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Mangrove removal triggers scrutiny

Mangrove removal triggers scrutiny

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Environment, Featured, Outdoors.

ANNA MARIA – A company identified by Mayor Dan Murphy in a Dec. 18 email as the contractor at a residential construction site where mangroves were removed was not the responsible party, he told The Sun the next day.

“The City of Anna Maria has confirmed that Mason Martin, LLC, the contractor for the construction of the house at 111 Gull, was the entity that removed the mangroves, not West Coast Marine Construction, LLC,” Murphy wrote in his Dec. 19 email. “It was not the intention of the City to imply that the seawall contractor, West Coast Marine Construction, LLC was responsible for the mangrove removal.”

In its Dec. 20 edition, which went to press before Dec. 19, The Sun quoted Murphy’s Dec. 18 email, which was also sent to other news outlets detailing the city’s response to mangrove removal at the property.

Murphy wrote on Dec. 18 that subsequent to a neighbor’s complaint on Dec. 4 “regarding the extensive removal and alteration of mangroves at 111 Gull Drive,” city staff visited the property and confirmed the mangrove removal.

“This scope of work is proposed by building permit ACC22-000153 which has not been issued and thus, is not permitted to commence,” Murphy wrote in the Dec. 18 email.

He wrote that a stop work order was issued and posted on Dec. 6 and emailed to James Annis of West Coast Marine Construction and property owner Jackie Sharp of Massachusetts-based Sharp Development LLC.

“On December 13, 2023, staff received several complaints from residents yet again, despite the Stop Work order,” the mayor’s email continued.

He wrote the Stop Work order posting had been removed from the property and city staff observed workers actively removing mangroves.

Murphy wrote the Stop Work order was reposted, adding in the email, “The actions of the contractor in ignoring the previously issued Stop Work order constitute the willfull violation of the building code, making the contractor subject to the jurisdiction of the City of Anna Maria’s Local Construction Regulation Board.”

Annis was the only contractor mentioned in the Dec. 18 email.

“I never did any work there,” Annis told The Sun. “We got DEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) approval to take some mangroves out, but then it goes to the Army Corps of Engineers. If they don’t approve it within a year it goes back to DEP. We’ve been so busy, I thought this job was dead in the water.”

Annis said having his name mistakenly attached to the mangrove removal caused him concern about the potential impact to his business.

“I think the mayor jumped the gun,” Annis said. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years, I know better.”

The Sun made a public records request on Dec. 21 to the City of Anna Maria for a copy of the Stop Work order, but it was not received by press time. City offices were closed from Dec. 22-25.

In his reply to a request for comment, Mason Martin LLC’s Frank Agnelli did not address the mangrove removal.

An email request to Murphy for comment as to how city officials determined that Mason Martin was the responsible contractor was not replied to by press time.

STATE, FEDERAL AGENCIES WEIGH IN

According to Dec. 20 correspondence received by The Sun from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the agency had issued a permit exemption for the construction of a seawall at the property. Under this exemption, limited mangrove alteration/removal is allowed within the footprint of the seawall.

“Last week, members of the community began reaching out to DEP with concerns about the work occurring at the site,” DEP spokesperson Brian Humphreys wrote in an email to The Sun. “In the coming days, DEP will send an inspector out to ensure any mangrove alterations (trimming/removal) are being done within the footprint of the site’s permit exemption.”

If it is determined that unauthorized mangrove alteration has occurred, DEP may pursue enforcement against all responsible parties, Humphreys wrote.

While the seawall permit exemption was granted by the DEP, Sarasota-based environmental attorney Justin Bloom, who represents Suncoast Waterkeeper, said it may have been granted without the agency having all the facts and a permit may have been required.

“The schematics sent to the FDEP didn’t show the mangroves,” Bloom said. “Had they done so, a permit would likely have been required.”

According to a Sept. 19 letter from DEP to Bradenton surveyor Jeffrey Hostetler, the applicant must obtain additional authorization according to the terms of the permit exemption.

“This letter does not relieve you from the responsibility of obtaining other federal, state, or local authorization that may be required for the activity,” he wrote.

In an email chain provided by Bloom, Anna Maria City Planner Ashley Austin emailed the following on Dec. 13 to Heather McClurg of the DEP: “The City of Anna Maria Building Department has received several complaints regarding the removal of mangroves at 111 Gull Dr in preparation of the installation of a seawall which has not received a City permit yet. Based on the complaint, the City has requested that a survey be provided by the applicant showing the preconstruction limits of the mangroves. In reviewing the file, I located the attached FDEP exemption letter. The survey located on page 6 of the attached exemption letter does not show any mangroves and thus, may not have been a part of FDEP’s review. Does this information change FDEP’s conclusion outlined in the attached exemption letter? Please let me know.”

McClurg wrote to others at the DEP, “I received this message from the City of Anna Maria yesterday. I responded letting them know that the applicant was authorized to alter the mangroves due to the activity being exempt. After viewing the photos though, I did note that they do not have proper BMP’s deployed and wanted to forward this over to compliance for review.”

A BMP (Best Management Practice) is a method used to prevent or control stormwater runoff and the discharge of pollutants, including sediment into local waterbodies, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Based on emails provided by Bloom, propety owner Jackie Sharp wrote the following in part on Dec. 13 to Tracy Hurst of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“I am unaware of the unauthorized activity you are referring to but look forward to working with you to resolve any issue that exists in a timely manner.”

Hurst responded by email on Dec. 13: “Ms. Sharp, As you are aware, the Corps is currently reviewing your request for a permit to construct a seawall. The attached pictures show a potentially unauthorized activity, that is, the removal of mangroves. I will be coordinating with our enforcement manager, but he is currently out of the office for the holidays. Please cease any additional work within waters of the United States, including but not limited to, mangrove removal. I will be in touch shortly.”

