HOLMES BEACH – Homeowners and city officials believe they have found a solution to the Key Royale Drive parking issues that will not require the clearing of city-owned right of ways or the relocation of an existing sidewalk.
In February, concerns were raised about landscaping, construction and other work vehicles and trailers being parked on Key Royale Drive between Marina Drive and the Key Royale bridge that provides access to the Key Royale community, where the roads are wider and there’s more space for streetside parking.
Mayor Judy Titsworth, Police Chief Bill Tokajer, Public Works Director Sage Kamiya and city commissioners recently discussed, then rejected, a proposal to limit streetside parking to the north side of Key Royale Drive only, between Marina Drive and the Key Royale bridge.
To create more space for parking along both sides of the street, city officials then discussed and rejected requiring property owners to clear landscaping and other objects from the city rights of way along that stretch of the road before the city removed the existing sidewalk and installed a new sidewalk 3 feet further to the south to create more space for parking along the south side of the street.
At the request of one potentially-impacted homeowner, Titsworth, Tokajer and Kamiya met with several potentially-impacted residents at the city commission chambers on March 20. On April 8, Titsworth provided city commissioners with a recap of that meeting.
“They love Key Royale Drive the way it is and they feel their houses are already pretty close to the road; and if we take back the right of way, they feel they’re going to be on top of the road,” she told the commission.
Titsworth said some attending residents volunteered to go house to house to remind their neighbors about the existing citywide streetside parking restrictions that include Key Royale Drive.
City code prohibits parking on a city street and requires vehicles to be parked with all tires off the pavement.
“Park Parallel With All Tires Off The Road Where Permitted” signs have been installed along that portion of Key Royale Drive and Tokajer’s officers are more strictly enforcing the existing parking restrictions. Tokajer said service providers are now doing a good job of not parking in the street.
“As long as they’re staying out of the road, we have no issues,” Titsworth said. “The group that talked to us, they just want the cars out of the road. We didn’t really take action, we’re just enforcing the code. We addressed it and we are doing what they asked. We are not going allow cars parked in the road anymore and they will be ticketed.”
Work vehicles parked on Key Royale Drive create safety and visibility concerns. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Titsworth said residents are also concerned about motorists speeding along that stretch of Key Royale Drive.
“The majority of the meeting was taken up with their concern about the continued speeding and they would like speed tables added,” Titsworth said. “One’s not going to do it. It’s going to take two or three.”
Titsworth said the property owners are happy the current sidewalk will not be relocated and they’d rather see some of that money spent on speed tables instead.
Tokajer said his officers issued eight speeding tickets to Key Royale Drive speeders since the March 20 meeting with homeowners.
“I believe that every one of them was a resident of Key Royale,” he noted.
HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Titsworth and city staff members toured the vacant Gloria Dei Lutheran Church building on April 8 as part of the city’s ongoing efforts the buy the church building and property for public use.
The church held its “Holy Closure” service on Jan. 18 and the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is handling the sale of the church building and the 3-acre, three-parcel property at 6608 Marina Drive.
Because the church property is zoned Public/ Semi-Public (PSP) and carries a similar future land use designation, city commission approval would be needed to develop the property for residential or commercial use.
According to city code, “The PSP zoning district is intended to implement the public/semi-public land use category set forth in the comprehensive plan. This district is intended to implement the public/semi-public land use category by recognizing identifiable areas of the community that support public, municipal and semi-public centers, community services and facilities including churches and schools, both public and private.”
The packet for the April 8 Holmes Beach City Commission meeting included a one-page report that Commissioner Terry Schaefer submitted regarding the March 27 meeting that he, Director of Development Services Chad Minor and Public Works Director Sage Kamiya had with George Thurlow, the lead attorney for the Florida-Bahamas Synod that holds the title to the property.
“Mr. Thurlow indicated they would not be listing the property unless the city declines to pursue and that they were aware of the current zoning ordinance limiting potential redevelopment,” Schaefer stated in his report. “An appraisal was produced and left with Chad indicating a beginning asking price of $9.9 million. We were surprised by the appraised value and will be seeking our own if negotiations advance. We stated that the city preferred to retain the building due to its unique architecture. They expressed their appreciation for our intention to retain the structure. The meeting was cordial and I believe a good start to further discussions.”
During the meeting, Schaefer said, “I don’t think we have an abundance of time. We need to move on this as rapidly as we can.”
During her mayor’s report, Titsworth said she, Minor, Kamiya, Building Official Neal Schwartz and Building Inspector/Plans Examiner Scott Drees toured the church building earlier that day.
“I was very impressed with the remediation. They did a really good job,” she said. “It’s in beautiful shape and I just pray to God we can come up with the funding to be able to save that building.”
Regarding the $9.9 million appraisal, Titsworth questioned whether the church’s appraiser took into full account the existing zoning restrictions. As a point of comparison, she noted Manatee County recently bought the former Seafood Shack property in Cortez for $13 million and that property is quite large and sits on the waterfront.
