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County commissioners to vote on wetland buffers

County commissioners to vote on wetland buffers

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

On Sept. 26, Suncoast Waterkeeper hosted a panel discussion of the “Value of Wetlands” that was attended by over 150 concerned citizens. During the discussion, scientists including Tampa Bay Estuary Program Executive Director Ed Sherwood, A.J. Reisinger and Jim Bays provided attendees with the science behind the value of wetlands and answered questions.

Suncoast Waterkeeper is encouraging citizens to take the facts communicated by the invited scientists to the Manatee County Commission on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 9 a.m. when commissioners are scheduled for a final vote on the proposed reduction of wetland buffers. To watch the science panel event, tune into Manatee Education Television or YouTube.

What is at stake?

The Manatee County Comprehensive Plan is a set of goals and objectives put into policy by the Land Development Code. The proposed changes to the comprehensive plan’s element 3 – conservation – will eliminate all but one objective under Goal 3.3. This begs the question, can the county meet Goal 3.3 when most of the objectives created to meet the goal are removed?

Goal 3.3 states its purpose is “to protect, enhance, and maintain the natural flora and fauna resources of Manatee County to aid in the filtration of contaminants, provide for the preservation of native species for passive recreational and aesthetic enjoyment, and to provide a healthy environment for Manatee County residents and visitors.”

The proposed comprehensive plan changes will:

1. Eliminate protection for all viable wetlands beyond those deemed deserving of protection by the state of Florida. Currently, one of Manatee County’s objectives, which directs policy, is to protect all viable wetlands, even if they are not protected by the state. This additional protection for wetlands will be eliminated. Therefore, by reverting to the state for wetland protection rules, some of Manatee County’s viable wetlands will no longer be protected and will be open for development.

2. Eliminate the greater than or equal to 50-foot buffer requirement along all watercourses flowing into our drinking water sources. The development pressures around Lake Manatee are very high. This language change would eliminate protections for streams/creeks/branches that flow into Lake Manatee and other drinking water sources, such as the Peace River. State law does not require buffers around watercourses. Thus, residential developments will be allowed to infringe on the banks of these watercourses, subjecting them to siltation, bank erosion and contamination from multiple sources, including backyard lawn care practices such as applying pesticides and fertilizers.

3. Reduce buffers from greater than or equal to 50 feet to a minimum of 15 feet and average of 25 feet for outstanding Florida waters and aquatic preserves. Outstanding Florida Waters in Manatee County include all the bays (Sarasota, Palma Sola, Terra Ceia, etc.). Therefore, the requirement for extra mangrove protection around the bays will be lost. Instead of having rows of mangrove trees between homes and the bays, there will just be one row of mangroves. Can a single row of mangroves provide the protections necessary to withstand the next storm surge, abate the next high wind event, or provide the habitat necessary to maintain fish stocks important for commercial, sports and recreational fishing?

The Watershed Overlay Districts indicate where wetlands and watercourses have greater protections than what is required by the state of Florida because they are connected to local drinking water supplies.

What can you do?

Attend the Thursday, Oct. 5 Board of County Commissioners Land Use meeting at 9 a.m. The meeting agenda is available online.

Submit an online comment before it closes on Oct. 3.

Email your commissioner

Sign the Petition

For more detailed information check out Suncoast Waterkeeper’s September newsletter and consider joining the effort to protect local waters.

Homes are shrinking, but not on AMI

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

Well, here we go with another everything old is new again story. This time it’s about the size of the average American home.

The homes most of us, certainly my generation, grew up in were small relative to the average family home today. We shared bedrooms and bathrooms, and the whole family sat together in the only family living room to watch the only family TV. According to the census data, some of that is coming back.

Census data shows that the median square footage of floor area for new construction single-family homes in the U.S. peaked at 2,519 during the first quarter of 2015. This has since dropped 13% to 2,191 as of the second quarter of 2023. But don’t think that because the amount of square footage has been declining the cost is also declining. According to John Burns Research and Consulting, the cost per square foot has accelerated to 13% in 2021 and 10% in 2022.

So, what are the builders eliminating from their newly-built properties to produce tighter, more efficient living spaces? First, they are axing dining areas, bathtubs and separate living rooms. Secondary bedrooms and loft spaces are shrinking and frequently disappearing. Much of this downsizing is the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and everyone’s focus is on saving energy and conserving our natural resources.

To compensate for the lack of formal dining and living rooms, they are increasing the size of multi-use rooms like kitchens and great rooms. Some families are opting to use the kitchen island as the primary dining area and expand their outdoor space for entertaining. Shared bathrooms are back in style and bathtubs with all the water jets and seating areas are gone along with the extra expense of building them.

Since formal dining is gone, so is the formal dinnerware, glassware, starched linens and the glass-faced cabinets formerly used to store them and show them off. Your grandmother would not be happy. Instead, builders are giving their customers more practical storage for wine racks, appliance drawers and roll-out shelving.

Unfortunately, most of this type of downsizing is not helping the prices. The overall price may be less, but the price per square foot is not, so you’re paying more for less. Nevertheless, first-time homebuyers are likely happy with the compromise just to be able to get into a home.

Home size may be shrinking but you would never know it riding around Anna Maria Island.

The new construction homes look bigger than ever, and they are. However, these multi-bedroom fun palaces are not designed for families to live in, they’re designed for investment owners to rent. Homes on the Island are being repurposed and converted into rental properties at the expense of owners who are either full-time or seasonal.

