Florida homeowner’s insurance is one of our favorite cocktail party conversations here on the coast. People who don’t live on the coast think we’re nuts to risk all just for great views and beach access. But we’re not the only homeowners who are being charged more for getting less coverage; it’s the new norm.
If you notice a drone over your roof, don’t be surprised, insurance companies are checking roofs for condition before renewing homeowner’s policies. In an effort to recoup some of their losses in recent years, insurance companies are raising deductibles, requiring new roofs and denying coverage on older homes without strong wind mitigation. With the Gulf waters overheated, we can expect more storms and higher premiums.
The national average for home insurance has gone up 20% from 2022, according to Bankrate.com. As unbelievable as it may seem, 12% of homeowners in the country don’t purchase homeowner’s insurance. About half of them have annual household incomes of less than $40,000, according to a survey by the Insurance Information Institute.
Florida is not alone in experiencing double-digit insurance increases. Companies are raising rates or completely leaving Louisiana and California in addition to Florida. There is, however, a solution for some homeowners who have the funds and nerve.
The insurance industry has a phrase for homeowners who choose not to buy homeowners insurance – it’s called “going bare.” If you own a home with a mortgage, you can stop reading right now, you don’t have the option of going bare since your mortgage lender will require you to carry sufficient coverage to repair or replace your property in the event of a major disaster.
Your lender may also require you to escrow for insurance as part of your monthly payment and then they pay the annual premium. This is, of course, to ensure that the premium is paid and their asset – your home – is insured. If this is an arrangement you have with your lender, it’s possible to ask them to allow you to pay your insurance without having to escrow for it monthly. Usually, you have to have owned your home for several years and have demonstrated a good credit score and your ability to pay your mortgage payment consistently on time.
However, if you’re a gambler, you can “self-insure,” assuming your bottom-line savings will outweigh any repairs you might have to undertake in the event of a storm or fire. Wealthy people say they have enough money saved to rebuild or move even if their house is destroyed, but for the average homeowner, it’s a bit more of a challenge.
A standard insurance policy typically covers the cost of replacement of the home and some of its contents in the event of damage or theft. Some average homeowners who have satisfied their mortgage choose to drop their insurance and bank the annual premium. Sometimes they come out ahead, especially if they have the ability to invest the money not paid for premiums at a good return, but it’s a risk not everyone can or should take. In addition, some homeowners who live in vulnerable waterfront locations are pushed into going bare when their policies are dropped and/or are renewed at a very high rate.
The increased cost of homeowner’s policies is hitting the real estate market heavily. Potential buyers can’t afford the double whammy of higher interest rates and higher insurance premiums, freezing the real estate market further. Pay the price or go bare – no good options.
When the Manatee County Board of Commissioners voted 6-1 (Commissioner George Kruse voted no) to reduce wetland buffers in the county, the audience at the meeting reacted with an audible burst of anger. I was at that meeting and, after speaking in opposition to the measure and listening to a stream of three dozen citizens do the same, it was stunning and sad to experience the government overreach and lack of concern the commission displayed for the voters who elected them. It was clear that the passage of the ill-conceived building industry measure was a foregone conclusion as little to no discussion except Commissioner Kruse’s well-reasoned objection was held. It was apparent that the six commissioners were waiting for the public comment to end so they could advance the measure.
Coming in on the heels of the decision, Hurricane Idalia’s inundation of low-lying areas of the county and barrier islands highlights the importance of wetlands and buffers not only for water quality but also for storm protection. The EPA’s document, “Wetlands: Protecting Life and Property from Flooding,” makes it clear that our coastal areas are particularly prone to flooding and storm damage and are in need of buffers.
“Wetlands in many locations play an important role in flood protection. Nowhere is this function more important than along coastal areas. Coastal areas are vulnerable to hurricanes and other powerful storms, and the flat coastal terrain means that land and property can be exposed to the full power of these storms,” the document says. “Preserving and reconstructing coastal marshes can help reduce storm damage. Coastal wetlands serve as storm surge protectors when hurricanes or tropical storms come ashore. In the Gulf Coast area, barrier islands, shoals, marshes, forested wetlands and other features of the coastal landscape can provide a significant and potentially sustainable buffer from wind wave action and storm surge generated by tropical storms and hurricanes.”
As the date for the final decision, Oct. 5, draws closer, a groundswell of resistance is coming from some expected and unexpected groups. In just the last three weeks, Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Abbey Tyrna has reported requests for presentations to address these concerns from homeowners’ associations, civic groups and even religious organizations. The Save Our Wetlands petition has garnered over 2,000 signatures. The children’s group, Kids for Clean Water, has conducted Zoom meetings to find ways to effectively address what they rightly consider a taking of their future and are organizing to get that message out to the public. There are also moves underway to address this egregious overreach at the ballot box, so expect to see challenges to the commissioners, who take their orders from developers who financed their campaigns instead of the citizens they swore to represent.
