BRADENTON BEACH – The permitting process is moving forward for the reopening of the Drift-In with hearings scheduled within the next several weeks.
The city commission will consider a temporary use permit application at a Thursday, March 20 meeting that begins at noon at the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N.
The Planning and Zoning Board hearing originally scheduled for March 6 to consider a major development application for the Drift-In was continued at the applicant’s request. P&Z Chair Bill Morrow announced the date change to the next regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 2 at 1 p.m. for a public hearing to consider a major development for improvements at 120 Bridge St. placed over a public easement.
At the March 6 meeting, city hall was packed with Drift-In supporters who were prepared to speak during public comment. Attorney Robert Lincoln, representing the city, explained why comments by the public would not be allowed.
“The application was on the agenda. It has been continued. So, taking comment on that would not be appropriate,” Lincoln said.
He spoke to The Sun following the meeting and explained two reasons for the continuance: “There was an issue that the applicant didn’t put the notice on the property,” he said. “The other aspect was the staff hasn’t had the chance to review the new materials and produce something for either the Planning and Zoning Board or the City Commission to consider. The applicant decided that the better thing to do with this hearing was to continue it.”
The city commission can’t act on the major development application without the planning board recommendation in hand, Lincoln said.
“There will be a (commission) meeting tonight, but the hearing inside the meeting will be canceled,” he said, adding that public comment would be allowed at the city commission meeting on March 20, when an application for a temporary use permit will be considered by commissioners.
Public comment
More than 20 employees and patrons of the Drift-In spoke to commissioners at the March 6 evening meeting and urged the city to expedite the permitting process.
“People from all over the world love our wonderful place,” said Doreen Flynn, Drift-In manager for more than 25 years. “We’re losing a great deal of money every day.”
The Drift-In employees are struggling to pay their bills and put food on the table, Flynn said.
“I’m asking for help to get the Drift-In reopened, I’m asking for a temporary permit, so we can get back to work and make some money while you are figuring this situation and sorting it out,” Flynn said.
“There was an application for a temporary use permit. It was filed yesterday. The city commission needs to consider it, but it needs to be on a regularly agenda’d meeting,” Lincoln said. “It has to be on a published agenda that goes out to the public.
“The other aspect of the temporary use is that the building will still have to go through all their required building and safety permitting,” Lincoln said. “To make sure that the city commission action is legal and cannot be attacked, it has to be noticed, newspaper notice requires 15 days in advance, mailed notice has to go out 30 days before the hearing. If that isn’t done, then the action isn’t valid.”
Scott Rudacille, attorney for Drift-In owners Derek and Helena Williams, said, “I think we do have a path forward now, so we look forward to presenting that temporary use permit on the 20th, and look forward to coming back and presenting the major development plan on the second and the eighth and hopefully we can get the Drift back up and running.”
The Tuesday, April 8 meeting is for the commission to consider a major development application.
Mike McConnell, a musician who has played at the Drift-In for 13 years, said, “If there’s any way to get this temporary thing expedited quickly, please consider it. Derek is putting everything on the line for this. It’s not fair this keeps happening to him.”
“Many of these people here are my family,” Drift-In employee Kelly Flynn said. “We need to get the Drift open. It’s heartbreaking to watch one of the oldest buildings and bars in this city still not open, when everyone else is open. Do what you can to get it open.”
“We are a community that is tied together,” Sharon Bell said. “The Drift is an institution. It’s iconic. We’re not Bradenton Beach without it. This just feels mean, and the Drift is not mean, the Drift is love.”
Buzz Marconi said Drift-In provides an experience that’s hard to find anywhere else.
“It’s one of the top 10 quote dive bars in America,” Marconi said. “He (Williams) gives you some of the best music on the west coast of Florida. It’s not all about the Drift-In. He doesn’t serve food and they’ve got to eat somewhere. He’s not competing, he’s enhancing the other bars and restaurants. They all do better because of the Drift-In.”
Drift-In co-owner Helena Williams asked the commission if they would be able to make a motion to give them a temporary permit at the commission meeting
“I love our patrons and our employees,” she said. “They are family, and they need to make money to survive.”
Derek Williams questioned why the notice for the temporary use permit hadn’t been brought to their attention earlier.
“I was told by the other city attorney that she was handling the notice, and clearly it wasn’t handled properly,” he said. “It was more miscommunication. We want to do the right thing, and we want to follow the law, but the guidance did come from you all.”
Williams said all permits have been submitted, and he had to start the process from scratch.
“I had to get everything addressed that your employee told me I didn’t need to do,” Williams said. “I had to start the process over. I think we’re all working together now to do this the right way. There’s businesses open that aren’t following the rules that I do, and I’m following the rules but I’m the one being punished. The stress I have is all these people here. I feel responsible for them. I’m trying to help you help yourselves. Instead, I’m looked at like I’m an enemy of the state here and I go home every night and I get sick over it. Please help us.”
City response
“The issues that you’ve had in getting these permits are not unusual,” Lincoln said. “But it’s underway now.”
He responded to questions about issuing a temporary use permit at the March 6 meeting.
“Rules on agenda items are pretty strict, you’ve got to have 10 days’ notice and public posting to get a special use permit, it has to go through those regulatory processes, a special use permit would not get the bar open, building permits are needed to get coolers installed, the electrical finished and that’s got to go through the permitting process.”
He said the temporary use permit would take the place of the major development permit if there were any further delays in getting it.
The tiki hut construction at the Drift-In was approved by former Building Official Darin Cushing. The city said that the permit should not have been issued due to the tiki hut’s size and easement encroachment. The city required a major development hearing and the project has been placed on hold pending city review.
Cushing was suspended by the city on Jan. 22 and was subsequently terminated from his position at city contractor M.T. Causley. Bill Palmer is now serving as the city’s building official.
Click here to view the archived video of the 90-minute Drift-In discussion.
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