“Let’s say somebody offers them $15 million and they’re going to take it,” Commissioner Carol Whitmore speculated. “We’d have to rezone it, yet we have the right of first refusal. Aren’t we in the middle of something we don’t want to be? We have to be careful about that.”
Schaefer said current PSP zoning is not appealing to developers and that may bode well for the city.
In 2016, city commissioners denied a comprehensive plan amendment sought by church officials who wanted to change the future land use designation to R-2 (multi-family residential) for the two undeveloped parcels and rezone those parcels in the same manner. Church officials hoped to sell the rezoned parcels for development by someone else and use the proceeds to fund continued church operations. In 2018, city officials discussed purchasing portions of the church property, but not the church building, but that sale never transpired.
Intended use
Titsworth said the city’s goal is to preserve the architectural landmark and leave the rest of the property in a natural state.
“If you see that, you know you’re in Holmes Beach,” she said of the triangular-shaped church building and its instantly-recognizable roof structure.
The Gloria Dei Lutheran Church building is located on Marina Drive in Holmes Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Potential uses of the church building could include bringing back The School for Constructive Play preschool that was displaced before the church closed. The preschool currently operates at The Center of Anna Maria Island in Anna Maria. Other potential uses mentioned included providing space for the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, the Anna Maria Island Historical Society, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring and other organizations. Titsworth said the undeveloped parcels could be used to host outdoor markets, festivals, concerts and be used as undeveloped green space.
“We want to open it up to as many folks as possible,” Minor added.
Titsworth said the use would depend on how the purchase is funded, if funding can be secured. She said the Manatee County Commission-controlled tourist development tax revenues are the city’s best bet for outside funding. Last year, the tourist development tax generated approximately $30 million in tax revenues and a significant portion of those revenues were generated by resort and short-term vacation stays on Anna Maria Island. According to state law, tourist development tax revenues can only be used to promote or enhance tourism.
Titsworth said she and Minor prepared a preliminary funding proposal sent to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione seeking his suggestions and support for the funding request that would ultimately require county commission approval.
“The city desires to maintain this significant piece of property and envisions through acquisition the creation of a Holmes Beach multi-use cultural and event center,” the request form says. “The iconic structure has the potential to become an art, education, environmental and cultural event center for the community. In addition, the project scope includes the incorporation of an 8-foot multi-use path that will provide enhanced mobility and connection from the cultural center property to the existing 8-foot path leading to the city of Anna Maria and the existing 6-foot path leading to City Center (in Holmes Beach).”
The funding request seeks an estimated $3.5 million for the property acquisition, $250,000 for building repair and rehabilitation and $289,000 for the multi-use path, totaling $4.03 million.
Titsworth acknowledged that depending on the available funding sources, the city could alternatively use the property for emergency operations, hurricane debris staging and/or the public works department and those uses could result in the church building being demolished.
“We have to keep multiple visions going at the same time. If this (funding) bucket isn’t good, you might have to go to another,” she said.
Regarding the preservation of public space and undeveloped green space, Commissioner Carol Soustek said, “It’s essential that you offer that to your community, especially as the community’s getting more crowded.”
BRADENTON BEACH – Commissioners unanimously approved an agreement with Manatee County on April 8 for tourist tax money to be used to repair and modify the city’s floating dock structures.
“This is for repairs to the floating dock system so the ferry can continue to operate,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said. “Elliott (Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau) had agreed to $35,000 and then after discussions with him and some discussions with the boat captain and Duncan (Duncan Seawall) we agreed to $100,000 for the city to make modifications to the floating dock system post-Hurricane Helene.”
The repairs for damage sustained from Hurricanes Helene and Milton include replacing pilings, decking and handrails, repairing the pier’s adjacent dinghy dock and replacing or repairing floating docks on the south side of the pier.
“To accommodate the addition of a third larger ferry, enhancements to the current docking area are needed, ” according to the agreement. The project includes upgrading and extending the fire suppression system on the main fishing pier, adding aluminum reinforcements to all finger piers, adding moor ing piles to the water taxi slip and adding heavy duty waste receptacles and benches. The county will reimburse the city up to $100,000, which is not subject to the FEMA insurance reimbursement requirement.
According to the agreement, the city’s project costs to be reimbursed by the county are not to exceed $375,000. If the city receives insurance or FEMA payments for any pier repair project costs, the city must reimburse the county up to $375,000.
BRADENTON BEACH – Commissioners unanimously approved the Drift-In’s major development application on April 8 subject to conditions recommended by attorney Robert Lincoln and previously supported by the city’s Planning and Zoning Board.
The conditions include filing a “unity of title” document that joins the 120-122 Bridge St. properties into a single property and completing a final easement agreement and legal description to be brought back to the commission for final approval and execution.
Lincoln said the Drift-In will continue to operate under its temporary use permit, issued on March 20, pending final resolution of those conditions.