In a Dec. 21 email to Suncoast Waterkeeper, Hurst wrote, “We are just starting to look into this case and I will need to coordinate with our enforcement officer before further action is taken.”

The value of mangroves

Reel Time: The value of mangroves

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors, Reel Time.

Anglers know the value of the mangrove forests to provide habitat, food and protection for the snook, redfish, sheepshead and other species they pursue. For those who don’t fish but enjoy eating fish, it’s important to realize that over 80% of the most popular species like grouper depend on mangroves as juveniles

People come to the west coast of Florida to live because of the area’s unique environment. The natural world that forms the basis of that environment is often poorly understood and misrepresented. Case in point, mangroves. Recently a property on a canal on Longboat Key that was lined with a 35-foot stand of mangroves was listed in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) with the line, “mangroves will be removed.”

A statement like this might signal to someone coming to the west coast of Florida for the first time that mangroves are not desirable, and are in effect a liability. They’re not understanding that mangroves help create what brought them here in the first place, and subsequently are protected by state law. This is a perfect case for helping homeowners understand and communicating to them how the environment (mangroves in this case) is an asset. When trimmed by a reputable mangrove company:

• The laws protecting mangroves are followed while the view is enhanced;

• The shoreline is protected from erosion;

• The maintenance cost is minimized;

• “Eye appeal” is created, enhancing the value of the property; and

• The cost of seawall construction (when allowed) and subsequent maintenance is avoided.

Mangroves that are windowed and trimmed to provide a view can function to protect the property from storms while enhancing the overall ambience of the property.

When laws protecting mangroves are violated, Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection must enforce these laws. Unfortunately, state regulators are not performing their duty promptly to protect the citizens and businesses of Florida, present and future. But it wouldn’t be fair to lay the blame only on the FDEP. People I have spoken with who deal with state regulators regularly fault prior Gov. Rick Scott for eviscerating the FDEP and spawning a mass exodus of the brightest and most committed regulators. The people I spoke to at the agency have been responsive to questions and concerns and ultimately addressed the issue when they were alerted. My feeling is the agency is struggling with a limited budget and staff, especially considering the rapid development taking place in coastal areas.

That’s where we the voters come in. It’s incumbent on the citizens of Florida and Manatee County to elect officials with a proven record of protecting our most important and vulnerable resources.

You can report mangrove trimming violations at the Suncoast Waterkeeper site using their new Eyes on the Suncoast initiative. If you’re a boater, request one of their stickers that has a QR code to take you to a form where you can make a report. If we don’t do it, who will?

It’s a wonderful Island

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

Although most Americans didn’t realize it then, the holiday season of 1946 was the opening bell of some of the most prosperous decades in our history. World War II had just ended, and men and women were coming home from overseas and starting new lives, which also included new homes.

The postwar housing boom created 40 million new homes starting in 1946. New suburban communities sprouted up all over the country but particularly adjacent to major cities where returning soldiers were filling jobs in a suddenly booming economy. Florida, of course, didn’t enjoy the same level of building as the Northeast and West Coast did, but starting after the war there was a steady increase in population that still hasn’t slowed down.

What happened in 1946 was the beginning of the suburban lifestyle. Americans for the first time had the choice of living in a single-family home and commuting to their jobs in the city. It was a way of life that mostly continued until COVID-19 locked everyone in their homes and on their computers. This once-in-a-century phenomenon pushed property values and the desire to own a home through the roof, which has substantially benefited Florida.

If you don’t pore over Manatee County listings like I do, take a few minutes to review the Realtor.com website. The website can be sorted by zip codes and if you start with the highest price properties you may be shocked. Here’s an overview, just to give you an idea as of this writing.

The city of Anna Maria has 79 listings. The highest price is $12 million and the lowest is $1.15 million. Less than half of the properties are under $3 million.

The combined cities of Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach have 214 properties listed. The highest price is $10,950,000 and the lowest is $510,000. A little less than 25% of the properties are above $3 million.

All of Anna Maria Island has ongoing new construction of large homes with multi-million-dollar price tags. These properties have drastically changed the price point of properties on the Island, as you can see from the above.

Cortez has 19 properties listed starting at $3,750,000 and ending at $695,000. Out of the 19 listings, 12 are over $1 million. The construction of the new Hunters Point development on Cortez Road has also changed the price point of Cortez properties, listing new construction townhomes at just under $2 million.

If you are dazzled by the numbers, here’s a reason to step back in time. Another major event happening in 1946 was the release of the iconic holiday movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life.” This black and white film has been playing every year for 77 years and will undoubtedly go on forever. It’s a classic story about good and evil and the important things in life that rang true in 1946 as they continue to do today.

One of my favorite parts of the movie is when new homes are built for needy families in the town. James Stewart and Donna Reed present the keys to the new owners along with these gifts and an accompanying poem: “Bread that this house may never know hunger, salt that life may always have flavor and wine that joy and prosperity may reign forever.”

Wishing you a peaceful and happy holiday surrounded by friends and family in one of the world’s most beautiful places to live. Enjoy the food and the wine, and ring the bells because “Whenever you hear a bell ring, an angel gets its wings.” Happy holidays!

Holmes Beach logo

OPPAGA study wraps first month

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – In her state of the city address, Mayor Judy Titsworth noted that it’s been one month since the state-mandated Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study began.

The main purpose of the study is to determine if the three Island cities should be consolidated into one city, into the city of Bradenton, into Manatee County or remain as three municipalities.

The idea was first broached by members of the Manatee County Legislative Delegation during a January meeting where the study request was passed unanimously without notification to or input from any of the three Anna Maria Island cities the study is slated to scrutinize.

