HOLMES BEACH – When discussing development-related transportation requirements during the March 13 city commission work session, Commissioner Dan Diggins asked if electric bikes are treated as bicycles or low speed vehicles.
Director of Development Chad Minor, City Attorney Erica Augello and Police Chief Bill Tokajer simultaneously said e-bikes are treated the same as bicycles and Augello said e-bikes are specifically defined in state law. According to the Florida Statutes, “An electric bicycle or an operator of an electric bicycle shall be afforded all the rights and privileges, and be subject to all of the duties, of a bicycle or the operator of a bicycle.”
State law allows cities to regulate e-bikes: “An electric bicycle is a vehicle to the same extent as a bicycle. However, this section may not be construed to prevent a local government from adopting an ordinance governing the operation of electric bicycles on streets, highways, sidewalks and sidewalk areas under the local government’s jurisdiction; or to prevent a municipality, county or agency of the state from restricting or prohibiting the operation of an electric bicycle on a bicycle path, multi-use path or trail network; or to prevent a municipality, county or agency of the state having jurisdiction over a beach or a dune from restricting or prohibiting the operation of an electric bicycle on such beach or dune.”
State law also provides: “An electric bicycle or an operator of an electric bicycle is not subject to the provisions of law relating to financial responsibility, driver or motor vehicle licenses, vehicle registration, title certificates, off-highway motorcycles or off-highway vehicles.”
Augello said there’s no minimum age limit for e-bike riders.
Tokajer added, “For a low-speed vehicle, you have to be a licensed driver. For a golf cart you have to be 16.”
These e-bikers rode down North Bay Boulevard in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When asked where e-bikes are supposed to travel, Tokajer said they are allowed to travel on the road, in bike lanes and on sidewalks as long as they yield to pedestrians who have the right of way. Tokajer later contacted The Sun and clarified that state law allows e-bikes on sidewalks but city ordinance prohibits riding e-bikes on Holmes Beach sidewalks.
“We have so many e-bikes that don’t even look like a bicycle anymore. They’re like little motorcycles. They have to follow the rules of the road. They have to stop at signs. They have to stop at red lights. They have to stop for crosswalks,” Tokajer said.
He then noted an e-biker recently struck a car in Holmes Beach. Tokajer previously told The Sun that the e-biker failed to stop and was at fault for the accident that resulted in the e-biker suffering minor injuries.
Tokajer said e-bikes are not subject to the licensing requirements applicable to low-speed vehicles.
“There’s no license, there’s no permit needed and you’re going as fast a motorcycle. You don’t need a motorcycle license and you don’t need a helmet unless you’re underage. I think it’s 16 and under you have to wear a helmet. And no insurance; that’s up to you,” Tokajer said.
ANNA MARIA – The city has implemented a new process that helps address recent social media comments questioning its ability to review and issue hurricane-related building permits in a timely manner.
On March 13, Mayor Mark Short spoke to The Sun about the permitting efforts that now include direct correspondence with property owners.
“My broad statement about anything on social media is that a significant amount of the time, it’s not factually correct, or it’s factually incomplete,” he said.
“When a permit is applied for in this city, it typically comes from a contractor. Any correspondence from that point forward from our building department goes to the applicant (the contractor) and the property owner is not part of that process.”
When that happens, the homeowner/property owner may not be aware that the permit application was incomplete and delayed because the building department requested additional information.
“You need to correct that before we will process your permit and my guess is the contractors are not telling the property owners what’s really going on. So, this week, we implemented a new step in our permitting process: Every homeowner seeking a permit will get a copy of our correspondence with their contractor,” Short said.
Short said including homeowners in the permit-related communications process is something the city’s been considering for some time now and it had been discussed internally in the past.
Short said the city received a large number of permit applications in February: “I suspect that’s in part due to property owners finally getting commitments from contractors that are becoming available.”
Short feels the city is processing building permits in a timely manner.
“We now have four permit techs here at city hall working to process those applications, and statistically, 40% of the permits applied for get denied initially because of incomplete paperwork,” he said.
In accordance with a new contract that took effect in February, all of Anna Maria’s building department functions are now outsourced to Joe Payne Inc., a firm that’s assisted the city in the past.
“There’s no longer any employees of the city of Anna Maria that are part of the building department,” Short said.
As for who approves a permit, Short said, “The project dictates who has to sign off on the permit. In some cases, it could be one person and other cases it could be three or four. I think we are processing permits at a good speed. Can it be better? Absolutely, and that’s why we have four people here now. We’re doing this chronologically as they come in. If your permit is applied for today, it may be a few days before we get to it.”
Vacation rentals
Regarding the city’s annual vacation rental registration inspections, Short said, “Our vacation rental inspection process will start in April and people are registering now. If I was a vacation rental owner, I would have eyes on my property to make sure I’m going to pass that inspection. I better make sure my pool’s enclosed and my pool alarm’s working. I would encourage our vacation rental owners to be proactively doing their own evaluation of what might need to be done to their properties. If they don’t pass the inspection, their registration will not be approved,” Short said.