“We are very excited to have this process completed and proud we were able to do it in the way the city and the government felt like it needed to be done,” Drift-In owner Derek Williams said after the meeting. “We were never intending to cut a corner and in the end it all worked out exactly as we laid it out on Oct. 14.”
The new Drift-In tiki hut was a factor in the permitting delays. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The bar’s tiki hut project had been approved by former City Building Official Darin Cushing but was placed on hold when City Attorney Ricinda Perry said at a Jan. 16 city commission meeting that the permit approval should not have been issued based on factors that included the city-owned easements on the property as well as the size of the new tiki structure. She said the project should be classified as a major development and must undergo the hearing process.
The Bradenton Beach Planning and Zoning Board recommended city commission approval the major development application on April 2.
The April 8 hearing was a quasi-judicial hearing on the major development application. The hearing on the modification of the easement was not quasi-judicial, but the discussions were to be held at the same time, with separate commission votes on each, Lincoln said.
Commissioners were canvassed to disclose whether or not they had any communications outside of the meetings about the major development applications and they each confirmed they had not.
Lincoln outlined the rules at the beginning of the meeting: “A quasi-judicial decision has to be based on competent substantial evidence and at the end of the hearing can either vote to approve the applications with conditions or deny it. If you deny, you have to identify the specific reasons for the denial,” he said. “The easement is a separate vote. The proposal is to change two existing easements that are in favor of the city and replace them with a single easement.”
City Planner Luis Serna said based on his review he recommended approval of the major development pending three conditions recommended by the Planning and Zoning Board.
Serna said he reviewed the criteria for a major development plan as it relates to Sect. 410.7 of the city’s Land Development Code.
“Based on our review of the major development, our finding is that the development does comply with the criteria, and we are recommending approval of this,” Serna said. “The Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval of this unanimously subject to three conditions. One in reference to the sidewalk easement, two, is the requirement for unity of title and three, that future development will be consistent with the proposed master plan. So we’re recommending in favor of the major development subject to these three conditions.”
Lincoln explained the unity of title issue.
“The building lot and the tiki share parking and other facilities; likewise, the electrical and plumbing and other services for the functions of the tiki lot are being provided by connections into the building lot,” Lincoln said. “They’re interdependent. A unity of title that would join the two properties together is appropriate, because they’re going to act as one property. You can’t sell them apart and still have them operate in the future.”
Commissioner Scott Bear expressed concern that the tiki could be considered an accessory use to the primary building use.
“Our opinion is it’s not an accessory use, it’s part of the primary use and the unity of title will combine the properties,” Serna said. “It’s a continuation of the use, we’re calling it an expansion of the primary use.”
Mayor John Chappie expressed concern about the width of the proposed sidewalk easements.
“It looks like a good project. When we talk about the easement I have some questions about what’s being proposed,” Chappie said. “I have a little concern with the width of the easement on the west end. Historically there’s been room for a bench and bicycle racks and landscaping. In looking at the proposal I’d like to see a little more. One of the other concerns I have is the easement along the front is pretty narrow and I’m concerned about foot traffic on the sidewalk. It’s 4 feet wide; I think it’s important we keep that kind of a clear area. I just want to make sure people are safe.”
“The city has a sidewalk easement or will with the easement swap. Based on the drawings, the easement right now doesn’t run on the sidewalk in front of the building,” Lincoln said. “It will after the swap. In a congested area, there’s not a lot of room to put signage in the easement area so it might be that as a condition you could suggest signs indicated no loitering or obstructing the sidewalk mounted on the building.”
“The building has never looked better,” Chappie added. “I drove by (the April 3 grand opening based on the temporary use permit) and I smiled and I was thinking, ‘We’re back.’ ”
“April 3 was a special day for the Drift-In,” Williams said following the April 8 meeting. “That was an amazing day. We’ve gotten such great response from everybody that’s come in.”
Applicant’s presentation
Attorney Scott Rudacille, representing Drift-In (1715 Ventures LLC owners Derek and Helena Williams), spoke to the commission. Saying he was satisfied with Serna’s assessment of the major development application, he focused on the easement discussion.
“It’s been talked about already. The existing easement covers about 17 feet into the parking lot and where the existing tiki is as well as a little piece on the corner. It doesn’t cover the frontage on Bridge Street and it doesn’t cover the sidewalk that wraps around Church (Street),” Rudacille said. “So what we had proposed, and recognizing that the Bridge Street commercial district is intended for zero lot line development – if you look at the businesses up and down Bridge that’s what it is – what we had proposed was to replace the two existing easements with a continuous easement which would cover all of the city sidewalk as well as the landscaping that exists there. On the west side, the easement that’s proposed there is wider than the sidewalk area, because in that area, the sidewalk goes up into the property.”
He said an existing area for landscaping between the sidewalk and the road may be an appropriate area for a bench or bike rack.
“We’d like to clear up the easement issue,” Rudacille said. “We’re respectfully requesting your approval of these two items.”