While leaders in all three cities said they would support the study looking at ways the cities could share resources to save taxpayer money, they are against consolidation of any kind.

After city leaders were given several months to discuss consolidation of services among themselves, state Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) and Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) came back in the fall with a letter stating they would be moving forward with the OPPAGA study.

During a Dec. 12 meeting, Holmes Beach Commissioner Dan Diggins said he’d spoken with Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown with one of the topics being the OPPAGA study. When asked, Diggins said that Brown has no interest in annexing the Island into his city.

Titsworth said that while the first wave of records requests from the city are over, she expects more in the coming months before the study concludes in 2024 and thanked staff for their hard work to manage the large number of document requests while also attending to their normal duties.

Later in the meeting, Holmes Beach City Attorney Erica Augello said that while the city can’t initiate a referendum to put consolidation of the three cities on the ballot in November, it doesn’t mean that residents can’t. According to the Florida Department of Elections, in order to have a referendum put on the ballot for voter consideration, at least 8% of the city’s voters who voted in the last presidential election must sign a petition to approve the placement of the referendum on the general election ballot and the action must be financially supported by the residents.

Having a referendum to see how many registered Holmes Beach voters are in favor of or against consolidation could potentially override the state if legislators push for consolidation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Storm, high tides flood AMI

Storm, high tides flood AMI

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Heavy rains, high tides and storm surge produced localized flooding throughout Anna Maria Island Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Shortly after 11 p.m., ABC 7 Chief Meteorologist Bob Harrigan noted on TV that the Rod & Reel Pier camera showed the Tampa Bay waters rising nearly to the level of the pier decking and the base of the pier-based restaurant building.

In Bradenton Beach, around that same time, Drift In employee Mike Cook said rising water was crashing over the shoreline and flooding Bay Drive South. A short time later, two Bradenton Beach police officers arrived at the Bradenton Beach Pier to further secure the police boat that sits on an elevated boat lift that was nearly submerged.

At the other end of the floating dock next to the Bridge Street Pier, two boats, including one that appeared to be sinking, were pushing up against the recently installed perpendicular finger dock pilings. The owner of the non-sinking boat braved the high waves and rough surf in her efforts to better secure her boat to prevent it from damaging the new finger docks.

A post-midnight tour of the north end of Bradenton Beach revealed street flooding along Gulf Drive North and significant street and yard flooding between 22nd Street North and 25th Street North, from the bay nearly to Avenue C in many locations. Street flooding also occurred in the Sandpiper Resort mobile home park.

In Cortez, the Tide Tables restaurant parking lot flooded.

When the Sun rose on Sunday morning, several areas were still flooded. In Holmes Beach, Marina Drive was flooded with deep standing water near city hall and the Island Branch Library.

In Anna Maria, Ginny’s & Jane E’s parking lot was flooded. So was North Bay Boulevard, where Anna Maria resident Doug Copeland said a couple of inches of water seeped into his house.

When asked about the flooding in Anna Maria Sunday morning, Mayor Dan Murphy said, “Not as bad as Hurricane Idalia, but close. We are pumping on the north end, near Bean Point.”

He also said there was significant shoreline erosion near the Rod & Reel Pier.

Bridge Street took on a great deal of water in the early morning hours of Dec. 17 after heavy rain soaked the Island. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED

Bridge Street took on a great deal of water in the early morning hours of Dec. 17 after heavy rain soaked the Island. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED

A car parked on 25th Street in Bradenton Beach in the early morning hours of Dec. 17 took on water. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED

A car parked on 25th Street in Bradenton Beach in the early morning hours of Dec. 17 took on water. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED

Avenue A between 24th Street and 23rd Street was under close to 3 feet of water in the early morning hours of Dec. 17. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED

Avenue A between 24th Street and 23rd Street was under close to 3 feet of water in the early morning hours of Dec. 17. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED

A car parked on 25th Street in Bradenton Beach in the early morning hours of Dec. 17 took on water. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED

A car parked on 25th Street in Bradenton Beach in the early morning hours of Dec. 17 took on water. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED

Avenue A between 24th Street and 23rd Street was under close to 3 feet of water in the early morning hours of Dec. 17. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED

Avenue A between 24th Street and 23rd Street was under close to 3 feet of water in the early morning hours of Dec. 17. - DEVON STRAIGHT | SUBMITTED

The Ginny’s and Jane E’s parking lot in Anna Maria was flooding Sunday morning. - MIKE FIELD | SUN

The Ginny’s and Jane E’s parking lot in Anna Maria was flooding Sunday morning. - MIKE FIELD | SUN

Magnolia Avenue at North Shore Drive was blocked off Sunday morning due to high water. - CINDY LANE | SUN

Magnolia Avenue at North Shore Drive was blocked off Sunday morning due to high water. - CINDY LANE | SUN

The Tide Tables parking lot in Cortez experienced some overnight flooding. - ALASKA JOE | SUBMITTED

The Tide Tables parking lot in Cortez experienced some overnight flooding. - ALASKA JOE | SUBMITTED

Portions of North Bay Boulevard were covered with floodwater Sunday morning. - DOUG COPELAND | SUBMITTED

Portions of North Bay Boulevard were covered with floodwater Sunday morning. - DOUG COPELAND | SUBMITTED

Holmes Beach resident Scott Moore took this photo Sunday morning. - SCOTT MOORE | SUBMITTED

Holmes Beach resident Scott Moore took this photo Sunday morning. - SCOTT MOORE | SUBMITTED

Jennifer Hewitt took this photo of Marina Drive, in Holmes Beach, while traveling to church Sunday morning. - JENNIFER HEWITT/FACEBOOK | SUBMITTED

Jennifer Hewitt took this photo of Marina Drive, in Holmes Beach, while traveling to church Sunday morning. - JENNIFER HEWITT/FACEBOOK | SUBMITTED

Much of Bay Drive South in Bradenton Beach was flooded by midnight. - JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Much of Bay Drive South in Bradenton Beach was flooded by midnight. - JOE HENDRICKS | SUN

Police find drugs, stolen firearm at beach

Police find drugs, stolen firearm at beach

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – A routine check on a vehicle at the 52nd Street beach access turned into an arrest for possession of marijuana, felony grand theft of a firearm and other charges for one suspect.

