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Tag: Anna Maria Island

Tracking Hurricane Idalia

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

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 5 p.m. UPDATE:

MANATEE COUNTY – Hurricane Idalia has been upgraded to a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour. The storm is anticipated to continue to impact Anna Maria Island and the surrounding area this evening and overnight. County officials warn that the greatest risk the storm poses to this area is the chance for tornadoes to spawn from the hurricane and storm surge combined with a king tide expected to come in tomorrow morning at 11:30 a.m. Currently, NOAA shows that Anna Maria Island, Cortez and coastal areas of west Bradenton remain in the 4-7 foot peak surge warning zone.

 

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 3 p.m. UPDATE:

MANATEE COUNTY – Hurricane Idalia is classified as a Category 1 storm with sustained winds of 90 mph near its core. The storm is forecast to increase in strength to a Category 3 storm before making landfall. Currently, the hurricane is anticipated to make landfall mid-morning Aug. 30 near Cedar Key.

The outer bands of Idalia are bringing rain to the area. Anyone choosing to stay on the Island are asked to avoid driving through flooded areas and to shelter in place as the storm moves through the area.

A significant storm surge is expected with Hurricane Idalia. Due to a king tide expected Wednesday, Aug. 30 around 11:30 a.m., the highest storm surge is expected tomorrow morning. County officials advise residents and visitors to continue to shelter in place through tomorrow’s high tide. NOAA predicts 4-7 feet of storm surge for Anna Maria Island.

Hurricane Idalia storm surge forecast
Hurricane Idalia is expected to bring 4-7 feet of storm surge to Anna Maria Island. – Submitted

NOAA predicts sustained winds of 35 mph with wind gusts up to 50 mph for coastal Manatee County. County officials note that once winds reach a sustained 35 mph or roads become impassible due to flooding, first responders will not be able to respond to emergency calls.

There will be no trash pickups today or tomorrow. Recycling and yard waste pickups are canceled for the week.

Currently, there are no plans to cut water or other utilities to Anna Maria Island. Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said that water will be shut off if Hurricane Idalia reaches a Category 3 designation or storm surge is expected at 7 feet or higher.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that the drawbridges would not be raised at any time to prevent people from leaving the Island during the hurricane.

There will be no trash pickups today or tomorrow. Recycling and yard waste pickups are canceled for the week.

MANATEE COUNTY – Hurricane Idalia is on a collision course with the west coast of Florida. The Sun is committed to giving you the latest updates as the storm moves closer to Anna Maria Island.

County officials issued a press release at 9:37 a.m. today including newly announced closures. Manatee County Area Transit buses will stop operations at 2 p.m. today or earlier if weather conditions call for an earlier suspension of service. Transportation services will remain suspended until it is safe to restart them.

Level A residents and visitors, including everyone living in mobile homes, Anna Maria Island, Perico Island, Flamingo Cay, waterfront areas of west Bradenton, and Cortez, are under a mandatory evacuation with Level B residents and visitors under a voluntary evacuation notice. All residents who evacuate are reminded to take their re-entry tag issued from their city in order to gain access to the Island after the storm passes. Anyone who chooses to shelter in place on the Island is advised that all first responders and emergency personnel will be grounded once winds reach a sustained 45 mph.

County officials warn that while wind and rain are expected as Hurricane Idalia moves closer to the west coast, the major cause for concern is storm surge, which could happen near an already expected king tide on Wednesday. As of a 4 a.m. update, NOAA was projecting a storm surge near Anna Maria Island of 4-7 feet.

Hurricane Idalia surge
The current peak surge forecast for Hurricane Idalia as of 4 a.m. on Aug. 29. – Submitted

Sandbagging stations are open at Bayfront Park in Anna Maria, City Field in Holmes Beach, Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach and GT Bray on 59th Street in Bradenton.

All Manatee County libraries are closed until Thursday, including book drops.

All Manatee County schools are closed until Thursday morning at this time pending assessments after the storm passes.

Emergency shelters are open for those who need them. Shelters should be considered a last resort and anyone who can is asked to shelter in place with friends or family outside of the evacuation zone. A list of open shelters can be found online. If going to a shelter, take bedding, food, water, medications and other supplies to last for at least three days. Note that not all shelters are pet-friendly. If you’re taking a pet, make sure the pet has a crate, food, water, leash, litter box (if needed) and any other supplies necessary for a three-day stay. All pets must be accompanied by their owners and owners must furnish proof of recent vaccinations.

Manatee County officials are scheduled to give a 3 p.m. update from the Emergency Operations Center which can be viewed live on YouTube and Facebook.

While Idalia is not currently forecast to make a direct impact on Anna Maria Island, county officials warn residents and visitors to keep an eye on the weather and watch as models of the path of the storm are updated throughout the day. Keep checking back to this post for the most up-to-date information from The Sun.

