ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Twice a year the area is invaded by a tiny flying pest known as plecia nearctica, better known to Floridians as the lovebug, and once again, they are back.
Car washes love them, but most everyone else finds them to be a nuisance.
Often called the double-headed bug or honeymoon fly, lovebugs don’t actually have two heads, although at first glance it certainly appears so. During mating season, lovebugs can remain attached to each other for many days after mating, causing observers to see them as one creature. Lovebugs are harmless, don’t bite or sting, and are not a health risk to humans. Their sizable numbers do cause real problems during mating season, which occurs from late April into May, then again in late August into September.
There has been an urban legend since the 1950s that an experiment at the University of Florida went wrong and produced the annoying lovebugs. The legend says they managed to escape a UF laboratory resulting in the havoc they wreak on cars and Floridians. While this story is interesting, it has no basis in truth, according to Thomas Fasulo, an extension entomologist with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
“I started hearing this story in 1979, my first year as an entomologist in Florida, but other entomologists told me they heard the same story long before that,” Fasulo said. “How it got started we just don’t know.”
The plecia nearctica is actually a fly believed to have migrated through the Gulf coast from Texas through southern states and eventually to Florida. While they annoy just about everyone in their path, the good news is that they only mate twice a year and don’t cause many issues in the remaining months.
Lovebugs’ acidity drops to around 4.5pH, making them very acidic. This means that if left on a car’s surface, they can cause paint damage and also be difficult to remove after only a few hours. Lovebugs can also clog filters and intake systems on cars, so it’s best to wash them off as soon as possible.
Some seasons are worse than others and some areas see higher concentrations than others. There is little that can be done to predict exactly when and where lovebugs will appear in the highest concentrations. Since they only live a few days after breeding, the only certainty is that they will be gone by summer.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Volunteers with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring have found and marked the first loggerhead sea turtle nest of the season on the Island.
“We are excited to start the nesting season on Anna Maria Island and look forward to a productive season protecting nests and educating the public,” Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella said in a statement.
Under a directive from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Turtle Watch volunteers began patrolling local beaches on April 15, although the official start of sea turtle nesting season is May 1.
Beginning early in the morning, volunteers monitor beaches daily for sea turtle activity.
Turtle Watch breaks down nesting data into three geographical sections. The first is from the Longboat Key Bridge north to Manatee Beach, the second is from Manatee Beach north to Bean Point, and the third covers bayside beaches.
Turtle Watch reminds residents and visitors of the following dos and don’ts:
DO:
• Shield or turn off outdoor lights that are visible on the beach and close drapes after dark;
• Remove all beach furniture and toys from the beach at night;
• Fill in holes and knock down sandcastles that may impede hatchlings on their way to the water;
• Place trash in its proper place;
• Keep your distance from posted nest sites;
• If you encounter a nesting turtle, remain quiet and observe from a distance;
• Call AMITW at 941-301-8434 or FWC at 888-404-3922 if you find a turtle (adult or hatchling) in distress; and
• Notify local law enforcement if you see anyone disturbing a turtle, hatchlings or nest site.
DO NOT:
• Use flashlights, cellphones, flash photography or fishing lamps on the beach;
• Encourage a turtle to move while nesting or pick up hatchlings that have emerged;
• Use fireworks on the beach; or
• Approach nesting turtles or emerging hatchlings, make noise, or shine lights at turtles.
For more information on ways to help protect sea turtles, visit islandturtlewatch.com.
ANNA MARIA – Building Department General Manager Dean Jones is leading the city’s efforts to join Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key in adopting and self-enforcing local mangrove regulations.
The multi-municipality regulatory efforts were first discussed during the April 17 Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials (CBIEO) meeting in Longboat Key. During that meeting, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy proposed that the four barrier island municipalities work together to establish a local mangrove regulation program that would supersede the regulations currently enacted and enforced by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
Jones also attended the meeting and on April 25, at Murphy’s request, he provided the Anna Maria City Commission with an overview of the mangrove regulation and enforcement efforts to be pursued.
Building Department General Manager Dean Jones is leading Anna Maria’s pursuit of local mangrove regulations. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Jones’ presentation referenced a much-publicized mangrove removal event that occurred in late 2023 at a canal-side home at 111 Gull Drive in Anna Maria. The presentation included photos of the property before and after the mangroves were removed to make way for a new seawall.
“Part of what brought this process about was the fact that mangroves had been destroyed by a homeowner from out of state that felt they needed a seawall and didn’t really understand how important mangroves are to our ecosystem,” Jones said.
Another presentation slide listed the five Florida counties, one Florida city and one Florida town that have enacted their own local mangrove regulation and enforcement programs since 1996. Jones said of those seven, only Sarasota County’s mangrove program remains active.
Commissioner Charlie Salem asked Jones why the other mangrove enforcement programs faded away.
Jones said some people he spoke with didn’t even know who started their local mangrove programs and whether they ended due to a lack of resources or a lack of interest.
“The good thing is DEP will allow us to enforce our own mangrove ordinances, but we have to make sure we have the resources to do so,” Jones said.
Jones said he’ll be working in unison with Holmes Beach Planning and Zoning Administrator Chad Minor, Bradenton Beach Building Official Darin Cushing and Longboat Key Planning, Zoning and Building Director Allen Parsons.