Officer Christopher Liotti was on routine patrol on Nov. 27 in the 100 block of 52nd Street when he saw a silver Chevrolet Malibu parked with its lights on and engine running at the public beach access. As he approached the driver’s side, the front window rolled and he noticed what he described as a substantial cloud of smoke with the unmistakable odor of marijuana.

Liotti made contact with the driver and two juvenile passengers in the back seat. Due to their age, those involved in the incident were not named, but are referred to as juvenile #1 and juvenile #2 in Liotti’s official report. The driver was ordered to exit the vehicle, handcuffed and placed into temporary custody as Liotti awaited back-up officers. A pat-down did not reveal any illegal drugs or weapons on juvenile #1, who was also cuffed and removed from the vehicle.

This was not the case for juvenile #2.

“During the pat-down of juvenile #2, a large bulge resembling the handle of a firearm was felt outside his right front pants pocket. In an attempt to conceal the item, he tensed his body and pressed against the vehicle,” Liotti wrote in his report. “Upon further inspection, a black handgun loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition was discovered in his pocket. The firearm was handed over to Officer Michael McNamee and the serial number was provided to Holmes Beach police dispatch for an NCIC/FCIC check. Positive results indicated that the firearm was reported stolen from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.”

After the three suspects were put into separate patrol vehicles, a search of the vehicle was conducted, yielding a glass pipe, 36 vape pens, a marijuana joint and a large blue container filled with what was later identified as a large quantity of marijuana where the second underage person was seated. There was also a Crown Royal bag containing marijuana, a digital scale, a marijuana grinder and four partial 12 packs of Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Officers contacted the first juvenile’s parents while the second agreed to voluntarily speak to Liotti after being read his Miranda rights.

“He claimed that the firearm was not his, but rather, he was holding it for a friend. He stated that he received the gun a few days ago and offered no specific reason for possessing it, denying any purchase or trade involvement to obtain it,” Liotti wrote in his report. “He asserted carrying it merely because he liked it. He was also informed that the gun was reported as stolen and denied any involvement in the theft. Regarding the narcotics in the vehicle, juvenile #2, post-Miranda, admitted ownership, emphasizing personal use and denial of any intent to sell. He claimed ownership of the scale, indicating a personal interest in tracking marijuana quantity.”

The second juvenile suspect was charged with possession of marijuana over 20 grams and felony grand theft of a firearm. Due to his age, details of his bail and court date are not publicly available.

According to police, the first juvenile also was read his Miranda rights and acknowledged the presence of marijuana in the car but denied knowledge of the firearm. He said their purpose was solely to smoke marijuana. Juvenile #1 received a citation for the possession of marijuana less than 20 grams.

The driver, upon being read his Miranda rights, acknowledged the presence of marijuana in the car but denied knowledge of the firearm. He claimed their intent was only to smoke. The driver, who is listed in the report as under 21 years old, received a citation for the possession of multiple containers of alcohol located in the vehicle.

A field test of the suspected marijuana onsite yielded positive results.

After the evidence was gathered, the parents of both juvenile backseat passengers arrived at the scene. Juvenile #1 was released to the custody of his mother. Juvenile #2’s father was briefed in detail about the circumstances of the situation, provided with case information and given procedural information. 

When weighed at the station, the marijuana found in the large blue container weighed 128.6 grams, while the marijuana in the black container weighed 11.5 grams, totaling 140.1 grams, more than a quarter of a pound. The recovered firearm was secured and placed into an evidence locker by Officer Ryan Welch.

Juvenile #2 was transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center. Staff at the center informed Liotti that he required medical clearance from the hospital due to marijuana consumption. After getting medical clearance from on-site doctors, he was transported back to the jail and released to the custody of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Liotti’s report also notes that the vape pens found in the vehicle were taken as possible evidence related to a burglary case being investigated by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (Case #2023015521). The details of this incident coincide with the firearm found in juvenile #2’s possession. 

Attempts were made to contact Ava Clark, the owner of the recovered handgun, via phone call and text, however, these attempts were unsuccessful. Clark was instructed to contact HBPD regarding this incident. 

Mayor: Don’t break up the team

Mayor: Don’t break up the team

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Characterizing the possible consolidation of the three island cities as “breaking up the team,” Mayor John Chappie spoke out against consolidation efforts at a Dec. 6 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting.

On Oct. 31, the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) sent a letter to the mayors of all three Anna Maria Island cities saying that the Florida Legislature has directed the organization to review the potential consolidation of services and government entities on Anna Maria Island. Options discussed include annexing the Island into the city of Bradenton or Manatee County, or creating a new city from the Island’s three cities.

At the Dec. 6 CRA meeting, city attorney Ricinda Perry updated the board on the OPAGGA study.

“The CRA is part of the OPAGGA study,” Perry said. “If they decide to consolidate there is a very real chance the CRA will no longer exist, which would be a major detriment to the improvements we’ve been making, and very substantial improvements.”

Perry outlined city efforts to comply with requests for documents from OPAGGA.