Bradenton Beach declares state of emergency

Bradenton Beach declares state of emergency

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

BRADENTON BEACH – In advance of Tropical Storm Idalia, which is forecast to potentially make landfall as a major hurricane on Florida’s west coast, city commissioners voted unanimously on Aug. 28 to declare a local state of emergency.

The state of emergency will remain in place until Tuesday, Sept. 5 and will be extended if needed.

“What we’re expecting now is a storm surge of 4-7 feet,” Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby said. “Tuesday night around 1 a.m. is high tide. We’re going to have some water. That’s going to be our biggest issue. Winds anywhere from 35 (miles per hour) gusting to 73.”

At 2 p.m. Monday, a mandatory evacuation order was in place for Level A residents and all Manatee Couty residents in mobile home parks. The county also issued a voluntary Level B evacuation.

“The reason we’re issuing the evacuation order so soon is sometimes it takes people a while to get out,” Cosby said. “You don’t have to go at that time. You’re probably going to be pretty comfortable staying here through tomorrow (Tuesday). But tomorrow night is when you really need to start thinking about it.”

Cosby suggested people closely monitor the weather forecast.

“The concern is if it shifts to the right, we’re going to have a problem,” he said. “The best situation for us is it moves a little more to the left. The further away the better.”

He said city businesses, along with city hall, will be closed Aug. 29-30. Manatee County government offices closed at noon on Monday.

“There are three shelters open – Miller, Freedom and Mills,” Cosby said.

Virgil Mills Elementary School is located at 7200 69th St. E., Palmetto; Jesse P. Miller Elementary School is located at 6014 Third St. W., Bradenton and Freedom Elementary School is located at 9515 FL-64, Bradenton.

City officials said public works staff is preparing for the storm by checking storm drains and code enforcement is clearing the beaches. Construction sites in the city also will be shut down.

Cosby said there would be extra police staff on duty.

Residents who do evacuate Anna Maria Island will need to show a driver’s license as proof of residency upon return, Cosby said.

WMFR moves forward with vacation rental inspections

WMFR moves forward with vacation rental inspections

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue’s board and staff are moving forward with beginning an annual inspection program for vacation rentals in the district that will reclassify the properties as commercial for fire district purposes.

Commissioners voted unanimously during an Aug. 15 meeting to move forward with the plans, despite some concerns stated by the public.

Under the new program, the district will assess vacation rental properties, also called transient public lodging establishments, as commercial properties, regardless of their zoning. District staff also will annually inspect these properties for life safety, looking for items such as fire alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and proper egress from each bedroom in case of an emergency.

Fire Marshal Rodney Kwiatkowski said that after sending a letter in July to over 12,000 people in the district describing the new program, he said he’d received 12 written responses and 87 phone calls from the public, each one of which he said had been amicably resolved. A few more people stepped up during the public hearing to voice their concerns and questions about the new initiative.

One man said he only wanted to rent his property for one year. Kwiatkowski said that for the one year he rents the property, it will be assessed as a commercial property, however, when he stops renting the property, it will revert to a residential property in the eyes of the district and be assessed as such.

Kwiatkowski said the new assessment rate and inspections are allowed under the Florida Fire Code. Under the questioning of district attorney Maggie Mooney, he added that the district’s classification of properties does not affect those by any governing municipality and does not change property from residential to commercial for county or city property tax purposes.

Attorney Aaron Thomas stepped up to the mic, stating that he was representing the ownership of more than 500 rental properties in the district. Thomas said that he feels there is sufficient case law to argue against the district assessing vacation rental properties as commercial and suggested that his clients may seek legal action if the district pursues the change.

The district charges property owners a non-ad valorem assessment rate which appears on TRIM notices each fall. The rate consists of a base rate that is adjusted based on the size of the building on a property, not the value. On average, a commercial property owner, as defined by the district, will pay about $200-300 a year more than a residential owner, depending on the size of the structure.

Commissioners shrink wetland buffers

Commissioners shrink wetland buffers

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

BRADENTON – After a lengthy and contentious land use meeting in which environmentalists, scientists and citizens spoke against a comprehensive plan amendment that would diminish county wetland regulations, Manatee County commissioners voted 6-1 to adopt the state’s less restrictive wetland regulations.

The changes to county wetland regulations would reduce the 30-foot wetland buffer for development and remove the 50-foot buffer for environmentally sensitive coastal wetlands to the state’s 25-foot minimum. The changes will require amendments to the county’s comprehensive plan and land development code.

Dan DeLisi, of DeLisi Inc., a land planner and former chief of staff for the South Florida Water Management District, spoke at the Aug. 17 meeting.

“I was asked to look at where there are overlapping regulations where the state is already providing regulations and is redundant,” he said. “There is a proposed amendment in your comprehensive plan.”

Part of that amendment is the removal of state and local regulatory overlap, DeLisi said.

“Essentially what these amendments would do is defer permitting to the state of Florida,” he said. “These amendments do not cause impacts to wetlands.”