What makes this move so deceitful is the fact that prominent developers, who were unable to reduce buffers in lawsuits brought against the county, financed commissioners who are now doing their bidding. While they might win this battle, I’m 100% sure they will lose the war. If the citizens of Manatee County don’t wake up to this threat, generations of Manatee County citizens will suffer the consequences.
Make sure you are part of the solution and not part of the problem. Write letters, call your commissioners, attend meetings and make sure you engage in enlightened self-interest at the ballot box.
Now that the new school year is in session, it is time to register for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) 2023-24 School Fishing Club Program! This annual educational program focuses on teaching young anglers about best fishing practices to help ensure the future of fishing in Florida. With the unfortunate disregard for our resources by elected politicians, it’s more important than ever to prepare youth for the challenges they’ll face in the future.
We have an obligation to protect water quality and provide opportunities for future generations. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun
To register, club sponsors will need to apply for a Florida R3 Fishing Grant, which is funded by the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, Coastal Conservation Association and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. This grant will award up to 50 school fishing clubs or teams $500 each to assist with club expenses, such as the purchase of fishing licenses or gear for participants. The grant application period is open now until Sept. 15, but grant funding is not required to participate in the School Fishing Club Program.
Each participating club will be provided with a program curriculum and educational materials to be taught throughout the school year by the club sponsor. The curriculum is comprised of lessons and activities on ethical angling, conservation, Florida’s aquatic habitats, basic fishing gear and general fishing concepts, and is applicable to both fresh and saltwater fishing. Additionally, at least one conservation project activity must be completed each school year and is an opportunity for clubs to earn points for a chance to win prizes.
The deadline for submitting applications is Sept. 15. The application can be found online at the FWC website by scrolling down to Florida’s R3 Fishing Grant Program. Applicants can complete the form online or download the application to submit by email. Please email completed applications to R3Fishing@MyFWC.com. The 2023-24 School Fishing Club Program is supported by partners including Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, Coastal Conservation Association, Mud Hole Custom Tackle, Pure Fishing and the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
The grant program is open to new or existing freshwater and/or saltwater fishing clubs or teams at public, private and charter schools throughout Florida. To be considered for the grant, school fishing clubs or teams must have a minimum of five members and be represented by a school faculty member or parent.
ABOUT THE FISH & WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA
The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the FWC and other public and private partners to conserve Florida’s native animals and plants and the lands and waters they need to survive. Operating as a statewide community foundation for conservation, the foundation has raised and donated more than $65 million to conserve nature and our outdoor heritage. More information can be found online.
MANATEE COUNTY – Due to delays in receiving materials, work to repair and relocate a water main along the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue is being postponed until late September or October. The county will notify residents when the work will recommence and what impacts to travel it may cause.
Crews will be completing the last phase of the water main pipe repair, installing additional hangers to support the pipe on the east side of the bridge. Due to safety concerns, the work is not possible at night, so there will likely be lane closures and periods of one-way traffic on the bridge.
It is anticipated that the work to secure the pipe will take two to three weeks, according to a press release.
The main source of water to Anna Maria Island, the 16-inch aging water main pipe broke on June 19, causing intermittent drops in water pressure to Island residents. While repairs were underway, the north end of the Island received water through Bradenton Beach via a pipe from the south. The main was brought back into service the week of July 10.
ANNA MARIA – For more than a decade, a band of brothers bonded by the game of soccer have played pickup games on Island fields, while building friendships and an ever-growing soccer family, including many sisters in the sport.
Bringing to each game a white shirt and a dark shirt to create two teams, players knew they were in for a friendly, but competitive game of soccer.
With its roots on the Holmes Beach open fields adjacent to the municipal complex on Marina Drive, the players came together weekly, eventually using homemade goals courtesy of Darrin Wash and Wash Family Construction.
The original gang of Islanders included Rico Beissert, Lyn Clarke, Damir Glavan, Josh Sato, Kris Yavalar Chris Culhane, Greg Ross, Darrin Wash and Paul “Ace” Hayward.
From left, top row: Josh Sato, Chris Culhane and Kris Yavalar; second row: Lyn Clarke, Rico Beissert, Damir Glavan and returning players Leslie and Josh Rio; bottom row: Steve Oelfke. – Monica Simpson | Sun
Growing the love of the game, many of the pickup players helped to develop and manned the teams in The Center of Anna Maria Island’s first adult co-ed soccer league in recent history. The league at its origin more than eight years ago was a mix of the pickup players and the parents of The Center’s youth soccer league players.
Among the many players who helped grow the league, Clarke, the oldest Island player at 83, used the pickup games as his Center team’s official practices. On Clarke’s first season roster were experienced players and individuals who had never laced up a pair of “boots” as he called them.