Rest assured, Anna Maria Island is not alone in the world with this problem. A recent article I read talks about Venice, Italy being out of control with tourists chasing out residents from the island city. Venice’s resident population is in steady decline, dropping below 50,000 last year for the first time in more than three centuries. This is down from 66,000 two decades ago and 175,000 in the early 1950s.

Smaller homes with fewer bedrooms and baths may not be happening on Anna Maria Island, but families who live in less of a tourist area are reconsidering their priorities. You may not like the demographic change for the Island but at least we’re in good company.

Holmes Beach logo

Holmes Beach mayor responds to consolidation threat

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

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are making sure that state leaders know where they stand on the idea of consolidating the three Anna Maria Island cities.

Prior to an upcoming Manatee County Legislative Delegation meeting planned for Thursday, Oct. 5, Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Manatee) and Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Manatee) sent out a letter warning the mayors of all three Island cities that if they don’t have a proposal for how the three municipalities can better work together, the state leaders would be seeking a state-funded and run study to determine if the cities should be consolidated into a single municipality.

Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth responded individually to both legislators on behalf of the city in letters dated Sept. 26. During a meeting on the same day, she added that she’d also spoken with Boyd on Sept. 22 and felt that they’d had a productive discussion.

Titsworth said that while city leaders are not in opposition to the study if it is used to find ways to reduce the tax burden on residents, they’re not in favor of using it as a means of paving the way toward consolidation of the three Island cities. While the cities share a single 7-mile island, she said they each have their own character that charms both residents and visitors alike.

She added that during her discussion with Boyd, she apprised him of the steps the leaders of all three Island cities are taking toward making processes more streamlined across the board, such as the building permitting process and the efforts they’re making to work together to consolidate some other processes.

While state leaders had made suggestions such as combining law enforcement, public works and building department efforts into a single department across the Island instead of one for each city, there are currently no plans to integrate any of those departments into one.

Vote could reduce wetlands protection

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Water Quality.

BRADENTON – In response to a preliminary Manatee County commission vote to reduce wetland buffers on Aug. 17, the environmental community is making it clear that scientific evidence backs up the importance of wetland protection.

In a press release announcing a Sept. 26 Value of Wetlands Science panel discussion sponsored by the environmental advocacy group Suncoast Waterkeeper, its executive director, Dr. Abbey Tyrna, began with a quote from County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, who said at the August meeting, “I’m not being shown any data to back up good intentions.”

Tyrna noted that the Aug. 17 meeting had four hours of public comment and included both passion and logic from scientists, engineers, professionals and residents opposing the change.

“(Van Ostenbridge) is just one of the six Manatee County commissioners

in charge of protecting remaining wetlands and aquatic buffers under the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan who claim there is insufficient science to support current policies,” she wrote. “In the face of outright disapproval from their constituents, the board still voted 6-1 (to reduce local wetland buffers), with the only opposing vote coming from Commissioner (George) Kruse.”

On Thursday, Oct. 5 at 9 a.m., Manatee County commissioners will consider adopting an ordinance to amend the comprehensive plan to “achieve consistency with state standards” for wetlands.

The proposed changes include eliminating the 50-foot wetland buffer requirement along inflowing watercourses and reducing wetland buffers from 50 feet to the state minimum of 15 feet and an average of 25 feet for Outstanding Florida Waters and Aquatic Preserves.

“If it’s true that all the Board of County Commissioners need is scientific data, then we are in luck – there are plenty of scientific studies on wetlands and water quality being conducted across the state,” Tyrna wrote.

“This panel is a continued effort to save our wetlands and follows a public petition which has garnered 2,168 signatures and counting,” she wrote. “Other organizations supporting this fight include ManaSota-88, East Manatee Preservation, Waterline Road Preservation Group, Speak Out Manatee, Florida Kids for Clean Water, Manatee League of Women Voters and Manatee Fish and Game.”

The Sept. 26 science panel at the Bradenton Woman’s Club drew more than 150 people including Kruse, the lone voice of dissent in the 6-1 commission vote.

“All we heard on that board (of county commissioners) was there was no science behind this,” Kruse said. “I knew that wasn’t true. It may be one thing to disagree with the science, but the science is definitely there.”

He said he attended the panel discussion an as audience member to hear speakers with firsthand knowledge of wetland science.

“I know there will be at least one vote against this” at the Oct. 5 meeting, Kruse said, referring to himself. “We just need three more.”

Speakers at the Sept. 26 Value of Wetlands Science Panel at the Bradenton Woman’s Club were Ed Sherwood, executive director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, A.J. Reisinger, assistant professor of Urban Soil and Water Quality at the University of Florida and Jim Bays, president of Stewards of Our Lakes (SoUL.)

Tyrna moderated the discussion. Each speaker spoke for 15 minutes and the presentation was followed by a question and answer period.

“Tampa Bay is one of 28 national estuary programs established by Congress as estuaries of national significance,” Sherwood said. “We’re interested in protecting wetlands because our estuary is continuing to be urbanized. We only have about 32% of the natural lands undeveloped in the watershed.”

Sherwood said habitats that are key to fish and wildlife have been lost as land development is expected to increase.

“There’s not enough space,” Sherwood said. “A lot of it has already been developed and those opportunities don’t exist. So we need to do our best with what we have now to look at our existing native habitats while looking for new and novel ways to expand our opportunities.”

It’s taking more and more effort to find those restoration opportunities, he said.

