On Thursday, March 12, Anna Maria City Commissioners unanimously authorized Mayor Mark Short and city staff to seek Invitation to Build proposals from contractors regarding the potential removal of some of the existing walls from the larger City Pier building previously occupied by Mote Marine.
Mayor Mark Short and the city commission want to know how much it might coast to replace two or more of the City Pier building’s walls with sliding glass doors that would provide an open-air environment while also providing additional seating for the public and for future Gulf Islands Ferry passengers when the hurricane-damaged pier fully reopens later this year or early next year.
The Invitation to Bid process does not obligate the city to remove the pier building walls and the mayor and commission have not yet determined the future use of the larger pier building.
The smaller pier building is still leased to Brian Seymour for his hurricane-suspended City Pier Grill & Bait Shop operations.
ANNA MARIA – City commissioners will soon be asked to reach consensus regarding the possibility of transforming the fully-enclosed City Pier building previously occupied by Mote Marine into an open-air space that utilizes “hurricane-proof” retractable sliding doors on at least two sides.
Mayor Mark Short presented the open-air building shell scenario during the Thursday, March 5 ,Anna Maria City Commission workshop. On Thursday, March 12, at 1 p.m., Short will seek commission consensus to move forward with getting price quotes to replace some of the pier building walls with sliding doors. If supported by the commission, the price quotes would be sought through the city’s request for proposals (RFP) process.
During the March 12 meeting, the commission will not be asked to decide whether the larger pier building previously occupied by Mote Marine will be utilized as a full-service restaurant, an open-air cantina or something else.
MAYOR’S PRESENTATION
Before discussing the future configuration and future use of the vacated T-end pier building, Short began the March 5 discussion by providing updates on the state of the City Pier walkway reconstruction, repair and remediation project.
Short said the total estimated cost of the pier project remains in the $7.1 million to $7.8 million range he previously estimated. He said, to date the city has spent slightly more than $2 million on the pier project and that includes engineering and design work, and the demolition work and debris removal needed for the pier walkway that was destroyed by Hurricane Milton in 2024.
Short included in his presentation a cost estimate that includes $700,000-$900,000 to repair the T-end platform decking and buildings, the bathrooms, the lighting and more. The total estimated cost also includes $500,000-$600,000 to install new electrical, water, sewage and natural gas lines and connections.
Regarding the project funding, Short mentioned the $1.25 million state appropriation approved last year, up to $2 million in recently approved county funds and FEMA’s recently stated obligation to provide $3.6 million in future reimbursements for the hurricane-related pier project. Short said the state, county and federal funding obligations total $6.84 million and the city will cover any remaining and additional costs.
FUTURE USE
Short noted current pier tenant Brian Seymour still has 15 months remaining on his five-year lease that was originally scheduled to be extended or allowed to terminate on Dec. 31, 2025. If Seymour decides to resume his pier-based City Pier Grill & Bait Shop operations in the smaller pier building, the remaining 15 months of the lease would resume when that space can be occupied and his business operations can resume.
Seymour also has the option to extend his existing lease for five more years. Seymour previously expressed interest in renegotiating his lease to include the larger pier building.
The smaller pier building leased to Brian Seymour is outlined in blue, the public restrooms are outlined in orange and the larger pier building previously occupied by Mote Marine is outlined in green. – City of Anna Maria | Submitted
Short said the city has the option to expand Seymour’s current lease to include the larger pier building, but the city is not obligated to do so.
Short said he anticipates the city issuing a request for proposals (RFP) seeking multiple bids for the future use of the larger pier building.
Short told the commissioners he sees two viable options for the larger pier building: Keep the enclosed structure or issue an RFP seeking construction company bids to remove some walls and replace them with sliders. And after that, the commission would later determine the specific use for the open-air space.
Mayor Mark Short likes the flexibility provided by the open-air pier building scenario. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Short said the open-air scenario would create an additional 96 seats at the T-end of the pier, but that scenario does not assume a full-service, sit-down restaurant operating in that space.
Commissioner Charlie Salem asked if the existing City Pier Grill building could provide the adequate kitchen space needed for the open-air scenario. Short said that might be a possibility.
Short said pursuing the open-air option might delay the reopening of the pier.
Short said an enclosed restaurant space would provide 50 seats for restaurant patrons but would not provide any additional seating space for Gulf Islands Ferry passengers who aren’t eating or drinking in the establishment.
Short said installing sliders for an open-area scenario might take the $700,000-$900,000 he estimated for the T-end of the pier closer to the upper end of that price range, but he doesn’t expect the slider installations would exceed his current $900,000 top end estimate.
Salem said the city needs to consider the immediate needs of the next pier building tenant while also being able to accommodate the needs of a different tenant 30 years from now.
Commissioner Gary McMullen said the sliders would provide more options as to how the pier building can be used and he’s in favor of opening that space up with sliders.
Short said the commission should proceed under the assumption that there will be a county-funded Gulf Island Ferry landing attached to the City Pier and that needs to be factored into the commission’s decision-making process.
“The county is pretty adamant about that ferry,” McMullen added.
Salem said the county’s engineers might be able to incorporate some passenger seating in their ferry landing design. Short said that’s possible, but the county hasn’t provided any recent ferry landing updates.
Short noted the county’s ferry landing design will require city commission approval.
Commissioner Kathy Morgan-Johnson said she’d like to know how the pier building is going to be used before deciding whether to open it up by installing sliders. “And then design around that,” she said.
Commissioner Kathy Morgan-Johnson thinks the future use of the pier building should be determined first. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Salem said the city should provide the building shell it desires and then it’s up to the next tenant to figure out how to utilize that leased space.
Short said issuing an RFP for the building modifications might delay the reopening of the pier. He noted the RFP process generally takes 60-90 days from the issuance of the RFP to the selection of the preferred bidder. Short said replacing walls with sliders provides the city greater flexibility regarding the future use of that pier space.
PUBLIC INPUT
During public input, Anna Maria resident Ray Hyer said the existing building shell should be left as is and the next tenant can plan accordingly. Hyer said he’s remodeled 13 houses and it’s always more complicated and more expensive than originally expected.
Seymour noted sliders are already in place along the one wall that served as the main entrance to the Mote Marine facility. Seymour said he would reserve his opinion as to whether the building should remain enclosed or be opened up, but he said the building is more valuable to the city if the tenant is provided dedicated seating space for a restaurant.
City Pier Grill operator Brian Seymour is concerned about further delays with the pier reopening. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Anna Maria resident Barb Ehern said she likes the idea of people being able to use that pier space without being obliged to patronize the restaurant. She said the slider scenario would better serve city residents, the public and the ferry passengers.
“We should decide what we want there before we spend all this money opening it up and then maybe we change our mind,” Morgan-Johnson reiterated.
Short said taking no action on the building shell would default back to the current enclosed, four-wall scenario.
POST-MEETING THOUGHTS
After the meeting, Seymour said he was happy to hear Morgan-Johnson say she wanted the commission to determine the use of the building before determining whether to open it up by installing sliders.
Seymour said he’s concerned about the multiple RFP processes needed for the slider scenario further delaying the pier’s reopening.
He said the enclosed versus open-air scenarios will impact his decision on whether to resume his pier-based business operations.
“It’s two vastly different uses. One is a full-service restaurant on that side, with dedicated seating or one that’s very limited, with us using our existing space,” he said.
Seymour said he doesn’t think the 250-square-foot building that served as his City Pier Grill kitchen and food preparation space could adequately accommodate a larger restaurant.
He noted 77% of the people who responded to the city’s survey supported a full-service restaurant in the larger pier building and the majority of the Facebook comments he’s seen are in agreement.