The Center’s league is now comprised of a solid mix of the OGs, former college soccer players and soccer coaches, with sprinklings of first timers and players seeking a fun, competitive environment.
Hayward was one of the pickup players who participated in the first seasons of the Center’s league. The player and coach, like many, brought his infectious passion for soccer to the Island. The Hayward “smiledeep” corner remains at The Center of Anna Maria Island’s soccer field as a dedication to his lifelong passion for the sport and the deep tie he had with this group of Islanders.
Shortly after his death, The Center was the venue for a soccer tournament in his name, with many of the pickup players helping to make the event a success. The second “smiledeep” soccer tournament, dedicated to Hayward, is scheduled at The Center on Saturday, Nov. 11.
As the pickup group grew, a new generation of OGs expanded the group. While there is a consistent core group of players, others come and go as their lives have taken them on and off Anna Maria Island.
The bond is on and off the pitch, with gatherings at Slim’s Place to watch the soccer match of the day and sharing a meal at the local German restaurant to celebrate Octoberfest with some of the German players on the Island.
The love of the sport and the love of country makes this group an amazing collective of individuals from all walks of life, bonded by “football.” With a large contingency of international players, the world’s most popular sport ties together those who made the Anna Maria Island area home after moving to the United States.
Sometimes choosing something that you thought was totally out of your range becomes the obvious choice. In a tight real estate market with little inventory, for some buyers, new construction is the best choice.
I don’t need to tell anyone reading this that the sound of hammering has become the backdrop music on Anna Maria Island. New homes are going up all over the place, some built on spec and some custom. This is also happening all over the country to compensate for the national lack of inventory.
Newly-built homes accounted for nearly one-third of single-family homes for sale nationwide in May. Historically, new homes represent between 10% to 20% of the market. Even investors are getting into the new home market to use as rentals or to flip down the road and there are plenty of these buyers represented around the Island.
With no inventory to choose from, buyers across the country are improving new home builders’ bottom line. The big builders are offering incentives to buy one of their new homes, some even with temporary advantageous financing benefits. Based on rising demand, builders are adding more homes to their inventory and buyers are more than happy to find a home that doesn’t need renovation.
As always, what happens on Anna Maria stays on Anna Maria, and very little of what happens in the Midwest or western parts of the country transfers to Florida. But there are still some basic caveats to follow when buying a new home.
Builders always want you to add upgrades to their basis home price. If you can afford major upgrades, better to do it while the home is under construction, but chose your upgrades carefully. Upgrading plumbing and electrical is smarter than upgrading kitchen cabinets, tile and countertops.
Look for areas during construction to cut corners without sacrificing quality. Sounds impossible, but an honest conversation with the contractor may reveal ideas you never thought of.
Read the fine print on the contract. Are appliances included and what are they? Be specific. What paint colors are included in the contract? If everything is getting a couple of coats of builder’s white, what will it cost you to have the builder paint colors in specific areas? New construction contracts usually have construction timelines with deadlines. This frequently coincides with incremental payments either from a cash buyer or draws from a bank construction loan.
Finally, even though it’s new, it may not be perfect. Don’t think that because you have a warranty it covers everything. A warranty on new homes covers items like materials, workmanship, systems and structural defects. A bad paint job may not come under the workmanship umbrella and may require more specific wording in the contract.
It’s also recommended that buyers hire a structural inspector to check the property at specific times during the construction process. This might be before the foundation is poured, and before the drywall is installed to make sure anything behind the walls like electrical work is up to code. The last inspection is at the completion of the home.
Local contractors are pouncing on older Island cottages, calling in the bulldozers and erecting mega homes. With little coming on the market and even less in pristine condition, new construction may be the only viable game in town, a no-brainer for those who can afford it.
Election season is coming up and it’s a strange one this year on Anna Maria Island, mainly because there are no elections being held in any of the three cities. All the qualified candidates are incumbents, leaving no reason for voters to go to the polls in November.
Either residents are happy with their current elected officials or are there no more willing volunteers on the Island.
It may be the latter.
Holmes Beach commissioners are about to amend their city’s charter because only one person qualified to run for the five-person 2024 Charter Review Commission. In Anna Maria, the historic preservation board just dropped its numbers down to three people so that it only takes two volunteers showing up to have a quorum.
Are Island residents just not taking an interest in their city governments anymore or is the lack of volunteers due to residents leaving the Island?
While city leaders in Holmes Beach say their population grew over the past year, U.S. Census data from 2021, the most recent data publicly available, shows a drop in full-time residents across the Island.
Drops in population combined with a lack of willing candidates to run for office could signal a shift that some Manatee County and state leaders are looking for, one that would indicate the three Island cities are ripe for consolidation.