Where the sidewalk abuts the building, the easement would go up to the face of the building and on the west side and on Church Street, the easement would track the sidewalk, he said.
“Part of the reason there’s a condition of site planning is to ensure that the easement gets finalized,” Lincoln said. “Today we’re approving the concept of how we’re going to do this, and the legal description will be drafted. We’ll bring back the formal easement as a consent item.”
The Drift-In reopened on April 4 as allowed by a temporary use permit. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Both public hearings were then closed, and two separate motions were made for the major development plan with conditions, and modifications of the easements.
A motion to approve the major development plan subject to three conditions was unanimously approved.
A second motion to direct staff and the applicant to work together to develop a final easement agreement and legal description to bring back to the commission for final approval and execution was also unanimously approved.
If you like the condo lifestyle and you live in Florida, you’ve landed in the right place. But even what seems to be the right place can have challenges, especially in the environment we’re currently living in.
Let’s start with the rights of condo owners. Florida condo law, as outlined in the Florida Condominium Act (Chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes) will explain, in fine print, owner rights as an owner, but for the purpose of this column we’ll hit on some of the key aspects.
As a condo owner, you have exclusive ownership of your unit; remember, when you purchase a condo, you receive a deed just like if you purchase a single-family home. This includes the right to occupy, decorate, renovate, lease or sell your unit. Every condominium association has certain restrictions on these above rights which will be disclosed to a prospective buyer in both the association’s condo documents as well as their rules and regulations. For instance, there could be limitations on types of modifications that can be made and may require board approval for renovations and/or modifications.
Owners have access to common elements such as pools, gyms, docks and clubhouses. Again, all of this is within association guidelines based on hours, noise restrictions and ongoing repair work.
Living in a condo association, you are automatically a member with a voice in the governance of the community. You will be asked to vote on material alterations, elections for the Board of Directors and other significant community decisions. I can’t emphasize enough that becoming active in the community, volunteering on committees and running for a board position is one of the most important things you can do if you want your voice heard.
Florida law ensures that condo owners have the right to inspect the association’s official records. Not all of the financial records can be disclosed in a board meeting, therefore, if you want more detailed information, you can ask the board for specific records you want to review.
Since no one is perfect, there may be times when you as an owner feel that rules are not being enforced equally or that there are excessive rules. This is also protected under Florida’s condo law and should be brought to the attention of the Board of Directors.
Certainly, the most important aspect of your rights as an owner is the stability of the association’s finances. This includes increases in fees, the addition of special assessments and a clear justification for fee increases, all of which can be contested by an owner.
One of the reasons to know what your rights are as a condo owner is coming to a head in several states but particularly in Florida. As a result of the Surfside disaster, Florida enacted specific inspection laws relative to the stability of condo buildings that are three stories or higher. Condos need to be inspected by a Florida qualified inspector and if there are any structural repairs required, the association is mandated to make the repairs. In addition, in Florida, condo associations have to prove through their financial records and reserves that they have adequate funds to make any repairs needed.
Condo associations that haven’t prepared for this are facing large assessments and are also putting the ability of buyers to be approved for financing in jeopardy. Freddie Mac is quietly blacklisting areas of the country or individual associations where mortgages will not be approved. This extends itself to the insurance industry, which could be another obstacle in the way of selling your condo.
A condo is still the most carefree lifestyle and perfectly suited to Florida living. You just need to stay on top of how the association is spending your money, stay involved and understand your rights.
HOLMES BEACH – The Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island will celebrate its 60th annual Easter Sunrise Service on Sunday, April 20.
The 6:30 a.m. service will be held at Manatee Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive.
The annual Easter service attracts 1,000 to 2,000 worshipers. There will be ample parking in the beach parking lot, the free AMI Trolley will start running at 6 a.m. and the Anna Maria Beach Café will open at 6:30 a.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets.
“Our Island has been through a lot this year with a tropical storm and two hurricanes but we are ‘Anna Maria Strong’ and proud to be able to come together and celebrate for our 60th anniversary of the Kiwanis of Anna Maria Island Easter Sunrise Service with our Island churches,” according to the Kiwanis press release.
“Come and share this celebration on the beach as we show our gratefulness for this Island we call our paradise. It is truly an uplifting service as the Island churches participate,” the press release says.
Rev. Phillip Schweda of St. Bernard Catholic Church will deliver this year’s sermon. Belinda Strickland of the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation will deliver the invocation. Senior Pastor Dirk Rodgers of the Roser Memorial Community Church will deliver the offertory and the benediction and Rev. Stephen King of Harvey Memorial Community Church will deliver the scripture readings.
Island business owner Morgan Bryant will sing inspirational Easter music and worshipers are invited to sing along.
The offertory collected in association with the Easter Sunrise Service will be divided among the Island churches and the Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island. The sunrise service program handout is posted at the Kiwanis Club website, www.amikiwanis.com, and online donations can be made to assist the Island churches and the Kiwanis Club.
