Skip to main content

Tag: Anna Maria Island

IGW says goodbye at Art Walk

IGW says goodbye at Art Walk

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Art, Entertainment.

HOLMES BEACH – Monthly Art Walks always draw a crowd to Island Gallery West (IGW) and the Artists’ Guild Gallery of Anna Maria Island, as well as many surrounding businesses that participate in the event. The March 10 Art Walk was bittersweet for IGW, as it was the final day the gallery would be open before closing its doors after 33 years to move to downtown Bradenton.

It was the largest crowd to attend an Art Walk at IGW this season, as most of the 33 member artists gathered to say farewell to both locals and visitors who have visited the member-run co-op art gallery, some for decades. While IGW has issued no official statement on the exact reason for the move, conversations over the past few months have alluded to a rent increase and reduced visitation to the gallery due to ongoing road construction in the direct vicinity of IGW being reasons the move was necessary.

The farewell evening was not a sad event; it was very much the opposite, with most of the artists (none of whom resigned from the gallery because of the move) being excited about the future and more grateful for the past 33 years than sad.

“I’ll miss this place very much, but I’m excited to get in the new space,” member artist Charlotte Sorsen said. “We are going to have a lot more space and will be able to hold classes, demonstrations and a lot of things we just didn’t have the space for here at this location. In the end, it’s going to be a very good thing for all of us.”

IGW officials initially kept the new location a secret, but now say the new gallery will be located at 456 Old Main St. in Bradenton.

“We’re going to have so much room at this new location,” member artist Judy Goldman said. “We’ll have room for classes, a design studio, an open studio for artists that are learning to paint and even a painting with the pros studio. It will be a lot of things that will give back to the community. It’s kind of sad because we have so much of our heart invested here, but we’re growing; that’s just how progress goes.”

The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island is now the only remaining member-run artist co-op gallery on the Island and many members there said they are sad to see IGW leave, believing the two galleries helped each other by providing access to the arts for both locals and visitors alike.

“I’m sad they’re leaving, it’s nice to have more than one gallery because people come and shop then they walk around, so things will change a little bit,” Artists’ Guild member and former president Sharon Tarras said. “We have a meeting in the next few days and we’ll have to talk about restructuring the Art Walk now that we have lost IGW. Maybe make it more of a Holmes Beach shopping event. It’s not just the galleries involved, there are businesses here that participate, and I’m sure they want it to continue.”

The Artists’ Guild confirmed there are no plans to leave the Island and the gallery will remain at its current location in Holmes Beach.

Jewelry sale success for Island Library

Jewelry sale success for Island Library

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Clubs, Entertainment, Events.

HOLMES BEACH – Thanks to the efforts of the Friends of the Island Library, significant funds will go to help the Island Branch Library and those who use it, raised at an event that couldn’t have happened without the generosity of many in the community.

“This is the first-ever jewelry sale that we’ve had,” said Julie Perry, a member of the Friends of the Island Library and the chairperson of the jewelry sale committee. “It’s all via donations from the community, so without the community support, we couldn’t support our Island library.”

The March 10-11 sale featured deals on jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, rings, watches, earrings and more for reasonable prices ranging from $1 to $10. All the items for sale were donated by people in the community so all the money raised could go to projects related to the library.

“The reason we support this is because libraries run on such a small and tight budget,” Perry said. “With help from the Friends, the added value is funding programs for kids and adults, new furniture, craft supplies, equipment, beautification projects and other things that add value to our wonderful libraries.”

The Friends send a special “thank you” to the many who donated their jewelry and time to make the sale a success. Although the total amount of money raised from the sale is not yet known, they said they were very pleased with the turnout and expect this to be an annual fundraiser.

Castles in the Sand

Navigating the real estate market

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

I recently read a very extensive and well-researched piece in The Wall Street Journal regarding how foreign buyers are back in the United States to buy real estate and relocate their families. As expected, the majority of these buyers are wealthy individuals who are ready to make a move they may have been thinking about and weren’t able to do during COVID-19 lockdowns in their own countries. Well, they’re here now and buying in Florida and other sunbelt states and, naturally, New York City.

Obviously, if you come across a buyer from another country with a pocket full of cash considering your home, it could be your lucky day. That doesn’t mean you still don’t need to adhere to common sense. No one wants to overpay just because they can.

Everyone knows that cleaning, decluttering and making obvious repairs or paint touch-ups is essential in selling your home, however, that isn’t the most important thing to take care of. The most important decision a seller makes is pricing their property correctly and, in a fluctuating market, it’s not as easy as it sounds.