Our communities need some volunteers to step up to work on committees and run for office. Otherwise, it may just be the straw that breaks the Island’s back.
On Aug. 17, mortgage interest rates spiked to 7.09%, the highest in years per Freddie Mac. A lot of this has to do with the 10-year treasury yield, which hit its highest level since 2008 on the same day. Since mortgage rates tend to move somewhat with the 10-year treasury, rates went up combined with the Fed’s ongoing attempt to tame inflation.
Last year when rates started going up, except with a brief decline at the end of 2022, the consensus was that the higher cost to borrow would be temporary. Now, however, eight months later, all players in the real estate market are adjusting to the idea that higher rates are either here to stay or at least will be around for a long time.
So, what does that mean to the average home buyer? Essentially it means it’s time to get off the bench and make a commitment since things aren’t changing any time soon. That, of course, is easy for me to say but the truth is buyers are finding it is the hardest thing to accomplish even after they adjust to higher rates.
The lack of inventory all across the country is pushing prices up to a level many buyers can’t afford. After all, if you had a 3% or 4% mortgage, would you sell your home and move on to something else unless you absolutely had to? Probably not, and that is the log jam in the real estate market. About 60% of the country has mortgages below 4% and even homeowners who missed the absolute bottom are still ahead of the curve by at least 2 percentage points.
Buyers need to understand there is no crystal ball and even the real estate gurus called it wrong with their temporary thinking. Now is the time buyers have to bite the bullet by downsizing their expectations and being flexible. Not all of your children need their own bathroom or even their own bedroom, and you can prepare dinner in a kitchen without a quartz island; millions of people do.
Look at the additional expense of a higher mortgage from a monthly payment perspective. When you break it down into financial pieces, it may not be as intimidating, kind of like upgrading your iPhone. Don’t ask what it costs, just what it will cost monthly.
Let’s look at Manatee County’s July sales statistics reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota & Manatee:
Single-family homes closed 10.1% more properties this July compared to last July. However, the median sale price of $515,000 was down by 1.2% and the average sale price of $641,991 was also down by 6.9%. The median time to contract was 29 days this July compared to 9 days last year and the month’s supply of properties was 2.7 months, about the same as last year.
Condo sales were down 8.0%, the median sale price was $389,500, down 0.4% from last year and the average sale price was $523,922, down 2.5%. The median time to contract was 36 days this year compared to 10 days last year, and the month’s supply of properties was 3.4 months compared to 1.6 months last year.
The Association of Realtors states, “Despite higher interest rates, the housing market in Sarasota and Manatee counties stays strong due to low supply and continued demand with relatively stable prices.”
A lot of what’s going on in other parts of the country does not aways apply to Florida, which tends to march to its own drummer. All real estate markets are local, and all states have different economic challenges. Sales are taking longer to book, but overall, Manatee County is hanging in there.
Sarasota Bay Watch, a local nonprofit, is dedicated to educating and enlisting the Sarasota Bay community to act to preserve and protect our waters. Some community efforts include cleanups, above and below the water’s surface, to remove trash and entangling debris, and initiate vegetative and shellfish restoration. The organization also creates programs that promote youth education and leadership.
Sarasota Bay Watch has been conducting its annual Scallop Search for over 13 years. Unfortunately, in recent years, COVID-19 and red tides have canceled the searches.
Why are scallops important? Scallops serve as canaries in the coal mine, providing a good indicator of water quality since they are affected by storms, water salinity, red tide and predation. In addition, during the search, a great deal of information is collected on various shellfish like clams, seagrasses, and other marine organisms.
This citizen science approach (community information gathering) not only benefits the organization but also educates the community on life in our waters. Changes in populations, temperatures, and pollution are reflected in the marine environment. Educating the community with this hands-on activity is the goal of the search. To be a proponent of water quality protection, a basic understanding of the marine environment is essential. This is one of the event’s main objectives.
Last Saturday, Sarasota Bay Watch hosted this year’s Scallop Search at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Participants in the family-friendly boating event were tasked with collecting information on the state of Sarasota Bay from north to south. Boaters were essential to the success of the event, bringing their crews and additional volunteers out on the bay.
Students received community service hours for their involvement in the search. Participants were assigned to an area and provided equipment. They then snorkeled in their designated area and recorded what they saw.
Gathering for lunch after the event was a wonderful opportunity to meet and be inspired by like-minded individuals.
ANNA MARIA – Research Data Services’ (RDS) Ann Wittine presented an optimistic state of tourism update to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) on Aug. 21 at The Center of Anna Maria Island.
She began by addressing her company’s research into public sentiment on the new water taxi service that is slated to begin operation soon.