HOLMES BEACH – The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce recently presented $1,000 scholarships to three outstanding Manatee County students: Gracie Jean-Charles, Torianne Hurst and Callaway Johnson.
The scholarships were presented during a March 27 AMI Chamber event held at the LaPensee Plumbing, Pools and Air headquarters in Holmes Beach and catered by The Feast restaurant.
Charles will graduate from Palmetto High School with an Advanced International Certificate of Education and in the top 3% of her class. Her list of accomplishments includes winning the Yale Book Award by the Suncoast Yale Club and the Manatee County Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year. She also served as a Youth advocate. She will attend the University of Florida to pursue a degree in microbiology.
Hurst will graduate from Manatee High School in the top 4% of her class. Her academic excellence includes being a member of the National Honor Society and the Science National Honors Society. She’s also been a mentor in the Penguins Project at the Manatee Performing Arts Center where she mentored children and adults with disabilities as they performed on stage. She grew up on Anna Maria Island and the Island’s close and supportive community helped her through some difficult times. She will attend Florida State University in pursuit of a degree in computer science.
Johnson will graduate from Manatee High School in the top 3% of her class with an AP Capstone Diploma with five dual enrollment classes and college credits from USF. Callaway is active in sports, clubs and volunteering. She took on leadership roles in the Student Council, National Honor Society, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Ballroom Dance and Mu Alpha Theta Math Honors. She was a member of the Sugar Canes dance team and a varsity cheerleader. She plans to attend Baylor University to pursue a degree in accounting.
I’ve mentioned in articles recently the importance of practice for anglers who want to learn and/or improve their fly casting.
There are many sources of instruction on fly casting, and good technique learned early will hold you in good stead. By far the best advice is to get instruction by a certified casting instructor. You can find instructors in your area by going to the Fly Fishers International website. This organization gives a comprehensive test both in writing and in the field so you can be sure these instructors are vetted. The site also has lots of instructional videos.
Once you’ve had a lesson on the basics you’ll need to practice to benefit from the instruction. Between lessons it can be helpful to get refresher tips from online videos. A word of caution is in order when searching for videos. Make sure you’re sourcing videos by tested professionals, of which there are many. There are also many others that might give instructions that are confusing or possibly incorrect.
And while videos are good for reviewing the fundamentals, you’ll never become a good caster if you don’t physically practice. Science has proven that it’s the repetitive “correct” motion of a cast that builds the pathways in the brain that eventually make casting skills “second nature” just like golf, tennis, biking, soccer and those times you fell repeatedly before mastering walking upright!
World renowned casters like Lefty Kreh and Doug Swisher (now deceased) and Joan Wolfe have created excellent videos that will stand the test of time. Some excellent current casting instruction videos by trusted sources like Orvis and Rio can also be found online.
For those on the go who might not be able to carry a fly rod around or who have limited space to practice, consider purchasing a Redington Form Rod. The rod offers beginners and veteran fly casters the opportunity to tighten and tune their casting and improve form. The rod is perfect for the angler on the go, as it can easily be broken down and thrown into your tote or luggage.
The Redington Form Game Rod is an excellent choice for fly anglers on the go. – Submitted
The practice rod comes with its own custom tapered RIO® fly line, appropriately weighted to the rod for a more accurate experience. See a certified instructor, review the basic cast occasionally online and practice, practice, practice. Doing this with purpose will greatly enrich your fishing experience, whether it’s in fresh or salt water.
BRADENTON BEACH – Emily Anne Smith, the architectural designer who helped transform Bridge Street into what it is today, has passed away.
According to close friend and longtime office administrator Lea Ann Bessonette, Smith passed away on March 29 at the age of 83. She passed under the care of Hospice at the Lombardo House assisted living facility in west Bradenton. She was born in Atlanta on April 18, 1940.
Bessonette, now 87, spent 40 years working with Smith.
“After 40 years together, you take a deep breath and say, ‘She’s going to the Lord.’ And that’s exactly what she did,” she said.
Emily Anne Smith redesigned the historic Bradenton Beach clock tower. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The still-visible work Smith created with her Designs of Significance by Emily Anne Smith design firm includes the city-owned Bradenton Beach clock tower, first built in 1937 and later restored using Smith’s design. Smith also designed the city-owned Bradenton Beach Pier buildings, including the building occupied by the Anna Maria Oyster Bar.
Emily Anne Smith designed the BridgeWalk resort, completed in 2002. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
For mother and daughter business partners Barbara and Angela Rodocker, Smith designed the BridgeWalk resort building that includes several ground-level businesses spaces and the neighboring Bridge Street Bistro/Island Time restaurant building. Smith designed the Bridge Street Bazaar/Daiquiri Deck building for Jake Spooner and she designed The Sports Lounge’s exterior façade.
Beyond Bridge Street, the prolific Smith designed the La Costa condominiums at the north end of Bradenton Beach and she designed numerous homes and other commercial structures elsewhere on Anna Maria Island and beyond.