“In the past 30 years, we’ve lost about 180,000 acres of opportunity,” Sherwood said. “Development that’s going on has outpaced our ability to restore these key habitats. We’ve converted restorable lands to developed lands. We need to continue to make investments in restoring these key habitats.”

In addition to environmental benefits, Sherwood said the watershed has economic benefits.

“In Manatee County alone, there’s about $70 million in flood protection benefits just from the wetlands over a 30-year period,” he said. “There’s both economic and intrinsic value to these habitats.”

Resinger discussed scientific studies showing the role of stormwater systems role in flood control and the enhancement of water quality.

Bays outlined other benefits of wetland buffers.

“It’s not just the wetlands that are important, but the areas around them,” Bays said. “They remove pollutants, provide water storage and preserve habitat for animals that live along the perimeter.”

Other ancillary benefits include opportunities to grow plants that will mitigate the effects of climate change, provide trails for such activities as birdwatching and have an aesthetic value, he said.

“A 30- to 50-foot buffer is needed to achieve nutrient removal and protect wildlife,” he said.

During a question and answer period, Tyrna read a question submitted by an audience member.

“What do you say to people who do not believe in science to guide decision-making?” she read.

All three panelists agreed that conversation is key.

“I think we live, work and play in the Tampa Bay region because of certain aesthetics,” Sherwood said. “At the end of the day, I think we can have common conversations about what makes Tampa Bay special.”

“You need to figure out connections and reach people where they are,” Reisinger said.

“I would first ask them what is guiding your decisions,” Bay said. “I believe it’s a matter of education and outreach for those folks.”

Meeting attendees received cards with information about the upcoming Thursday, Oct. 5 meeting at the Honorable Patricia M. Glass Chambers at the Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton, suggesting that parties meet, call or email their county commissioners to register their opposition and attend the meeting.

Mayor’s letter addresses consolidation study

Mayor’s letter addresses consolidation study

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

ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy has sent State Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Manatee, Hillsborough) and State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R- Manatee, Sarasota) a written response to their continued push for a state-funded Island consolidation study, expressing his and the city commission’s partial support.

“We endorse the study and wish to actively participate going forward in its development. We heartily welcome new ideas which can both reduce taxes as well as provide expanded and enhanced services to our community,” Murphy wrote in the Sept. 29 letter. “With that being the stated goal of the study, you have our whole-hearted support with this effort. Our city opposes both governmental consolidation or de-annexation (elimination) of the local governments on our Island.”

Murphy’s letter serves as the city’s formal response to the Aug. 21 letter that Boyd and Robinson sent to the three Anna Maria Island mayors informing them that the legislators’ pursuit of a consolidation study conducted by Florida’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) remains active. OPPAGA is a research arm of the Florida Legislature and provides data, evaluative research and objective analyses that assist legislators in their budget and policy deliberations.

STUDY DELAYED

Study requested

On Jan. 12, the Manatee County Legislative Delegation that consists of Boyd, Robinson, State Sen. Joe Gruters (R- Manatee, Sarasota), State Rep. Tommy Gregory (R- Manatee) and State Rep. Mike Beltran (R- Manatee, Hillsborough) unanimously supported requesting an OPPAGA consolidation study be conducted before the 2024 legislative session begins in January 2024.

Mayor’s letter addresses consolidation study
Sen. Jim Boyd supports a consolidation study. – Flsenate.gov | Submitted

On Jan. 19, the delegation members sent a letter to Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo requesting an OPPAGA study to be completed by Sept. 15.

“The study should focus on the potential benefits of combining the three municipalities of Anna Maria Island, which encompasses the cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach. The study should analyze the existing municipalities and present any and all options for future government structure on Anna Maria Island,” the delegation letter said.

That letter stated all three Island cities experienced significant population declines between 2000 and 2020, with Anna Maria’s population decreasing by 46%, Holmes Beach’s population decreasing by 39% and Bradenton Beach’s population decreasing by 39% during that 10-year period.

“If all three cities were combined, their population would bring the resident population to a state ranking of 478 out of 950,” the letter noted.

Study delayed

On Jan. 30, Boyd and Robinson met with Murphy, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth and agreed to give the mayors some time to develop ideas on how to consolidate some of the similar services each city provides.

On Aug. 21, Boyd and Robinson sent a letter to the three mayors informing them that the delegation was resuming its pursuit of an OPPAGA study. That letter stated the ma

Mayor’s letter addresses consolidation study
Rep. Will Robinson Jr. supports a consolidation study. -Myfloridahouse.gov | Submitted

yors had not presented any “implementable concepts” regarding the potential consolidation of police, building department and public works department services in order to help lower the rising property taxes paid by Anna Maria Island property owners.

“We tabled the OPPAGA study in good faith to allow you the time to find better ways of coordination and present such to the delegation. Unfortunately, we have not received any major update so far,” Boyd and Robinson stated in their letter. “Please be assured that the delegation, and the authors of this letter, have not made a decision on consolidation or de-annexation while we await your response. We would like to receive your response prior to our delegation meeting scheduled for Oct. 5. Should we not hear back from you before the delegation meeting, we will move forward with our request to OPPAGA.”

The Manatee County Legislative Delegation meeting will take place at Bradenton City Hall in downtown Bradenton on Thursday, Oct. 5 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

City’s response

Murphy first addressed Boyd and Robinson’s letter during the Aug. 24 Anna Maria City Commission meeting.