“The state has issued the OPAGGA study to the city and staff has spent a very considerable amount of time working through the documents and preparing the reports and the correspondence that has been requested from OPAGGA,” Perry said. “I want to recognize the clerk’s office. Terri (Sanclemente, the city clerk) has been compiling every single contract that the city has and the CRA has, and that as a team, Chief (John Cosby), Tom (Woodard, public works director) Shayne (Thompson, city treasurer ), me, Mayor (John) Chappie and Terri have gotten together to respond.”

Perry said she is hopeful that the state elected officials see the value in allowing the municipalities that have been authorized by the state Legislature to maintain their status.

“That deals with some of the concerns about cities versus services, consolidation, non-consolidation, elimination or whatever,” Chappie said. “With a smaller municipality, and the CRA, we had the ability to utilize funds to establish a viable commercial district out here on the Island.”

Chappie said that in the past, the central area of Bradenton Beach consisted mostly of bars.

“When we started, it was dying here,” Chappie said. “The ability of local government to work and transform an area, and create a viable commercial district, it’s incredible what you can do with local government, smaller government and CRAs. Without that it would have never happened, if it had been all the county.”

Chappie said with the reputation that Bradenton Beach had in years past, he doubted the current revitalization would have ever taken place.

“And that’s my pitch for not breaking up the team,” Chappie said.

EcoSummit an enduring success

EcoSummit an enduring success

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors, Reel Time.

I hope you had the opportunity to attend the 2023 EcoSummit in Sarasota this past week. In case you missed it, I wanted to share some of the excellent presentations that were given and provide you with some resources to get a glimpse of what was one of the most well-planned, presented and attended environmental events I’ve had the pleasure of attending.

On Monday morning, Dec. 4, Suncoast Waterkeeper board member Rob Brown and I took summit organizers Dave and Jennifer Shafer, lead sponsor Elizabeth Moore, her daughter Grace, and award-winning Australian documentary filmmaker and EcoSummit Keynoter Damon Gameau and his daughter Velvet, 9, on Suncoast Waterkeeper’s patrol boat.

That night, the event kicked off with a screening of Gameau’s film 2040 (watch it on Prime Video). The premise of the movie is Gameau’s imagining what the future might look like for his then-4-year-old daughter if climate change solutions are brought to scale and the problem is solved. In choosing what to feature in the film, Gameau limited it to solutions that are already available or have the potential to contribute to reversing climate change by the year 2040. The movie was screened at the Bay Nest at Bay Park in Sarasota and was very well attended.

The next two days of the summit featured a list of speakers who presented a diverse spectrum of ideas, solutions and ways to be involved in and live a sustainable life, now and in the future. One of the highlights of the event was an evening with best-selling author Carl Hiaasen, who was joined by environmental journalist and author Craig Pittman and dolphin researcher Randy Wells. It was a humorous and entertaining evening that featured a standing ovation by the sellout crowd in the Roskamp Auditorium at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center. During the three days, attendees were serenaded by the excellent music of the Karen Jonas band.

Here’s a round-up of resources from the organizers to help you keep the momentum going.

There were 497 guests, including 54 speakers, over the two-day event from across the U.S. and as far as Australia and Mongolia! Speaker bios can be found in the EcoSummit Program.

If you are interested in doing more in your community, use the EcoSummit Next sign-up form to indicate your areas of interest and they will get you connected! Sign up at bit.ly/2023ecosummit-next.

If you’re interested in taking steps to help build a green, healthy and sustainable future for you, your family and your community, they recommend 24 local sustainability solutions and have organized them as action steps. Choose the solutions that make the most sense for you and pledge to make them happen. Also, visit their greenlivingtoolkit.org for curated expert advice.

This year’s event was the second organized by the Science and Environment Council’s founders, Dave and Jennifer Shafer, and the turnout proved the effectiveness of the group’s mission and the interest of the public in a sustainable future for our children and future generations.

Working in paradise

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

This may seem redundant, but Anna Maria Island is an island and, like every island in the world, it’s surrounded by water. There are two bridges to the Island from Bradenton, one north and one south, and the traffic approaching these two bridges backs up consistently. Oh, by the way, the bridges are drawbridges that open every half hour, and one of them is slated to be torn down sometime in 2025, maybe, and will be replaced with a fixed-span bridge.

Now that I’ve told you something that you already know, what’s my point? My point is what do the individuals who work on the Island but don’t live there experience daily? I think a lot about this from time to time, since I too worked in Anna Maria for many years, and frequently felt like I was back in midtown Manhattan.

The success of Anna Maria Island is the envy of many coastal towns in the country. Our real estate values are sky-high and construction is on practically every street. The vacation rental market has sapped the life out of any long-term rental properties to turn them into weekly and sometimes daily rentals, leaving very little to choose from for just regular residents who need to rent rather than buy.

Many of these displaced renters are individuals who work in the Island’s restaurants, hotels and rental properties. One of the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is not only the surge in real estate prices and the abundance of new visitors to the Island, but also the many service employees who never came back to the workforce when restaurants finally opened and visitors started returning. About a month ago, I read a fascinating story in the Wall Street Journal’s Mansion section about two high-end vacation locations that are enjoying the same success as Anna Maria Island and facing the same problems.

Those towns are Nantucket Island, Massachusetts and Vail, Colorado. Although entirely different geographically, they share the same issue of finding local people to work in restaurants, resorts and multi-million-dollar properties. I’ll start with Nantucket, since that’s a place I’m very familiar with. There is only one way to get to Nantucket and that’s by boat. The ferry from Cape Cod takes two hours or a bit less for the fast ferry, which, of course, costs more. If you’re in no hurry, it’s a lovely ocean voyage that can be subjected to frequent weather delays. In 1983, Nantucket established a land bank, buying up available property to promote conservation and recreation. This, of course, impacted the amount of buildable land.