A life’s work
According to the Designs of Significance website, www.emilyannesmithdesigns.com, Smith began her career in Atlanta in 1964. She worked as a designer, developer and builder and was one of the first female licensed general contractors working east of the Mississippi River.
Bessonette started working with Smith in Atlanta. After celebrating Bessonette’s 50th birthday, the pair left Atlanta and spent time living on a sailboat near Kissimmee, Florida before sailing to Anna Maria Island in the early 1990s.
“We came to Anna Maria Island on a sailboat up the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway). We came here, parked the boat, came ashore and we’ve been on the Island for the better part of 30 years. Emily saw the architectural design needs here and she brought the gift the good Lord gave her and put it to work,” Bessonette said. “She did a great deal and Anna Maria Island was in her heart of hearts. When Emily opened her office on Bridge Street, where the jeweler is now, I worked for her after hours.”
While moonlighting for Smith, Bessonette worked full-time for the city of Bradenton Beach, working under longtime City Clerk Alice Baird, who essentially ran the city. Bessonette retired from the city at the age of 65 after securing her retirement benefits and became Smith’s office administrator.
“I’ve been in Emily’s office since,” she said.
Emily Anne Smith designed The Sports Lounge’s exterior façade. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
In 2018, Smith served as a contracted consultant to the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and she advised the agency and the city on sign design consistency and other public design matters, accompanied by Bessonette, her ever-present note-taker.
About 12 years ago, Smith, Bessonette and the design firm moved into the Holmes Beach home that Smith designed.
“We lived on the top floor and the first elevated living level is where her office is,” Bessonette said of the place she still calls home. “Emily took some bad falls two years ago and stopped working about a year and a half ago.”
Work praised
Before the April 2 Planning and Zoning Board meeting began, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie placed a collage of Smith’s design drawings in the commission chambers because he planned to mention her passing during the following night’s city commission meeting.
Mayor John Chappie displayed Emily Anne Smith’s drawings in the commission chambers. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
While doing so, the longtime mayor praised Smith for her talents and creativity and he expressed his appreciation for the style and architectural beauty she brought to Bradenton Beach.
When contacted by The Sun, Angela Rodocker said, “Emily might be one of the most creative people I’ve ever met. She loved Anna Maria Island with such passion. Her architectural designs will be a lasting fingerprint and legacy for us to admire for years to come.”
With Smith as their designer, Rodocker and her late mother, Barbara, completed the BridgeWalk resort construction project in 2002 that fueled the revitalization of what was then a somewhat downtrodden Bridge Street.
“I feel privileged to have worked so closely with her on the BridgeWalk design,” Rodocker said.
Emily Anne Smith designed Jake Spooner’s Bridge Street Bazaar and Daiquiri Deck building. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When contacted, Spooner said, “Emily was a very kind and wise woman that designed some of the most attractive and unique residential, municipal and commercial structures on the Island and in town. She was a joy to work with and will certainly be missed by many.”
Smith also designed Spooner’s parents’ home.
Emily Anne Smith designed the La Costa condominiums in Bradenton Beach. – LaCostaCondo.com | Submitted
A personal note Smith posted at her website says, “My procedure to custom design is an adventure of discovery and creativity. It is a path we take together with me as your guide. An adventure you don’t take that often in your lifetime – a discovery where we examine your needs, wants, desires, how and who you entertain, your hobbies, interests, habitual use of space and function which sets the requirement of the floor plans and your tastes for architectural style. A house is not just a home. Your place of business is not just your workplace. Both are where your life happens.”
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As residents continue to recover from 2024 Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane researchers are predicting an above-average 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.
In an April 3 report, CSU researchers forecast 17 named storms during the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season from June 1 to Nov. 30. The researchers forecast nine named storms will become hurricanes and four will reach major hurricane strength (Category 3, 4 or 5) with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater.
Hurricane Helene inflicted significant damage on the beachfront home in Holmes Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The team predicts that 2025 hurricane activity will be about 125% of the average season from 1991–2020, slightly less active than 2024, when hurricane activity was about 130% of the average season.
Hurricane Milton destroyed this waterfront home in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The researchers cite above-average subtropical eastern Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea surface temperatures as a primary factor for the predictions.
“These conditions will likely lead to a continuation of above-average water temperatures across most of the tropical Atlantic for the peak of the 2025 hurricane season. A warm Atlantic favors an above-average season since a hurricane’s fuel source is warm ocean water. Additionally, a warm Atlantic leads to lower atmospheric pressure and a more unstable atmosphere. Both conditions favor hurricane formation,” according to the CSU press release.
“So far, the 2025 hurricane season is exhibiting characteristics similar to 1996, 1999, 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2017,” said Phil Klotzbach, a senior research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at CSU and lead author of the report.
In 2017, Hurricane Irma inflicted significant damage on the Anna Maria City Pier and the Island-wide impacts included damaged mobile homes, residential structures and commercial structures, fallen trees, fallen power lines and flooding.