Short said the third-party-contracted vacation rental inspections conducted by a different company have no impact on the building department’s ability to process building permits.
ANNA MARIA – The Island Players’ production of Rob Urbinati’s “Death by Design” is an entertaining, comedic, ‘whodunit’ that features witty dialogue and unexpected plot twists dispensed by a talented eight-member cast.
Directed by Island Players veteran Preston Boyd, “Death by Design” opened on March 13 and continues through March 30.
Everyone in the room is a suspect and a potential killer. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The parlor game-like murder mystery unfolds inside a country manor outside of London, England in 1934. “Death by Design” begins with Bridgit, the outspoken Irish maid, cleaning up a mess left behind made by her employers, Edward Bennett, a snobby, moderately talented but commercially successful playwright, and Sorel Bennett, his self-interested and increasingly discontented wife and leading lady.
Portrayed by Island Players veteran Kristin Mazzitelli, Bridgit possesses an impressive knowledge of poisons, loves reading the scandalous and murderous accounts detailed in “The Tittle-Tattle” gossip paper and yearns to be a crime-solver herself.
Edward is played with great enthusiasm by James Thaggard, who has performed in or directed more than 40 Island Players productions. Sorel is wonderfully portrayed by University of South Florida English teacher Valerie Lipscomb, returning to the Island Players’ stage for the fifth time.
The couple has unexpectedly returned to their country manor for the weekend after getting into another combative argument triggered by Edward’s latest play and Sorel’s latest performance earning less than stellar reviews in the “Daily Mail.”
Before Edward makes his first appearance, Bridgit is joined by Jack, the likeable and promiscuous chauffeur who drives the Bennetts and their guests around in a Bentley motor car. Jack is played by Minnesota native Travis Cornwell, appearing for his first time on the Island Players’ stage.
Travis Cornwell plays Jack and Kristin Mazzitelli plays Bridgit. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
As Act I unfolds, a series of invited and uninvited guests appear one by one, each bringing their own ambitions, idiosyncrasies, secrets and personal agendas to the gathering.
Bored with Edward’s writing and marital offerings, the attention-deprived and professionally bored Sorel has invited recently-elected parliamentarian Walter Pearce to join her for the weekend. Walter is played by Jack Watts, a community theater veteran making his first Island Players appearance after a long, real-life career in law enforcement.
Sorel, Walter and Edward set the stage for the conflicts to follow. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Walter ran on a platform of morale reform yet desires the company of another man’s wife. He also hides a deep secret and a checkered past of his own and has a disdain for government funding of the arts.
Walter and Sorel’s time alone in the parlor is disrupted by Eric, a frantic young socialist who’s escaped from a mental institution and come to encourage Edward to begin writing plays of greater social significance for England’s downtrodden working class.
Returning to the Island Player’s stage, Jeffrey Steiger’s energetic portrayal of Eric is reminiscent of the frenetic comedy stylings and high-pitched vocal mannerisms used by well-known stand-up comedian and actor Bob Goldthwait. Edward and Eric also share an affinity for Sorel’s theatrical rival, the lovely Gertrude Lawrence.
In real life, Steiger is a director and playwright and serves as artistic director at the FLS Theatre at Florida International University.
Jeffery Steiger portrays Eric and Ruth Shaulis portrays Victoria Van Roth. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Portrayed with great aplomb by longtime performer Ruth Shaulis, the next guest to arrive is Victoria Van Roth, the bohemian, abstract artist, interpretive dancer, musician and martini drinker who shares a secret with Sorel and someone else in the room.
Portrayed by Victoria Raybourn, the last to arrive is Alice, a gun-toting, optically challenged childhood companion of Jack who sets her sights on righting a wrong committed long ago by one of the other guests. Alice’s deafening wails become another source of discontent for Edward, who begs her to lower the volume of her hysterics. Raybourn, a veteran of high school theatrical productions, is appearing on stage for the first time as an adult.
Jack consoles Alice as the mystery deepens. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Act I ends with the demise of one of the guests and Act II begins with Bridgit conducting a murder investigation in which everyone is a suspect and some suspect themselves. As the plot thickens, the characters’ selfish pursuits, human frailties and hidden secrets are exposed as the list of potential killers narrows and the tale ultimately reaches its unexpected and theatrically inspirational conclusion.
Tickets for “Death by Design” are $18-$28 and can be purchased online at www.TheIslandPlayers.org. Tickets can be purchased at the theater box office, 10009 Gulf Drive, Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and an hour before show time. For more information, call 941-778-5755.
Opening May 8 and directed by James Thaggard, Tom Ziegler’s Grace & Glorie will conclude the Island Players’ 76th season.