After noting that he met with Chappie and Titsworth earlier that day, he said, “Unanimously, we agreed that the right thing to do is to embrace this study. If this study can reduce our taxes, and if it could also enhance and improve the scope of services to the residents of this Island, we’re all in. The scope (of the study) should not be the consolidation or the elimination or the de-annexation of the three municipalities on this Island.”

According to Murphy, each of the three Island mayors are submitting their cities’ written responses to Boyd and Robinson.

In his Sept. 29 letter, Murphy addressed the loss of full-time residents referenced in the delegation’s letter to Passidomo.

“Even though our cities are small in permanent population, our actual population is six- and seven-fold higher in reality. With over 70% of our dwellings being upscale vacation rental homes, our real population continues to grow at a rapid exponential rate while our permanent resident population declines. We struggle to meet the demands and expectations for services to this growing upscale community and we feel this study will help us proactively meet those increased demands and expectations head-on,” Murphy wrote.

“On the other hand, our primary concern with governmental consolidation is a loss of our individuality. Each city on this Island presents a distinctly different environment to full-time residents and visitors alike. Speaking for the city of Anna Maria, we have long been, and we remain, a cultural and quiet residential bastion on the Island,” Murphy wrote.

His letter referenced the Island Players theater, the Anna Maria Island Historical Society and historical museum, The Center of Anna Maria Island and the City Pier as Anna Maria-based entities. It also mentioned the city-sponsored Veterans Day Parade, the Memorial Day veterans’ recognition ceremony, the seasonal farmers market and the free movies at City Pier Park that are unique to Anna Maria.

“These differentiators make our city a cultural and residential jewel for locals and visitors. Our concern is that all of these cultural differentiators would become lost through a governmental consolidation process,” Murphy wrote.

“Combining these three unique and culturally diverse communities into one ‘vanilla community’ would result in the loss of the most valuable asset our Island offers, our diverse cultural differences. One size would not fit all in this instance,” he wrote.

Letter to the Editor: Kids want wetlands preserved

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

Dear Manatee County Commissioners,

We are kids who live in Manatee County and the surrounding areas. We love our community and our environment. We are sunset watchers. We are kayakers of mangrove swamps, snorkelers of seagrass beds, and sailors of our beautiful bay. These are the things we love, the experiences that have shaped us.

That’s why we are distressed to see our wetlands disappearing and our waters becoming increasingly dirty. We are concerned that we are losing what we love, that the reckless destruction of our environment being committed today will leave us nothing for tomorrow.

We are shocked and saddened that you are considering removing our already inadequate wetland protections. If our wetlands are destroyed, we stand to lose everything we love about our home forever. Decisions like this will define your legacy. Please, do not eliminate the county’s increased wetland buffer requirements.

 

Brice Claypoole

Manatee County

 

(Editor’s note: 71 other minors signed this letter)

Guest Editorial: Wild AMI depends on us

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Guest column, Opinion.

Anna Maria Island provides more than pristine water and white sand beaches for residents and visitors. As one of Florida’s west coast barrier Islands, it is ecologically diverse and an important habitat for a variety of wildlife.

The Gulf provides abundant fish, mollusks and crustaceans that support a large population of bottlenose dolphins. Manatees, also known as sea cows, graze seagrasses in the Gulf and Sarasota Bay. Manatees have been listed as an imperiled species since 1967 and protected areas have been set aside for them in the Sarasota Bay.

The island is a sanctuary for sea turtles and shorebirds. About 90% of all sea turtle nesting in the United States takes place on Florida beaches. Manatee and Sarasota County host the highest density of loggerhead nests in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2022, there were 453 nests with a record of 35,850 turtle hatchlings and successful crawls to the Gulf. Shorebirds such as black skimmers, least terns and snowy plovers nest on Anna Maria Island from spring through early summer. Research has demonstrated that chronic disturbance from human activity around nesting birds has a negative impact on reproduction according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Shorebirds need space to nest, rest and feed undisturbed.

Like Anna Maria Island wildlife, visitors and residents depend on the water quality of Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and the health of the beaches and they make an effort to maintain the beaches and swimming areas. AMI’s three cities are leading a combined effort to improve local water quality with the Islanders 4 Clean Water campaign. Locals serving with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring coordinate with county, state and federal efforts to conserve sea turtles and shorebirds. The Wildlife Inc. Education and Rehabilitation Center on AMI rescues and rehabilitates wild animals, and Mote Marine Laboratory cares for manatees, sea turtles and dolphins.

As stewards of Anna Maria Island’s resources and biological diversity, we are learning to make use of the earth’s natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable, in a manner that ensures sustainability and equity into the distant reaches of time. This attitude of stewardship requires full consideration of the potential environmental consequences of all development activities. It compels us to temper our actions with moderation and humility, realizing that the true value of nature cannot be expressed in economic terms. It is important for us to understand the natural world and its role in our collective development – both material and spiritual. Therefore, sustainable environmental management must come to be seen not as a discretionary commitment that we can weigh against other competing interests, but rather as a fundamental responsibility that must be shouldered – a prerequisite for spiritual development as well as the individual’s physical survival.

We must carefully evaluate the environmental impact as well as social requirements before deciding to develop a three-story parking garage on Manatee Beach.

– Eileen Jellison

Public hearings scheduled on Bridge Street hotel

Public hearings scheduled on Bridge Street hotel

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

BRADENTON BEACH – In the first of what will be multiple public hearings about an application for a 106-unit resort hotel at the corner of Bridge Street and Gulf Drive, the city Planning and Zoning Board will conduct a hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. at City Hall.