Regarding FDEP requirements for local mangrove enforcement, one presentation slide said, “To receive delegation, a local government must demonstrate that it has sufficient resources and procedures for the adequate administration and enforcement of a delegated mangrove-regulatory program. This does not preclude a delegated local government from imposing stricter substantive standards or more demanding procedural requirements for mangrove trimming or alteration outside of riparian mangrove fringe areas.”
The presentation listed several next steps to be taken. Interlocal agreements must be established with all four participating municipalities and uniform guidelines must be adopted to provide continuity regarding administration and enforcement, including the fines and penalties levied on violators.
The municipalities must meet educational requirements and administrative guidelines and enforcement and communication protocols must be developed between the four municipalities to help intercept possible violations before they occur, or in the early stages of the occurrence.
“We need to have continuity across all the cities if we’re going to make this work,” Jones said. “Mangroves are a huge part of our ecosystem. When we remove them, bad things happen. The water gets worse and the wildlife goes away. We have the ability to protect our mangroves locally. We don’t have to let what happened at 111 Gull happen again. We can have some control over it.”
After noting that he also attended the CBIEO meeting, Salem thanked Murphy for his leadership and he suggested gathering more information about Sarasota County’s mangrove regulations and enforcement efforts.
During public input, Anna Maria resident Wayne Patterson thanked Jones and said, “I live right around the corner from that last decimated mangrove effort.” He asked how the city regulates mangroves in conjunction with property owners’ desire to install seawalls.
Commissioner Mark Short noted the city commission adopted a seawall ordinance a couple of years ago that states any new seawall installed must be installed landward of any mangroves that border the property – and doing so doesn’t reduce the total lot coverage allowed.
Patterson noted that didn’t happen at 111 Gull.
“They were removed before the permit for the seawall was applied for,” Short said. “Currently the city has no remedies. We always thought DEP would be the ones to remedy the situation. In my opinion, they’re not doing their job.”
Murphy then said, “At 111 Gull he had a permit from DEP. He did not have a seawall permit yet, but he had a permit to pull out all those mangroves. That’s what we’re trying to do here to preclude that from happening again. Otherwise, it’s going to keep happening,” Murphy said.
“Until we have local control,” Jones added.
Salem then said, “Because DEP doesn’t recognize man-made canals as part of this protection, that’s why they were allowed to remove those mangroves. We would be able to prohibit that kind of removal in those man-made canals.”
When asked what happens if one or more of the barrier island municipalities can’t agree on the mangrove regulations and enforcement measures later proposed, Murphy said, “We move right on. We need to get something done. In that meeting there was a pretty thorough understanding of what we needed to do and why we needed to do it. If somebody decides to back out, they’re on their own and the other cities will move forward.”
PAST PRESENTATION
This is not the first time the city of Anna Maria has inquired about establishing a local mangrove enforcement program. In 2020, FDEP representative Hannah Westervelt and the Anna Maria Commission participated in a mangrove trimming workshop.
During the workshop, Westervelt said, “Any local government can get the delegation of authority to regulate trimming and alteration of mangroves, but a local agency has to demonstrate they have the resources and the procedures in place. To establish that local program, you have to submit a written request for delegation to the department.”
ANNA MARIA – City commissioners are still considering six charter amendments recently proposed by the charter review committee.
On April 25, the commission engaged in its second informal discussion on the proposed charter amendments presented on April 11. No decisions have been made regarding any of the proposed amendments to the city charter that establishes how the city is structured and governed.
The commission will eventually formally vote to reject, accept or modify each of the proposed amendments and any additional amendments proposed by the commission.
The commission-supported amendments will be placed before Anna Maria voters in the upcoming general election. The city charter can only be amended with the majority support of the city’s registered voters.
HOME RULE
Much of the April 25 discussion pertained to the proposed insertion of charter language that would address the desire to preserve Anna Maria’s home rule rights and residential character.
The committee proposes the following language be inserted into the charter: “The city of Anna Maria will ensure that the single-family detached residential character and home rule of the city is maintained and protected while supporting commercial uses within the commercial and ROR land use categories, while maximizing the enjoyment of natural and man-made resources by the citizens and minimizing the threat to health, safety and welfare posed by hazards, nuisances, incompatible land uses and environmental degradation.”
As he did on April 11, Commissioner Jon Crane again questioned the use of the word “ensure” and the city’s ability to do so.
“I think this is aspirational change and not an action change. It’s a nice statement, but I don’t think it should be something we put before the electorate,” Crane said.
Commissioner Charlie Salem disagreed and said, “I actually like this statement, especially given the time we’re in, where home rule is under threat. I think this is the type of thing that would be good for the electorate to weigh in on.”
Commissioner Gary McMullen agreed with Crane and said, “What do we do to ensure it?”
Regarding the ongoing OPPAGA consolidation study requested by state legislators, McMullen said, “We can’t control our destiny. We’ve got no control over OPPAGA.”
Commissioners Mark Short and Jon Crane expressed their views on a proposed charter statement. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Commissioner Mark Short addressed the potential legal ramifications of the proposed statement.
“Does this put the city at some type of legal risk if say we’re going to ensure these things and then something happens and we can’t?” he asked. “We continue to be attacked at the state level for home rule. Unfortunately, we don’t control our own destiny as well as we used to.”
Short suggested eliminating the word “ensure” and inserting language that says the city will strive to protect home rule and the city’s residential character.
