to regulate short-term vacation rentals and advertising at the local level, the city of Anna Maria immediately initiated an opposition campaign directed at the governor.

The campaign uses the city-owned Home Rule Florida website which has more than 2,000 subscribers statewide. On June 17, Home Rule Florida issued an email to subscribers encouraging them to express their opposition to the proposed legislation by emailing DeSantis or calling his office.

The June 17 Home Rule Florida email said, “Vacation rental bill SB 280 is on the governor’s desk. Now is the time to let Gov. DeSantis know how this bill can destroy our delicate coastal communities. Ask him to veto SB 280.”

The email also said, “Lend your voice in asking our governor to carefully consider the implications of this bill and not try to fix something that’s not broken. The elimination of occupancy limitations can cripple the infrastructure of some of our coastal communities. The actual population of people residing in these coastal communities can increase by up to 35% overnight, hampering law enforcement, sewer and water resources, as well as creating traffic congestion and impacting public safety. The required and exclusive methods set out in the bill for enforcement make enforcement of those standards virtually impossible.”

The email also addresses the carve-out exemption that would allow Flagler County to continue regulating short-term vacation rentals at the county level.

“There is a carve-out for one county. No one seems to be able to explain why Flagler County was the only county in Florida to be exempted from this draconian piece of legislation. No need exists for this legislation. Cities and counties do not need new enforcement means and restrictions only applicable to enforcement against vacation rentals since the current enforcement methods available under current Florida law are certainly sufficient,” the email said.

Additional Home Rule Florida emails were distributed on June 18, 19 and 21.

When contacted on June 22, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said, “Our lobbyist is very optimistic that he (DeSantis) will veto the bill but we need to keep the pressure on. If he signs it or doesn’t sign it and it becomes state law, we are weighing our options on what our next move will be. The Flagler carve-out seems to hit a raw nerve with the governor’s staff and we have been emphasizing that in the campaigns we’ve run so far. In just one week, our campaigns generated over 2,000 letters (emails) and numerous phone calls opposing SB 280. I know our message is hitting home with the governor’s office and I’m hoping this ‘pork chop’ piece of legislation fails.”