The “Death by Design” cast, joined by director Preston Boyd and his wife and stage director, Priscilla Boyd. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The production crew helps bring “Death by Design” to life. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Victoria, Alice, Sorel and Jack all have reasons to do away with the now-removed victim. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The hired help and the guests don’t always see eye-to-eye. - Joe Hendricks
Set designer Jan Van Wart and director Preston Boyd in discussion before the March 9 dress rehearsal began. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
"Death by Design" runs through Sunday, March 30. - Island Players | Submitted
CORTEZ – The Cortez Bridge utility relocation project will necessitate detours and closures to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic, according to an update from Manatee County officials.
East of the Cortez Bridge, a water main will continue to be installed on the north side of Cortez Road between the area of 127th Street West and 124th Court West. To accommodate this activity, the north shoulder of 124th Court West will remain closed through summer.
Beginning in late April and continuing through early summer, 127th Street West will be closed to vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic at Cortez Road West north to 126th Street West as the contractor installs the pipe. The closure and detour will remain in effect 24/7 until work in this area is complete.
Regular construction activities will take place Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians are asked to remain mindful of construction crews, equipment, materials and traffic patterns when traveling in and near the construction areas. Construction schedules and activities are subject to change due to weather.
The sidewalk and bike lane on the south side of Cortez Road West east of the Cortez Bridge will remain closed between 119th Street West and Avenue B with a detour in place to direct pedestrians and bicyclists. 124th Street West, 124th Street Court West, 125th Court West, Central Avenue, and Avenue A will be closed at Cortez Road West with detours in place to direct motorists.
During active construction, travelers may also experience temporary/intermittent lane closures and flagging operations on the eastbound and westbound lanes of Cortez Road West to allow for the moving and delivery of construction materials and equipment. The sidewalk and eastbound merge lane on the south side of Cortez Road West west of the Cortez Bridge will be closed with detour signs in place.
HOLMES BEACH – Parking along Key Royale Drive from Marina Drive to the bridge will not be limited to the north side of the street as previously discussed by city commissioners on Feb. 25.
When discussing the issue again on March 11, four of the five Holmes Beach commissioners expressed support for an alternative approach proposed by Public Works Director/City Engineer Sage Kamiya and supported by Mayor Judy Titsworth and Police Chief Bill Tokajer.
“It looks like the best way maybe to handle some of our parking issues is to move the sidewalk on the south side of the road so folks can park on either side,” Kamiya said when initiating the follow-up parking discussion on March 11.
To create enough space for legal parking along the south side of Key Royale Drive, the existing sidewalk will eventually be removed and a new sidewalk will be installed 3 feet further to the south. The new sidewalk will still be located in the city-owned right of way and not on privately-owned property.
The sidewalk on the south side of Key Royale Drive will be replaced with a new sidewalk located 3 feet further to the right. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The city’s code of ordinances already requires vehicles to be parked with all tires off the roadway and moving the sidewalk will create more space to park in accordance with that city law. City code also prohibits parking on a sidewalk and currently there’s barely enough space, or not enough space, to park with all tires off the sidewalk and the road along the south side of the street.
During the March 11 meeting, Titsworth said the latest proposal would provide the space needed for landscaping and construction vehicles to legally park alongside Key Royale Drive with all tires off the pavement.
To create more space for parking along both sides of the street those who own property between 506/507 and 532/533 Key Royale Drive will receive letters from the city asking them to remove any landscaping or other obstacles placed in the city right of way. Mailboxes and driveways do not have to be removed from the right of way but other items left in the right of way can be removed by the city.
Existing landscaping elements may be impacted by the right of way clearing and the sidewalk relocation. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Commissioner Dan Diggins said the proposed solution would impact 28-29 properties and Kamiya agreed with that estimate.
Titsworth said city commission approval isn’t needed to maintain and enforce the current parking allowances and regulations but the sidewalk installation contract will be brought to the commission for future approval of the proposed expenditure.
Kamiya estimated the new sidewalk would cost approximately $107,000. He said funds previously budgeted but not spent on a proposed Sixth Avenue sidewalk project could be used to pay for a new Key Royale Drive sidewalk.
The parking proposals stem from complaints received from Key Royale residents concerned about the safety hazards posed by landscaping and construction vehicles parking in the road or partially in the road. Those commercial parking activities narrow the travel lanes and force drivers into the other lane and into oncoming traffic. Titsworth said Key Royale Drive serves as a main thoroughfare for hundreds of homeowners and can no longer be viewed as a side street in terms of how it’s used and regulated.
Drivers are forced into the oncoming travel lane to avoid commercial vehicles parked in the street. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Commissioner Carol Soustek said, “I like the fact that they’re doing it on both sides. I heard from at least one member from Key Royale that likes it very much. I had nobody come to me and say ‘I don’t like it.’ ”
As she did during the Feb. 25 discussion, Commissioner Carol Whitmore opposed the proposed parking solution.
“It could be a potential safety issue but that could be anywhere so why wouldn’t you do it citywide?” Whitmore said. “And now we’re paying for a sidewalk, to move it, which makes no sense fiscally because it’s perfectly fine, so I won’t support this.”
ANNA MARIA – The combined impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused the Anna Maria City Pier walkway to fail, according to an inspection report provided by the George F. Young engineering firm.