Salem asked City Attorney Becky Vose if there’s any legal benefit to placing such a statement in the charter.
In response, Vose said, “I don’t know how something like this would be viewed by the electorate. As a very practical matter, more than half of the residential structures in Anna Maria are vacation rentals, so in some respect the ship has sailed.”
Mayor Dan Murphy has previously stated more than 70% of Anna Maria’s residential structures are short-term vacation rentals.
BUILDING HEIGHTS
Anna Maria’s comp plan and building codes already restrict building heights to three stories but the comp plan and the building code could be easily amended by a simple majority vote of the city commission.
The charter review committee recommends building heights be limited to 37 feet at the highest point of the structure. The proposed charter language also lists several exceptions for air conditioning equipment, elevator shafts and other elements and accessories. The commissioners tentatively support the 37-foot height limit but agree that more discussion and specific details are needed.
Other proposed charter amendments pertain to the sale or long-term lease of city properties, clarifying who’s considered an officer of the city, residency requirements for elected officials while in office and who can schedule a special city commission meeting. The committee also recommends replacing gender-specific pronouns with non-gender-specific nouns.
More charter discussion is expected on Thursday, May 9.
ANNA MARIA – The city is one step closer to adopting a new ordinance that will grant grandfathering status for businesses that already sold CBD and/or hemp products as of April 1.
On April 25, a previously discussed city ordinance, Ordinance 24-923, was presented to the city commission on first reading. The second reading and final adoption of the ordinance is expected on May 9.
The ordinance amends Section 34-2 of the city’s code of ordinances, which currently prohibits the growth, distribution, or sale of marijuana, medical marijuana, or any product derived from the cannabis plant, including hemp and CBD.
According to the proposed amended ordinance, “The growing, processing, distributing and sale of marijuana within the city limits of Anna Maria is hereby prohibited. Marijuana shall be defined for purposes of this section to include all parts of any plant of the genus cannabis, whether growing or not; the seeds thereof; the resin ex-tracted from any part of the plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant or its seeds or resin, including but not limited to ‘low-THC cannabis,’ as defined in Florida Statute 381.986.”
However, the proposed ordinance includes new language that will provide grandfathering status for Anna Maria businesses that already sell CBD or hemp products.
According to the proposed ordinance, “Businesses with a business location in the city of Anna Maria – not to include mobile sales – that, as of April 1, 2024, regularly sold product that would otherwise have been prohibited shall be eligible to receive grandfather status to continue such sales, but not to increase the volume of such sales, in accordance with procedures set forth in a resolution to be adopted by the city commission.”
Anna Maria businesses that did not sell CBD or hemp products prior to April 1 will not be eligible for the grandfathering status.
The yet-to-be-presented city resolution referenced in the proposed ordinance will establish the specific procedures to be followed by those seeking the grandfathering status, including a registration process.
During the April 25 meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy said the city is currently aware of three Anna Maria businesses that sell hemp and/or CBD products. The North Shore Café sells food and drink items that include hemp powder with miniscule amounts of THC. The Cool Beans AMI coffee shop sells CBD products in addition to coffee, food items and other non-CBD products. AMI Beach & Dog Supply sells canine-grade CBD products.
Murphy said any additional businesses that sold CBD and/or hemp products as of April 1 and want to continue doing so must notify the city soon and be able to prove those pre-April 1 sales.
The proposed ordinance notes, “Nothing in this ordinance shall be construed to allow the sale of any product, the sale of which is otherwise prohibited by Florida law as then applicable.”
City Attorney Becky Vose said this provision addresses the possibility that Gov. Ron DeSantis may soon sign into state law proposed state legislation that would further restrict CBD sales and the potency of CBD products legally sold in Florida. Vose said there’s a strong possibility that many currently legal CBD/THC products would be made illegal by the proposed state legislation.
As of April 27, the proposed CBD legislation created by Senate Bill 1698 and House Bill 1613 had not yet been transmitted to DeSantis to veto, sign into new state law, or allow to become new state law without his signature.
MANATEE COUNTY – Interim Manatee County Supervisor of Elections James Satcher has filed his preliminary paperwork to run for election to that position on a long-term basis.
On April 12, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Satcher, a first-term county commissioner, to serve as the interim supervisor of elections despite having no prior experience supervising an election or managing an elections office.
DeSantis appointed Satcher to serve the remaining months of the four-year supervisor of elections term vacated by longtime Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett, who resigned on March 1. Satcher’s appointed term expires soon after the upcoming general election in November.
On April 24, Satcher filed his one-paragraph campaign redesignation letter that said, “I, James Satcher, am resigning my candidacy from Manatee County Commission District 1 and filing a new DS-DE 9 for the supervisor of elections race.”
Scott Farrington formerly served as chief of staff for the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office. – VoteScottFarrington.com | Submitted
Satcher will face longtime Supervisor of Elections Office Chief of Staff Scott Farrington in the Republican primary race that concludes Aug. 20.
Currently, no Democratic candidate or non-party affiliated candidate has filed to run in that race. If that remains the case, the August primary will determine who serves as Manatee County’s next supervisor of elections.
If no non-Republican candidates enter the primary race, the primary will be open to all Manatee County voters regardless of party affiliation. If a non-Republican candidate joins the race, the primary will be closed to Republican voters only.
