ANNA MARIA – One key component of the city of Anna Maria’s recently revised cabana rental regulations was in effect for the Labor Day holiday weekend.
The recent regulatory revisions adopted by the city commission on Aug. 27 included changing the allowed morning setup time for commercially rented cabanas from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
During the Aug. 27 commission meeting, Mayor Mark Short said the revised regulations would take effect the following day.
The revised ordinance maintains and expands on many regulations included in the previously adopted version of the city’s parks and recreation ordinance that first took effect on March 1 – including the restriction that only allows commercial cabana rentals in the six-block beachfront area between Magnolia Avenue and Oak Avenue.
In response to past complaints and comments from Anna Maria residents and beachfront property owners, the rental cabana setup time was pushed back two hours to allow residents and property owners in and near that six-block area to have a mostly unobstructed view of the beach during the first few hours of daylight. The later setup time also gives residents and visitors time to set their own cabanas and tents up before the shoreline becomes more crowded.
A visit to the beach area between Magnolia Avenue and Palm Avenue at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, revealed just one rental cabana had been set up before the new 9 a.m. setup time. The rest of that six-block shoreline remained free of rental cabanas at that time.
After Saturday’s 9 a.m. city commission budget hearing ended at approximately 9:25 a.m., Mayor Mark Short was asked if the recently revised cabana rental regulations were now in effect.
He said the 9 a.m. setup time was now in effect. He said the recently adopted revision that allows only six rental cabanas per block, and a total of 36 rental cabanas in that six-block area, will not take effect until the city has franchise agreements in place with three selected cabana rental companies.
A return trip to the same beach area at approximately 10 a.m. revealed several more rental cabanas had been set up as the Labor Day weekend got underway.
Revised regulations
According to the recently revised city ordinance, “No more than three franchise agreements will be effective at any time.”
The revised ordinance notes those without franchise agreements will not be allowed to operate in the city’s limited commercial activity area.
Regarding the number of rental cabanas allowed, the revised ordinance says, “No more than 36 commercial rental areas are permitted on any given day, where permitted on the beach.”
It also says, “No more than six commercial rental areas are permitted in each geographic location (block) on any given day.”
The revised ordinance says after Jan. 1, no commercial rental activity shall occur without a franchise agreement with the city. The revised ordinance notes each commercial rental operator with a franchise agreement will be limited in the total number of commercial rental areas per day.
According to the ordinance, the city was to conduct a franchise agreement application process every two years and applications will be accepted from Sept. 1 through Sept. 15.
The franchise agreement applications will then be evaluated by a committee appointed by the mayor. The appointed committee members will use an evaluation criteria that includes the applicants’ experience and qualifications, the ability to comply with operational requirements, past regulatory or contractual performance, equipment quality and maintenance, and proposed franchise compensation to be paid to the city.
Rental operators’ reaction
My Beach Concierge owners Peery and Becky Heldreth have attended and participated in almost every cabana rental commission discussion that’s taken place in Anna Maria during the past year and a half.
Immediately after the Aug. 27 meeting, the couple shared their thoughts on the newly adopted regulatory revisions.
“There are some procedural operational changes that we’ll need to make to ensure that we’re in compliance with the code, but for the most part, we appreciate the city’s openness to be able to talk through it and come to providing answers and some of the questions that we have,” Peery said, noting that he would apply for a franchise agreement.
“I’m thankful to have this behind us and to have some peace and to actually be able to have great relationships with the city instead of just butting heads all the time,” Becky said.