The statement provoked laughter and jeers from the audience.

“We’ve got our regulations and you’re saying we should defer to the state. Let’s get to the heart of the request,” Commissioner George Kruse said to DeLisi. “We’re not doubling up regulations. The state doesn’t have regulations per se, the state has set minimums.”

Kruse spoke out against the amendment.

“The state’s trying to take control of this and now we’re trying to give it to them voluntarily before they take it,” Kruse said. “We’re supposed to keep it here, because you all vote for us and we control local and the state controls state. The state is trying to gut wetland and water quality protection. Why are we going to facilitate that?”

Kruse noted that two developers and a developer’s attorney were at the meeting but none of them came up to speak in favor of reducing wetland buffers.

“There’s no way they’re going to go on the record supporting this,” he said. “There’s no way they’re going to put their name and face together with gutting our wetland protection.

“We’re taking everything from the exact same consultant who was against us on the exact same policy twice,” Kruse said, referring to DeLisi and his involvement in previous litigation with the county. “It’s like we won the Super Bowl and hired the quarterback for the losing team to run our team next year.”

Public comment

Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Dr. Abbey Tyrna was one of many speakers who spoke against the amendment to the county’s comprehensive plan during the public comment session of the meeting.

“I represent today the 1,704 people who signed our petition to save our wetlands,” Tyrna said. “Wetlands are tied to our human wellbeing, and they’re tied to our human wellbeing because of the ecosystem services they provide, which is plentiful.”

Tyrna said wetland benefits are tied not only to water quality but to flood regulation, climate regulation, recreation, tourism and local fisheries.

“Let’s talk about policy 3.3.1.5 (of the county’s comprehensive plan) here,” Tyrna said. “It states all wetlands and watercourses will be protected from land development activities by requiring the establishment of natural area buffers adjacent to all post-development wetlands and watercourses within a watershed overlay.”

Based on that policy, buffers are required to be a minimum of 50 feet wide adjacent to all non-isolated wetlands, and a minimum of 30 feet adjacent to all isolated wetlands, she said.

Following public comment during the five-hour-long meeting, Commissioner Jason Bearden made a motion to approve the text amendment, with a second by Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge.

Other commissioners who voted in favor of approval were James Satcher, Amanda Ballard, Mike Rahn and Ray Turner.

Kruse cast the lone dissenting vote.

As the vote was announced, someone from the audience shouted, “Shame!” as others stood up and walked out.

A statement from the county was released following the meeting that said:

“Today the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners voted in favor of transmitting a comprehensive plan amendment to the state of Florida concerning wetland protection policies.

This proposed amendment, if approved would eliminate redundancy and duplication in the permitting of wetland impacts, and development near or around wetlands and surface waters, which are already protected under existing state and federal regulations.

By aligning with numerous other counties and municipalities in Florida, the board’s primary objective is to gain efficiency while still achieving the same environmental results, ultimately benefiting the taxpayers of Manatee County.”

Castles in the Sand

High-end properties show blow-out numbers

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

Every day I look at new listings on Anna Maria Island and in Cortez, and every day I’m surprised and ask myself when it will end. In the years leading up to COVID-19, I would analyze over $1 million properties listed on the Island and in Cortez. Now that exercise seems quaint, almost peculiar and it all changed in a short three-year period.

Because of these extraordinary listing numbers, which I see every day, I did a quick analysis of available properties in the three cities of Anna Maria Island and Cortez, researched on the Realtor.com website as of this writing. Rather than use $1 million as my breaking point, I upped it to $3 million, so get ready for this:

The city of Anna Maria had 82 properties listed, 44 of which were $3 million or over, almost half. The top property was listed at $16,995,000. Every million-dollar category was represented, and, except for the very top listing, there wasn’t a big gap between the categories.

Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach, which are combined by zip code on Realtor.com, had 179 properties listed, 45 of which were $3 million or over. The top listing number was $22,500,000 and, like Anna Maria, except for the very top, the listing prices represented every million-dollar category.

Even Cortez has a new listing at $3,750,000 with the rest of the 12 listings hovering in the mid- to high-million dollar range.

Sales of properties in the high-end market around the country are slowing. The high-end and luxury market nationwide is defined as the top 5% of homes and they’re suffering from the same issues the regular old real estate market is struggling with, low inventory and high interest rates.

Redfin’s analysis reports that in the first quarter of 2023, the sales of high-end properties were down by 33% from the first quarter of the previous year. They feel this is the result of the frenzy during the pandemic as well as inflation and a volatile stock market.

The markets with the biggest drop in transactions for the three months that ended June 30 are also the metro areas that were unstoppable during the pandemic: Miami was down 40.14%, Nassau County on New York’s Long Island was down 39.34%, New York City was down 35.98%, Los Angeles was down 36.17% and Chicago was down 34.13%.