The Tampa-based company is the tourism consultant for the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“We are doing a water taxi survey, and we have been doing that for a while,” Wittine said. “We were out for Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July weekend and we’ll be out on Labor Day weekend. We are hearing more interest now than ever before. Not just a little bit more interest, but a significant interest in the water taxi.”
Wittine says RDS is not just talking to tourists, but also residents and business owners. She told the TDC the surveys are showing an increase in interest from all potential user groups. She said there will be more data available after the Labor Day weekend research is completed. That information will be presented at the TDC’s Monday, Oct. 16 meeting.
Wittine’s report featured the latest available statistics related to the tourism industry in Manatee County from June 2023. Total visitors were up by .8% and economic impact was up 2.9%. Room nights were down slightly from June 2022 by .5%. Wittine says this is due to larger party sizes this year.
Room occupancy for June was down slightly (2.6%) after being down 2.8% in the last report from RDS that quoted data from April 2023. The average daily room rate, however, is up 3.5%, at $216.41 per day in June 2023 compared to $209.19 in June 2022.
RDS also keeps track of where visitors are coming from when they visit the area. The largest increase in any visitor origin domestically is Florida, which is up 7.5% over the same time period in 2022. Globally, travel from Europe has risen 13%, after being down more than 13% in RDS’s April report. The largest domestic visitor origin was the Midwest, which is down 10% over the same time in 2022, but still remains strong.
“We are still double the number of Floridians that we had in 2019 that came this June,” Wittine said. “This is due to the marketing efforts we did during COVID. What this shows is, if we can bring first-time visitors, they fall in love and they come back again. That’s what the Florida number shows us.”
Wittine says the most growth potential for tourism is still Europe, which is down more than 67% since 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lastly, Wittine said the number of visitors to Manatee County was 821,900, up 2.4% from June 2022 and the economic impact was $1,382,734,200, up 7.6% from the same period.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Much of Anna Maria Island experienced storm surge and king tide-related flooding, but the barrier island survived Hurricane Idalia mostly unscathed.
During the evening hours of Tuesday, Aug. 29 and the overnight and the early hours of Wednesday morning, Hurricane Idalia passed by Anna Maria Island as a category 3 storm, far enough to the west to spare the Island from the worst of its wind damage and storm surge.
On the Island, the hurricane produced significant flooding but minimal structural damage, electrical outages or disruptions of the water and sewer services provided by Manatee County.
The storm produced no Island fatalities or reported injuries.
The plywood used to protect Hurricane Hanks in Holmes Beach was previously used during Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Ian. – Joe Hendricks | SunA hurricane party broke out at Slim’s Place in Anna Maria Tuesday afternoon. – Charlie Trygg | Submitted
A drive around the Island early Tuesday evening before the hurricane arrived indicated most residents and visitors had already evacuated or retreated to the safety of their homes and almost all Island businesses were closed. A hurricane party was unfolding at Slim’s Place in Anna Maria and folks were also still enjoying libations at the Sports Lounge in Bradenton Beach.
Storm unfolds
While the storm unfolded Tuesday night, many Island residents shared information at the Island Ratz Unite Facebook page and elsewhere on the social media platform. The Tuesday evening posts included notice of a structural fire in Holmes Beach, limited power outages and rising floodwaters.
The Bradenton Police Department posted a Facebook notice stating the Palma Sola Causeway was closed due to high water flooding one of the three roadways that lead to the Island.
Bradenton Beach police officer Tom Ferrara cautioned people not to drive on Gulf Drive during the unfolding hurricane. – Tom Ferrara | Submitted
Early Wednesday morning, well before daylight, Bradenton Beach Police Officer Tom Ferrara posted this information: “Please stay off Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach. It’s impassable and very dangerous.”
Police officer Tom Ferrara witnessed the street flooding as it occurred in Bradenton Beach early Wednesday morning. – Tom Ferrara | Submitted
At 4:25 a.m., Lexi DeLeon posted the following information: “Thigh-high flooding through Bradenton Beach. Waves are crashing at beach entrances and flooding out to Gulf Drive. Both bridges are closed.”
The morning after
The Sun’s attempted trip to the Island at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning ended at the foot of the Cortez Bridge, where Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies blocked access to the Island while Bradenton Beach officials assessed the storm damage.
Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies restricted access to the Cortez Bridge Wednesday morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Nearby in Cortez, Tide Tables restaurant co-owner Bobby Woodson and others watched the water rising over the docks and seawall and creeping up against the restaurant building. Woodson said the restaurant equipment was removed before the storm and even if some minimal interior flooding occurred, he expected to reopen on Friday.
Rising water from the Intracoastal Waterway made its way toward the Tide Tables restaurant in Cortez. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The rising waters also spilled over into the adjacent Cortez Park mobile home park, and all the side streets south of Cortez Road in Cortez were flooded.