Seymour thinks both pier buildings should be leased to the same tenant – as was the case when previous pier tenant Mario Schoenfelder leased both pier buildings for his restaurant and bait shop operations prior to Hurricane Irma’s arrival in 2017. Seymour said he’ll be disappointed if the mayor and commission decide to issue an RFP to open the larger building up without first meeting with him as the current pier tenant.
BRADENTON – Manatee County Commissioners have agreed to provide the city of Anna Maria with up to $2 million for the reconstruction of the hurricane-damaged City Pier walkway.
On Tuesday, Feb. 10, county commissioners voted 6-1 in support of the city’s funding request, with Commissioner Amanda Ballard casting the only opposition vote.
The county commission pledged the county’s financial support without a written agreement in place that ensures the county can install and operate a Gulf Islands Ferry stop alongside or near the rebuilt City Pier after it reopens later this year.
Minus such an agreement, county commissioners George Kruse and Tal Siddique cautioned there would be repercussions if Mayor Mark Short and the Anna Maria City Commission ultimately reject a county-funded City Pier ferry stop.
Accompanied by state and federal funds, the county’s contribution will help offset the anticipated $7.1 million to $7.8 million cost to replace the City Pier walkway that Hurricane Milton destroyed in October 2024. The estimated costs also include repairs and remediation for the still-standing pier buildings that survived the back-to-back hurricanes but experienced flooding, mold formation and other hurricane impacts that require attention.
Before the hurricanes struck, the public boat landing at the T-end of the City Pier served as a ferry landing for the two, open-air, 49-passenger Gulf Islands Ferry pontoon boats the county and its contracted ferry operator put in service in January 2024.
The first Gulf Islands Ferry landed at the Anna Maria City Pier on Jan. 14, 2024. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Still using the pontoon boats that travel on the Manatee River and the Intracoastal Waterway, the Gulf Islands Ferry service currently operates as a two-point system between the Bradenton Riverwalk Pier in downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier in Bradenton Beach.
COUNTY FUNDS
The county’s contribution to the City Pier reconstruction project will be funded by the 6% tourist development tax the county levies on hotel, motel, resort and vacation rental stays of six months or less.
Last year, Manatee County invested $3 million in tourist tax revenues to purchase a new and larger ferry boat that features an enclosed passenger area and is expected to begin service soon.
When presenting the city’s funding request to county commissioners on Feb. 10, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione noted the request was previously reviewed by the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) in June and the TDC members recommended county commission approval.
“If this is approved by the board, it would be 100% tourist tax proceeds that would pay for this,” Falcione said.
District 3 County Commissioner Tal Siddique said the county’s $2 million contribution would help address the frequent complaint that the three Island cities that generate a significant percentage of the county’s tourist development tax revenues don’t receive an equitable share of those county-controlled revenues.
The $2 million interlocal funding agreement between the county and the city is not contingent on an Anna Maria ferry stop.
“The mayor has acknowledged that the city will cooperate and work with the county to find a landing spot in that geographic area for the water ferry,” Falcione said. “We’re probably looking beyond 2027 to get that done because we’ve got to get that City Pier done first.”
Falcione said the Anna Maria ferry landing is not yet in the design phase, but he’s confident the city and the county will come to an agreement that allows that to happen. Falcione estimated the county-funded ferry landing will cost the county at least another $1 million.
Manatee County Commissioner Amanda Ballard opposed the $2 million funding agreement. – Manatee County | Submitted
Ballard, who also chairs the TDC, questioned the county committing $2 million to the City Pier replacement project without having a firm commitment from the city for a ferry stop.
“What I hear you saying is not a very strong statement that the ferry will be able to land at the new pier as it did in the past,” Ballard said.
County Commissioner George Kruse expects the city officials to approve an Anna Maria ferry stop. – Manatee County | Submitted
When addressing that concern, County Commissioner George Kruse said, “Here’s the reality. We never have any assurance of anything. However, we have relationships with our municipalities. Relationships are fragile. We’ve spent a lot of money in good faith on these boats because we had some assurance of a landing where these boats need to go. They’re not day cruises that we go out to the Gulf and come back after catching a few fish. They’re supposed to take people someplace and they’re alleviating the traffic on the Island more than they’re alleviating traffic for unincorporated Manatee County.
“And if by chance we do not have that after we put $2 million into that pier, used our political capital up in Tallahassee to advocate for an appropriation and spent money on a larger, enclosed boat to get there, then that’s going to have a significant impact in terms of the trust factor between the municipalities. We’re spending this money in good faith that we’re going to have a place put this boat when it gets there. We have a great relationship with all three of those Island cities right now, but those relationships only last when they’re reciprocal in both ways. So, I would anticipate this not being an issue going forward,” Kruse said.
County Commissioner Tal Siddique expects continued cooperation between the city and the county regarding a ferry landing. – Manatee County | Submitted
Echoing Kruse’s sentiments, Siddique said, “At the end of the day, trust is a two-way street. We’re willing to work with you if you’re willing to work with us. But after the investment we’ve made into this pier, if you’re not going to work with us, and you’re just going to spit in our faces, I am not going to work with any city in this county that does this to us.”
Kruse made the motion to approve the execution of the up to $2 million interlocal agreement between the city and the county and Siddique seconded the motion.
Mayor Mark Short addressed the county commission. – Manatee County | Submitted
Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short addressed the commissioners before they cast their votes. He said the city and the county have a good working relationship and he agrees that it’s in everyone’s best interest to maintain that relationship as the pier and ferry landing projects move forward.
“I understand the concerns about that water ferry landing. We have been working with the county on different options and that will continue,” Short said.
Short noted the pier replacement permits the city received from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection require the new pier walkway to be built in the exact same footprint as the previous pier walkway. Short said those permits don’t allow the county’s ferry landing to be included as part of the walkway replacement project and the ferry landing must be pursued as a separate future project.
THIRD FERRY
When speaking to The Sun on Friday, Feb. 13, Falcione said the new ferry boat is expected to begin service soon between the Bradenton Riverwalk Pier and the Bradenton Beach Pier. He said the floating dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier that currently accommodates the 30,000-pound pontoon ferry boats can also accommodate the new boat that weighs approximately 100,000 pounds.
“The city of Bradenton Beach, led by Mayor Chappie, have been great partners. We are getting really close to putting the third ferry into operation – close as in this month. It’s paramount that we get this new boat in service. During the last couple weekends, the winds prohibited us from using the pontoon catamarans. If we had the third ferry running, it would have cut through those winds and chop. The number one priority is getting that third ferry into service,” Falcione said.
ANNA MARIA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has officially obligated $3.59 million in federal funds for the reconstruction and repair of the hurricane-damaged Anna Maria City Pier.
Mayor Mark Short announced the long-anticipated FEMA obligation during the Thursday, Feb. 12, city commission meeting.
During the meeting, the mayor and commissioners had a separate discussion about the future use of the City Pier building vacated by Mote Marine and how to accommodate the county’s desire to install and operate a Gulf Islands Ferry landing alongside or near the City Pier when it reopens.
PIER FUNDS
During the Feb. 12 meeting, Short said the city received an official obligation from FEMA the previous week for a $3.59 million reimbursement in response to the damage the City Pier sustained when Hurricane Milton destroyed most of the pier walkway in October 2024. Short said FEMA’s financial obligation required the approval of the United States Congress.
The $3.59 million in FEMA funds, a previously approved $1.25 million state appropriation and a $2 million funding agreement approved by county commissioners on Feb. 10 will provide the city with $6.84 million for the pier construction and repair project that Short estimates will cost between $7.1 million and $7.8 million.