Miami and New York City are starting to show signs of life. Miami is still recovering from the mass migration and buying frenzy during COVID-19, and inventory has not been resupplied. And New York is New York and will always come back to life with the suburban high-end areas around it following. However, it appears that Los Angeles and Chicago will take a little longer based on residents leaving Los Angeles for lower tax states and Chicago residents leaving because of crime.

Based on the number of pending properties, it looks like Anna Maria Island is also slowing but we are in the worst part of our off-season with heat alerts and record-breaking temperatures, so we won’t have a clear idea until later in the year. Typically, Anna Maria Island, and Florida in general, has outpaced most of the country in growth and the real estate market has followed along.

The combination of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach had 89 properties listed at $3 million or over, all on a 7-mile spit of land. I think I’ll stop asking myself where it will end because I don’t know and neither does anyone else. Such is the nature of real estate.

Team Luxury Services undefeated champs

Team Luxury Services undefeated champs

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Football, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – After seven weeks of regular season adult co-ed flag football play in the summer evening heat, Luxury Services team captain Chase Richardson led his team to another victorious playoff run, winning the championship last Thursday night at The Center 40-24.

Making relatively easy work of their opponents each week, the Luxury squad characteristically put 40 points on the scoreboard in the final game of the season against the Moss Builders team for the win.

Finishing the regular season #1 and #2, Luxury Services and Moss Builders were the favorites to meet up in the season finale. Offensive errors by Moss Builders led to three defensive touchdowns by Derrick Carey for his team.

Carey is credited with one offensive TD, two flag pulls and a single one-point conversion. Teammates Tim Holly, Alonzo Lemus and Brad Lowrey each made it into the endzone for Luxury touchdowns. Holly had two in the game for 12 points.

In addition to the five throws for touchdowns, Richardson added six points to his team’s score with a rushing score of his own. Chase is also credited with three defensive stops and a QB sack on Moss Builders’ QB Ryan Moss.

Rounding out the scoring for Luxury with additional points after touchdowns were Lemus, Lowrey and Jasmine Muldoon.

Despite the loss, the Moss Builders team did not quit. Keeping the game within reach for two halves of play, team captain Moss threw four touchdown passes.

Peggy Smith was Moss’ target for two TDs, while teammates James Roadman and Greg Moss each had a touchdown nab, putting an additional 12 points on the board.

The strong defensive efforts of the Moss Builders team included three flag pulls by Smith, R. Moss and Isaiah Lambert. Moss’ Nick Cavalluzzi finished the game with four defensive stops and an interception on a Richardson pass.

G. Moss rounded out the game statistics with two flag pulls and a sack.

Luxury’s defense made the difference in the big game. Moss Builders were stopped at each point after conversion, leaving their scoring at four TDs, resulting in 24 points.

Overall, the efforts of the Moss squad just were not enough to overcome momentum-changing Luxury Services interceptions. Team Luxury Services once again won it all in the Island’s adult flag football league, ending the season as champions.

Reel Time: Vote water

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in First Place, Special Sections.

Readers of this column have heard me recommend checking a politician’s voting record before casting a vote for them. Why? All too often they will tell you what you want to hear to get your vote but never follow through on that commitment. This past week that assessment rang all too true when Manatee County Commissioners Kevin Van Ostenbridge and James Satcher, along with four other commissioners (Mike Rahn, Jason Bearden, Amanda Ballard and Ray Turner), voted to gut Manatee County’s wetland protections. While all are culpable in betraying the public trust, Satcher, Van Ostenbridge and Ballard stand out in my mind since Van Ostenbridge and Satcher’s campaign flyers (mentioned during the meeting by Commissioner George Kruse, the lone dissenter) specifically mentioned protecting the environment.

In a meeting that Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Abbey Tyrna and I had with Ballard soon after her election, she expressed concern with the welfare of children. When it came time to vote they all held the interests of the developers that funded their campaigns over that of the citizens and children of Manatee County.

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I spoke at the meeting and was present for five hours as citizen after citizen made eloquent speeches about why this was such a bad idea. Not one person spoke in favor of the amendment and almost no discussion of the matter was held, except for Kruse’s objections. And when the vote was taken, they voted 6-1 in favor of gutting wetland protections. In what appears to me to be the height of hypocrisy, Van Ostenbridge started the meeting with the pronouncement that he was concerned with government overreach and the taking of property before leading the commission to do just that. He’s participating in government overreach by not following his oath of office to the citizens of Manatee County and taking by reducing the filtering capacity of lands adjacent to water bodies that will directly affect the quality of life of current and future citizens.