The Cortez Park mobile home park was partially flooded Wednesday morning. – Joe Hendricks | SunThe side streets along Cortez Road were flooded. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
A subsequent trip to Manatee Avenue ended east of the causeway, where officers from the Bradenton Police Department blocked access to the roadway leading to the center of the Island. An officer there said return access to the Island was not expected until 2 p.m. or later, after the mid-day king tide subsided.
Officers from the Bradenton Police Department restricted Island access via Manatee Avenue. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
After an afternoon conference call with the three Island mayors and others, the Holmes Beach Police Department posted on its Facebook page that return access to the city would begin at 4:30 p.m., with no re-entry tags or proof of residency or business interests required.
Before the bridge reopenings were announced, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “We still have some flooding. The water is receding and Gulf Drive receded much quicker than Marina Drive. We’re hoping that within the next couple hours, it recedes enough so you can discern the difference between the roadway and the ditches.
“The city did well but I think we’re going to see some water damage because the roadways were inundated with high water. I think we had a surge of at least 6 to 7 feet,” he added.
Regarding the fire, he said, “A power line went down on a shed. The shed caught fire, then the fence next to the house caught fire and the house next to the fence caught fire. After FPL shut off the power grid, they (the fire department) quickly knocked down the fire,” Tokajer said.
Tokajer said power outages and downed power lines were minimal and he wasn’t aware of any fallen trees.
When contacted before the Cortez Bridge reopened, Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby said, “We had a lot of water and it just wasn’t safe for people to come back yet. The main road is open and the water’s gone down on the secondary roads that are passable now.
“Every street in Bradenton Beach was under a minimum of 2 feet of water, and closer to 3 or 4 feet in some places, including the avenues at the north end of the city. The Gulf flowed over to the bay and that has not happened since the ‘Storm of the Century’ in 1993. It pushed a lot of sand onto Gulf Drive and we needed extra time for Public Works to get the sand off the road to make it passable, which they accomplished in record time. Kudos to them,” Cosby said.
“Bridge Street itself flooded and we had some water intrusion, but I won’t know where until the owners get back. The pier has some damage and we’ve got some boats tied to the pier. Some of the new finger docks may have separated from their connections to the floating dock and we’ll do a full assessment tomorrow,” Cosby said.
Cosby said the Longboat Pass Bridge that leads to Longboat Key at the south end of the city would remain closed until further notice Wednesday evening.
When contacted Wednesday afternoon, before the bridges reopened, Sgt. Brett Getman said, “We’re still flooded down here. The water on North Bay is pretty deep. When the bridges open, we’ll be restricting access to residents and business owners. The city fared well. We didn’t lose electricity and there’s not a lot of wind damage. It’s mostly flood damage.”
Back on the Island
The Sun was part of the first wave of people returning to the Island on Wednesday afternoon via the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue. Gulf Drive was dry but motorists encountered several inches of standing water on Marina Drive near Keyes Marina, the Island Branch Library and Holmes Beach City Hall. Gulf Drive was free of any significant standing water, but some of the residential streets between Marina Drive and Gulf Drive remained flooded.
Returning and departing motorists encountered remaining floodwater along Marina Drive in Holmes Beach. – Joe Hendricks | SunStanding water remained near the 61st Street/Holmes Boulevard intersection late Wednesday afternoon. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
At the entrance to Anna Maria, near CrossPointe Fellowship, sheriff’s deputies asked motorists to provide reentry tags, proof of residency or proof of business intentions and those unable to provide that information were turned away.
Sheriff’s deputies restricted vehicular access to Anna Maria after the Island bridges reopened. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Nearby, a crew from Manatee County worked to unplug a plugged sewer line.
A portion of Magnolia Avenue, near Ginny’s and Jane E’s Café, was flooded and a safety barricade remained in place. A portion of North Shore Drive near Linda Lane was flooded and remained impassable for some motorists. Around the corner, Jacaranda Road was flooded and remained impassable for some motorists.
Magnolia Avenue, near Ginny’s and Jane E’s, was one of several Anna Maria streets that flooded. – Joe Hendricks | SunNorth Shore Drive in Anna Maria was flooded near Linda Lane. – Joe Hendricks | SunThe flooding on North Shore Drive extended to nearby residential structures. – Joe Hendricks | SunJacaranda Road in Anna Maria experienced significant flooding. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Near the City Pier, a barricade blocked one lane of North Bay Boulevard atop the humpback bridge and the roadway north of the bridge was severely flooded, as were several adjacent side streets.
North Bay Boulevard remained submerged as of Wednesday evening. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
By early Wednesday evening, much of the flooding in Bradenton Beach had subsided. The most visible storm damage was seen at the T-end of the Bradenton Beach Pier. A cabin cruiser anchored south of the pier broke loose during the storm, crashed into the pier and shattered a portion of the wooden pier railing.