The winner of the race will serve a four-year term as the elected supervisor of elections.
Satcher brings to his supervisor of elections campaign $70,500 in campaign contributions he previously received for his reelection bid for the District 1 Manatee County Commission seat he was elected to in 2020.
Farrington was in his 12th year of service with the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office when he resigned following Satcher’s unexpected appointment. To date, Farrington has raised $10,300 for his election campaign and he’s currently collecting the petition signatures needed to qualify for inclusion on the ballot. The official qualifying period for election to a county office begins June 10 and ends June 14.
Redesignating funds
According to Florida election law, a candidate can change the designation of the office they seek to another elected office. If the candidate received campaign contributions for the original office they sought, the candidate must notify in writing each previous contributor and offer to return their contribution.
Within 15 days of filing the change of resignation, the candidate must send written notice to all contributors. In that notice, the candidate must offer to return to the contributor, on a pro rata basis, all contributions given in support of the original office.
The candidate must include with the notice a copy of Form DS-DE 86, which is a request for return of contribution. If the contributor returns Form DS-DE 86 within 30 days of receiving the notice, the candidate must return a pro rata share of all contributions given in support of the original office.
If the contributor does not return Form DS-DE 86 within 30 days of receiving the notice, the candidate may use the contribution for the newly designated office up to the maximum of the contribution limits allowed by law.
The full amount of the contribution for the original office shall count toward the contribution limits for the new office. Any amount that exceeds the contribution limits for the new office must be properly disposed of pursuant to law.
ANNA MARIA – A large kapok tree now graces a residential construction site along the 700 block of North Shore Drive.
The new beachfront home is being built by Ross Built Custom Homes with Max Gazzo serving as project manager, Jake Ross serving as superintendent and Michael Gilkey serving as the landscape architect and landscape contractor.
Gilkey owns the Sarasota-based Michael A. Gilkey Inc. landscape architect and contracting firm that has clients on Anna Maria Island and other barrier Islands from Boca Grande to St. Petersburg.
Michael A. Gilkey Inc. serves as the landscape architect for the ongoing residential construction project. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Gilkey said the kapok tree now standing along North Shore Drive is 60 to 80 years old. It came from Pahokee, Florida, on the southeast rim of Lake Okeechobee, and is approximately 57 feet tall – as tall as it can be for transportation purposes.
The transplanted kapok tree stands more than 57 feet tall. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Extensive preparations preceded the tree’s recent relocation to Anna Maria.
“The tree has been being prepared for about three years for the move, with extensive preparations happening over the last six months,” Gilkey said. “Initial pruning started three years ago. Initial root pruning started three years ago. In the last six months, getting ready for transport, the majority of the heavy pruning took place. The day before the move, they cut the buttress roots, or the flared roots, off the tree and labeled and numbered them to the corresponding parts on the tree. The tree came on a separate truck from the roots. We got it on-site and pinned it all back together using large stainless-steel screws.”
The kapok tree and its buttress roots were reconnected after arriving in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Gilkey said transporting the massive tree required permits from the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Highway Patrol, with escort vehicles accompanying the trucks transporting the tree and the tree’s root system.
“A crane and about 20 people were involved on-site with the planting and logistics to get it in. It was a massive effort,” Gilkey said.
Relocating the kapok tree was just the start of a lengthy and ongoing process.
“It’ll take about five years to get the canopy looking normal. We won’t trim it for the first year. The tree’s going to be using its leaves and branches for its health and nutrients, but after the first year we’ll start reducing the number of sprouts for the purpose of making strong connections,” Gilkey said, noting he’ll remain involved in that process.
“The tree will have an arborist overseeing its pruning twice a year for five years. Over time, you want to thin those new branches down from the 20 branches that may sprout to the most viable branches to make those strong connections,” Gilkey said.
When asked if kapok trees are common in this area, Gilkey said, “I wouldn’t say they’re common, but they’re out there. Selby Gardens (in Sarasota) has a real beautiful one people are probably familiar with and there’s a big one on the bayfront in St. Pete as well.”
Gilkey said transplanting this kapok tree was the result of the homeowners wanting to have some large established trees on their property.
A mature kapok tree provides an extensive shade canopy. – Wikipedia | Submitted
“Over the years, I’ve planted several trees this size or bigger and we were able to accommodate them,” Gilkey said. “With new construction, a lot of times it’s hard to save existing trees on a site; and sometimes it takes five, 10, 15 years to get appropriate scale to a new house, especially a two-or-three story house. It’s cool to be able to plant trees that give you an immediate sense of scale. We’re able to give this house scale and context of landscape.”
According to Wikipedia, a kapok tree’s flowers provide nectar for bees and bats and an oil can be pressed from its seeds. The kapok tree is considered a sacred symbol in Mayan mythology and is considered a sacred tree in some religions.
Kapok trees are among the most majestic tree species. – Submitted
Greg and Lee Ross own Ross Built Custom Homes. The couple have long been fixtures in the Anna Maria Island construction community and the Island community as a whole.
After noting the homeowners wish to remain anonymous, Lee Ross said, “She is in love with the home and the tree is his baby.”
Regarding Gilkey’s work, she added, “He is one of our go-to landscape designers. He’s very professional and always a pleasure to work with. The moving of this giant tree was as smooth as you could possibly expect it to be.”