Short said the city must pay the pier-related expenses as they’re incurred and then seek the promised reimbursement from FEMA and the county. The city is also responsible for any project costs that exceed what’s been pledged by the federal, state and county funding sources.
Short said he felt good about the city receiving nearly $5.6 million worth of pier-related financial commitments within the past week.
PIER USE
On Jan. 27, Short and the city commission hosted a town hall meeting to solicit ideas and community input regarding the future use of the City Pier building that will no longer be used by Mote Marine.
During the Feb. 12 meeting, Short said he sought city commission feedback on what they heard during the town hall meeting, but he wasn’t seeking pier-related commission decision-making that day. He said a city commission workshop will be scheduled as the next step in the commission’s ongoing decision-making process.
Commissioner Chris Arendt said the commission needs to decide if the Gulf Islands Ferry landing sought by Manatee County officials will be built alongside the City Pier or as a separate stand-alone structure located between the pier and the Lake La Vista jetty, as previously discussed with county officials last May.
County staff presented these potential ferry landing concepts to city commissioners in May 2025. – Manatee County | Submitted
During the town hall meeting, Anna Maria Planning and Zoning Board member Jeff Rodencal encouraged the mayor and commissioners to reconsider the stand-alone ferry landing option.
Commissioner Gary McMullen said he thought the commission decided last year to discard the option for a stand-alone ferry landing near the jetty.
“But we had all the strife at that town hall about the overcrowding on the pier, especially if the general consensus seems to lean towards a restaurant,” Arendt said. “And there was concern about safety and having way too many people on that pier at one time.”
When discussing the future use of the vacant pier building, the mayor and commissioners are factoring in the county’s desire to utilize the City Pier area as a landing spot for the county’s new $3 million enclosed ferry boat that will carry approximately 96 passengers. The new boat offers twice the capacity of the 49-passenger pontoon ferry boats that began landing at the City Pier’s public boat landing in January 2024.
The future use of the pier building vacated by Mote Marine remains an ongoing topic of discussion. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Arendt said the commission also needs to decide if the building formerly occupied by Mote Marine will remain an enclosed structure or be transformed into an open-air structure that provides more open space and possibly more seating for ferry passengers and other pier users.
McMullen said he prefers an open-air restaurant/tiki bar that serves seafood and provides additional seating space for ferry passengers.
Arndt said an open-air restaurant would be more weather-dependent than a fully enclosed structure. McMullen said other Island restaurants use drop-down curtains and space heaters to offset weather conditions.
Business partners Brian Seymour, Vic Mattay and Nick Graham operated their City Pier Grill & Bait Shop in the smaller pier building from December 2020 until Hurricane Milton rendered that pier space unreachable and unusable in October 2024. The grill operations featured window service for food and beverages and provided no indoor seating.
During the town hall meeting, Seymour expressed interest in leasing the larger pier building too. He said it may not make financial sense to resume the City Pier Grill operations in the smaller building only – for which they have 15 months remaining on their original and temporarily suspended five-year lease.
On Feb. 12, Commissioner Charlie Salem said he doesn’t expect the city to have more clarity on the county’s ferry landing plans before the commission decides the future use of the vacant pier building.
“We’re going to have to move forward with what we think is the best use for the pier and take into account as many variables as we can,” he said.
“First and foremost, we have to decide what we do with our pier, irregardless of what the county wants in the ferry landing,” McMullen said. “It’s up to us if they have a big ferry on our pier and how we accommodate that.”
Participating by phone, Commissioner John Lynch said the first priority is to determine what’s best for the city regarding the use of the vacant pier building. He said the second priority is to determine how the city can accommodate a ferry landing
When providing public input, construction company owner Frank Agnelli asked if the new pier walkway is being built to accommodate a larger ferry boat that weighs approximately 100,000 pounds.
Short said the county was told from day one that the ferry landing must be a separate structure that’s connected to the City Pier by a walkway or gangway.
“The (county) commission did approve the $2 million to assist the city with respect to rebuilding the pier. The county commission was not happy that we have not given them an absolute commitment that the water ferry landing will end up somewhere at our pier. They expressed some concern about that being a scenario that may not happen, but we have to do what we believe is the right thing for our pier. A water ferry landing has to accommodate our pier, not the other way around.”
Salem said county officials should be encouraged to attend the city commission workshop to get a better understanding of the city’s ferry landing concerns and considerations.
ANNA MARIA – The city hosted a town hall meeting regarding the future use of the City Pier building previously occupied by Mote Marine.
Many who spoke during Tuesday, Jan. 27, meeting would like to see a full-service, sit-down restaurant on the pier.
Mayor Mark Short scheduled the town hall meeting because he and the city commission wanted to hear what the public wants to see in the hurricane-impacted pier space vacated by Mote Marine. The building previously occupied by Mote Marine is the larger of the two city-owned buildings at the T-end of the pier.
Anna Maria General Store owner/operator Brian Seymour and his business partners hold the lease on the smaller pier building from which they operated The City Pier Grill & Bait Shop from 2020 until Hurricane Milton ripped away the City Pier walkway in October 2024. The smaller pier building does not provide space for indoor seating.
The City Pier Grill & Bait Shop operated from the smaller building from 2020 until the 2024 hurricanes struck. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Before opening the town hall meeting up for public input, Mayor Mark Short said the pier replacement project that includes the construction of a new pier walkway and also includes repairs and remediation to the hurricane-impacted pier buildings and the replacement of utility lines and other infrastructure needs is now estimated cost between $7.1 million to $7.8 million.
Short said that cost estimate doesn’t include the higher amperage power supply and the interior buildout that might be needed to operate a larger, full-service restaurant on the pier.
Short said his goal is to have the City Pier fully reopened at some point this fall.
Short said the county’s desire to install a Gulf Islands Ferry landing alongside the new City Pier walkway to accommodate the larger, partially enclosed 96-passenger ferry boat (Manatee Belle) the county could result in 90 passengers getting off the boat and 90 more passengers waiting to board the boat at the same time and that too would impact the future use of the pier buildings.
Short said he doesn’t want the City Pier to become exclusively used as a staging area for the county’s ferry passengers and he wants the pier to remain available to all users.
Commissioner John Lynch said he believes the mayor and commission are embracing the county’s ferry service but there are “critical issues” that need to be addressed regarding the flow of all those additional people on the pier.
Short said he and the commission need to have a pretty good sense of how the pier buildings will be used before the pier walkway is fully constructed and completed by March 31.
PUBLIC INPUT
Short asked that one town hall attendee at a time come forward at a time to suggest a potential use of the pier building to be discussed before another potential use was suggested.
Speaking first, Anna Maria resident Amir Banaly said he’d like to see the larger pier building used as a coffee shop.
“I think it’s very simple to accommodate and accomplish without any changes,” he said.
Anna Maria resident Janis Ian suggested a coffee stand with one or two New York City-style hotdog carts.
“I think a hot dog cart on the pier would look cool,” Ian said.
Janis Ian shared her views on the future use of the larger pier building. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
She also encouraged the mayor and commission not to be held hostage by the county regarding the impacts a larger ferry boat would have on the pier operations.
Seymour suggested an operation similar to what former pier tenant Mario Schoenfelder did until Hurricane Irma closed the previous pier in 2017. Schoenfelder operated the City Pier Restaurant in the larger pier building and a bait shop and draft beer bar in the smaller building.
Seymour said he and his business partners still have 15 months remaining on the hurricane-suspended lease that was scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2025. He said he and his partners also have the option to lease the pier for five more years beyond the remaining 15 months that will resume when the pier reopens.
Brian Seymour expressed interest in leasing both city-owned pier buildings. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Seymour said it may not make sense for him to resume his City Pier Grill operations in the small building only. He said he would be interested in leasing both pier buildings to operate a sit-down restaurant in the large building and use the smaller building as a bait shop that serves draft pier and provides additional storage space.