Mayor Mark Short shared this information during the March 13 city commission meeting after receiving the requested report the previous week.
Short said the engineering firm concluded that during Hurricane Helene, the waves and storm surge under the pier walkway pushed the walkway upward and stressed the walkway and the concrete pilings supporting it.
The Anna Maria City Pier will remain closed until the pier walkway is replaced. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“That loosened everything up and when the winds of Milton came two weeks later, that was all that was needed to blow it down and knock it over,” Short told the commission. “It was a combination of the two. It got stressed from the surge pushing from the bottom up and the winds came from the top down and caused the failure.”
Based on our observations, it is assumed that the pier piles failed due to a combination of wind, waves, and storm surge during the hurricane. The intense wave action and storm surge may have scoured the seabed, reduced the embedment depth of the piles, and
compromised their stability. Additionally, the piles may have experienced excessive bending and shear stresses from wind-driven waves, potentially leading to structural buckling or displacement. The combination of these factors likely caused the piles to lose their loadbearing capacity, resulting in the progressive collapse of the remaining portions of the pier.
The 35-page report later provided by Short contains the following statement on page 7: “Based on our observations, it is assumed that the pier piles failed due to a combination of wind, waves and storm surge during the hurricane. The intense wave action and storm surge may have scoured the seabed, reduced the embedment depth of the piles and compromised their stability.
“Additionally, the piles may have experienced excessive bending and shear stresses from wind-driven waves, potentially leading to structural buckling or displacement. The combination of these factors likely caused the piles to lose their loadbearing capacity, resulting in the progressive collapse of the remaining portions of the pier,” the report says.
There’s currently no pedestrian access to the T-end of the City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
During the March 13 meeting, Short noted the hurricane-damaged walkway was built to different specifications than the T-end of the pier occupied by The City Pier Grill and the Mote Marine Science Education and Outreach Center.
Completed in 2020 after Hurricane Irma badly damaged the T-end buildings, the T-end decking and the wooden pier walkway in 2017, the T-end of the pier features a concrete foundation built atop solid concrete pilings and supported by concrete bents. The T-end of the pier and the pier buildings suffered minimal damage during Hurricanes Helene and Milton but the missing walkway leaves the end of the pier isolated with no pedestrian access.
Hurricane Irma tore the roof off the old City Pier bait shop building in 2017. – Joe Hendricks | SunHurricane Irma displaced the T-end decking in 2017. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
For cost saving purposes, the pier walkway completed in 2020 was built to lower specifications using wooden bents, stringers and support beams placed atop spun cast concrete pilings that are hollow in the center.
Short said the next step is the demolition and removal of the remaining walkway to be replaced with a new walkway built to higher specifications using stronger materials. According to General Manager Dean Jones, the new walkway will feature solid concrete pilings. Solid concrete pilings are generally more expensive than spun cast concrete pilings.
Short said the project engineers are about 60% done with the engineering and design work for the new walkway and the demolition and removal of the remaining walkway is the next step. A request for proposals (RFP) will soon be issued seeking proposals from demolition contractors. The RFP is currently being reviewed for full compliance with state and federal regulations.
The City Pier parking lot has been restored and reopened. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Short said a FEMA assessment team recently spent two days assessing the damage to the City Pier and is now processing the city’s claim seeking FEMA funds for the pier repairs.
“FEMA will come back to us with their estimate of how much they’re willing to pay to rebuild the walkway. It’s going to take a little time, but we need to know from FEMA what they’re willing to put in. We’re also working with the state and county but FEMA is extremely important in this process. It’s mission critical that we understand where the money’s going to come before we get too far down the path of rebuilding the pier,” Short said, noting he could not estimate how long the FEMA review process might take.
As an alternative or additional funding source for the pier repairs, the city recently requested up to $8 million of the $252.7 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant awarded to Manatee County by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Emotional plea
When offering public input, former Anna Maria Island resident and current Island realtor Linda Moore said her family moved to Anna Maria in 1969 and lived on the property now occupied by the North Shore Café.
“We lived here for 40 years. We loved the pier,” she said.
Former Anna Maria resident Linda Moore offered to help raise private sector funds if needed. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Moore said she helped get four benches installed on the old City Pier and when the new pier was built, four new benches were placed in the same locations. Three of those benches survived the recent hurricanes.
Moore said an old newspaper photo of her parents used to hang inside the bar at the Rod & Reel Pier that was also destroyed by the two hurricanes.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton also destroyed the privately-owned Rod & Reel Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“As a realtor here for 21 years and a member of Roser Church for 50 years, I can tell you the City Pier is very vital to tourism and the memories of all of us that have been here – the newcomers and those of us who are second and third generation,” she said.
Moore said she visited the Mote Marine facility two days before Hurricane Helene struck. Getting emotional on the verge of tears, she said she’d help raise funds from the private sector if needed for the pending pier repairs.
“I want to be involved,” she said.
“I think we all feel the same sense of urgency,” Commissioner Charlie Salem said. “I know all of us are committed to get the pier back up and running as soon as we can.”