The CSU team will update its forecasts on June 11, July 9 and Aug. 6.
BRADENTON BEACH – The Drift-In bar is open again after a prolonged, post-hurricane permitting dispute with the city.
The historic Bridge Street bar once owned by baseball legend Babe Ruth reopened on April 4 at 7 a.m. with a short line of patrons waiting to enjoy their first drinks there since Hurricane Helene’s storm surge badly flooded the bar last September.
Drift-In patrons waited for the bar to reopen at 7 a.m. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Dobie Gray’s hit song “Drift Away” played over loudspeakers in the final minutes before the Drift-In reopened and again after it opened.
Derek and Helena Williams bought the bar from Helena’s parents, Joe and Angie Cuervo, in December 2022.
This Drift-In patron, name unknown, received the first drink Friday morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
While standing behind the inside bar as the first drinks were being served, Derek Williams said, “It feels wonderful. It’s awesome to be open again. We love to see all the smiling faces and we’re ready to set this thing off.”
Drift-in owner Derek Williams greeted regular patrons Troy and Debi Thompson. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
As the first drinks were poured, Toby Keith’s dive bar anthem, “I Love This Bar,” played.
“We were closed for six long months, but it seems like yesterday,” Williams said. “The essence of the bar’s the same. The people are the same but we had to spruce it up a little bit so it’s safer, better, stronger and ready for whatever comes at it.”
Smoking is no longer allowed inside the bar but is allowed in the tiki hut and at the outdoor bar.
When asked about his expectations for the reopening weekend, Williams said, “I hope we set records. We’ve got a lot of interest from the public.”
While pouring her first drinks at the Drift-In in six months, inside bartender Tiara Hooper was on the verge of tears when she said, “It feels so good to be back behind the bar again.”
Tiara Hooper was delighted to be pouring drinks again. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
While serving the first drinks at the new outside bar, bartender Heather Bailey McNeal said she couldn’t yet put into words how she felt.
“I love it,” she said.
Heather Bailey McNeal served the first drinks at the new outdoor bar under the new tiki hut. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Displaced Pines Trailer Park residents Suzy Smith and Kay Smith were among the first to grab seats at the new inside bar. They now live with family members in Punta Gorda and don’t expect to ever live in the Pines again due to various issues with the mobile home park’s ownership group.
Displaced Pines Trailer Park residents Suzy and Kay Smith returned for the Drift-In reopening, joined by Bradenton Beach resident David Galuszka. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“We wouldn’t miss this,” Suzy said, with her mom sitting beside her. “We wanted to get a good seat. We drove up from Punta Gorda and stayed in the Pines last night. We’ll still be coming up.”
Sitting in the new and expanded tiki hut with family members and family friends, 26-year-old Michigan resident Paige Murphy enjoyed a Bloody Mary and a Lemon Drop shot before making her way to the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport to catch her flight home, taking a new Drift-In T-shirt with her.
Michigan resident Paige Murphy displayed one of the new Drift-In T-shirts. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
While enjoying a coffee and liqueur drink inside the bar, longtime patron Mike Cunningham said, “I feel whole again. A piece of me was missing.”
Regular patron Mike Cunningham feels whole again. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When she arrived around 8 a.m., manager/bartender Doreen Flynn said, “Oh my God. It feels so good to be back. When I got home late last night, after we finished getting everything ready, I cried tears of joy. I missed everybody. I missed my job. I’ve been here 25 years and I’m not going anywhere.”
Drift-In manager and bartender Doreen Flynn received a hug when she arrived. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
At 8:30 a.m., the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, the Anna Maria Island Privateers and several staff members and patrons gathered in front of the Drift-In for a ceremonial ribbon cutting, with Derek Williams and Joe Cuervo doing the honors.
After the ribbon cutting, Joe and Angie Cuervo expressed their appreciation for what their daughter and son-in-law accomplished.
Former owners Joe and Angie Cuervo want the Drift-In legacy to continue. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“It’s wonderful that they kept the legacy going. My wife and I are so proud of what Derek and Helena have done,” Joe said.
“We’re thrilled about this and Derek has great taste,” Angie said of the renovations.
Tyler Williams, Derek Williams and General Manager Dan Zelko led the restoration efforts. – Drift-In | Submitted
Derek and Helena’s son, Tyler Williams, and General Manager Dan Zelko also played vital roles in the repair and renovation efforts.
“Tyler’s construction knowledge was invaluable to us,” Zelko said. “I am so happy to finally be back here seeing all my people!”
The renovated interior includes an expanded inside seating area, a large roll-up window that faces Bridge Street, a relocated liquor storage area, renovated bathrooms and a new roll-up bay door that faces the tiki hut seating area.
A new roll-up window faces Bridge Street. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
And Mannie, the Drift-In’s legendary and much-photographed mannequin mascot, is back home and positioned in a new location.