Just recently the commission voted on a zoning change that will pave the way for a massive East Manatee County development by developer Carlos Beruff. Corbit Creek, a stream that feeds into nearby Lake Manatee Reservoir, runs through that property. Kruse was once again the lone dissenter. If this change is made by the commission, it could reduce the builder’s setback to a stream feeding directly into the county’s water supply, a water body that is currently suffering from an algae bloom that’s affecting the smell and taste of every Manatee County citizen’s water.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Rob Brown, the county’s recently retired environmental protection division manager with the natural resources department, reminded the commission that this change would also affect phosphate mining in Manatee County. Mosaic is the largest landowner in Manatee County and much of that land is wetlands. These changes could have a profoundly negative effect on lands disturbed by mining.

Once again, vet who you vote for. Don’t pay attention to what they promise if elected, check their voting records on issues that affect the public good, or we and future generations will suffer the consequences.

You can voice your concerns to the Manatee County commission online.

Finally, this isn’t (or shouldn’t be) a political issue. It’s not about Democrats or Republicans, it’s about our children’s future and that of generations of future Manatee County citizens.

AMI natives lend helping hands in Maui fires

AMI natives lend helping hands in Maui fires

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Several former Island residents are lending assistance to the fire-stricken areas in Maui, Hawaii.

Fires broke out there on Aug. 8, killing more than 100 people, with many more missing.

“They grew up on the Island and are now living in Hawaii,” said Ronee Brady, owner of the West Coast Surf Shop in Holmes Beach. “I’ve known them since they were coming to the surf shop as kids.”

Josh Riccio, an Anna Maria Island native, is now a firefighter currently working in Maui, Brady said.

“I’ve known Josh since he was a kid,” Brady said. “He just got his badge as a firefighter out there. Josh was just on Anna Maria not too long ago for a visit and went back to Hawaii to this.”

Brady’s granddaughter, Izzi Gomez, is a big wave surfer who grew up on the Island and lives on Maui.

“She’s in California right now, but she has loaned her apartment to people who were displaced by the fires,” Brady said.

Brice Hamilton, a Bradenton native, is out there helping to do what he can, she said.

Helicopter pilot Nick Taylor, another Anna Maria Island native she’s known since he was young, is helping to deliver supplies via helicopter. Taylor has been posting updates on social media.

“We’ve been watching his notifications on Instagram and Facebook and we’re seeing that Nick has been able to deliver supplies there,” Brady said.

Taylor posted on Facebook: “My home and my health are intact… Sorry it took so long to reply, we were without power and cell service on the west side for several days. I spent most of that time at Kapalua airfield helping the Maui fire department to coordinate with all the of the helicopter companies here on Maui, bringing in emergency supplies by air while the roads were closed.”

He added: “All I know is, I can use my hands to help those who need it most, I can use my heart to love on those who have just lost everything, I can use my coin to donate to worthwhile local causes, and my brain will surely come in handy with all of the obstacles ahead.”

The West Coast Surf Shop Facebook page shared an Instagram post from Taylor: “We are so relieved that our AMI Fam @nicktaylor941 @joshriccio @lilripper941 @bricehamilton_ are all safe and sound. This is so heartbreaking, overwhelming and devastating. Maui holds a special place in our hearts and we would like to give back as much as we can for all of the aloha and joy Maui has brought into our lives.”

Taylor asked those who would like to help to send “Prayers, love, donations, legal advice, catastrophic advice, medical assistance, fundraising ideas, housing assistance, FEMA information, etc.”

“We will make sure everything goes directly to the source,” Taylor’s post continues. “We have local boots on the ground shedding all their blood, sweat and tears.”

Contact these organizations to help:

 

www.mauirapidresponse.org

www.mauifoodbank.org

www.hawaiipeoplesfund.org

www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong

CRA votes to discontinue tram funding

CRA votes to discontinue tram funding

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

BRADENTON BEACH – The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board voted unanimously to discontinue funding the Old Town Tram at an Aug. 15 budget meeting.

The potential defunding of the tram comes on the heels of another free Anna Maria Island ride service, the Monkey Bus, which has temporarily shut down services while attempting to resolve insurance issues.

The Old Town Tram, a free park-and-ride shuttle service in the CRA district (from the Cortez Bridge to Fifth Street South), is supported by the CRA at a cost of $52,000 annually.

“We have $52,000 set aside for this as a recurring cost in our budget,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said during the budget discussion meeting. “Is this something that you’re looking at continuing? We have extended and extended and extended the trial period to see if this is a success.”

Launched as a pilot program in November 2020, the Old Town Trams were put in place to help address the lack of parking on and around Bridge Street. The program, using two electric golf carts, is provided by the Sarasota-based Easy Parking Group, owned by Joshua LaRose.

Perry noted that the tram agreement between the CRA and Easy Parking Group is on a month-to-month basis and could be closed this budget year.

“We have had a loose understanding of what is successful. We know that one of the main contributors to why this is not wildly successful is because of what is happening with the construction on the south end of the city,” Perry said, referring to an ongoing sewer project.

Perry noted that changes are coming with regard to Manatee County’s water taxi and she said she has had discussions with Elliott Falcione of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council about how people will make their way to the beach and back, and perhaps the county might want to be in partnership with that endeavor. Perry asked the board: “Do you feel the $52,000 is something you want to continue to invest in that project or is this something we need to look at tapering off and picking up potentially down the road?”