BRADENTON – The Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) discussed the status of the new water ferry service and the possibility of adding a third ferry on April 15.
The Gulf Islands Ferry service began in January with two boats stopping at the Bradenton Beach Pier, the Anna Maria Pier and the Bradenton day dock. The service initially ran Friday through Sunday, with Wednesdays and Thursdays added to the schedule.
According to TDC member and Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione, a third boat is needed.
“We won’t know everything until we know. We’re going to be a little bit bold,” Falcione said. “What I’ve said to staff and even to Tricia (Rodriguez, president of Gulf Coast Water Taxi), it’s kind of shame on us if the weather is beautiful and the boats are sitting at the day dock in Bradenton and there’s traffic going out to the Island.”
Falcione said the goal is to have the ferry boats running seven days a week by February 2025. He said since launching the boats, there have been 22 days that service was suspended due to chop, wind and rain. He also said they have looked at boats that are totally enclosed and could run during bad weather with rooftop decks that would offer great views,making for fewer canceled trips. Falcione said the cost for these boats would be in the range of $2.6-$2.8 million dollars. He said the new boats would be close to the same size as the current boats, so the docks wouldn’t need to be modified.
“If you ask me what I think, we need to come to the Board of County Commissioners and ask to buy that third ferry soon,” Falcione said. “Once we say go, it’s probably going to take 12 months, give or take, to build that boat, and that should mitigate a lot of those suspended dates.”
Falcione said the suspended days cost the service a potential 7,000 passengers.
Rodriguez said the growth of the ferry ridership is like nothing she has experienced, adding that she is seeing growth among both tourists and residents. Despite the success of the program, she said challenges remain, the primary one being weather.
“We roll with the punches and always make sure it’s safe,” she said. “We leave that to our captains and our crew; we know there can be sudden weather changes. That being said, we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about water-borne transportation and weather changes that we have. A lot of that could be mitigated with the right operation, the right dock situation, ADA compliance and all the things our team is doing.”
She echoed Falcione in saying that larger boats better equipped for inclement weather would improve the service with fewer delays.
The TDC did not take action on the suggestion of a new boat.
BRADENTON – A visit to Manatee County could soon cost tourists more, as the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) voted unanimously to recommend raising the county’s tourism tax from 5% to 6% at its April 15 meeting.
The TDC makes recommendations to the Manatee County Commission, which was scheduled to vote on whether or not to approve the increase at its April 23 meeting.
The tourist tax is often referred to as the “bed tax” because it is paid when anyone rents a short-term vacation rental in the county, such as hotel rooms, resort rooms, condo rentals, VRBO, Airbnb and similar accommodations, for six months or less.
“This is not a resident tax,” Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione said. “This is paid for by the visitors that come into our beautiful county. I’ve always told the media that there’s no better partnership than one that pays for an asset that appeals to a visitor and benefits the residents at no cost to the residents.”
Falcione explained that the money benefits both visitors and residents by offering maintenance, upgrades and marketing for several attractions, including:
• Coquina Beach;
• Bradenton Beach Pier and Anna Maria Pier;
• Grassy Point;
• Anna Maria Bayfront Park;
• Beach renourishment (1% of the current 5%);
• Myakka History Center;
• Bradenton Area Convention Center;
• Bishop Museum;
• Manatee Performing Arts Center;
• Premier Sports Campus;
• The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ); and
• Gulf Islands Ferry (water taxi).
Falcione said the TDC does not plan to request more marketing dollars if county commissioners approve the 6% request, which would generate an estimated $6 million a year.
“You’re looking at a guy who doesn’t get too excited about breaking tourism records every year, because we have to be careful,” Falcione said. “I’m the weird tourism director around the state that is a less is more kind of guy. Our brand elements are low-rise, low-key detox environment; real authentic Florida. We don’t want bumper-to-bumper traffic in this beautiful community. The reality is that for 90 days a year, we’re dealing with bumper-to-bumper traffic.”
Falcione says the TDC will not spend money to promote the area during the busy spring season. He did say the TDC will invest in airline incentives so more visitors will choose SRQ and save the time involved in driving to and from airports in Tampa and St. Petersburg.
In order for the county to request the additional 1%, it had to reach a threshold of $30 million in tourism taxes collected, which was achieved in 2023 by a narrow margin of about $90,000, and the tourism industry had to generate over $600 million, which was also achieved in 2023, with the total topping $625 million.
If the county commission approves the recommendation, it will take effect Aug. 1. The neighboring counties of Sarasota, Hillsborough and Pinellas all charge the 6% maximum tourist tax.
ANNA MARIA – Research Data Services’ Anne Wittine presented her upbeat state of tourism report to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) on April 15.
Wittine’s report featured the latest available statistics related to the tourism industry in Manatee County from February 2024 compared to February 2023.
Total visitors were up by 4.9% and tourism’s economic impact was up 6.1%.
Wittine’s report shows that occupancy is just under 1% from the same time last year, and room rates have increased by 4%. Visitor origins have also showed growth. Florida visitors have shown the most growth since last year, increasing by 13.7%, followed closely by the visitors from the Northeast. The largest decrease in visitor origins is Canada, which decreased by 32.9% from February 2023.
“Room nights were down slightly, and I know that looks weird, but the reason is because we had a shorter length of stay and a larger party size,” Wittine said. “That’s still a 20% increase over 2019.”