Salem expressed hope that constructing the new walkway with stronger materials will help it better withstand future hurricanes and storms.
North Shore Café owner Colleen Geller told Moore she could place a memorial bench for her parents at the café that now stands where Moore’s parents once lived.
HOLMES BEACH – The city’s hurricane recovery efforts earned praise from FEMA representatives, and property owners will soon be eligible for 25% flood insurance discounts.
Director of Development Services Chad Minor made these announcements during the March 11 city commission meeting. He said as of that day the building department had issued 1,900 building permits since Hurricane Helene struck in late September. The city also conducted 4,344 building permit inspections to date, with Joe Payne Inc. assisting with those efforts.
Minor said permit revenues are only down about $6,600 dollars from last year even though the permit fees have been waived for hurricane-related repairs. Minor said the city’s fee waiver program will remain in effect at least until June 1.
“The building department’s doing an incredible job. There’s a lot of people that still have work to do and the mayor agrees we need to extend the fee waiver program,” Minor said.
He then noted FEMA representatives visited the building department the previous week as part of their post-hurricane auditing process and focused on building permits and the city’s permitting policies and procedures.
Minor said Building Official Neal Schwartz and Building Department Office Manager and Emergency Operations Coordinator Kim Charron did a fantastic job preparing for the FEMA meeting, which he noted can be a daunting task.
“At the end of the meeting, FEMA said, ‘You guys have done everything right,’ ” Minor said.
According to Minor, the FEMA reps said they’d be sharing some of Holmes Beach’s applications and policies with other communities as an example of how to respond and proceed the proper way.
“It was my first experience with FEMA and I was a little nervous going into it, but the way we prepared – our staff, our policies and procedures – made for quite an easy meeting. We had nothing to hide and we received tremendous accolades,” Minor said, which prompted a round of applause from the commissioners and other meeting attendees.
“Don’t forget about the code compliance department as well,” Mayor Judy Titsworth added.
Minor then asked Code Compliance Chief James “JT” Thomas to join Schwartz and Charron at the podium with him.
Schwartz said FEMA was impressed with the code compliance department’s efforts and the many violation notices and stop work orders they issued while tracking the repair work to ensure that it was done in compliance with city, state and federal regulations.
Schwartz said the building department is still assisting homeowners and property owners with their permitting processes.
“Come on into city hall and talk to us,” he said. “We’re here for you.”
Flood insurance discounts
Minor then addressed the city’s Community Rating Service (CRS) rating that provides flood insurance discounts to any Holmes Beach property owner who carries a flood insurance policy issued through, or in conjunction with, FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.
Minor announced that on Oct. 1, the city’s current class 6 CRS rating that provides a 20% flood insurance discount is improving to a class 5 CRS rating that provides a 25% discount. This prompted another round of applause.
“The city has acquired enough points to be classified as a class 4 but we have to meet a prerequisite of a watershed master plan. We are underway on that. Once that is complete, we will submit for reclassification, which, if approved, will result in class 4 (rating) and a 30% discount,” Minor said of the additional CRS rating improvement to be sought next year.
Minor thanked all the city staff members, including the public works department, who helped prepare the reports that led to the improved CRS rating.
“It shows the hard work pays off. This is a huge one for the city and it really should be celebrated,” Minor said, prompting a third round of applause.
“You guys did great,” Titsworth said.
Commissioner Carol Soustek expressed her appreciation for the staff efforts that will provide additional flood insurance discounts to Holmes Beach property owners and Commissioner Dan Diggins said, “Thank you guys. This is wonderful news.”
CORTEZ – Manatee County has issued a 30- day demolition notice for the removal of Annie’s Bait and Tackle Shop.
“We haven’t received the letter yet, but I was told it’s coming,” Annie’s co-owner, Bruce Shearer, said on March 15. He doesn’t know the final date yet.
The Manatee County Commission voted 6-1 on March 4 for the demolition of the 70-year-old Cortez landmark, which is sited on the Seafood Shack parcel that was recently purchased by the county for $13 million and is slated to become a public boat launch facility. The vote followed recommendations by a structural engineer, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and fire officials based on damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton last year.
Shearer took issue with the county’s characterization that the building was beyond repair.
“Their own report says it’s under the 50% damage,” he said. “That building is solid as a rock. It’s an old wooden building. It’s history they’re taking away there.”
Shearer said he felt that the commission’s intent was always to remove Annie’s from the property.
“I think it was a dog and pony show all the way through,” Shearer said. “They wasted everyone’s time. We were railroaded. Tal (Manatee County Commissioner Tal Siddique) was bound and determined to turn that into concrete.”
Shearer’s daughter, Anna Gaffey, told The Sun on March 13 she felt the hurricane damage was a convenient excuse for the county to have Annie’s removed.
“We believe the plan was to get us out, and the hurricanes were the perfect excuse,” she said.
She said she reached out to Manatee County Commissioner Jason Bearden, the sole dissenting vote against the demolition, to question the less than 50% damage estimate.