“I think that tram is a waste of money personally,” Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said. “I don’t see any benefit to that tram.”

Commissioner Ralph Cole expressed his belief that the tram service should be run privately.

“I think there’s enough interest out there that a private individual would buy the insurance to do it,” he said.

Mayor John Chappie echoed Cole’s sentiments.

“I’ve said all along that I thought the private sector could handle things. If the businesses want to provide some sort of tram, trolley system, golf carts, they should be the ones to do it,” Chappie said, adding, “We’ve tried this as an experiment. I don’t think it’s been all that successful.”

Chappie noted that a significant change throughout the Island in recent years is the rental of golf carts.

“That’s what the people are driving around in,” Chappie said. “The private sector needs to step up.”

The tram is partially funded by advertising sales.

“No one’s going to do that business,” Commissioner Jake Spooner said. “Josh is not covering his own costs. To think that service is going to keep happening from the private sector – I don’t think is going to happen.”

“If there’s money to be made, somebody will do it,” Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby said.

Spooner said while he doesn’t feel the tram is successful, he thinks it could be more successful after a promenade is built and the ride service has a designated route.

“I think it does serve a purpose, and for $52,000 a year, that’s totally up to the board. My other thought is if we get rid of it and then we get the promenade, it’s hard to get things back,” Spooner said.

“Let’s see if that $52,000 is one of our priorities,” Chappie said. “Let’s move on and see how it shakes out.”

After a line-by-line discussion of other CRA-budgeted projects during the meeting, the tram was not among the approved expenditures.

LaRose declined to comment on the specifics of the CRA vote, but expressed the desire to continue the tram service.

“We would like to keep going,” he said, adding that he has reached out to the city to discuss options. “I haven’t heard back yet, but I have some ideas. We still have service going right now.”

LaRose said the two trams he has in service currently accommodate 4,000 riders a month off season and close to double that in season. One of those vehicles is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible.

“Right now, we have more value than ever with the construction limiting the amount of parking,” he said. “Our guys tell people where parking is so we’re also an information service.”

The CRA board unanimously approved the following expenditures: 300,000 for paid parking; $38,550 for a grant to monitor seagrass and $20,000 for future monitoring professional services; $300,000 for undergrounding; $40,000 for Christmas on Bridge Street; $25,000 for a fence at Anna Maria Oyster Bar; $10,000 for cultural arts; $75,000 for a resiliency project on Bay Drive South; $106,690 for cistern improvements; $30,000 for sidewalk improvements; $50,000 for district improvements, including trash cans, bike racks, planters and landscaping; $15,000 for signage in the CRA district; and $10,000 for additional improvements.

The next CRA budget meetings are tentatively scheduled on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 5 p.m. and Thursday, Sept. 14 at 5 p.m.

Florida Highway Patrol

Cyclist killed in collision on Anna Maria Island Bridge

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – A man on a bicycle was killed after a collision with an SUV on Manatee Avenue near the center of the Anna Maria Island Bridge, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). The incident took place on Aug 9 at 12:23 a.m. FHP officers say a 23-year-old Bradenton man was driving eastbound on the drawbridge when he struck a 33-year-old Lancaster, New York man on a bicycle riding in the eastbound lane. The driver of the SUV stopped to lend aid. Troopers say the cyclist was thrown into the concrete barrier, suffering fatal injuries. FHP continues to investigate and has not yet released the names of those involved. 

Solid Rock Construction, Moss Builders win it all

Solid Rock Construction, Moss Builders win it all

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Football, Soccer, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – Beating the heat, The Center of Anna Maria Island’s youth indoor soccer league played three nights last week, ending with four teams battling it out for the championship title.

After beating the Intentional Resilient Intuitive team last Monday night in the semifinal game, Solid Rock Construction played against AMI Dolphin Tours in their final game of the season to determine which team would be the 8- to 10-year-old league champs.

AMI Dolphin Tours beat Progressive Cabinetry to gain the second spot in the championship game.

In the big match-up, first seed Solid Rock defeated their top rival after two halves of play by four shots. With the final score 10-6, goalkeeper Isaac Roadman made big moves in the goal to help Solid Rock win it all against AMI Dolphin Tours.

Solid Rock Construction, Moss Builders win it all
Playing hard against the Intentional Resilient Intuitive team in the 8- to 10-year-old indoor soccer league, Solid Rock Construction earned their championship title. Pictured from left are Assistant Coach Matt Darak, Matthew Darak, Obi Roadman, Isaac Roadman, Elijah Roadman, Turner Worth, Holden Lake, Sam Raulerson and head coach James Roadman. – Monica Simpson | Sun

With nine saves in the game, Roadman helped to keep the AMI Dolphin Tours squad to two goals despite grand efforts by the team’s offense. The team’s defense could not keep Matthew Darak from scoring two goals for Solid Rock Construction.