Wittine maintains that trends show a large growth in virtually every category when compared to pre-COVID 2019, and the state of tourism continues to be strong.
LONGBOAT KEY – The mayors of the three Anna Maria Island cities and Longboat Key are considering making a joint application to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to obtain local control over mangrove regulations.
The discussion took place at the Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials (BIEO) meeting on April 17 at Longboat Key Town Hall, and followed a presentation by Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Dr. Abbey Tyrna.
Tyrna began her presentation by displaying a 1940s-era aerial photo of the north end of Anna Maria Island, which showed a lagoon lined with mangroves.
“I wanted to show you this because later you’re going to see where mangroves were removed from a place that is now on what they call a manmade canal,” she said. “From the 1940s you can see there were a lot of naturally-occurring mangroves.”
In the 1990s, a large amount of mangroves were removed during a period of development, she said.
“Most of that was occurring on the Sarasota Bay side of things,” she said. “At the time mangroves decreased by 26%.”
She said that number has increased exponentially with further development.
“Canals are a particular focus, because the mangroves are vulnerable right now to development,” she said. “Older homes are developed, out with them goes not only the older home, but also the mangrove area.”
Any mangrove in a canal system can be removed under the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act, she said.
“So the state will allow that removal” in Manatee County, Tyrna said, adding that it’s different in Sarasota County, because officials there have opted to accept the delegation of enforcement of the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act. The county does not allow mangroves to be removed on manmade canals without mitigation.
Tyrna then displayed a photo of a home at 111 Gull Drive in Anna Maria prior to its development and the subsequent removal of 116 feet of mangroves, which was allowed under an FDEP seawall exemption.
“You’ve probably seen 111 Gull Drive in the news,” Tyrna said. “Here’s 111 Gull Drive before the development with the mangroves lining the shoreline.”
She then showed a photo of the Gull Drive property following the mangrove removal there under an FDEP seawall exemption.
“You can see all the trees that used to line the coast are now gone,” she said. “This isn’t happening in a vacuum. There are property listings where it says ‘on a manmade canal. Mangroves will be removed.’ That means there is a lack of understanding about how beneficial they are.”
Tyrna said mangrove removal is a crisis occurring throughout the Suncoast in the rivers and bays. Suncoast Waterkeeper in the last year received 18 violation reports about the removal of mangroves.
“We need strong local policies that protect our wetland systems,” Tyrna said. “The good news is, local governments can actually take delegation and enforcement of the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act.”
She listed municipalities that have done so, which included Sarasota County and Sanibel.
“Sanibel is a barrier island much like your own and has a great robust program that puts education at the forefront of its delegation,” she said.
At the conclusion of Tyrna’s talk, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy asked what the first steps would be if a municipality, or all the towns on the Island, wanted to accept delegation of mangrove enforcement.
Tyrna suggested Murphy speak to Sanibel and Sarasota County officials and refer to the state statute which outlines the delegation application process.
Hannah Westerveldt from the FDEP mangrove division will be giving a presentation at a Longboat Key work meeting on Monday, May 20, according to Town Manager Howard Tipton.
“We could continue the conversation then,” he said.
“I wonder if we could do this under the auspices of the barrier islands (BIEO), where we band together,” Murphy said, noting that while Anna Maria likely couldn’t afford to set up the program alone, the four cities coming together could be a viable option.
“One of us could house the function and others could, through an interlocal agreement, avail themselves of that,” Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier said.
Schneier asked Tyrna to send him program information from Sarasota County and said he would distribute it to Murphy, as well as to Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie.
“This is in our own backyard. The scalping (of the mangroves) is not going to stop,” Murphy said. “It’s going to continue until we do something about it.”
“We really need to have the mangrove replacement remedy available,” Schneier said.
Tyrna said local governments that have delegation authority have the ability to be stricter than the state regulations.
“The state is the floor, you have all the way up to the ceiling,” Tyrna said.
LONGBOAT KEY – Members of the Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials (BIEO) discussed the proposed new Longboat Pass Bridge on April 17.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District One has initiated a project development and environment study for SR 789 (Gulf Drive/Gulf of Mexico Drive) from North Shore Road on Longboat Key to the Coquina Beach entrance in Bradenton Beach.
“The study will evaluate alternatives to replace the existing SR 789 bridge over Longboat Pass. Alternatives to be evaluated will include rehabilitation of the existing bridge, a new high-level fixed bridge and moveable bridge,” according to FDOT.
“There are three options, with challenges and opportunities to each,” Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton said. “There’s one that’s too tall, one that’s too low and one that’s just right. We’re hoping it’s just right.”
The Longboat Pass Bridge was built in 1957 and renovated in 2005 and 2020. The bridge is classified as functionally obsolete due to substandard shoulders and traffic barriers, according to FDOT.
If constructed, a new bridge is planned to be wider than the existing bridge to provide safer accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians. Additional travel lanes for vehicles are not being proposed.
Tipton said the new bridge would be moved to the west and closer to condominiums at the north end of Longboat Key.
“That’s understandable because that’s where their (FDOT’s) right-of-way is,” he said. “It does impact condominiums at the very north end of town and brings it from 120 feet or so to about 30 feet, so it’ll be up close and personal, and we want to try to work with them as much as we can for sound mitigation.”
Tipton said the new bridge will allow improved traffic flow.
