BRADENTON BEACH – Pines residents asked the city on Feb. 20 to deny any future land use or zoning change requests for the Pines Trailer Park by Pines Park Investors LLC or its manager, Shawn Kaleta.
Mayor John Chappie told The Sun that no such requests had yet been submitted, but City Attorney Ricinda Perry said at a Jan. 16 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting that the property owner had confirmed the planned redevelopment of the parcel.
“I can tell you preliminarily it’s looking like some type of mixed-development that’s going to salvage as much of the character that’s there,” she said, adding that a rezoning would be necessary.
The Pines Trailer Park is currently zoned M-1, and according to the city’s Land Development Code, permitted uses are single-family mobile home units, manufactured homes, park trailers, preservation uses and conservation uses.
“Why is the city attorney talking to the CRA and media about redevelopment plans for the Pines?” Pines homeowner Elayne Armaniaco asked during public comment. “How is that her role? Why such a personal interest for her? Are you looking into the allegations that the city attorney is seen out socially and driving around with the largest land developer on the Island or the rumors that she lives in one of his properties? Why does it feel like she works for him or at the least they have a strong friendship? The conflict is so blatant.”
Victor Armaniaco asked the commission to deny any zone change requests.
“We elected all of you to protect us from an unfair treatment. You all have the power to maintain the current M-1 zoning and protect the charm and old Florida character of Bradenton Beach as well as our homes and investments,” he said. “What hardships does the LLC have that they should be granted a zone change? Over 96% of the units were allowed to rebuild without elevating and would rebuild if they knew the park would stay for long-term existence with generations to come. The LLC purchased a mobile home park so their desire to build something else on that property is a self-created hardship. Did you get elected in part to protect the character of Bradenton Beach? If you make it easier for a developer to change the zoning in unpopular ways, you are not doing your job.”
“The average home in the Pines Park is worth about $150,000 prior to the hurricane,” Pines homeowner John Shore said. “If I take that average of $150,000 times 86 trailers that’s approximately $13 million in value. They could be worth that amount again if they were allowed to rebuild.”
“There are 21 single women trailer owners, most of whom are on fixed income,” he said. “I have $165,000 in my trailer. As you know Pines Park Investors and Shawn Kaleta evicted us as of July 31. That means collectively the 86 trailer owners have lost $13 million. I’m 83 years old and that $165,000 loss really hurts.”
“In the past commission meetings, you said you wanted to help Pines Trailer Park in any way you could,” he said. “Well, there is a way. I ask that you deny any land use changes or zoning changes requested by Pines Park Investors and Shawn Kaleta and therefore force them to keep the trailer park for 3 1/2 years as a trailer park per Kaleta’s contract with the previous owners. If you approve their land use changes and zoning changes in the future you basically will be taking $13 million from 86 people.”
“I’ve been coming to this Island for 54 years,” Mary Moxx said. “I feel we have been disrespected at Pines. I’m a senior and have limited funds to continue. You want the zoning to change. Why? Ricinda, you remember the old ladies that found you crying on the steps of your gazebo after you told us we were condemned? We consoled you. You have not consoled us.”
“I’m hoping you understand that pain your residents are going through here,” Pines homeowner Sandy Seaver said. “Our eviction notice that we received a few weeks ago started with ‘due to a land use change, you are evicted.’ Was the letter from Mr. Kaleta incorrect? When I saw that my feeling was how can they do that without a public meeting?
“We really just want an honest, caring city government who puts its residents first, no playing games, no bending to money, transparency,” Seaver said. “We are the throwaways on the Island. We have been through hell. We feel that the fox is in the hen house. We ask that you put yourself in our shoes and allow us to move forward and show us some support. We’re fighting many battles in that park and we shouldn’t have to be fighting with you guys, too.”
Mayor responds
Following the close of public comment, Mayor John Chappie said, “Not a thing has been presented to this commission to change the zoning at the Pines. Nothing, whatsoever.”
“If something is presented to us, it would have to go through the whole process,” Chappie said. “There is not a single person up here that has said we want to get rid of the Pines.”
“I did make the comment to you Elayne (Armaniaco) that it does make a difference between a co-op and privately owned by an LLC,” he said. “It does make a difference when you’re looking at the legalities. I did not in any way, shape or form say I wanted to get rid of the Pines. I said just the opposite.”
He called the Pines Trailer Park a key part of the history of Bradenton Beach.
“We’re not the enemy up here, I swear to you,” Chappie said. “I pray on this every night. We want to keep the community quaint and lovely. It’s our home. It’s our neighbors. Is it going to be the same? No, it’s not because we had these two storms – these two major disasters. It breaks my heart.”
On Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene swamped mobile homes at the 86-unit waterfront trailer park. Former City Building Official Darin Cushing said in October that FEMA guidelines characterized the water intrusion as major damage but in December reversed that, following interior inspections, and allowed 83 of the 86 mobile homeowners the ability to repair their mobile homes.
On Jan. 4, mobile homeowners received notification from park owners Pines Park Investors LLC that the park was being closed. Homeowners found eviction notices taped to their doors on Jan. 24, notifying them of a July 31 deadline to vacate the park. Developer Shawn Kaleta is the manager of the LLC.
In a Jan. 27 letter to the Pines Trailer Park Homeowners Association (HOA), Pines Park Investors LLC offered to sell the mobile home park to the residents for $75 million.
Commissioners said they support the continued existence of the Pines, but don’t have the authority to interfere with private ownership of the park.
“My family has been on this Island for 45 years and I thought the Pines Trailer Park was the most adorable little trailer park and had so much character and it does break our heart,” Commission Deborah Scaccianoce said. “If there really was a way to stop an LLC and a private owner, we would.”
“As far as the Pines, I’ve responded to emails to several of the owners stating, I’d love to help you, but I don’t as a member of this commission have a legal right to interfere between an LLC and a property owner,” Commissioner Scott Bear said. “I wish I did. I don’t want to see a zoning change. I don’t want to see anything happen to the Pines. We’ll deal with that if it ever comes to this board. It has never been brought here.”