Mannie the mannequin is home again. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The tiki bar area includes a new concrete block bar, a textured concrete floor, a new walk-in cooler and new ice machines.
Performing as a solo act later that morning, singer/guitarist Tommy Balbo was the first musical act to play in the new tiki hut, followed by Dos-Macs returning to their regular Friday afternoon “Liquid Lunch” gig.
Later that night, Rob Hamm & The Daily Specials christened the relocated and expanded inside music area.
“It was so amazing to be back,” Hamm said Saturday morning. “The place looks beautiful. The crowd was amazing and filled with energy. Seeing so many old friends and meeting new ones made it a perfect night to come back.”
The reopening celebration continued Saturday and Sunday as the Drift-In’s hurricane recovery process reached its end, with some final permitting issues to be finalized by the city commission on April 8.
Kim Darnell’s “Mama Mia”-themed arrangement featured palm fronds and hydrangea. - Janet Riley | Submitted
Kitty Kole won the homegrown, non-Broadway-themed Horticulture category with this rattlesnake plant. - Janet Riley | Submitted
Darrel Shinn represented the Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The new roll-up bay door faces the tiki bar seating area. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Sharon Rowe and Carolyn Orshak represented the Anna Maria Island Historical Society. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Kristen Mazzarella represented Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
BRADENTON BEACH – The Drift-In’s hurricane recovery-related major development plan now has the support of the city’s Planning and Zoning Board members.
On April 2, board members Fred Bartizal, Bill Morrow, Ken McDonough and Dan Morhaus voted 4-0 to recommend city commission approval of the Drift-In’s major development plan. Board member John Burns arrived after the vote occurred.
The Planning and Zoning Board made its recommendation two days before the Drift-In reopened on April 4, as allowed by a temporary use permit the city commission approved on March 20. If approved by the city commission on Tuesday, April 8, the major development plan approval will bring the Drift-In’s permitting challenges to an end.
The issues
Drift-In owner Derek Williams and his attorney, Scott Rudacille, submitted the major development plan application in response to City Attorney Ricinda Perry’s January determination that some of the Drift-In’s post-hurricane improvements, including the construction of a larger tiki bar, required city commission approval rather than the administrative approval given by then-building official Darin Cushing.
Drift-In owner Derek Williams and attorney Scott Rudacille addressed the Planning and Zoning Board. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Cushing was later terminated and Perry later recused herself from representing the city in these permitting matters because Rudacille works for the Blalock Walters law firm in which Perry’s husband, Stephen, is a principal partner.
The permitting delays were also the result of a stop work order that West Manatee Fire Rescue Fire Marshal Rodney Kwiatkowski issued due to concerns about the flammability of the organic thatched roof materials originally placed atop the new tiki hut structure. The stop work order resulted in Williams replacing the organic tiki hut roof materials with more flame-retardant synthetic thatched roof materials and the stop work order was lifted.
The renovations and reopening preparations continued at the Drift-In while the planning board hearing took place. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
A long-existing sidewalk and landscaping easement that provides space for sidewalks and landscaping placed on a portion of the Drift-In property further complicated the post-hurricane permitting issues.
The solutions
In Perry’s place, attorney and land use expert Robert Lincoln is serving as special counsel to the planning board and the city commission and he has successfully guided the city and the bar owner through the emotionally-charged permitting challenges that appear headed for an amicable and mutually-beneficial solution.
Attorney Robert Lincoln played a crucial role in resolving the post-hurricane permitting issues. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The planning board recommendation includes three stipulated conditions recommended by Lincoln designed to help resolve any remaining concerns with the Drift-In’s major development plan:
City commission approval of an amended sidewalk and landscape easement or partial release of the same for the portion of the easement area covered by the tiki hut;
The applicant (Drift-In) shall record a unity of title joining the lands as 120 and 122 Bridge St. prior to a certificate of occupancy being issued for the tiki bar; and
Development of the property shall be consistent with the major development plan.
The Drift-In property is currently divided into two parcels: the parking lot is one parcel and the primary bar building is located on another. The unity of title will combine both parcels into a single property for permitting purposes.
Rudacille said the amended easement to be granted to the city will wrap around the front of the bar building and around to the back side of the building that faces the Pines Trailer Park and eliminate the existing easement that currently extends into the tiki bar area – as it did with the smaller tiki bar that previously stood next to the Bridge Street sidewalk.
The Drift-In easement was one of many easements sought from Bridge Street property owners several years ago. Although discussed by the board members, Williams and Rudacille, Lincoln said the easement issues are not something to be reviewed by the planning board.
Board member Dan Morhaus asked Lincoln if the board could ask the city commission to consider standardizing the easements along the entirety of Bridge Street to avoid future conflicts. Lincoln said that’s something the city commission would have to initiate on its own.
Rudacille noted the previously exposed trash dumpster is now enclosed in a fenced area that obscures it from the Pines Trailer Park property and Williams noted beverages will not be served through the new roll-up window that faces Bridge Street.