Anna Maria resident Cory Jackson said he’s president of Anna Maria Beach Cottages and his rental guests tell him they would like a to see a sit-down restaurant on the pier again.
“I think it’s very critical that we have a restaurant,” Jackson said.
Anna Maria resident and planning and zoning board member Jeff Rodencal suggested revisiting a previously discarded idea to install a stand-alone ferry landing between the pier walkway and the Lake La Vista jetty and he encouraged the commission to consider not landing all the ferry passengers on the City Pier at all.
No decisions were made during the town hall meeting and the future use of the City Pier buildings will remain an ongoing topic of conversation for the mayor and commission until some decisions are made.
ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria and the Sarasota-based Mote Marine Laboratory mutually agreed to terminate the lease agreement that allowed Mote’s Marine Education, Science & Outreach Center to operate rent-free on the City Pier before the pier walkway was destroyed by Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
City commissioners unanimously approved the lease termination on Thursday, Jan. 8.
Charlotte and Jocelyn Bitner, from Orlando, touched a live horseshoe crab when Mote’s Marine Education, Science & Outreach Center opened on May 5, 2023. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Featuring a touch tank containing live marine life and other live and virtual educational exhibits, the pier-based Mote facility opened in May 2023 and occupied the larger of the two city-owned pier buildings at the T-end of the pier until Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck.
Tampa Bay Marine is currently constructing the new pier walkway to be completed by March 31 and most of the solid concrete pier pilings are already driven. Mayor Mark Short anticipates the City Pier fully reopening this fall.
On Thursday, Jan. 8, the Tampa Bay Marine crew was preparing to begin driving the pier pilings closest to the shore. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The smaller pier building on the northwest end of the pier has been emptied of its contents but remains leased to Anna Maria General Store owner Brian Seymour and his business partners, Vic Mattay and Nick Graham. Operating as GSM Partners LLC, the trio opened their City Pier Grill & Bait Shop in December 2020.
Both city-owned pier buildings remain inaccessible to foot traffic until the new walkway is completed.
Lease terminated
When presenting the termination request, Short said, “Over the past several months, we have been in discussions with Mote regarding their existing lease. Through those discussions, as well as conversations with county commissioners, the county administrator and the TDC (Tourist Development Council), we are all in mutual agreement that it makes sense to terminate the Mote lease. It’s a mutual termination of the lease.”
When asked how the city will conduct its search for a new tenant to occupy the larger pier building, Short said a public meeting in January or early February will be held to solicit city commission input on how to proceed with that search. Short said he’d also confer with the city’s contracted engineering firm and Tampa Bay Marine regarding any structural improvements needed to accommodate a different use of the vacant pier building.
When Commission Chair Charlie Salem sought a motion to terminate Mote’s lease agreement, Commissioner Gary McMullen said, “I happily move to approve that.”
The commission then voted 5-0 in favor of the termination.
Letter to mote
The Jan. 8 agenda packet includes the termination letter to be sent to Mote President and CEO Dr. Michael Crosby for his co-signature.
Short’s letter to Crosby began by expressing the city’s appreciation and gratitude for the partnership with Mote Marine.
“As you are aware, the two hurricanes in 2024 caused extensive damage to the pier, including destruction of the walkway leading to the outreach center and the loss of all mechanical infrastructure. In addition, all fixtures and furnishings have been removed to allow the city to properly remediate and make repairs to the buildings,” the letter says.
“In addition, Manatee County is planning to bring an expanded ferry service directly to the pier, which will significantly increase foot traffic on the pier and has raised concern regarding visitor flow, safety and long-term best use of this space.
“In light of these changed circumstances, the city of Anna Maria would like to revisit our agreement regarding the outreach center. The city proposes mutually terminating the lease agreement which would allow both the city and Mote to move forward with their respective priorities,” the letter says.
Lease negotiation timeline
The original wooden City Pier was built 1911 and frequented by the steamboats and other vessels that transported people and supplies to and from Anna Maria Island.
The current pier buildings were part of the previous pier construction project completed in 2020 after Hurricane Irma damaged the existing wooden pier in 2017.
In January 2020, the city commission rejected longtime City Pier tenant Mario Schoenfelder’s offer to lease the new pier buildings. In May 2020, Holmes Beach-based restauranteur Sean Murphy withdrew his offer to lease the pier space to operate a restaurant. Murphy withdrew his offer days after the commission voted 4-1 to authorize Mayor Dan Murphy to begin lease negotiations with Sean Murphy.
In August 2020, the commission voted 3-2 to reject the lease proposal received from the owners of the Ugly Grouper restaurant in Holmes Beach.
In September 2020, the commission voted 4-0 to authorize Mayor Murphy to begin lease negotiations with Seymour and his partners. The grill and bait shop then opened that December. The group’s initial five-year lease was scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2025. After the hurricanes, the monthly lease payments were suspended until the pier reopens and the lease expiration date has been extended to account for the time lost because of the hurricanes.
When his discussing his lease with Short and the city commission last June, Seymour expressed interest in renegotiating the lease terms before reoccupying the smaller pier building and extending the lease for five more years.
In September 2021, the city commission voted 4-1 to approve the 10-year, rent-free lease agreement with Mote. Commissioners Carol Carter, Doug Copeland, Jon Crane and Deanie Sebring supported the Mote agreement and Short, a city commissioner at the time, opposed it.
“I don’t think having Mote on the pier is a bad thing. Although, to be honest, I’m not necessarily convinced it’s the best thing,” Short said at the time.
Short felt the pier building should have been occupied by a restaurant operator.
After numerous delays and missed deadlines, the Mote outreach center opened on May 5, 2023.
County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, Mayor Dan Murphy and Mote Marine’s Dr. Michael Crosby cut the ribbon to celebrate the opening of Mote’s Marine Education, Science & Outreach Center in May 2023. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
ANNA MARIA – The reconstruction of the Anna Maria City Pier, the ongoing recovery from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the short-lived Bean Point no-swim zone were among the top stories in Anna Maria in 2025.
Pier reconstruction
Throughout the year, Mayor Mark Short and the Anna Maria city commissioners repeatedly said getting the hurricane-damaged City Pier walkway replaced and getting the pier fully reopened by the fall of 2026 was the city’s top priority.
In early June, Gov. Ron DeSantis approved the state budget that included a $1.5 million appropriation for the pier reconstruction project. In mid-June, the Manatee County Tourist Development Council recommended Manatee County Commission approval for the county to provide up to $2 million in tourist development tax revenues for the pier reconstruction project.
In late June, Quality Marine Construction completed the demolition of what remained of the pier walkway that was mostly destroyed by Hurricane Milton.
In late September, the city commission unanimously supported Short’s recommendation to enter into a $4.64 million base contract with Tampa Bay Marine for the construction of the new pier walkway to be built atop solid concrete pilings similar to those that support the still-standing buildings at the T-end of the pier.
Tampa Bay Marine began driving the new pilings in late November. As of Dec. 26, most of the pilings had been driven and they will soon be trimmed to their final height. The Tampa Bay Marine contract calls for the new pier walkway is to be completed by March 31.
Ferry landing
Throughout the year, city and county officials engaged in several discussions pertaining to the county-funded installation of a new Gulf Islands Ferry landing alongside the new City Pier walkway. No final design decisions have been made yet, and those discussions remain ongoing, but there is preliminary city commission consensus to allow some type of ferry stop at the pier when it reopens.
County officials seek a City Pier ferry landing that will accommodate the new, partially enclosed, 100,000-pound, 96-passenger Manatee Belle ferry boat that recently arrived and is expected to go into service at some point in January – joining the fleet that already includes two 49-passenger pontoon boats.
