BY LAUREL NEVANS
SPECIAL TO THE SUN
HOLMES BEACH – When you hear the words “planned community,” they may evoke visions of homeowner’s associations, cookie-cutter houses and things like that.
But actually, that type of planned community did not become popular until the 1960s, long after the community of Holmes Beach was established. Holmes Beach is a good example of the earlier type of suburban planning utilized after World War II ended in 1945.
Urban planning has existed for centuries. Planned in 1791 by Pierre L’Enfant, Washington, D.C. is a notable example. But suburban planning was something that came to be in the 20th Century, gaining popularity after World War II.
The “Greenbelt communities” represent the earliest examples. During the 1930s, the federal government developed three experimental communities to address housing shortages and unemployment during the Great Depression, and to serve as models for cooperative, garden-style suburban living. Of these three, Greenbelt, Maryland, is perhaps the best known, and it still thrives as a community today.
Influenced by the European “Garden City” movement, President Franklin Roosevelt’s Resettlement Administration initiated the Greenbelt program. The program focused on creating self-contained, cooperative communities that combine the best features of city and country living. It included ample green space, separated land uses and common ownership. It emphasized affordable, high-quality housing and communal facilities, and design that prioritized safety and community interaction. It included public spaces to foster a stronger sense of community among residents. The Greenbelt towns introduced innovative suburban planning concepts that influenced subsequent suburban development projects.
Levittown was America’s first mass-produced suburb. It was built by William Levitt in 1947 on Long Island, New York, to meet the post-war demand for affordable housing for returning veterans. Using unprecedented assembly line techniques, Levitt & Sons quickly and cheaply built thousands of identical, modest, single-story homes. With prices affordable to many families, they symbolized the “American dream” of homeownership and suburban life.
Levittown was the first example of the kind of planned communities that remain to this day – communities planned with amenities that include village greens, playgrounds and shopping areas to create a complete community using principles inspired by the Greenbelt cities.
HOLMES BEACH PLANNING
This history of suburban planning inspired Jack Holmes. After World War II, Holmes transformed the area that became Holmes Beach from a sparsely populated settlement into a residential and tourist community that contrasted with the earlier slow, homesteading-based growth.
Holmes created a 600-acre master-planned community centered around a marina to attract returning veterans and their families, and he focused on developing infrastructure that enabled suburban living. A significant element of Holmes’ planning was the dredging of canals and bayous, which created waterfront lots and maximized residential density.
A small airstrip was built in 1947 and the MGM musical “On an Island With You” was filmed there. Holmes soon added a yacht club and shopping centers that catered to both residents and tourists.
By the time Holmes Beach was incorporated as a city on March 13, 1950, Holmes had already built and listed for sale over 200 homes in the area.
In contrast to Levittown, Holmes Beach did not encourage “cookie-cutter” architecture. Holmes Beach was built using a variety of builders and developers; and although homes shared certain characteristics, none of the early homes looked identical to their neighbors. Small cottages with yards and gardens dominated the landscape, with some larger, elevated or multi-story homes thrown into the mix.
When developing his planned city, Holmes envisioned a diverse and inclusive community. Although his vision was for a community that was primarily residential, he also recognized the importance of tourism and part-time residents and he planned for a community that accommodated full-time, part-time and transient residents.
He also integrated many of the principles first established in the Greenbelt communities of the early 20th Century. One of the biggest differences between Holmes Beach and the Greenbelt communities is that Holmes Beach was designed to accommodate a wide variety of income levels, from working class to the more affluent. This is reflected in the various residential zoning codes that each reflected the character the neighborhood was being designed around.
Holmes developed a “resort zone” to accommodate transient visitors. Manatee Public Beach was established in 1952 to accommodate “day trippers” – the people who lived on the mainland, came to visit for the day and returned home. In the 1970s, Manatee County took control of the public beach and began operating it as part of the county’s public park system.
ZONING DISTRICTS
Holmes integrated several other aspects of early suburban planning into his new planned community. In addition to residential zoning, he included spaces zoned for Public/Semi-Public Use (PSP,) Private Recreation/Open Space (POS), Public Recreation (REC), Conservation (CON) and Preservation.
Lots were priced according to their zoning code, with non-residential and non-commercial lots priced so non-profit organizations and houses of worship could be part of the community he envisioned. The now-vacated Gloria Dei Lutheran Church property carries the PSP zoning designation and a similar future land use map designation in the city’s comprehensive plan.
Holmes planned a downtown in central Holmes Beach that included commercially zoned spaces, and a second commercial zone at the southern end of the city, closest to the highest density resort housing zone (A1).
The first shopping center was developed in 1952. This zoning was a key component of Holmes’ vision for his new community; and his vision continues to be reflected in modern day Holmes Beach, where every update to the city’s comprehensive plan reflects the principles Holmes established in the mid-20th Century.
The resort/tourist zone was planned to be west of the main thoroughfares, as were the primary parts of the commercial zones. This was done to make the community more walkable and alleviate the need for visitors to cross the main roads to reach the beaches and businesses. The city was also planned to include the amenities families and retirees would desire in a community.
HOLMES BEACH GROWS
Holmes Beach continued to grow through the 1950s and 1960s. In 1950, the Island’s school was moved to Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach. In the early 1960s, the community of Holmes Beach became known as the fastest-growing community in Florida and this contributed to the school’s growing population.