Vail may not be surrounded by water but it’s still a substantial drive to the charming village to work for the day. Vail’s local government has built some housing restricted to local full-time residents, but it doesn’t totally solve their problem. They may as well be on an island.

Getting back to Anna Maria Island, without a land bank or resident-only rentals, the responsibility is totally on service employees and their employers. There is that new ferry that is starting service from downtown Bradenton to the Island, but it’s not planned to be available daily and will probably be mostly for tourists and day trippers with some future dispensations for Island workers.

Maybe there is still a way to mitigate the shortage of help. Certainly, including the problem in conversations about consolidation of the three cities could be a first step. The result of doing nothing will be higher prices for residents and visitors to the Island and, although I dislike saying this, declining real estate values.

Former county commissioner files wetlands ruling challenge

Reel Time: Former county commissioner files wetlands ruling challenge

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

The decision to reduce local wetland buffers to Florida state minimum standards by the Manatee County Commission has been challenged by former commissioner Joe McClash.

The policy couched by commissioners as ending a “taking of public property” was approved in a 5-1 vote on Oct. 5 despite strong opposition from the citizens of Manatee County and a “no” vote from the Manatee County Planning Commission.

Commissioner George Kruse voted against the change.

The rules change allows construction to occur closer to wetlands and, despite the commission’s claim (since debunked) that the current rules negatively affect 66,000 property owners in Manatee County, only two people with ties to development interests spoke in favor of the change.

Previously, environmental groups would have immediately challenged the ruling except for the recent passage of Senate Bill 540, which would make litigants in a case pay court costs if they lose. In the past, the prevailing party could ask for court costs, but this bill makes that automatic. The bill in effect limits public access to the courts.

According to McClash, “Challenging the elimination of our wetland policy by our county commissioners is a huge undertaking that needs community support. The decision is so wrong in many ways. There was no science to support the decision. The disrespect shown by the commissioners to the public at the meetings could only be described as surreal. The biggest reason is the unknown impacts on our coastal environment. We know certain trends are evident. Our water quality trend is not great; with excessive fish kills, excessive Lyngbya (poopy algae), and even people getting severe infections from swimming in our waters. We know the sea level is rising. We know wetland buffers, especially in the coastal areas, are critical to mangrove adaptation and the so-called “engineering solution” can’t replace the value of the current 50 feet of land required for mangroves to survive. Without mangroves, our whole coastal ecosystem collapses.

“I did not want to challenge the county’s action,” McClash continued. “However, the state changed the rules last year to require if you don’t win, you have to pay all the cost of the challenge. The environmental groups that normally challenge the absurd actions of the government are now having to make a financial decision. We have our local state representatives Will Robinson and Jim Boyd to thank for this favor to the developers. However, this decision by the county was so egregious it needed to be challenged. If our citizens can’t afford to challenge the wrong decisions of our government then we become a dictatorship. The county’s decision to eliminate our wetland policies and wetland buffers was not done in the best interest of the public, it certainly was done in the best interest of the developers.”

McClash is to be applauded for this decision and this action must be supported by members of the public who understand the importance of protecting the natural environment that brought us here, who love to fish and who support the economy. Stay tuned for more information as this process unfolds. McClash can be reached at joemcclash@gmail.com.

Is owning a home still the American dream?

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

Last week we talked about first-time buyers who are taking a pause in their house hunting and redirecting their savings. But is this the new permanent reality in a country that includes homeownership as part of the American dream?

According to a new Wall Street Journal/NORC survey, only 36% of voters in the new survey said the American dream still holds. When this same question was asked last year by the Wall Street Journal poll, 68% said yes, almost twice the share of the new poll. In addition, half of voters in the new poll said life in America is worse than it was 50 years ago compared with 30% who said it had gotten better. But the scary outcome of this survey is that among all respondents, 18% said the American dream never held, a very sad statistic.

As reported last week as well, the National Association of Realtor’s October sales statistics fell 14.6% from last year. Manatee County’s sales of single-family homes also fell by 12.8%. This reflects the ongoing low inventory available to buy and higher interest rates. Who could blame young people when they say the American dream doesn’t exist when one of the major components of that dream is the ability to purchase homes?

Even though according to recent data inflation has eased, there is still a disconnect in the way Americans perceive the economy. Since ownership of housing isn’t measured by the Bureau of Labor statistics, the increasing cost of purchasing a home isn’t reflected in the inflation rate, however, not being able to purchase a home matters more than the price of gas or food to home buyers. Since January 2021 home prices have risen 29%, according to the Case-Schiller national home price index. In addition, mortgage rates have nearly tripled.

If you already own a house and have no reason to move, you might not care or be affected by lower sales numbers and higher interest rates. Many long-term homeowners with low mortgage rates are sitting back and enjoying seeing their equity going up, which it has consistently for the most part.

Homeownership is still viewed as achieving the American dream, as remote as it may seem to first-time buyers in this market. So far, this hasn’t lowered homeownership rates, which are higher among almost all age groups than before the pandemic, according to the Census Bureau. That could, however, change if the unaffordability of housing remains high. Mortgage rates have dropped with the easing of inflation, but they are still historically high. The consensus is that home prices will likely not fall in 2024 but level off somewhat. Since so much depends on that assumption it’s almost impossible to know what’s down the road next year.

Since I was a full-grown adult 50 years ago owning my own home, I tend to agree that at least the economic life of people now is worse than 50 years ago. That doesn’t, however, mean that all life is worse. Certainly, medical progress is better, education is more available and better, and women and minorities have more opportunities, not to mention technology, which has made all our lives better.