County officials expect to soon implement a ferry stop at the Coquina Boat Ramp in Bradenton Beach and in 2026 they hope to implement additional ferry stops in Holmes Beach and Palmetto too.
No-swim zone
On Sept. 2, Mayor Short implemented a temporary no-swim zone at Bean Point in response to a fatal drowning that occurred on Aug. 31 and multiple other water rescues that occurred in the dangerous Bean Point rip currents that month.
On Sept. 11, city commissioners adopted a 60-day emergency ordinance that temporarily formalized the no-swim zone. When doing so, the commission created a swimming exemption for a limited number of Bean Point homeowners and property owners.
On Sept. 15, Short vetoed the emergency ordinance because allowing some homeowners to continue swimming, while prohibiting others from doing the same, created enforcement inconsistencies.
These warning signs were installed at Bean Point in late September. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
On Sept. 25, new signs were installed at Bean Point that say, “Warning. Dangerous Currents. Swim at Your Own Risk. No Lifeguards.”
Hurricane recovery
In January, more than 300 Build Back the Beach volunteers planted nearly 30,000 native plants along the hurricane-ravaged Anna Maria shoreline between Bean Point and Sycamore Avenue.
The Anna Maria Post Office’s regular location reopened in October. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
On Oct. 4, the temporary post office trailer at City Pier Park closed (and was later removed) and on Oct. 6 the Anna Maria Post Office reopened in its regular location at 101B South Bay Boulevard.
Events return
Serving as a replacement for the city-hosted farmers market at City Pier Park, the non-city-run Anna Maria Community Farmers Market opened at The Center of Anna Maria Island in January and continued each Tuesday through the end of the spring season.
After a summer hiatus, the Tuesday market resumed in October at its new location on the grounds of the Roser Church.
Bayfest was one of many annual events that returned in 2025. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Many of the annual community events cancelled in 2024 due to the hurricanes returned in 2025, including Bayfest, the “Old Soldiers & Sailors” Veterans Day parade and recognition ceremony, The Anna Maria Island Historical Society’s Heritage Day celebration and the recent Holiday of Treasures Open House along Pine Avenue. The city also started hosted monthly City Block Parties at City Pier Park.
During each event, Mayor Short said it was another sign of things returning to normal after the 2024 hurricanes.
Blue Öyster Cult rocked The Center in December. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The Center and the Bradenton Area Visitors and Convention Bureau brought several concerts to the area in 2025, including The Wailers, Kansas and The Outlaws (in Palmetto) and Blue Öyster Cult.
Comings and goings
In January, John Lynch was appointed to fill the city commission seat Jon Crane vacated in late 2024.
In November, Lynch, Kathy Morgan-Johnson and Charlie Salem earned additional two-year terms in office after running unopposed in the fall election cycle.
In March, Palmetto resident Amber LaRowe was named the new city clerk after the mayor and commission decided to separate the clerk and city treasurer positions. Previous city clerk LeAnne Addy continued serving as treasurer until her departure in mid-November.
In September, contracted building official Craig Greene was dismissed and later replaced by former Anna Maria Building Official David Gilson.
In April, David Johnson and Christine Aaron were appointed to the planning and zoning board. Don Buswell-Charkow was also appointed to the board in 2025.
In August, planning and zoning board chairman Dave Haddox vacated his advisory board seat because he and his wife, Marsha McAllister, were moving to the Blue Ridge, Georgia area.
In November, the planning board selected member Jeff Rodencal to chair the board for the coming year.
In October, former Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Anna Maria Unit leader Sgt. Russell Schnering retired as the leader of the county’s Marine Patrol unit.
HOLMES BEACH – The new, larger and partially enclosed Gulf Islands Ferry boat, the Manatee Belle, has arrived and is expected begin service in January.
Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione announced the arrival of the new boat during the ferry update presentation he made to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council members on Dec. 15 and the similar update he provided the Holmes Beach mayor and commissioners on Dec. 16.
According to multiple sources, the county is pursuing the potential purchase of a boat slip or boat slips in the Waterline Marina in Holmes Beach. Before Falcione addressed the Holmes Beach Commission, City Attorney Erica Augello advised the mayor and commissioners not to specifically address those ongoing county efforts.
“There is not an active application with the city, but there have been pre-application meetings with the city with regard to a water taxi or ferry location in Holmes Beach. If there’s any questions, I would ask that they not be with relation specifically to the city of Holmes Beach because that is likely to come before you,” Augello said. Falcione, the mayor and the commissioners heeded her legal advice.
Falcione’s presentation
Operated by a contracted third party, the Gulf Islands Ferry service is part of the county’s public transit system that also includes the free countywide MCAT bus service and the Free Island Trolley bus service on Anna Maria Island.
Falcione’s presentation included a photo of the Manatee Belle. He told the Holmes Beach Commission the new boat will likely be put in service at some point in January.
He said the $3 million the county spent to purchase the new boat was 100% funded by the 6% tourist development tax levied on motel, resort and vacation rental stays on the Island and throughout Manatee County.
Falcione said the Manatee Belle can accommodate approximately 96 passengers and the enclosed interior seating area includes air conditioning and heat. The Manatee Belle also has an open-air seating area at the stern of the boat.
The stern of the Manatee Belle includes an open-air passenger area. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Falcione said the ferry captains and crew members are currently conducting sea trials and the U.S. Coast Guard still has to sign off on its commercial use before it can be put in service.
The Manatee Belle is now docked at the Twin Dolphins marina in Bradenton, not far from the Bradenton Riverwalk Pier in downtown Bradenton that serves as the mainland ferry stop. The Gulf Islands Ferry service currently consists of two smaller, open-air catamaran pontoon boats that travel between downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier on the Manatee River and the Intracoastal Waterway. The Manatee Belle will initially travel that same route between downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier.
The ferry system currently utilizes two pontoon catamarans that began service in 2024. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The ferry service that began at the Anna Maria City Pier in January 2024 was suspended later that year when back-to-back hurricanes destroyed most of the pier walkway. The walkway is now being rebuilt and county officials hope to install a new ferry landing alongside the Anna Maria City Pier that’s expected to fully reopen in the fall of 2026.
When the City Pier reopens, the 100,000-pound Manatee Belle is expected to make the primary trips between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria and the two 30,000-pound, 49-passenger pontoon boats will be used as “Island hoppers” that travel between the various Anna Maria Island ferry stops.
Falcione told Holmes Beach commissioners the county plans to soon add a ferry stop at the Coquina Boat Ramp, across the street from Coquina Beach at the south end of Bradenton Beach. He said the county also plans to eventually establish a ferry stop at the Palmetto Estuary in Palmetto, across the street from the Palmetto Marriott Resort and the county’s recently renovated convention center.
Falcione said the ferry service’s primary goal is to reduce traffic congestion near and on Anna Maria Island. He said in the second year of service, just under 50,000 passengers rode the ferries in 2025. He estimated that resulted in approximately 22,000 fewer vehicles traveling to and from the Island using Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road.
He said the weather-related suspension of service days decreased in 2025 and is expected to further decrease when the Manatee Belle becomes operational.
Falcione said the Manatee Belle will also help further the ongoing efforts to implement free ferry service for employees who work on the Island and commute from the mainland.
ANNA MARIA – The hurricane-damaged contents of the city-owned buildings at the T-end of the City Pier have been removed.
The content removal is the first step of cleaning, remediating and repairing the pier spaces leased to The City Pier Grill and the Mote Marine Science Education & Outreach Center.