In addition to the hotel, the proposed project includes a 60-seat restaurant, 2,485 square feet of retail space and 99 on-site parking spaces. The project area extends to Third Street South and would require zoning changes.

City Clerk Terri Sanclemente published notices for the Nov. 1 hearing as well as public hearings before the City Commission on Thursday, Nov. 16 at noon and Thursday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. All meetings will be held at City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.

According to the notices, the hearings will be held regarding an ordinance amending zoning for 1.61 acres at 101, 105 and 117 Bridge St. and 106, 108, 110 and 112 Third St. S., establishing a planned development overlay district within the C-1 and C-2 zoning districts.

City Building Official Steve Gilbert told The Sun in December 2022 that a proposed development carrying a major development designation must be reviewed by the city’s Planning and Zoning Board and then approved by the city commission. Gilbert said multiple land development code interpretations will be required and multiple land use issues will need to be addressed before the proposed development can be advertised for public hearings before the planning board and city commission.

The Land Development Code application for the project was made on Dec. 2, 2022 by property owners Shawn Kaleta and Jacob Spooner. Kaleta is a developer on Anna Maria Island. Spooner is a Bradenton Beach businessman and commercial property owner and a member of the Bradenton Beach City Commission and the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency. As a sitting city commissioner, Spooner would have to recuse himself from any commission discussions and votes related to the proposed hotel development.

With Commissioner Marilyn Maro absent with excuse for an extended period of time, and with Spooner’s recusal, that leaves only three City Commissioner members – Mayor John Chappie and Commissioners Ralph Cole and Jan Vosburgh – to consider the application.

According to Bradenton Beach Code of Ordinances Section 10, however, an affirmative “supra-majority vote,” (at least four out of five members) of the City Commission is required to approve any comprehensive plan amendment including map or text amendments, rezoning, special exception, variance or vacation of any city rights-of-way.

“Luis (City Planner Luis Serna) and I agree that a PUD (Planned Unit Development) process should include an ordinance to apply a PUD overlay on top of the zoning map,” Gilbert said. “As far as our understanding is concerned, the ordinance adopting that PUD overlay will require whatever supra-majority vote the city attorney deems appropriate.”

Any interested party may appear at the meetings and be heard. Copies of the proposed ordinance are on file at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., and may be reviewed between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding holidays.

Commissioner Kruse hosts Island talk

Commissioner Kruse hosts Island talk

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

HOLMES BEACH – Only 18 people came out to the Island Branch Library on a stormy Wednesday night to hear what Manatee County Commissioner-at-large George Kruse had to say, but the conversation continued for nearly two hours.

Kruse held his monthly town hall meeting in Holmes Beach and invited anyone who attended to ask him questions. One of the hot topics of the night was the anticipated parking garage at Manatee Beach.

Parking garage

While Kruse said he wasn’t particularly for or against the parking garage, he doesn’t believe that it’s worth the cost to taxpayers or the best use of an estimated $30-50 million.

“We have much more important things to do in this county,” he said. “We do not have the money to do all the important CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) work we need to do. We don’t collect enough in impact fees; we don’t collect enough in FIF (Facility Investment Fees). We need to be focusing on our bridges, we need to be focusing on our major roads, we need to be focusing on Ft. Hamer, so for anyone to tell me this parking garage is even in the top 50 most important things is asinine,” Kruse said, referring to a recent county commission work session where several of his fellow commissioners stated that the Manatee Beach parking garage was a top priority project for the county.

Due to legislation signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and supported by members of the Manatee County legislative delegation, Manatee County commissioners can go against Holmes Beach city ordinances and the city’s land development code to build a three-story parking garage at the county-owned Manatee Beach, located in the Island city. If it’s built, the parking garage is planned to have 900 parking spaces along with restroom, concession and retail facilities. The project would require the removal of the restaurant, restroom, bar and retail store at the beach, along with the existing 400+ parking spaces.

Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, who is leading the charge to build the garage, said he estimates the garage will take at least two years to build. During that time, no parking, facilities or public access would be available at the popular beach.

Infrastructure and utilities

Another topic of conversation was water.

Kruse said that the county is facing a number of infrastructure issues, including a water shortage and water quality.

“We’re running into a water capacity issue,” Kruse said. “Not tomorrow, but I have to look into the future. You can’t build something in a day.”

He said that the long-term growth going on in the county will eventually create a strain on water utilities. As to the issue of water quality, he said he’s looking for any ideas to help increase water quality in the county in order to help increase water capacity for the county.

He also addressed the issue of the water main serving the north end of the Island that is still being repaired.

“That happened because we’re not maintaining it,” he said of the pipe that fell off the bridge this summer and has since been replaced with a temporary pipe taking up the south side of the sidewalk. “We don’t have the money to maintain it because fees and rates have been kept too low for too long. No previous board wanted to be on the hook to increase something even a nickel because then they’re going to have some negative campaign ad against them saying they raised taxes, so we kept the rates artificially low. It covered the water, but it didn’t cover the maintenance.”

Kruse added that the fees paid by developers that are supposed to help increase capacity and expand infrastructure are also too low. He estimated that those fees are about 20-30% of where they need to be.

Regarding infrastructure, he said that the county was keeping up with maintaining and creating new infrastructure, including roads, until 2008, when the housing market crashed. After that, he said it took the county years to begin collecting impact fees from builders again and by that time it was too late to catch up with all of the work that needed to be done.