I believe the housing market will eventually normalize and all the first-time buyers who are booking exotic vacations will start buying again. It’s nice to have wealth, but we shouldn’t measure our happiness by it when so many other things in life are more important.

Walking to Bethlehem

Walking to Bethlehem

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Entertainment, Family fun, Featured.

ANNA MARIA – One of the most anticipated events of the holiday season took to the city’s streets on Sunday evening as dozens of participants came out to Roser Memorial Community Church to take the annual Bethlehem Walk.

Encompassing one city block, the interactive event invites community members to dress up and follow Mary and Joseph as they search for a room at an inn where Mary might rest and give birth to the Christ child. After making several stops and enjoying singing Christmas carols, the group makes its way back to Roser, where the Christ child is born.

This year a crowd took the journey escorted by Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies for safety. Participants were accompanied by a whole host of live animals, from the donkey walking with Mary and Joseph to chickens, bunnies, a potbellied pig and even a miniature horse. Children and adults alike dressed up as shepherds, wise men and women, angels, farmers and more. All of the animals and costumes were provided by the church.

After the nativity scene on the steps of the Roser fellowship hall, it was time to return the animals and enjoy treats provided by the church’s staff and members, including cookies and lots of hot chocolate.

The Bethlehem Walk takes place annually the first Sunday in December.

Each stop along the Bethlehem Walk was accompanied by a prayer for the holiday season. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Each stop along the Bethlehem Walk was accompanied by a prayer for the holiday season. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Rev. Dirk Rodgers, accompanied by a chicken, welcomes everyone to the 2023 Bethlehem Walk. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Rev. Dirk Rodgers, accompanied by a chicken, welcomes everyone to the 2023 Bethlehem Walk. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Mary and Joseph, accompanied by a donkey, arrive at the first stop on the Bethlehem Walk to ask if there is any room for them at the inn. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Mary and Joseph, accompanied by a donkey, arrive at the first stop on the Bethlehem Walk to ask if there is any room for them at the inn. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Jackson Glasscock and Xyza Jaworski ready to take the Bethlehem Walk as a shepherd and an angel. Live animals also were brought to the church for participants to cuddle during the event. Xyza chose a chicken. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Jackson Glasscock and Xyza Jaworski ready to take the Bethlehem Walk as a shepherd and an angel. Live animals also were brought to the church for participants to cuddle during the event. Xyza chose a chicken. - Kristin Swain | Sun

This group of Bethlehem Walk attendees dressed the part for the annual recreation of the birth of the Christ child. - Kristin Swain | Sun

This group of Bethlehem Walk attendees dressed the part for the annual recreation of the birth of the Christ child. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Dozens of people took to the streets of Anna Maria, escorted by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Dec. 3 for Roser Church’s annual Bethlehem Walk. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Dozens of people took to the streets of Anna Maria, escorted by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Dec. 3 for Roser Church’s annual Bethlehem Walk. - Kristin Swain | Sun

One couple brought their own animals to this year’s Bethlehem Walk, a rubber chicken and a stuffed horse. - Kristin Swain | Sun

One couple brought their own animals to this year’s Bethlehem Walk, a rubber chicken and a stuffed horse. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Enjoy life or keep waiting

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

What would you do if you had a bunch of savings and the thing you were saving for is unavailable? A lot of first-time home buyers in the country are faced with that exact problem but they’re not all making the same decisions.

The housing market nationally is not performing the way housing markets typically do. The price of housing ordinarily goes down when mortgage rates increase, but as we all know, housing values are still going up primarily because of a lack of inventory.

According to the National Association of Realtors, the sale of existing homes was down 14.6% year-over-year in October with home prices still high. This is arguably one of the worst times to buy instead of rent and many first-time buyers are postponing their weekend house-hunting expeditions in favor of enjoying life.

The worst part about this is that the deferment of house hunting is not just for a few months to see what happens with the mortgage rate or the number of homes on the market, but some buyers are talking years before they try again. So, what are these frustrated buyers doing with their inflated bank accounts? Being the Americans that we are, some of them are taking expensive vacations, others are renovating their existing homes and decorations and the more practical are increasing college funds or retirement funds.

The “we want to buy a house but can’t” savers are turning into consumers, completely setting the economists – who a year ago predicted a recession – on their heads. With oodles of cash available and the likelihood of missing the boat on building equity, they are spending on enjoying themselves, keeping the economy in positive territory. Who could blame them; fiddling with interest rates never has a good outcome.

Time to look at October Manatee County sales statistics reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee and see what’s going on locally:

Single-family homes closed 6.5% more this year compared to last. The median sale price was $479,000, down 12.8%, and the average sale price was $658,503, down 7.4%. The median time to contract was 29 days compared to 24 days last year and new listings were up 24.5%, bringing the month’s supply of available properties to 3.3 months compared to 2.8 last year.

Condos closed 7.5% more this year compared to last. The median sale price was $370,000, up 0.4%, and the average sale price was $415,591, up 7.1%. The median time to contract was 30 days compared to 22 days last year and new listings were up 28.3%, bringing the month’s supply of available properties to 3.8 months compared to 2.3 last year.

Lower sale prices for single-family properties may not look like a good thing, but since real estate numbers are always lagging, this could reflect the rapid increase in interest rates. The really good news aside from the increase in closings is the increase in inventory. Per the Association of Realtors, this is pointing to a more balanced future market, hopefully more like pre-pandemic activity.

Those of you who are not first-time buyers but buyers who would like to move up but don’t want to give up your ultra-low mortgage rate should have a little more respect for your mortgage. It’s hard to think of money you owe as an asset but if you have a fixed-rate mortgage below or around 3% you are sitting on a valuable asset. You may not see the asset in the bank, but you are wealthier for having it.