“We had a meeting with the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) last week and we talked about the corridor from Cortez coming south to Longboat. And now it is a longer trip than anyone would expect,” he said. “The MPO is looking to circle back around and look at the bare ground of the traffic study.”
He said the traffic not only impacts residents and visitors but also those who work in Longboat Key.
“One of the hardest things for workers is let’s say they get hired in July and once season starts, they say, ‘I didn’t sign up for this’ and we lose folks that way,” Tipton said. “It’s the restaurants, it’s the hotels, it’s everybody.”
The issue of traffic also plays into the ferry conversation with Manatee County, he said.
“Is there a location where they can congregate on the mainland side?” he asked.
“There’s been a lot of construction in your city,” Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said to Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie. “Was there a lot of parking added in Bradenton Beach?”
“I think they’ve added well over 100 spaces” at Coquina Beach, Chappie said.
“When everybody is leaving at the end of the day and they add 200 or 300 parking spots, that’s 200 or 300 more cars you have to wait for,” Titsworth said.
“Don’t misunderstand where the traffic is coming from. I would say a lot of that traffic, most of that traffic, is coming from Longboat Key, not the beach,” Chappie said. “I live on that end of town, and it will be bumper to bumper during season at 8 or 9 o’clock. That’s not beach people.”
Chappie said he thinks both the proposed new Longboat Pass and Cortez bridges will help with traffic congestion.
“I had a recent meeting with our state representatives and one thing we talked about was the turn lanes to Cortez Road,” Chappie said. “Once the new (Cortez) bridge is completed, the merge lane will be expanded significantly. What people are doing at that intersection is stopping. You don’t stop, you use the merge lane to merge into traffic. It’s all about keeping the flow.”
BRADENTON BEACH – After city officials put a halt to what they said was the unpermitted operation of a new bar at the Bradenton Beach Marina in March, building official Darin Cushing said the proper approval process is now underway.
On March 25, the Marina Facebook page announced the opening of the bar, serving beer and wine.
Cushing said he saw the post and on March 26 issued a cease and desist order, which was posted in the bar area.
“The basis of the cease and desist order was that there was a bar built out in that section of the marina,” Cushing said. “And we said no, don’t work on it, don’t stock it.”
The Bradenton Beach Marina, 402 Church St. is owned by developer Shawn Kaleta.
“I have a fully open door, anytime somebody has an idea for a project and says we’d like to get it going, ask us, ‘What do we need to do? What do we need for permitting? What do we need for drawings?’ Come talk to me ahead of time. Do it that way, then you apply and get approval and then you do the work,” Cushing said.
Since the March 26 order, he said plans and an application to build the bar have been received by his office.
“I met down there with the design professional and one of the fire marshals was there and we discussed what they needed,” Cushing said on April 18. “Yesterday I did my first initial review of the plans and the fire department did their initial review. And we both kicked it back and sent some comments back to the design professional.”
Cushing said he signed off on the marina’s application for a full liquor license.
“They do have a beer and wine license for the marina as a whole and they’re kind of saying that’s all we’re doing right now,” Cushing said. “I did sign the application for the liquor license yesterday or the day before. That’s in the hands of the state. We have to sign it, the health department has to sign it and one other entity before it goes up to the state.”
BRADENTON – Kelly Hunt grew up on Anna Maria Island and her Island-inspired creative designs appear on a line of beach towels now sold at 68 Bealls Florida stores statewide.
Hunt now lives in Bradenton with her husband, Courtland, and their son Kellan, and her parents, Scott and Karen Moore, remain longtime Holmes Beach residents.
Hunt’s beach towel offerings at Bealls Florida stores feature three different designs – sea turtles, jellyfish and a Florida map that highlights favorite Florida destinations.
Kelly Hunt’s beach towels feature Anna Maria Island and Florida-inspired designs. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Her beach towels debuted in Bealls Florida stores statewide on Feb. 20. On April 13, Bealls Florida hosted a “Meet Local Florida Artist Kelly Hunt” event at the Bradenton store at 6355 Manatee Ave. W.
During the event, Hunt was asked how it felt to have her products displayed and sold at Bealls Florida.
“It’s magical. I’m seeing my dream come true being a featured artist for a major retailer. It’s an honor to work with Bealls Florida. It’s been the most incredible experience. My towels are in all the Bealls Florida stores and online at the Bealls Florida website. I’ve been doing this for 13 years and to have recognition on a state level is really rewarding,” she said.
Designer Kelly Hunt recently participated in a meet the local artist event at the Bealls Florida store in Bradenton. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Her dad, Scott, said, “I’m very proud of my daughter. Growing up on Anna Maria Island and coming this far with her art and having that imagination to use our marine life and natural settings for her artwork and designs.”
Bealls was founded in Bradenton in 1915 and using local artists is a long-standing company practice.
During the meet the artist event, Bealls Florida representative Chrissy Kavanagh said, “At Bealls Florida, we’re all about Florida and living life local. Bringing in local artists to highlight their artwork on our products is something we’re really proud of and it has always been a part of our culture. Bealls Florida is more than 100 years old. We’re Florida-founded, family-owned and we’re really proud of our Florida heritage.”
PATH TO BEALLS
Hunt owns two intertwined companies: Charted Waters Florida and Painting With a Fish. At her meet the artist event, she also temporarily displayed some of her additional work and products, some of which she created utilizing a traditional Japanese art form of Gyotaku to create pressings using paint, canvas or rice paper and a real fish.