“We’ve never caught up from then,” Kruse said, adding that some of his fellow commissioners have delayed a vote on increasing impact fees. Currently, he said the county is charging based on a 2015 impact study that used 2013 data. A new impact fee study has been done, though he said bringing impact fees to a vote has been delayed multiple times. Though it’s now currently slated for discussion by the commission in November, Kruse noted that if the vote is delayed again until December, an argument could be made that the study is now stale and would need to be redone, delaying the vote another six to eight months.

Bridges

On the topic of bridges, Holmes Beach Commissioner Terry Schaefer said that the Cortez Bridge is currently scheduled to be replaced in 2026, pending litigation, with the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue tentatively scheduled for 2029. On both bridges, he said, the Florida Department of Transportation is looking at adding a third lane that would be designated for transit and emergency personnel.

Kruse said the county is considering adding another trolley for the Island trolley’s free transit system. He also said he’s pushing for the county to open libraries at least part of the day on Sundays and run Manatee County Area Transit buses on Sundays, when he said people are off work and can take advantage of the free amenities.

See more of what Kruse had to say on The Sun’s YouTube channel.

Get ready for fabulous fall fishing

Get ready for fabulous fall fishing

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

The first cold front is probably still a month or more away, but fish are showing up and now is a great time to prepare for the fall season, getting tackle in order and keeping an eye on the sky for diving birds and breaking fish.

Under those birds, you’ll find Spanish mackerel, little tunny, jack crevalle and any number of other predators that come together to feast on giant schools of baitfish that migrate to nearshore waters in the fall. All will take live bait, lures or flies and can be caught on spinning, bait casting or fly tackle. Except for king mackerel and cobia, most can be landed with light (8- to 10-pound test) tackle, adding to the excitement.

Depending on the species you’re targeting, you’ll want to rig accordingly. Since it’s possible to encounter such a diversity of fish in a single outing, multiple outfits are a good idea. One of the main considerations should be rigging. After a long, hot summer, tackle can fall into disrepair and need to be replaced. However you fish, take care to avoid the number one way fish are lost, improperly tied knots. To ensure you’ll never lose a good fish to inferior knots, moisten and tighten all knots. Properly sharpened hooks and rig outfits with the appropriate bite tippet and leader are also key. Options include wire, monofilament, long-shanked hooks or a combination of these. It’s possible to catch a kingfish without wire, but your odds aren’t good. The same applies with certain exceptions to Spanish mackerel. Mackerel can sometimes shy from the wire. That’s the time to switch to a long shank hook or a heavy (60-pound) monofilament leader. Even then it’s possible to get cut off, but you’ll be guaranteed more action if the fish are feeding.

When using wire or heavier mono for a bite tippet an 8- to 12-inch trace can be tied to monofilament using an Albright Special knot (best) or a swivel. If you use a swivel, use a black one as opposed to silver to prevent fish from mistaking it for forage. American Fishing Wire makes a product called Surflon Micro Supreme that is extremely flexible and kink-resistant. This wire can be knotted to your lure, hook or fly like monofilament; it also provides greater flexibility and less stretch than monofilament. Umpqua makes a product that’s ideal for fly anglers. Their Re-Twistable Haywire Twist wire is reusable and will allow you to change flies in a snap. This is the quickest and most painless system to rig wire for toothy fish. A wire is less likely to deter a bite under low light conditions like early morning, overcast days and late in the day.

One of the most effective ways to find schooling fish in the fall is to look for surface action and diving birds in the inshore Gulf waters. Predators can also be present without revealing themselves around structure, reefs and wrecks, so a few exploratory casts around structure and baitfish schools is advisable. When you find baitfish schools and feeding fish, you can approach them by trolling, drifting or with the use of a trolling motor. Whatever method you employ, never let your boat pass through or get too close to the action. With more and more boats and anglers pursuing feeding fish, they are likely to sound and move away. The best bet is to stay outside the action but within casting distance. If trolling, make wide turns so only your lures pass through the action. On species like little tunny that surface, feed and then sound suddenly, only to resurface yards away, learn to watch hovering birds. The birds track the finicky fish as they move from between baitfish schools.

Live bait anglers target schooling fish in several ways. Anchoring upcurrent from a likely area, they may deploy a chum bag and then toss wounded live baits to draw fish into casting range. This can be an extremely effective method. Those who prefer artificial lures find spoons particularly effective as well as jigs like the DOA CAL or the Berkley Gulp. One of the most exciting and effective types of lures are top water models like the MirroLure Top Dog, the Heddon Zara Spook or the Rapala Saltwater Skitter Pop. Not only is the strike visual and often explosive, but the surface action can attract target species.

Fly fishing is also an effective and exciting way to target fall species from cobia to triple tail, Spanish mackerel and even kingfish. The same rigging applies and top water flies like the Crease fly or Garthside Gurgler can produce some memorable strikes. Clouser Deep Minnows are also a great choice for Spanish mackerel and little tunny. This would be a good time of the year to have a 10- or 11-weight rod rigged with a big black fly should a cobia or late-season tarpon make an appearance.

Whatever your fishing style, take advantage of the great action you’ll find in area waters this fall. If you’re new to the game, consider hiring a guide. It’s a great way to learn the ropes and a great value when shared with a friend. Good fishing!

Market in the eye of the beholder

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

To some people, our national real estate market is downright awful, but to others, it may be the best of real estate times. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.