The railing at the T-end of the Bradenton Beach pier was damaged by a careening cabin cruiser that broke free during the storm. – Joe Hendricks | SunFive live-aboard boats were tied to the Bradenton Beach Pier and the floating dock Wednesday evening. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Another cabin cruiser that broke free during the storm was tied up to the pier with its motor running, joined by another large sailboat. Two more sailboats that broke free were tied to the new finger docks connected to the floating public dock.
On Bridge Street, the Drift In bar was the first Island business to reopen that evening.
Final thoughts
When contacted Thursday afternoon, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said the storm surge and high tide reached a maximum height of approximately 4 feet in some locations.
South Bay Boulevard, near The Waterfront Restaurant in Anna Maria, was completely underwater on Wednesday. – MCSO | SubmittedSome Anna Maria beaches experienced significant hurricane-related erosion. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“The biggest issue we’ve had to deal with in the city has been flooding; and secondly, debris on the streets, including sand. We lost nearly 50 yards of beach in some locations, maybe more in others. It’ll take us a while to get the city back to normal. We’ve had crews and contractors out pumping and clearing the streets. County Commissioners Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Jason Bearden toured our city this morning and promised us whatever help we need to bring our city back to a state of normalcy,” Murphy said.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The threat of consolidation of the three Island cities isn’t over. Members of the Manatee County Legislative Delegation have warned Island mayors that they’re getting ready to start up talks again at an October meeting.
In an Aug. 21 letter, delegation members Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) and Rep. Will Robinson (R-Bradenton) sent a letter to all three Island mayors noting that they’re ready to initiate a Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability study, known as OPPAGA, to “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 letter is in response to Jan. 30 talks with the mayors about the possibility of combining city services. In the Aug. 21 letter, Boyd and Robinson said they haven’t received a major update from the mayors and blamed Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth.
“We understand the mayor of Holmes Beach does not want to participate in the coordination talks, given it will be seen as a first step toward consolidation of the three Island cities,” the letter states, giving the mayors a deadline sometime prior to the delegation’s planned Oct. 5 meeting for a response.
In speaking to The Sun on Aug. 24, Titsworth said that she hasn’t stopped participating in any talks among the three Island mayors. In fact, she said she’s been hosting the ongoing talks at city hall in Holmes Beach.
“Staff is working on it,” she said of the process to combine or streamline some services. She noted that the building departments in all three cities are working to see how they can streamline their processes to make applying for permits in each municipality easier for homeowners and contractors. Though the mayors have all been participating in the talks, she said that at only about eight months in, they’re not at a point where any specific service has been identified for consolidation or streamlining.
“As mayors, we all have full plates,” she said, adding that the mayors are committed to all working together. She said that her city’s code compliance officers have helped to train code enforcement officers in the other cities.
“We’re not trying to be defiant,” Titsworth said. “This was just dropped on us in January. We’re trying to work on what the delegation has requested but they need to have some patience.”
One sticking point is that Titsworth said she and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie are unwilling to give up their individual police departments, allowing those two cities to be patrolled only by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies who now provide law enforcement services to the city of Anna Maria. Titsworth said she’s happy with the services provided by the Holmes Beach Police Department and doesn’t want to change the law enforcement situation in the city.
As for the study, she said that it’s important to note that the example given in the letter from Boyd and Robinson of Longboat Key having had a study to determine if it should remain in two separate counties has a major difference from the one proposed on Anna Maria Island – the people of Longboat Key asked for the study.
“They asked for that study; we didn’t,” she said.
If state leaders insist on conducting the study on Anna Maria Island, Titsworth’s response is, “Bring it. I’d love to find ways to help save taxpayer money.” The letter states that the purpose of studying the benefits of consolidation would include saving taxpayer money and potentially reducing taxes for property owners.
While Titsworth said she was unable to attend an Aug. 24 Anna Maria Commission meeting, she said Mayor Dan Murphy had her approval to speak on her behalf giving an official response to the letter on behalf of all three mayors. She said the mayors met earlier in the day to discuss their response and decided that they’re in favor of the study if it can help save taxpayer money. However, they’re not in favor of consolidation of the three Island governments.
The topic of consolidation came as a surprise to the three mayors when the members of the state legislative delegation started the conversation at their Jan. 11 meeting, voting unanimously to approve the OPPAGA study for the Island. That was the same meeting in which the idea of sponsoring a bill to allow Manatee County commissioners to approve and build a parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach against the city’s land development code was initiated. That bill, HB 947, was passed earlier in the summer by the state Legislature after receiving unanimous votes in the House and Senate before gaining the approval of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
HOLMES BEACH – A Holmes Beach resident says she and her dog are lucky to be alive after being attacked by a 143-pound mastiff while going for a walk at her condo.