Hunt’s dad and her brother, Justin Moore, are renowned charter captains and fishing guides and many of the fish featured in her Gyotaku prints and apparel were caught on their boats in the waters surrounding Anna Maria Island.
Hunt began teaching Gyotaku painting at the Florida Maritime Museum in Cortez. She later expanded her teaching sessions to other locations and now offers private sessions and event sessions too. She began selling her original Gyotaku prints and T-shirts and other products at the Anna Maria farmers market and several other retail businesses on Anna Maria Island – including her Painting With a Fish kits that now utilize silicone fish instead of real fish.
Kelly Hunt’s silicone fish are used to teach people the art of Gyotaku painting. – Joe Hendricks | SunSilicone fish are used in some of Kelly Hunt’s Paint With a Fish classes and events. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
During a recent interview, Hunt said, “I do classes with real fish but I also have silicone molds made from a casting of a fish. I teach classes with those as well because some people might not want to paint with a real fish. They turn out just as beautiful as using real fish. I got picked up by Bealls Florida because I had my products in stores on the Island, so thanks to the Island stores for carrying my products and being so supportive.
The Bealls Florida store on Manatee Avenue sells Kelly Hunt’s beach towels. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Painting With a Fish is my original company and I then I branched out with Charted Waters Florida, working with another graphic artist. I was at an event and got introduced to a Bealls Florida buyer who looks for local artists and local products as part of their company culture. It took me about a year to get my products in their stores. It’s not an easy process,” Hunt said.
She said it was important to find the right company to manufacture and distribute her beach towels statewide and the company she selected was the Miami-based Kaufman towel company.
Hunts hopes her beach towel sales pave the way for more of her designs and products to be sold at Bealls Florida stores. She also hopes to get some of her other products in Target and Publix stores someday.
“I do different things for different stores and I try to customize them. I also hired a graphic designer to help me expand my business. Sometimes I need help bringing my ideas to fruition,” Hunt said.
Hunt traveled a varied path on her way to business success.
“My grandmother was a watercolor artist. I’m really skilled in Gyotaku art and teaching Gyotaku but I don’t view myself as an artist. I’m more of a designer. I love to design products,” she said.
“I used to work for a marketing consulting firm doing logo designs. I have a marketing background. I used to create event invitations, billboard designs and things like that. I’ve always had that creative sense, but I don’t have graphic designer background,” she said.
Hunt’s college education also contributed to her success.
“I’ve taken what I learned in college and used that in my businesses. You have to be smart and savvy as a businessperson running your own company and you have to be educated and present yourself well to get into these big stores. I look back on my life and realize school really did help me get to where I’m at,” the 41-year-old entrepreneur said.
A wide array of Hunt’s artwork, towels, apparel and other products can be found at www.ChartedWatersFlorida.com and you can learn more about her Gyotaku art and teachings at the Painting With a Fish Facebook page.
Tarpon season is one of the most anticipated times of the year in local waters. While I’ve encountered tarpon occasionally most every month of the year, April through July is the time ardent anglers turn their sights to these beautiful fish. Their arrival in numbers worth pursuing is generally water temperature dependent. The magic number is debatable and a moving target, but as a general rule, when water temperatures hit the 80s, it’s time to get serious.
The tarpon that frequent our waters in numbers from May through August can weigh over 200 pounds and average from 80-100 pounds. We are blessed with some of the best tarpon fishing in the world and the local beaches and inshore waters host some of the finest fly and spin fishing to be found anywhere. This isn’t a game of numbers, and to the anglers who pursue tarpon, it’s the hunt and the action that keep them on the bow for hours in the hot summer sun.
The tackle should match the size of the quarry and most anglers opt for a 20- to 30-pound spin outfit and an 11- to 12-weight fly rod, line and reel. A heavy bite tippet is required because of the size of the tarpon and its rasp-like mouth. Fly anglers generally use a 60- to 80-pound tippet while spin anglers choose an 80- to 100-pound test. While it might seem like a difficult task to land a tarpon on the fly, or any tackle for that matter, an angler who knows the limits of their tackle can land a tarpon in a surprisingly short time. The key is to apply maximum pressure from the hookup and never let up. Too many anglers baby their tarpon in a misguided attempt to land them. The truth is that the longer you fight a tarpon the better chance you have of losing it.
A properly (IGFA-approved) tied tarpon leader used by fly fishers usually runs between 10-12 feet and is tapered to properly deliver the fly. The leader includes a class tippet (weakest link) from 16-20 pounds that is doubled at both ends to soften the (shock) impact on the class tippet and bite tippet. The key to the whole equation is to have a very sharp hook as tarpon have extremely tough mouths. Conventional leaders vary from angler to angler, but a doubled standing line tied to a leader and then to the bite tippet with a blood knot or Albright Special is recommended.
Flies vary from the classic splayed feather Keys style to more complex designs like the Tarpon Toad and various baitfish imitations. Recently, the Palolo Worm fly-fished with a double-handed retrieve has taken the fly-fishing world by storm. These worms that hatch en masse in the Keys are reported to have an aphrodisiac effect on tarpon. Although they do not occur locally, tarpon readily take a well-presented worm fly. Next week, Tarpon primer: Part Two.