Teammate Turner Worth scored a solo goal in the game to help secure the win.

On the other side of the hard pitch, Miles Moss had 13 stops in the goal for AMI Dolphin Tours. Playing in both age divisions, Moss maintained his top-notch play for two games last week.

Gunnar Maize and Parker Svoboda both scored outstanding goals in the match-up, but their scoring just was not enough to bring home the win.

In the older league for 11- to 13-year-old youth, the older Solid Rock team lost to team Moss Builders. Ranked #1 going into the game, Solid Rock was the favored team, but the third-ranked Moss Builders squad proved too hard to beat.

In the semifinals, Solid Rock Construction played against the Island Vacation Properties team to solidify their place in the big game. Moss Builders won against Coastline West Team to clinch the second spot.

As the ranking underdog last Wednesday night, Moss Builders turned up their game to win against Solid Rock by two.

Playing goalie for Moss Builders, Magness Rollins was credited with 11 big stops, while Callin Westfall put two points on the scoreboard for his team. Teammate Jackson Wyatt contributed to the win with a goal of his own.

Solid Rock Construction’s Austin Guess saved 11 goals in the game as well, with a single goal by Ryk Kesten to keep the team in the game until the last whistle blew, signaling the end of the game and season.

Rounding out recreational sports action at The Center, adult co-ed flag football play continued last Thursday night. Remaining undefeated, top-ranked Luxury Services eked out the win against Cortez Deep Sea Fishing by a touchdown and one-point conversion, 34-27.

In the second game of the night, team Moss Builders easily ended the game victorious against Sandbar Seafood & Spirits. With the final score, 46-24, Moss Builders advances to the championship game to face Luxury Services on Thursday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. at The Center.

 

 

SUN SCOREBOARD

 

AUG. 9

 

YOUTH INDOOR SOCCER

CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

 

8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE

 

 

#1 Solid Rock Construction 10

#2 AMI Dolphin Tours 6

 

 

11- TO 13-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE

 

 

#3 Moss Builders 3

#1 Solid Rock Construction 1

 

 

AUG. 10

 

ADULT CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL

QUARTER-FINAL PLAYOFF GAMES

 

 

#1 Luxury Services 34

#4 Cortez Deep Sea Fishing 27

 

 

#2 Moss Builders 46

#6 Sandbar Seafood & Spirits 24

Castles in the Sand

Has Anna Maria Island been gentrified?

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

I’m working on my 14-hour real estate continuing education course which I am required to do thankfully only every two years to keep my Florida real estate license. Every time I work through the questions and answers I almost always learn something new, and I guess that’s the point. This time I learned about gentrification, and I knew from the very first page that this would be a column.

To quote my course book, “Gentrification is a process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. This is a common and often controversial topic in politics and urban planning. Gentrification often increases the economic value of a neighborhood but can force out low-income residents due to the increased cost of rent and higher cost of goods.”

And there’s more, “The gentrification process is typically the result of increasing attraction to an area by people with higher incomes spilling over from neighboring communities.” Does any of this sound familiar to you? It certainly should since we’ve been living through island gentrification for the last 10 to 15 years – we just didn’t give it a name.

Anna Maria Island was discovered by a vast number of vacationers when the Island started hitting national publications at least 10 years ago. At first, I thought what fun, little Anna Maria Island has been discovered, but I never dreamed it would keep going to the degree that almost every month you can find something about Anna Maria Island in print. My family in Connecticut told me that Connecticut Magazine has an advertisement saying to come to Anna Maria Island and its Old Florida charm courtesy of Avelo Airlines.

As recently as January of this year, the Wall Street Journal profiled just the city of Anna Maria “which is on the north end of a 7-mile-long tropical oasis.” They were profiling the city of Anna Maria’s zip code, which they pointed out is home to Florida’s second most expensive ranked median listing price properties. Miami’s Fisher Island is first.

Florida’s growth is no secret. It was growing before World War II and after the war, it boomed. I once heard a lecturer in a real estate seminar say the growth of Florida is primarily due to air conditioning and mosquito control. Now we can add to that the COVID-19 pandemic, which sent hundreds of thousands of new residents and even more new visitors to our shores.

The result is all based on economics. Old Florida cottages and some not-so-old single-family homes are being replaced with huge new homes sporting multi-million-dollar price tags designed to rent to vacationers or flip as the prices keep going up.

Recently in this newspaper, one of our reporters wrote a very enlightening story about the decline in population on the Island. That doesn’t mean fewer people are walking, riding bikes or eating in local restaurants on the Island, it means there are fewer full-time residents. She reported in one year from 2020 to 2021, the Island lost 1,322 residents, 26.75% from Holmes Beach, 4% from Bradenton Beach and 13% from Anna Maria.