Don’t believe everything you read and, believe me, I read it all. Yes, it’s true that buyers, especially first-time buyers, are having a terrible time finding an affordable house. Yes, indeed, sellers aren’t moving out of their 1,200-square-foot starter house because they have a 3% mortgage. But it’s also true that sellers who want to sell are in a pretty darn good financial position and they’re as happy as can be.

Home prices were declining for five consecutive months but all of that has reversed itself quicker than the housing economists expected. The surprisingly quick recovery suggests that the residential real estate downturn is turning out to be shorter than many housing economists expected. Even if the number of sales keeps going down, sale prices are unlikely to fall significantly. In popular regions, including Florida, bidding wars are breaking out again, reliving the insanity of the 2021 market.

A byproduct of higher selling prices and fewer sales is, of course, the fear of low appraisals. If the buyer is planning on obtaining a mortgage based on the contract price the lender will be looking for a satisfactory appraisal for at least the purchase price. If the appraisal comes in too low, that will affect the loan-to-value ratio and could easily sink the transaction.

Sellers in today’s competitive market may remove the appraisal contingency from the contract. This means that no matter the amount of the appraisal, the buyer is legally bound to complete the transaction and better have the additional cash available.

Facing a low appraisal in an escalating market is not uncommon and can be a shock to buyers. Again, they will need to come up with more cash to close the gap to proceed with the transaction. Parties to the transaction like the broker and/or attorney can ask for consideration on the appraisal if they determine that one or more of the comparable properties were not valid, however, getting appraisers to change appraisals is nearly impossible.

Time to look at Manatee County’s August sales as reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee for the month of August:

Single-family homes closed 6.9% more than last August. The median sale price was $525,000, the same as last August. The average sale price was $715,711, up 9.2% from last year. The median time to contract was 33 days, compared to 13 days last year. The month’s supply of properties was 2.8 months, compared to 2.5 last year.

Condos closed 0.8% less than last August. The median sale price was $358,990, up 1.8% from last year. The average sale price was $393,727, down 2.6% from last year. The median time to contract was 50 days, compared to 13 last year. The month’s supply of properties was 3.3 months, compared to 1.8 months.

The Realtor Association feels that our prices are steady, and Florida is enduring in its desirability among out-of-staters. The fact that new listings and pending inventory are up for both single-family and condos is encouraging. Single-family had 8.6% new listings and 8.4% pending inventory. Condos had 18% new listings and pending inventory at 16.1%.

My eye beholds further adjustments, not a downturn, and once buyers get comfortable with 7.5% interest rates, they will forget all about the 3% their friends have. This is the way the economy rolls; it can’t be timed, it can only be faced head-on.

Turtle season slows to a crawl

Turtle season slows to a crawl

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The 2023 turtle nesting season is coming to an early end, partly due to Hurricane Idalia.

“No changes in nest numbers,” Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella said. “That’s not surprising as this is usually the hatching time of year.”

The last nest on the Gulf of Mexico side of the Island hatched on Sept. 19 and volunteers continue to check three remaining nests on the bay side.

“We are still hoping to see a hatch,” she said.

Sea turtle season officially begins on May 1 and ends on Oct. 31.

Volunteers did not conduct patrols on Aug. 30 due to Idalia, but they were out on the beach assessing the status of the nests the following day.

“We had 76 unhatched nests left on the beach when Hurricane Idalia came through. Stakes were lost from all but 12 of them,” Mazzarella said.

“It is possible that some nests may still hatch, although unmarked. Turtle season is not quite over, but we are happy with the results, having allowed nearly 23,000 hatchlings to go out to sea prior to the storm.”

One local celebrity loggerhead turtle, Suzi – named after the late Suzi Fox, longtime executive director of Turtle Watch – was released from Coquina Beach on June 27 after being fitted with a satellite monitor. She is participating in the Sea Turtle Conservancy Tour de Turtles race and is currently swimming in the Gulf of Mexico near Cancun, Mexico.

The hatchling numbers from Suzi’s nest were unavailable due to the storm.

“Unfortunately, we never saw Suzi’s nest hatch prior to the storm, so we don’t have any information on how many hatchlings the nest produced,” Mazzarella said. “It is possible it hatched on one of the rainy days prior to Hurricane Idalia. The rain sometimes makes it impossible to see the hatchling tracks and therefore document the hatch.”

As the season winds down, Turtle Watch focuses on education and outreach.

“We are looking forward to having a booth at the Anna Maria Farmer’s Market in October,” Mazzarella said. “We are still compiling our data and working on coordinating with the schools about outreach programs.”

Miles Moss: Not stopped by Guillain–Barré

Miles Moss: Not stopped by Guillain–Barré

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Sports.

HOLMES BEACH – To anyone seeing him on the playground at Anna Maria Elementary School or on the field at the Island’s community center, Miles Moss looks like any 8-year-old boy. Kicking the soccer ball on the field or in the gym at The Center, Miles has excelled as a young athlete.

But it has not been an easy road for Miles to reach his position as one of the top youth goalkeepers in The Center’s recreational leagues.

Over Thanksgiving break 2016, Miles’ mother, Emily, worked as the Youth Programs Director for The Center of Anna Maria Island and had a week of fun-filled activities planned for The Center’s campers, but one November morning would forever change her family’s world.

On Nov. 21, 2016, a switch seemingly went off in Miles’ body, rendering him unable to stand or gain stability. Taking time away from the business he recently started with his uncle, Miles’ dad, Ryan, immediately took his son to the doctor, who rushed them to All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.