Evalena Leedy was taking her 9-pound toy poodle, Alonzo, for a walk on Aug. 21 about 8:30 p.m. when the unleashed 143-pound dog approached rapidly.
“The whole ordeal was terrifying!” Leedy said. “I was walking Alonzo near the condo when out from the bushes, next to the dumpster comes an unleashed, large mastiff dog running straight for us. I picked up Alonzo and threw him on top of a parked car. The dog repeatedly lunged at me and bit my right arm, causing me to bleed. The dog kept coming, I was trying to protect myself and Alonzo and was unsuccessfully attempting to kick the dog away.”
Leedy said after she had been bitten, the dog’s owner, later identified as Anthony Santamauro, arrived and pulled the mastiff off her.
“I was screaming for someone to call the police and get help, we were being viciously attacked. The owner then put the dog inside the gate of one of the units and started walking toward me asking what was happening. Standing there bleeding, I told him that his dog bit me. His reply was ‘He did not bite you, you are going to kill my dog,’ which I thought was a strange and unbelievable response,” Leedy said.
According to a medical report from HCA Florida Blake Hospital that Leedy provided to The Sun, along with photographs of her injuries, the dog bit her and she had five serious puncture wounds and lacerations to her right arm that required multiple sutures and medication after she was treated.
Leedy says she is thankful the injuries weren’t worse and her dog, Alonzo, escaped unharmed, but she feared for both of their lives as the incident unfolded.
Worried about rabies complications, she was able to get vaccination records from the owner of the condo where the mastiff’s owner was staying. She said that fortunately, the animal did have a rabies shot in February of this year. However, while looking at the vaccination record from a Bradenton veterinarian, she was shocked to see Santamauro’s name.
“I read an article in The Sun recently about a small dog being killed in an attack at Island Time Bar and Grill in Bradenton Beach on Aug. 9,” Leedy said. “I quickly realized this was the same dog and the same owner. The last dog he attacked died. How is he still running around without a leash?”
Leedy had called 911 after the attack, but since she was in the car with her partner driving to the hospital, they referred her to Manatee County Animal Control and did not send police since the victim wasn’t on the scene to speak to them.
She said a later call the next day didn’t get her much information from Animal Control, and she didn’t even know if the dog was still in her neighborhood. The Sun called Manatee County Animal Control on Aug. 24, and was told they would not provide any information on the case. The following statement was issued by email from Manatee County Public Information Officer Bill Logan, which he said was from Manatee County Animal Welfare:
“This is an open active Dangerous Dog (Florida Statute 767) Investigation. The dog owner will be served his letter today along with citations that will be issued.”
According to the Florida Department of Health, there is a mandatory 10-day quarantine for any dog that bites a human. If the dog has been vaccinated and is up to date on its rabies shots, that quarantine can be at the home of the owner. Since the first attack took place on Aug. 9, the 10-day mandatory quarantine period would have expired when Leedy was bitten on Aug. 21, but the animal should now be under a second quarantine for the attack against her.
Both Animal Control and Holmes Beach police met with Leedy on Aug. 25 at her home, and she said that both agencies told her they had not yet been in contact with Santamauro, who was no longer staying in the Holmes Beach condo complex where the incident occurred.
Lt. Brian Hall of the Holmes Beach Police Department told The Sun in an Aug. 25 phone call that his department had compiled a report on the incident and would be sharing that report with Animal Control, which is leading the investigation.
If the investigation finds the dog to be dangerous, any further attacks on humans or other domestic animals would cause the owner to be subject to a first-degree misdemeanor charge, and the dog could be confiscated by animal control and humanely destroyed after a 10-day period, according to Florida Statute 767.13 (1). If a dog deemed dangerous attacks, causing serious injury or death to a human, the owner could be guilty of a third-degree felony and the dog humanely destroyed after a 10-day period, according to Florida Statute 767.13 (2).
HOLMES BEACH – As work resumes to repair and relocate a water main on the Anna Maria Island Bridge, lane closures and periods of one-way traffic will begin on Sept. 6.
Daily lane closures can be expected between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Due to safety concerns, the work is not possible at night, according to a Manatee County press release.
Crews will be completing the last phase of the repair and installing additional hangers to support the pipe on the east side of the bridge.
It is anticipated that the work to secure the pipe will take two to three weeks. Specific information on any future closures will be provided by the county as needed.
The main source of water to Anna Maria Island, the 16-inch aging water main pipe broke on June 19, causing intermittent drops in water pressure to Island residents. While repairs were underway, the north end of the Island received water through Bradenton Beach via a pipe from the south. The main was brought back into service the week of July 10.
Motorists who want to avoid the work zone should consider accessing Anna Maria Island by the Cortez Bridge or the Longboat Key Bridge.
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