Gentrification is all about changing the character of a community and infusing it with tons of money. Sometimes that’s good and sometimes it’s not. Out with the old and in with the new. The only thing they can’t change is the beach – or can they?

Suncoast Waterkeeper urges protection of wetlands

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

In a recent column, I reported how state rules and regulations passed during the DeSantis legislative session limited the protection of local waters at a time when the threat to water quality and habitat destruction has never been graver. Now, according to Suncoast Waterkeeper (SCWK) Executive Director Abbey Tyrna, that threat has come to Manatee County.

In a statement, SCWK responded to newly-proposed changes in the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan with the following:

“Manatee County has proposed removing policies of the comprehensive plan and sections of the land development code to allow for the destruction of our wetlands and wetland buffers. We’re taking action to ensure that another threat to our quality of life, local economy and waterways don’t become a reality. These changes would create permanent damage. Once wetlands are gone, they are gone for good.

“Wetlands are protected ecosystems because they perform a wide variety of important functions, chief among them is their ability to clean polluted water. This function alone should have the county commission and its appointed planning commission fighting to protect these valuable ecosystems in the face of increasingly harmful algae blooms including red tide and lyngbya. Wetlands do more than enhance water quality, they protect us from flooding, provide habitat for Florida fish and wildlife, and replenish our dwindling groundwater supplies.

Suncoast Waterkeeper urges protection of wetlands
Dr. Abbey Tyrna, executive director of Suncoast Waterkeeper and a wetland scientist, addresses the Manatee County planning board. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

“So why would Manatee County Commission want to push changes that would destroy wetlands in the face of these threats? The answer is simple: They want more developable land to put corporate profits before our quality of life, our local economy and water quality.

“It is time to take action to make sure these changes do not become a reality. Will you join us in protecting our wetlands? Add your name to our petition that we are sending to the Manatee Board of County Commissioners online. Together we’ll protect what makes the Suncoast special.”

In what many described as a surprise decision, the Manatee County Planning Commission voted 4-2 on Aug. 10 not to recommend the proposed changes to the commission. At that meeting, Tyrna, as well as many local citizens, including past Commissioner Joe McClash, gave powerful testimony that swayed the majority of the board to vote the proposal down. That deprives the commission of the cover of their planning board. Unfortunately, they are not required to abide by that decision and could vote for the changes. That’s why SCWK, the Manatee County League of Women Voters, ManaSota-88, Speak Out Manatee, the Sierra Club, East Manatee Preservation and Kids for Clean Water are encouraging voters (you) to turn out at this Thursday’s commission meeting, which will be held at the Honorable Patricia M. Glass Chambers at the Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton. The meeting starts at 9 a.m.

If we, the citizens of Manatee County, don’t speak out, our children and future generations (who have no voice in this decision) will suffer the consequences of our inaction.

AME students back in school

AME students back in school

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

HOLMES BEACH – For some children, it was their first day of kindergarten, and emotions ranged from excitement to just plain nervousness. For fifth graders, it was the first day of their last year at Anna Maria Elementary School (AME), and they were ready to enjoy a year of being at the top of the elementary school food chain.

AME students back in school
Kindergarten teachers Kiley Flynn and Rachel Frantz lead their students to the classroom after the new parent orientation on Aug. 10, the first day of
school at Anna Maria Elementary, as Joshua Cook looks back. – Anne Yarborough | Sun

Dressed to impress, with many sporting new backpacks and their personal favorite outfit, students were ready for the first day of school on the morning of Aug. 10. Parents lined up to drop off their children at AME as Principal Mike Masiello, the school staff, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer and several Holmes Beach police officers greeted parents and this year’s 206 students.

AME students back in school
Police Chief Bill Tokajer greets first-grader Wilder King on the first day of school at Anna Maria Elementary. – Anne Yarborough | Sun

“We had a great turnout for back-to-school night. Parents and students were excited to meet the teachers,” Masiello said. “It’s wonderful to be back in session and see the kid’s smiling faces as they walked into the building for the first day of school. We look forward to a school year full of teaching, learning and all of the wonderful events that make AME such a great school.”

It wasn’t just staff and students who were excited to begin the new school year; parents were also ready for another year at the little school by the bay that many feel is a special privilege for their children to attend.

AME students back in school
Jana Wilder smooths her son Abel’s hair on his first day of kindergarten at Anna Maria Elementary. – Anne Yarborough | Sun

“My kids couldn’t wait to get into school this morning,” said Margie Messinger, who has three children at AME. “I have children in kindergarten, second and third grades. They were dressed up and ready to go, and there was quite the welcoming committee this morning. The principal, chief of police and just about everybody was out there; it was great.”

“This is one of the reasons we live here. Anna Maria Island is already amazing, but this school is the cherry on top,” second-grader parent Michelle Urbiola said. “They brought in the Guy Harvey program and I can’t have my kids anywhere else. This is the best place for them and I’m just so grateful.”