“He told me he’d love to bring it back, but he doesn’t have the support of the other commissioners,” Gaffey said. “It was heartbreaking.”
“We gave Bruce a 30-day notice,” Siddique wrote in a March 13 text message to The Sun. “I notified his daughter; we’ve been in close contact. They’re mad understandably, but it’s a lot of misunderstanding.”
“When it’s demolished, I want to invite him (Siddique) and his family to watch my family’s building being torn down,” Shearer said.
Shearer said his offer to make repairs at his own expense was declined by the county.
“I offered to repair the building and the docks to keep going,” he said. “I don’t own the docks, but I was willing to fix them. With the lease payments I would have been making, that would have been about half a million dollars total. And they turned it down.”
Annie’s Bait and Tackle is part of the Seafood Shack property now owned by the county. – Leslie Lake | Sun
He said county workers moved his personal items and restaurant equipment out of Annie’s without his knowledge and the items were placed in storage waiting for his retrieval.
“I’m going to have to go get the things and I’ll probably be selling some of the items,” he said.
Shearer said he has been looking for a spot to open another Annie’s but has had no luck.
“There’s nothing around,” he said.
Annie’s Bait and Tackle sustained damage during Hurricanes Helene and Milton. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Shearer said locals are not happy about the demolition order and he half-jokingly said he may fill his truck up with ice to chill the beer for 500 Cortezians who could show up to watch Annie’s come down.
“Nobody has anything good to say about this,” Shearer said.
ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria Island Historical Society will host its annual Heritage Day Festival on Tuesday, March 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Heritage Day Festival is a free celebration of the history of Anna Maria Island. The festival is held inside the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum at 402 Pine Ave. and on the museum grounds that also include the historic Belle Haven cottage that once sat at the end of the Anna Maria City Pier.
The historic Belle Haven cottage will be open for free tours. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Not even double hurricanes can keep us down and our newly-restored museum will be open for tours,” longtime Historical Society member and museum docent Judy Hildman said.
Basket and hat weaver David Rhone traveled from Salt Lake City, Utah to participate in last year’s festival. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Heritage Day celebrates the history of Anna Maria Island and our three unique cities. It is our gift to the community. This year, more than ever, we celebrate and thank the community for their generosity and support to help us build back. It is a fun, family-oriented event with live music, food, arts and crafts demonstrations and vendors, kids games and so much more. The Privateers will incarcerate the mayors of all three Island cities in our ‘Old City Jail’ for ransom donations,” Hildman said.
The AMI Privateers captured mayors Judy Titsworth and Dan Murphy during last year’s festival. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The Heritage Day Festival includes the sale of fresh strawberry shortcake as a Historical Society fundraising activity. The fundraisers will also include the sale of Settlers Bread and other baked goods as well as raffles and a silent auction.
Strawberry shortcake sales are a Heritage Day Festival tradition. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Holmes Beach-based Pizzano’s Pizza will be this year’s featured food vendor.
No parking spaces will be available at the museum during the event, but there is free parking along Pine Avenue. Festivalgoers can take the free Island Trolley and get off at the Crescent Drive/Pine Avenue trolley stop in front of the museum.
For more information, or to become a museum docent or volunteer, please visit www.amihs.org or call 941-778-0492.
“The St. Patrick’s Parade has been an Island tradition for many years and has become one of the highlights of spring for islanders and visitors alike,” Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan said. “It’s wonderful to see everyone take part in the revelry and ‘get their Irish on.’ It’s my national holiday so being the presenting sponsor brings me so much joy watching everyone having so much fun. It’s like finding my own pot of gold. We look forward to seeing everyone along the parade route. Get ready to yell for those beads! Sláinte.”
Dr. Susan Welsh and Tom Martin went green for the 2022 parade. – Cindy Lane Sun
The parade will begin at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive, and travel down 58th Street, Marina Drive, Palm Drive, Gulf Drive, Pine Avenue and Tarpon Street, ending at The Center of Anna Maria Island at 407 Magnolia Ave. in Anna Maria.
Those who wish to participate in the parade need to fill out the entry form on The Center website, www.centerami.org/events. Parade participation opportunities include non-profit organizations, individuals, businesses, walking groups, floats, business vehicles, trucks and trailers, personal vehicles, golf carts and more.
There is no entry fee for non-profit organizations. The entry fee is $10 for a personal golf cart or personal vehicle and $50 for a business vehicle. The suggested entry fee for a business float is $150.
Completed entry forms and entry fees must be delivered to The Center or to Duffy’s Tavern at 5808 Marina Drive in Holmes Beach.
Participants and parade vehicles must check in at 2 p.m. to receive an entry permit. The parade lineup and staging will begin at 2:15 p.m. and the parade will begin at 4 p.m. Once the parade starts, all units must continue moving forward through the pre-designated route.
Proper and legal conduct of parade participants is required. Parade participants are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous and safe manner. Drinking and driving is prohibited. Excessive public displays of intoxication are prohibited and drivers of vehicles are prohibited from tossing items from their vehicles.