During the Oct. 23 city commission meeting, Mayor Mark Short provided a recap of the content removal efforts that began on Oct. 21 using a barge, as the pier is otherwise inaccessible without its walkway. Short and city staff provided commissioners with photos of the two interior pier spaces as and after the contents and some of the hurricane-related mud and muck were removed. Short said mold is present in the buildings as well and that will also have to be remediated.
During a previous city commission meeting, Short said Mote Marine had not yet informed him as to whether or not the Mote facility will return to the pier space provided rent-free by the city. Earlier this year, City Pier Grill operator Brian Seymour said he and his business partners hope to return to the pier if an extended lease can be negotiated to include some additional modifications they are requesting.
During the Oct. 23 meeting, Short said the repair and remediation work for the T-end buildings will occur simultaneously with the construction of the new City Pier walkway to be built by Tampa Bay Marine Inc.
Short said he was told the first solid concrete pilings are expected to arrive on Nov. 3, weather permitting, and the first batch of pilings will be installed and then tested upon delivery.
The exhibit tanks and other contents were removed from the Mote Marine building. – City of Anna Maria | Submitted
Commissioner Charlie Salem asked if any of the pier building contents were salvageable. Short said that’s up to the pier tenants to determine and the contents were delivered by barge to a nearby marina for the tenants to inspect and relocate or discard.
Salem asked if the pier buildings remain structurally sound. Short said he didn’t see any signs of structural unsoundness but the drywall, ceiling tiles and some of the other interior elements require replacement.
In response to another question from Salem, Short said nothing he saw during his Oct. 21 visit led him to believe the previous estimate of approximately $800,000 to remediate and repair the T-end buildings will increase.
Short recently told commissioners the total City Pier replacement project cost is now expected to be between $6.2 million and $6.9 million, including the $4.64 million walkway replacement contract with Tampa Bay Marine.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Mark Short told city commissioners that Manatee County officials will respect the city’s wishes regarding the design and installation of a county-funded ferry landing alongside the City Pier.
In January 2024, the 49-passenger pontoon boats currently used by the county-contracted Gulf Islands Ferry service began docking at the public boat landing at the T-end of the City Pier. In October 2024, Hurricane Milton destroyed the landing and the City Pier walkway.
With no landing area, ferry service to Anna Maria remains suspended until a new pier walkway is built and a new ferry landing is installed alongside it. Mayor Mark Short expects the new pier walkway to open in the fall of 2026 and county officials want a ferry landing operational as soon as possible after the pier reopens.
On Sept. 25, Short and the commissioners expressed strong opposition to the latest ferry landing concept proposed by the county. The opposition pertained primarily to the inclusion of a lengthy additional gangway that would serve as a ferry passenger waiting area. Concerns were also expressed about which side of the pier walkway the ferry landing would be installed on.
During the commission’s Oct. 9 meeting, Short said he spoke with a county representative earlier in the week and was told the additional gangway waiting area has been removed from the plans.
In reference to the gangway waiting area highlighted in blue on the county drawings, Short said, “The blue staging area is off the table. That is not going to happen.”
Short said the county has committed to developing a ferry landing concept that meets the approval of the mayor and city commission and he noted that county commission approval is required for a ferry landing installed alongside the city-owned pier. Short said it hasn’t been determined yet if the ferry landing will be a fixed or a floating structure.
In this diagram, the ferry landing is located on the left side of the pier, as viewed from shore. – Manatee County | Submitted
Short said the county also committed to working with the city regarding the type of wave attenuators to be installed near the ferry landing. The county has proposed metal attenuating walls but Short said he suggested the consideration of cement wave attenuators that attract and support fish and other marine life, similar to the attenuators located near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
Commissioners Chris Arendt and Gary McMullen liked Short’s wave attenuator idea.
McMullen said he would oppose a floating ferry landing in part because of the past damage that’s occurred to the floating dock and fingers docks installed alongside the Bradenton Beach Pier and in part because the Tampa Bay waters near the City Pier are much rougher than the inland waters near the Bradenton Beach Pier.
“The bottom line is they want to work with us,” Short said regarding the ferry landing location, its distance from the pier walkway and the type of wave attenuators to be installed.
Commissioner Kathy Morgan-Johnson said she’s concerned about the larger, partially enclosed 90-foot, 100-passenger ferry boat that will soon join the Gulf Islands Ferry fleet resulting in many more passengers congregating on the pier walkway while waiting for a ferry.
The pavilion near the City Pier entrance might be used as a ferry passenger waiting area. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Short said he discussed that with the county representative and one suggestion included using the on-land pavilion area at the pier entrance as the passenger waiting area.
“That’s how Disney does it and it works very well,” General Manager Dean Jones added.
No commission decisions were made and the ferry landing discussions between the city and the county will continue.
ANNA MARIA – City Commissioners unanimously authorized Mayor Mark Short to sign a contract with Tampa Bay Marine Inc. to rebuild the Anna Maria City Pier walkway destroyed by Hurricane Milton.
When presenting his recommended contractor to city commissioners on Sept. 30, Short said Gibsonton-based Tampa Bay Marine’s $4.64 million base bid was the lowest of the nine bids received. The other bids ranged from $5.3 million to $12 million.
Short said he, city staff members and members of the George F. Young engineering firm reviewed the nine proposals received and further researched Tampa Bay Marine before recommending them as the city’s preferred contractor.
Short said the bid lowers the previously estimated total pier replacement and repair project costs to between $6.2 million and $6.9 million – a decrease from the $7 million to $9 million previously estimated.
The total estimated cost includes the previously completed design and engineering work, the previously completed demolition and debris removal work, the still pending repairs, remediations and restorations needed for the T-end pier buildings that survived the hurricanes and some additional costs associated with the installation and reconnection of electrical, water and sewage lines.
Short said the contract calls for Tampa Bay Marine to complete the construction of the pier walkway by March 31 but additional work will still be needed before the pier is fully open and operational.
“I’m not saying the pier’s going to open on March 31st. I’m still looking at fall of next year,” Short said. “The critical step is getting this walkway up and running.”
The new City Pier walkway will be built atop solid concrete pilings.
“It will be built to the same standards of the T-end of the pier, which means solid cement, no more spun cast pilings,” Short said.
Hurricane Milton destroyed a large section of the City Pier walkway, leaving the pier buildings isolated and inaccessible except by boat. The surviving section of the pier walkway has since been removed. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The City Pier walkway destroyed last year by Hurricane Milton was part of the previous City Pier replacement project completed in 2020 after Hurricane Irma damaged the historic wooden City Pier in 2017.
The 2020 total pier replacement project featured a pier walkway made of composite wood decking and a wooden support structure placed atop hollow, spun concrete pilings. The 2020 project also included the construction of the T-end pier buildings that were damaged in 2024 but remain standing on the concrete platform that was built atop solid concrete pilings. According to the city clerk’s office, the total cost for the 2020 pier replacement project was $6.8 million
To be completed simultaneously at an additional cost, the pending repair, remediation and restoration of the still standing pier buildings and T-end deck area will begin in a few weeks when a barge is used to help remove the equipment and interior contents of the pier buildings occupied by the City Pier Grill and the Mote Marine Science Education & Outreach Center before the hurricane struck.
The work needed to return those T-end spaces to a habitable condition will include roof repairs, window repairs, door replacements, decking repairs and the complete repair and restoration of the public restrooms. Short said the city is responsible for all those costs. He did not say who would do that work.
Commissioner Charlie Salem asked if Mote Marine plans to return to the pier and what their responsibilities and obligations might be.
“I have spoken to Mote, but we do not have a commitment one way or the other yet from them,” Short said.
City Pier Grill operator Brian Seymour previously said he hopes to resume his pier-based operations if a modified lease agreement is negotiated.