With conditions worsening, pain at the touch and loss of movement progressed. Testing and speculation began. The possible diagnoses ranged from encephalitis to spinal myelitis. Negative or inconclusive tests led to preventive treatments, with no improvement for Miles.

As testing continued, Miles slowly became paralyzed.

“He could no longer sit up, eat, drink or speak,” his mom said.

In excruciating pain, his spinal tap resulted in a Guillain–Barré Syndrome diagnosis. The head neurologist at All Children’s expressed to the Moss parents that Miles was the youngest patient he had seen with this diagnosis.

Miles Moss: Not stopped by Guillain–Barré
After a long road of recovery, the Moss family can look back at their journey with Guillain-Barré Syndrome as a distant memory. – Submitted

Guillain-Barré is a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system, affecting the signals to the brain, causing weakness, numbness, pain, temperature and touch sensitivities, paralysis, as well as difficulty swallowing and breathing.

The future was unknown for the entire Moss family. Because of Miles’ young age, lack of research and experience meant uncharted territory for medical professionals and everyone else involved in his recovery. The progression to recovery that typically is seen within a few weeks in most patients was not the case for Miles.

The road to recovery was up and down until Miles was well enough to start the therapy necessary to move him back to his home. During the next weeks, he started three hours of hard work a day for occupation, speech and physical therapy.

Earning the nickname “Smiles” at The School for Constructive Play, Miles brought his infectious personality with him while he worked through his daily recovery with his mom in the hospital. While Emily was with Miles, co-worker, Rainia Lardas, kept youth programs at The Center running smoothly, allowing Emily to focus on her son’s health.

Making the trip back and forth to Tampa when possible and spending weekends at the hospital, Ryan and Miles’ older brother, Mason, poured love and support into his recovery. Thanks to the Tampa Ronald McDonald House, the family had a place to escape the hospital setting for emotional and physical recovery as caregivers.

Working and growing his then-new construction company, Moss Builders, Ryan tirelessly supported Miles’ recovery.

Learning to walk again, starting with a crawl to walking with braces, Miles eventually worked up to returning to school. With sports and other daily activities, Ryan helped him regain his confidence.

According to Emily, “Ryan and Mason both helped coach and encourage him in sports and would always cheer for him along the way.

“Mason was such a trooper through it all. He never complained about the long car rides to Tampa after school, or coming for the weekends,” his mom said. According to Emily, Mason would make games out of his brother’s therapy, helping him to get through his exercises.

After more than a month at All Children’s, Miles was finally on his way home, but the road to recovery continued at Blake Hospital. The journey was not easy and it was not overnight.

Over three years later, “Miles has made a full recovery as far as we can tell,” Emily said. Completing his last therapy session in February 2020, Miles has been able to resume a full and active life.

Miles Moss: Not stopped by Guillain–Barré
Recovered from Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Miles Moss is now playing lacrosse with older brother, Mason. – Submitted

Playing sports with Mason, now 12, Miles has been dominating the soccer field both inside and outside at The Center along with his brother.

“There is always a fierce competition with his older brother, Mason, in all things,” Emily said of Miles.

In the most recent seasons, Miles has been one of the top goalies in The Center’s youth leagues and has been playing in his designated age group, as well as the older leagues.

Being an Island kid, he loves chatting it up with people fishing at the City Pier or helping the waitresses at Slim’s Place, the location of his “dream job.”

“Sometimes, when I look back at the photos, it’s hard to believe that was even my life at one point,” Emily said.

Seemingly with the hard part behind them, the Moss family is thankful that Miles thrives today. His mom’s statement of pride says it all.

“Miles is confident and loves being in the spotlight. He wants to be ‘famous’ like his dad and brother, who are often found in the sports section of the local newspaper,” she said.

The confident third grader, with the love and support of his family and the community, goes through life today like any other 8-year-old after enduring the life-altering impacts of Guillain–Barré Syndrome.

The importance of socializing your child early

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Guest column, Opinion.

By Pam Bertrand

As the director at School For Constructive Play, my 30ish years in early childhood education have produced many parent questions.

Some questions are asked in a panic, “She touched a banana pepper during dinner and must have touched her face because it’s on fire. What do I do?!” The answer to this question is to take a deep breath, get some milk, and put it on her face. The child in this story was 100% OK; her face is as fresh as a daisy, and to repay me for my awesome advice, she eventually came to work for me. She, too, would one day pass that wisdom on to another frantic parent like her mother.

Other questions are asked in less of a panic and more in regard to the philosophy at our little Island preschool. Among the most common question is, “According to your philosophy, what are the benefits of socializing my child early?”

By socializing your child early and implementing a play-based learning strategy, you are helping them to:

  • Develop a positive self-image. This enables a child to be successful in a learning environment and provides the building blocks for personal development throughout the child’s life.
  • Learn to handle their emotions in an appropriate way. Children have strong feelings. They are often confusing and beyond their control. By socializing your child early, you are helping them learn to understand, label and express their feelings towards themselves and others in appropriate ways.
  • Develop a sense of personal responsibility. When children are given opportunities to make choices and solve problems with others, they begin to learn how the world around them operates and how they function in it. In a safe and loving environment, children begin to learn their actions have consequences not just for themselves but for others as well.
  • Learn to trust and care about those around them. Through the relationships they make by socializing with their peers and teachers, children begin to develop the ability to give and receive affection and understanding. They start to learn to trust themselves and others around them.