I don’t know about you, but I’m just now getting my condo back in pre-Milton shape. It took five months and there are still a few jobs to finish up, not to mention the dust that has settled in the crevices of my furniture and windows.
Not everyone is as lucky as me. Many island people and throughout Manatee County need to do massive rebuilds and renovations. If you find yourself needing a kitchen rehab, take a look at some of the new ideas for kitchens I recently read about.
The big news is we’re going back to earthy neutrals and leaving the sterile white kitchens behind. Even the blue that we’ve seen in kitchen updates recently is making way for beiges, soft browns and even dark wood with appliances behind matching doors. The object is to create spaces that are cozy and more intimate than we have seen for years.
Beams are also popping up in Florida, adding texture and architectural interest to high ceilings. Dark beams are typical, but I think white in a kitchen to offset the new trendy darker cabinets gives interest while still maintaining a coastal look. Even cabinet pulls are evolving from the glitzy metal to soft wood tones.
Lighting is naturally the key to making a cozy space come alive. The designers I read about are loving single horizontal fixtures over kitchen islands taking the place of pendants and nixing recessed ceiling lighting.
This next one is certainly not new but is gaining popularity again and is perfect for the casual island lifestyle we’re all trying to get back to. Bistro racks or French shelving in place of cabinets check several boxes for coastal living. First of all, if the shelving is glass, they will appear to be floating, opening up the entire wall where they’re arranged. Paired with contrasting tile to the ceiling will make you wonder why you haven’t done this before. In addition, there is the ease of organizing dishes and glassware where everything is visible and there are no doors to open and close in the way.
While we’re talking about cabinets, guess what’s back, curtain-backed glass cabinet fronts. It works really well for the less organized of us where you really don’t want your chipped dishes displayed and adds a more formal design, making your cabinets feel like actual furniture. However, if you love your shaker-style cabinets, they are iconic, so don’t start ripping them out, but some day it might be time to move on.
Finally, nothing is more talked about in a kitchen than countertops. I remember when you never saw a hard surface countertop and everyone used laminate; hopefully, those days will never be back. However, the popular granite for decades is back in a more exciting reincarnation. The new granite has matte finishes, with a rougher and more rustic vibe perfect for some of the new rural kitchen choices. It has a slate-like appearance and is still virtually indestructible.
Marble is definitely out. Not only does it look too cool and industrial, it is high maintenance, staining easily – red wine and lemon juice are killers on marble. I had occasion to see one of these new granite products in a friend’s house in Naples on top of a massive kitchen island and it knocked my socks off.
Apparently, the decorative items you never thought you would ever see again are back. Beams, dark cabinets and granite are in fashion again, but then isn’t it always that way. Remember fins on cars and poodle skirts? Just wait.
Seabirds are an angler’s friend. Besides being an integral part of the marine ecosystem and beautiful to behold, they help us locate fish.
An observant angler notices where birds congregate on a low tide. They know the birds are feeding on marine organisms that fish will seek out when the flat is covered with water on a rising tide. They point us to schooling fish, often indicating action much farther away than we can see. Anglers who fish the coastal waters of Florida will invariably come into contact with the seabirds that inhabit local waters.
The encounter can be deadly to seabirds if anglers don’t know the basics of caring for them.
Birds can become entangled in fishing line and take it back to their roosts. The birds are also put in harm’s way when they come into contact with fishing line that careless anglers leave in the mangroves from an errant cast.
If a bird is hooked while fishing, it’s important to bring it to the boat with a properly set drag to prevent the line from breaking. This can be a death sentence for the birds when they return to a mangrove roost trailing line. If a bird becomes hooked or entangled in your line while fishing, work them to the boat carefully as you would a big fish, then throw a towel over their head to calm them and grab them securely by the beak while removing the hook. Care should be taken with all birds, especially ones that have sharp beaks. They don’t know you are trying to help them. Handle birds carefully as they have very light, hollow bones. Cautiously remove the line from their body, wings and feet and check them thoroughly before releasing them. If you see a hooked or tangled bird in an active rookery during nesting season, it’s important not to approach them as their young may be startled and fall from the nest.
You can reduce the chance of hooking birds by following a few simple rules. First, never feed birds, as this will teach them to look for a handout, a practice that annoys anglers and is dangerous to the birds. Second, while you’re fishing, be aware of birds that might be targeting your bait or lure. It’s easy to pull the lure out of harm’s way at the last second a gull or tern dives on it. If they do become hooked, a barbless hook is easier to remove from the bird and the angler.
Taking care of the wildlife that inhabits our coastal estuaries is every angler’s responsibility. If you see a bird in distress and can’t help it, call Save Our Seabirds at 941-388-3010 or Audubon Coastal Island Sanctuaries at 813-623-6826.
HOLMES BEACH – The efforts to revise the city’s seawall regulations remain a work in progress and seawall height allowances and the installation of adaptive seawalls are among the considerations being discussed.