I’m of the school that you should always enjoy life but still find a way to balance that with improving your finances. All of this will return to normal someday, so don’t blow it all on a trip to Tibet to see the Dalai Lama.

Reel Time on the Road: Andros North Bight

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

“Strip, long strip, stop, short strip, stop, strip,” Harry Neymour called out as I watched the bonefish home in on my fly. Neymour had spotted three fish as they hunted a shoreline in the Dressing Room, a vast shallow mangrove-lined bay on Andros North Bight. The experience I’ve gained over the years combined with the coaching paid off as I lowered the tip of my rod to the water’s surface and set the hook with a short strip strike. The bonefish accelerated immediately, causing the fly line to create a rooster tail of water as it headed for the perceived safety of deeper water. I instinctively took my eyes off the fish, separated my hands and concentrated on clearing the line that lay at my feet on the deck. As the line disappeared through the guides, I guided it onto the reel and gave two more sharp jabs of the rod to make sure the barbless hook was secure.

In what seemed like a split second, the fish was on the reel and deep into the backing on its first scorching run. After the first run of 100 yards, the bonefish turned and raced back towards the boat faster than I could recover line. I dipped the rod into the water so the tension would prevent the hook from coming loose and reeled as fast as I could. After catching up and having the fish on the reel again, I marveled as it made three more runs, each progressively shorter than the last but still strong and fast. Then I was able to work the fish back to the boat where my fishing partner Bill Partridge lifted it from the water for a quick picture and release.

This was the fourth day of a six-day fishing trip that had an inauspicious beginning. We had departed the Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport on a Makers Air flight as a disturbance approached that would generate one of the heaviest rainfall events in the last 11 years. The approaching weather made for a bumpy ride and landing, causing cloudy skies and high winds for the first two days of our trip. We were staying at Frankie’s Two Boys Inn on the edge of North Andros’s legendary North Bight. It was here on Cargill Creek at Bering Point where some of the first anglers chased bonefish with a fly rod and where the Bahamian guide and inventor of the Crazy Charlie lived and fished. The Nemours are an extended family of guides that are regarded as some of the Bahamas’ best and my experience fishing with Frankie and his nephew, Harry, bore that out.

Reel Time on The Road: Andros North Bight
Anna Maria’s Bill Partridge with an average Andros bonefish he caught fishing the Dressing Room with Harry Neymour. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

We had planned on fishing for six days because, in my almost three decades of fishing in the Bahamas, it was routine to have at least two days of weather, clouds and/or wind that resulted in poor fishing. This trip was no different and I didn’t even make a cast for the first two days. That all changed on the third day when fishing with Frankie Neymour. As the conditions and the fish settled down and the skies cleared, we estimated that Partridge and I each caught 15 bonefish, including several doubles. The next day we fished again with Frankie Neymour with similar results in places like Charlie Alley and Bight Landing. On that day I caught my largest bonefish (7 pounds) while wading a point as school after school of bones departed the adjacent bay in waves.

On the last two days, we sight-fished with Harry Neymour, who put us on singles, doubles and trios of fish that required a well-placed fly and a nuanced presentation, my all-time favorite type of fishing. Harry is quickly surpassing the prowess of his father, Charlie, and Uncle Frankie with the energy of a new generation perfecting their style of angling.

Andros, the largest and least populated of the Bahamian archipelago, boasts some of the largest bonefish (November-February) to be found anywhere. Frankie’s Two Boys Inn is quickly becoming one of my favorite bonefishing haunts. It’s one of the most reasonably priced lodges in the Bahamas, is a short run to fishing, and boasts one of the most expansive areas to explore. You must pay for your liquor, make your lunch and fish maybe one hour less a day, but at half the price of most lodges, it’s the best deal and fishing I’ve found in almost three decades of pursuing the grey ghost.

To book a trip, visit Frankie’s Two Boys Inn online. If you are a flyfisher and haven’t fished for bonefish, you have one of angling’s greatest adventures to look forward to!

Christmas on Bridge Street to spotlight holiday boat parade

Christmas on Bridge Street to spotlight holiday boat parade

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Entertainment, Events, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – The fifth annual Christmas on Bridge Street on Saturday, Dec. 2 will include a holiday boat parade, live music and family-friendly activities.

Beginning at 3 p.m., the Strolling Crosley Carolers will sing, Santa will be available to pose for pictures, and kids can get their faces painted and make ornaments.

When the sun goes down, the annual decorated boat parade will begin.

The best viewing location for the parade will be on the city pier, where Mike Sales will be hosting music from 6-8 p.m. The boats arrive between 6:30-7:30 p.m.

For those who would like to see the parade from the water, two local businesses are accepting passengers on their vessels and donating the proceeds to charity. Space is limited and tickets sell out quickly; visit www.annamariaprincess.com or www.seedolphins.com.

The parade can also be viewed from the Longboat Pass Bridge from 6-6:45 p.m.

Vessels in the parade will gather near the south end of Jewfish Key. The parade will head northwest along the Longboat Pass Bridge and then continue north in the Intracoastal Waterway, passing the Bradenton Beach City Pier and ending at the Bradenton Beach Marina.

For boaters who would like to join in the boat parade, entry is free and open to both powerboats and sailboats. The downloadable entry form is available at lovebradentonbeach.com.

Parade participants must attend a mandatory captain’s meeting on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Bridge Street Pier.

Judges will be randomly selected from the crowd at the city pier. Vessels can win a cash prize in one of two categories: Best Decorated Vessel or Most Enthusiastic Vessel.

Christmas on Bridge Street attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food item and help “Stuff the Truck” for the Manatee Food Bank.