After the commission authorized the Tampa Bay Marine Inc. agreement, Commissioner Chris Arendt said, “Great work mayor.”
“Let’s get this thing built,” Commissioner Gary McMullen added.
After the meeting, Short said, “This has been a long time coming. I am relieved that we have a commitment in place for the biggest piece of the pier rebuild. We’ll get this thing ready to go as soon as possible.”
Short said Tampa Bay Marine will begin building the new walkway when the 100 or so solid concrete pilings needed to do so arrive.
Funding
A $1.5 million state appropriation will help fund the pier replacement and repair project. The mayor and commission anticipate Manatee County contributing $2 million of tourist development tax revenues to the project but the county contribution now appears to be contingent on city commissioners approving the installation of a county funded ferry landing alongside the new pier walkway.
Short previously said the city hopes to receive up to $4 million from FEMA for the pier replacement project but the actual reimbursement amount and the receipt date remain unknown.
Taking effect on Oct. 1, the city’s 2025-26 fiscal year budget includes a $4 million loan to help cover the city’s upfront pier replacement costs while awaiting FEMA funds. Some of the borrowed $4 million will also be used for stormwater and drainage improvements and to help complete the Pine Avenue sidewalk installation project.
ANNA MARIA – The mayor and city commissioners strongly oppose Manatee County’s latest concept for the installation of a Gulf Islands Ferry landing alongside the soon-to-be-built Anna Maria City Pier walkway, but they remain hopeful that a workable solution can be found.
Not allowing the county to install as a separate project a county-funded ferry landing alongside the walkway could jeopardize the county’s anticipated $2 million contribution to the city’s $8 million pier walkway replacement project.
On Sept. 25, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short presented city commissioners with the latest ferry landing diagram he received from the county. The color-coded diagram proposes a ferry landing near the T-end of the pier where a new and larger 90-foot-long enclosed ferry boat would dock (highlighted in green), passenger loading and unloading areas at the bow and stern of the larger ferry (highlighted in orange), a lengthy gangway that would serve as a passenger waiting area (highlighted in blue) and a perpendicular metal wave attenuation wall between the docking area and the T-end pier building occupied by Mote Marine.
Short said the proposed landing structure would extend approximately 350 feet along the east (right) side of the soon-to-be-built pier walkway, as viewed from shore.
Designed to accommodate the larger, enclosed ferry boat that the county hopes to put into service later this year for the Manatee River route between Anna Maria and downtown Bradenton, the new City Pier landing would replace the public boat landing previously used by the smaller pontoon ferry boats before Hurricane Milton destroyed most of the pier walkway that now awaits replacement.
Short said he and county officials are trying to finalize an interlocal agreement for the county’s tourist development tax-funded $2 million contribution to the pier walkway reconstruction project. Short said county officials are “pretty adamant” that the city-county agreement must allow the county to install a ferry landing alongside the pier at the county’s expense.
Earlier this year, city commissioners expressed their support for ferry landing option C. – Manatee County | Submitted
Earlier this year, city and county officials discussed several potential ferry landing options and city commissioners favored the option that proposed a much smaller ferry landing and attenuation wall being installed along the west (left) side of the pier, as viewed from shore.
“I’m not happy with this,” Short said of the new proposal. “I’ve already told the county I’m not so sure this is going to work. They’re going back to the drawing board.”
Short plans to consult with an independent industry expert to garner additional insights on a workable ferry landing solution.
Participating by phone, Commissioner John Lynch said the county’s latest proposal is not a viable solution because it takes away the functionality, visibility, aesthetic design and historical perspective of the City Pier.
Lynch questioned whether accommodating the county’s desire to bring a larger ferry to the City Pier benefits the city and its residents.
“Do we want to have a 90-foot boat parking at our pier? I know that’s the desire of the county and the TDC (Tourist Development Council) but is that what we, the residents of Anna Maria, want?” he asked.
Regarding the potential loss of $2 million in county funds, Lynch said, “We’re being held hostage to that.”
Commissioner Gary McMullen said the latest proposal would effectively make the entire east side of the pier unavailable for fishing and other activities. McMullen opposes the additional gangway waiting area and he said the ferry landing needs to be as small as functionally possible.
Before the 2024 hurricanes struck, the pontoon ferry boats docked at the public boat landing near the T-end of the City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Commissioner Kathy Morgan Johnson asked what happened to the county’s previous proposal to install the ferry landing along the west side of the pier walkway. Short said installing the landing there would obstruct the view of Egmont Key, the Gulf and the sunsets.
Commissioner Chris Arendt said he’s OK with a ferry landing on the east side of the pier but he opposes the additional gangway waiting area.
Regarding the accommodation of a larger ferry boat, Arendt noted the two currently utilized open-air pontoon boats are weather dependent, rarely run in inclement weather and don’t provide reliable public transportation.
“This is an all-weather ferry – enclosed, heated, cooled. It’s going to run on a timetable that would allow employees that work on the Island to use it for transportation during the peak traffic season,” he said.
He said those employees could then catch a free Island trolley at the foot of the City Pier that would get them close to their workplaces elsewhere on the Island.
“I think it’s a good thing,” Arendt said.
Commissioner Charlie Salem questioned the need for such a lengthy ferry landing. He said the people designing it for the county should discuss the potential drawbacks and benefits with the mayor and commissioners. He’s also puzzled by the county’s pier replacement project funding being tied to the city’s ferry landing approval.
“It would be better for everyone if they focused on helping us rebuild the pier and using the commitment of those tourist-generated dollars for a largely tourist-visited pier, instead of having the residents of this city front the money,” Salem said of the pier replacement costs.
ANNA MARIA – One year ago, Hurricanes Helene and Milton inundated Anna Maria Island, destroying two iconic piers, leaving only the Bradenton Beach pier standing.
On Sept. 26, Helene inflicted significant damage on the privately-owned, wooden Rod & Reel Pier and the two-story restaurant and bar building at the end of the pier. Helene stripped the pier of its wooden planks and wreaked havoc on utility lines that ran from the shoreline to the pier building, also damaged in the storm. The old wooden pier was badly damaged but remained standing.
Damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene forced the closure of the Rod & Reel Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Built atop hollow, spun concrete pilings, the city-owned Anna Maria City Pier fared much better during Hurricane Helene and appeared to have sustained minimal damage. But inspectors later determined the City Pier’s structural support system was weakened by Hurricane Helene.
This was all that remained of the Rod & Reel Pier after Hurricane Milton struck. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
During the evening hours of Oct. 9, 2024 and the early morning hours of Oct. 10, Hurricane Milton destroyed most of what remained of the Rod & Reel Pier and restaurant building, leaving behind some pilings and some support beams that now serve as seabird perches. Much of the Rod & Reel debris washed ashore at nearby waterfront homes.
The hurricane-damaged City Pier on Oct. 10, 2024, after Hurricane Milton struck . – Joe Hendricks | Sun
City Pier Grill tenant Brian Seymour visited the City Pier on Oct. 12, 2024. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Hurricane Milton obliterated most of the City Pier walkway and left stranded the still standing T-end buildings occupied by the City Pier Grill and the Mote Marine Science, Education and Outreach Center that remain closed with no pedestrian access until a new pier walkway is built. The destruction of the City Pier also left Anna Maria without a Gulf Islands Ferry stop.
Plans to rebuild
In late March, Rod & Reel Pier owner Oliver Lemke announced his plans to open a landbound version of the Rod & Reel Pier restaurant in the former Old Hamburg Schnitzel Haus space in the Anna Maria Island Centre in Holmes Beach. On Sept. 12, video was posted at the Rod & Reel Pier Facebook page showing the kitchen equipment being delivered. When contacted, Lemke said he expects to open the new Rod & Reel Pier restaurant in Holmes Beach in October.