On March 5, the Holmes Beach Planning Commission continued its review of the proposed and previously discussed revisions to the city’s seawall regulations. Director of Development Chad Minor and seawall consultant and engineer Joe Foster also participated in the discussion.
The city’s current seawall regulations do not establish a specific minimum or maximum height for the construction or replacement of a seawall but seawall height limits are tied to the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD). A vertical datum is a reference system used by surveyors, engineers and mapping professionals to measure and relate elevations to the Earth’s surface.
Neighboring seawalls often vary in height and age. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
According to Foster, Holmes Beach currently has an average datum of +2.3 NAVD, which is 2.3 feet above the fixed datum point. He recommends increasing that to a +4 NAVD, which would be 4 feet above the fixed datum point.
Foster recommends adding the following language to the city’s seawall regulations: “The elevation for all seawalls, bulkheads and retaining walls fronting the bay shall be equal to or greater than elevation 4.0 NAVD 88. Unless the ground floor elevations of the subject house and the adjacent houses on each side is lesser in elevation. If the seawall cap elevation is determined that it cannot be raised, then the new seawall shall be designed and constructed at the time of the proposal in way that seawall cap elevation can be raised in the future.”
Consultant Joe Foster is assisting the city with the seawall regulation revisions. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
According to the six-page handout that Foster shared during the meeting, “This elevation provides additional resiliency to the property without significantly altering the community’s stormwater drainage.”
Foster said the elevation thresholds for seawall caps are an issue many Florida municipalities are struggling with and it’s become even more of a focal point in the wake of Hurricane Helene and other tidal events. He said many municipalities are incorporating NAVD standards into their seawall regulations. He also said seawall regulation revisions are being proposed statewide to help offset the projected sea level rise of 18 inches in the next 50 years.
“If I design a seawall today, I’m projecting a 50-year lifespan on it. So, what is this going to look like in 50 years?” Foster said.
He said public sentiment about higher seawalls has changed in recent years.
“This used to be a huge fight. Six years ago, people did not want to raise their seawalls. Now that’s completely opposite. In the past three years, there’s been a complete switch.”
Adaptive seawall caps
During the March 5 meeting, Foster provided an image of an adaptive seawall that featured an additional stem wall. A seawall cap is the top portion of the seawall. Allowing adaptive seawall caps that consist of an additional stem wall being constructed on top of an existing seawall is also being considered as part of the proposed Holmes Beach seawall regulation revisions that remain a work in progress.
Consultant Joe Foster provided this image of an adaptive seawall cap. – Foster Consulting | Submitted
Planning Commissioner Lisa Pierce said she pulled her seawall permit in 2003 and her next-door neighbor recently had a new seawall installed. A visit to her property after the meeting revealed the neighbor’s new seawall is about 18 inches taller than her seawall. Across the canal from Pearce’s home, an older seawall sits even lower and shows signs of deterioration, which further illustrates the differences that exist from one seawall to another.
This seawall shows signs of deterioration. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
No final decisions have been made regarding the revisions discussed at the March 5 planning commission meeting and the proposed revisions will be discussed at a future city commission meeting or city commission work session.
BRADENTON BEACH – Bill Palmer, the city’s new building official, began work on March 5 and has laid out a timeline for the order of business as he steps into his new role.
“My initial focus as building official will be reviewing the permits we have in backlog for storm-related repairs so people can get back into their homes and then work on new construction permits,” Palmer wrote in an email to The Sun. “Once that is all caught up, I plan to review the building department forms and checklists. After that I plan on creating standard operation procedures (SOP) for the department.”
The city is under FEMA review for its post-hurricane practices under previous Building Official Darin Cushing, including the absence of standard operating procedures.
“Bill Palmer is doing a lot of reviews. He’s moving things through as quickly as humanly possible,” Mayor John Chappie said at a March 6 city commission meeting. “He’s doing a great job.”
Hurricane Helene badly damaged this Bradenton Beach home. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Palmer has issued 38 permits, mostly storm-related, he said.
“There are 143 total uncompleted applications,” Chappie said. “So when a project is brought forward by an applicant, they have a big application and they have to fill out a lot of things that have to be done to make an application complete. If it’s not complete, it doesn’t go to the building official. All of the applications that are sitting in the queue right now, everyone has been emailed telling them what needs to be done. It doesn’t go anywhere until it’s a complete document so the building official can review it.”
Chappie said that Palmer has requested that the city continue to pay M.T. Causley, the contract employer for the previous building official, for a few more weeks to assist in reducing the backlog, which is nearly all hurricane-related.
“We all talked about the overlap that’s going to be necessary with M.T. Causley as we make the adjustments, as he goes through these plans reviews and these permits that are backed up to get things done,” Chappie said. “He’s competent. He knows his stuff.”
“He hasn’t issued any new construction permits so far, and once he gets caught up, he wants to review the building department forms and checklists, then he will be starting on SOPs, which is one of the things that the department never had by the previous building official or officials,” he said.