In 1953, Holmes Beach annexed into the city the northern portion of the former resort community known as Ixelhurst. The Jones and Casanas subdivisions were also annexed into the city.
In 1957, School Key was purchased by Peter Michelson. Michelson dredged the canals and planned the residences along them and created the Key Royale golf community. The last buildable lot on Key Royale was not sold until the early 1980s and the family who purchased it raised a family there and still lives there.
Holmes Beach continued development through the 20th century. As the city grew, so did its mix of residential options. The smaller “mom and pop” motels were built in the A1/Resort Zone.
Holmes Construction was joined by other local developers who built homes that honored the spirit of Jack Holmes’ vision.
Condominiums joined the mix. After the first high-rise Martinique condos were built in the early 1970s, local officials enacted the height restrictions that now limit all development to a maximum of three stories. This was done to help preserve the Island’s low-key, “Old Florida” charm. In 2019, the height restrictions were enshrined in the city charter – a document that can only be amended and revised with the approval of the city’s registered voters.
Most of the condos still standing today were built during the 1970s through 1990s, as was the Seaside Gardens development that utilizes ground-level single-family and multi-family dwellings.
ISLAND CHURCHES
The Island churches also started forming in the 1950s, including the Island Baptist Chapel (now CrossPointe Fellowship), the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation and Saint Bernard Catholic Church. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church was formed in 1959, after one of the last PSP-zoned lots was purchased. Constructed in 1964, the building’s distinctive roof became a local landmark. Due to a shrinking congregation and the damage the church building sustained during the back-to-back hurricanes in 2024, the iconic building and the land it sits upon are currently for sale.
Last year, the church ownership group declined the city’s $3 million offer to purchase the building and the property for continued public use. The three-parcel property was then listed for $9.95 million. Discussions recently took place between city staff, the mayor and a representative of the property owner regarding the property owners’ desire to rezone the church property to R-1 to allow for the residential development and a higher selling price for the church property.
The mayor, the city commissioners and several community members have already expressed a shared desire to preserve this architectural landmark and the green space that surrounds it for future generations to enjoy. The pending rezoning efforts will soon be the subject of city commission discussion, debate and decision making, with the public also weighing in on the property owners’ rezoning request.
CHANGE OCCURS
Up until the early 2000s, Holmes Beach remained a “hidden gem,” with a population primarily consisting of year-round residents, families, part-time residents known as “snowbirds” and weekend visitors from the Tampa Bay region. Holmes Beach also thrived as a lesser-known tourist destination, with visitors flocking to the variety of accommodations in the resort-zoned areas and enjoying the eclectic mix of businesses and amenities available within the city limits.
As the city’s charm attracted more visitors from all over the world, the character Jack Holmes worked so hard to foster began to change. Outside developers began buying the original houses and razing them in order to build large vacation rental homes. Older ground-level homes that long served as annual rentals and provided homes for working-class families and those who worked on the Island began to disappear, creating workforce housing shortages and affordability challenges.
Over time, the influx of vacation rental homes began to disrupt the balance and residential character Jack Holmes created. In response, the city began tightening its building codes in an attempt to protect the remaining character of Holmes’ planned community.
City officials also have to contend with the ongoing efforts of the state officials who continue to erode the city’s home rule rights, favoring a “one-size-fits-all” redevelopment approach, rather than a careful, well-thought-out approach to community planning.
These changes have disrupted the residential character and the sense of community that many Holmes Beach residents still want to preserve – and many residents continue to encourage their city leaders to protect what can still be protected of Holmes’ original vision.
CITY EVOLVES
The city’s comprehensive plan continues to emphasize the principles Holmes Beach was built upon. Revisions to the future land use maps reinforced the planning principles that guided the city’s original development. Zoning codes and city ordinances were tightened and more strictly enforced to help preserve and reinforce the original nature and character of the city.
The Grassy Point Preserve was established to protect the largest tract of undeveloped land that remains within city limits and other public recreation spaces were enhanced.
New development-related site plans were more thoroughly scrutinized for consistency with the comprehensive plan and the zoning districts.
Today, Holmes Beach is an immensely popular tourist destination that offers a wide range of vacation rental and resort options while also serving as home to permanent and winter residents whose residences range from “Old Florida” charm to modern luxury.
The challenges of modern planning and preserving what remains of the city’s “small-town” feel require city officials to balance the needs of residents with the needs of the tourism industry and the needs of the real estate markets. This includes preserving the non-commercial, non-residential open space, public spaces, recreational spaces and preservation areas that enhance the quality of life for Holmes Beach residents and visitors.
As the city grows, our city officials must continue to work hard to ensure the character and amenities Jack Holmes planned for remain and are updated to reflect the changes this new century has brought with it. This is needed so Holmes Beach continues to reflect the ideals and structure of a planned community, so we can continue to enjoy what makes this community so special.
This particularly applies to preserving the non-commercial and non-residential elements, rather than allowing open space, public use space, recreational space and preservation areas to fall victim to the whims of modern-day developers who do not focus on community, but rather on how much money can be made.
Holmes Beach has always been a planned community, based on the concept that good planning strengthens a community. Jack Holmes believed private developers could foster human growth and that was reflected in his vision that called for diversity in land use, amenities, architecture and residential development.
Holmes Beach has never been merely just another “cookie-cutter” beach town. It has always been a thriving residential community that shares itself with visitors, whether they come from two miles away or 2,000 miles away. And continued good planning will help ensure the community and Jack Holmes’ original vision continue to thrive.