Owner Oliver Lemke plans to open a landbound version of the Rod & Reel Pier restaurant soon in Holmes Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
With many financial and permitting hurdles to clear, Lemke hopes to one day rebuild the original Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria. To date, the “Help Us Rebuild Rod and Reel Pier” GoFundMe page has received more than $101,000 in donations from those who support those efforts.
The Rod & Reel Pier as of Sept. 20, 2025. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
A Sept. 20 visit to the Anna Maria location revealed a sign affixed to the closed Rod & Reel Pier gate that notes the pier was built in 1947 and destroyed by Hurricane Milton last October.
“We will rebuild,” the sign says.
Plastic flowers, a pair of sandals, an inflatable water toy, seashells and other items have also been attached to the gate that now serves as a makeshift shrine to the lost pier.
The Rod & Reel Pier gate is now adorned with various items of remembrance. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The city of Anna Maria and Mayor Mark Short recently received nine bid proposals from construction companies seeking the contract to replace the City Pier walkway. Short will soon present city commissioners with his recommended construction firm for the estimated $8 million pier replacement project that also includes repairs needed to restore the damaged and deteriorating T-end buildings.
What remained of the City Pier walkway was later demolished and removed and a new pier walkway will be built. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Short hopes to have the City Pier reopened in October 2026 and the county hopes to install a new ferry stop alongside the pier around that same time.
ANNA MARIA – The city will receive a $1.25 million state appropriation that will assist in the replacement of the Anna Maria City Pier walkway that sustained significant damage during Hurricane Milton last year.
Gov. Ron DeSantis did not veto the city’s appropriation request before signing Florida’s $117.4 billion 2025-26 fiscal year budget on June 30. Before signing the budget, DeSantis vetoed $567 million in line-item funding requests.
According to Mayor Mark Short, the city will have access to the $1.25 million when the state and city’s new fiscal years begin on Oct. 1.
The Local Funding Initiative Request form that Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) filed on the city’s behalf in early February originally sought $2.5 million, but that amount was reduced by 50% during the Florida Legislature’s 2025 session.
“Hurricane Milton destroyed the walkway of the Anna Maria City Pier, including all sewer, electrical and several pilings and has made the building at the end of the pier inoperable,” Boyd’s request form said. “The businesses and organizations that occupy the pier, including Mote Marine’s Educational Center, the Gulf Islands Ferry and the City Pier Grill are unable to provide any services due to the damage from the storm’s direct impacts.”
As part of his efforts to secure the $7 million to $9 million needed to complete the pier replacement project, Short anticipates Manatee County commissioners approving a $2 million funding request on July 29 when that Tourist Development Council-supported request is presented to county commissioners. If approved, the $2 million would come from tourist development tax revenues generated by the 6% tax the county levies on hotel, motel, resort and vacation rental stays of six months or less.
Short and the city also hope to receive up to $4 million in federal FEMA funds as reimbursement for the pier damage, but those funds are not guaranteed and remain uncertain.
The estimated pier replacement costs include approximately $800,000 to repair and remediate the flood-damaged but structurally sound city-owned buildings at the T-end of the pier. The pier buildings are currently leased to the City Pier Grill operators and Mote Marine and neither entity has officially confirmed their return to the pier when it reopens.
When meeting with Short and some of the city commissioners, Manatee County Commission Chair George Kruse expressed his personal support for the county fronting the city the additional funds needed to complete the pier project, especially if the FEMA funds are not received. Speaking for himself only, Kruse said the city would then be expected to repay some or all of those additional funds to the county.
Short told Kruse, county officials and TDC members that he hopes to complete the pier replacement project by October 2026.
Quality Marine recently demolished and removed what remained of the pier walkway. At some point soon, the city is expected to issue a request for proposals seeking bids from marine construction companies interested in building the new pier walkway and concrete support structure.
ANNA MARIA – City Pier tenant requests, increased parking fines and ongoing service issues with Waste Management were among the topics discussed during the June 26 Anna Maria City Commission meeting.
The meeting began with Manatee County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Chief Matt Myers giving a short presentation at the request of Mayor Mark Short. Short said he plans to take full advantage of EOC resources this storm season and do a better job of communicating with the county’s emergency operations team regarding hurricane preparation and response.
Window coverage
The commission approved on first reading an ordinance that upon second reading and final adoption will increase from 20% to 80% the window coverage businesses are allowed for window signs and other promotional materials. The ordinance requires businesses to maintain a 6-inch vertical visibility strip on each window so first responders can look inside before entering.
Anna Maria businesses will soon be allowed to cover 80% of each window with signage and other messaging. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Parking fines
The commission adopted a resolution that increases the city’s parking ticket fine from $50 to $75 in an effort to discourage beachgoers and other motorists from viewing a $50 parking ticket as an acceptable price to pay to park for the day. Now in effect, the resolution also increases the fine for parking in a handicapped space from $225 to $250. Violators of any parking offense in Anna Maria can be ticketed every two hours for the same ongoing violation.
Pier tenants
The commissioners shared with the mayor their opinions on several requests recently presented by City Pier Grill tenants Brian Seymour, Vic Mattay and Nick Graham.
The City Pier buildings remain stranded with no pedestrian walkway. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The pier tenants’ initial five-year lease expires on Dec. 31 but can be automatically extended for an additional 15 months or so to account for the time lost to the damage caused by Hurricane Milton. Short hopes to reopen the pier in October 2026 and the pier tenants also have to decide if they want to renew their lease for another five years.
The commissioners support placing a permanent, open-air roof structure over the uncovered T-end seating area, but they want the roofline to match the roofline of the adjacent building occupied by Mote Marine so people can still fish off the far end of the pier.
The commissioners support drink rails being attached to the inside of the roof covering support beams but Commissioner Kathy Morgan-Johnson doesn’t want the additional seating provided by the rail stools to be used to obtain a liquor license. Johnson is OK with the existing beer and wine sales, but she doesn’t support liquor being served in a public area often populated by children.
The commission supports leaving the pier open 24 hours a day when it reopens rather than closing it at 10 p.m. as has been the case since the new pier opened in 2020.
Regarding Seymour’s comment about paying $400 per square foot to lease the city-owned pier space and paying $40 per square foot to lease his privately-owned Anna Maria General Store space, Commissioner John Lynch noted the city only charges Seymour and his partners for the interior pier building space and does not charge them for the outdoor area that provides seating for their customers.
Short said he will take the commissioners’ insights into account during future pier lease discussions with Seymour.
Waste management
The mayor, commissioners and residents continue to express displeasure with the residential trash collection services provided by Waste Management. The primary concern is Waste Management is not adequately providing the side door service required for non-homesteaded residential properties (including short-term vacation rentals) and paid for by those property owners. On several recent occasions, Short and others have complained about Waste Management employees not returning the trash and recycling receptacles to the side of the residential structure after emptying them.
Waste Management wants to change Anna Maria’s trash collection days. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Short also made commissioners aware of a new concern. He said a member of the Waste Management team will appear before the commission on July 10 seeking commission authorization to switch trash collection days from Monday and Thursday to Tuesday and Friday and switch recycling collections from Monday to half of the city on Tuesday and half on Friday, with yard and landscaping collection continuing on Monday.
Short said Waste Management made the request after securing a contract with Manatee County for trash collection services in the unincorporated portions of the county. Johnson and Commissioner Gary McMullen oppose giving up Monday trash collections because of the heavy trash accumulation that occurs during weekends. Lynch suggested Waste Management is trying to manage its margins and pick up additional business without increasing its capacity and the trucks and equipment needed.