The old real estate adage that all real estate is local should not be ignored. Since anyone reading this will likely be selling a property on the Island or coastline of Manatee County, what you’re really selling is the Gulf of Mexico. Our region has an abundance of waterfront, water view, water peek, canal front, sailboat water, direct access to the Gulf and I’m sure other descriptive wording I haven’t thought of. Every single one of these “water” possibilities changes the value of your home. Reviewing recently closed properties as close to yours and as recent as possible is a good start. Manatee County’s property website provides access to the public and has every closing available and can be sorted in a variety of ways.

You may have the best waterfront on Anna Maria Island, but if you overprice the property with the assumption that you’ll have plenty of leeway to negotiate, it could be a mistake. You may be missing an entire block of buyers who won’t even look above a certain price point. Pricing a home correctly when it first lists is a much better strategy. Remember there are buyers out there who have been actively looking for just the right thing and have educated themselves in the value of the area. They or their agents are aware of anything new on the market and will know instantly if this property is priced right and worth looking at.

Likewise, pricing a property high because of improvements you have made and perceive to be valuable could be another mistake. What you value is not always what buyers are looking for, especially if the improvements are dark or not neutral or specific to your tastes.

During the pandemic frenzy you could sell just about anything that had four walls and a door. No one cared if your 10-year-old daughter glued almost impossible to get off stars on her bedroom walls or if your husband insisted on a black guest bath, but now they do. According to Zillow, in December 2021, about 44% of homes sold above list price; in December 2022, only 25% sold above list price. Today’s buyers now have a more critical eye and are calculating how much those stars are going to cost to remove.

Whatever market adjustment we’re going through in the country, remember there are always foreign buyers who want to move here. It’s a confidence in our country and our markets we may take for granted, but others don’t. If they have the confidence, certainly we should also.

Letter to the Editor: Parking garage won’t solve problems

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

On March 1, I attended a Town Hall Meeting in Holmes Beach conducted by County Commissioner George Kruse. The main topic of the meeting was the traffic issues on Anna Maria Island and the proposed parking garage. Kruse listened politely, but he had obviously made up his mind that a parking garage should be built in Holmes Beach.

His decision was made with no input from any residents of Anna Maria Island, the people who will be most affected by the building of the parking garage. It’s disappointing that all the county commissioners, Rep. Robinson and Rep. Boyd did not take the time to meet with their Anna Maria Island constituents to gather additional input on a decision of this magnitude. What Kruse did not tell the audience is that the day before the Town Hall Meeting he had voted, along with the other County Commissioners, to endorse the parking garage. He has subsequently stated he is in favor of House Bill 947, legislation that would authorize a parking garage in county-managed public parks such as at Manatee Beach.

Kruse did admit that Anna Maria Island does not have a “visitor” problem, but rather has a traffic problem. His solution to reducing traffic on Anna Maria Island is to build a parking garage that Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge has stated could add 1,500 additional parking spaces.  How does the building of a 1,500-stall parking garage reduce traffic coming onto Anna Maria Island? Won’t providing 1,500 additional parking spaces only add to the traffic problem? Why aren’t the county commissioners, Rep. Robinson and Rep. Boyd pursuing other options that would allow visitors to Anna Maria Island while reducing traffic as actively as they are pursuing a parking garage? Why aren’t they moving more quickly to find other solutions such as off-island parking facilities, shuttle services or other mass transit options to reduce the number of cars coming onto Anna Maria Island?

Jeff Dentz

Holmes Beach

Local crews keeping beaches clean

Local crews keeping beaches clean

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – After more than three weeks of west winds pushing red tide and subsequent dead fish toward local Gulf of Mexico beaches, an easterly wind shift on Thursday gave some beachgoers a slight respite.

“We’ve been fighting the west wind for weeks,” said Mark Taylor, Manatee County Natural Resources employee and the operator of a mechanical beach-cleaning rake. “We appreciate a little break, the east wind is our friend.”

The beach rake that Taylor drives along the beaches has a spring-loaded conveyer with stainless steel tines that scratch the surface of the sand and pick up debris, including dead fish.

“We try to do the public beaches first,” he said. “That’s our priority always. They populate early with fish and it’s been a heavy amount of them.”

The fish go up the belt and are dumped into a 2-yard hopper on the back of the apparatus.   When the hopper is full, Taylor backs up the vehicle to dumpsters at Manatee Beach, Coquina Beach and Bayfront Park and empties the load.

Rather than doing his normal run along Manatee and Coquina beaches, Taylor was sent to the northwest end of Anna Maria Island on Thursday, where the beaches were littered with dead fish.

“The wind is pushing it in today to Bean Point from the rocks and to Bayfront Park,” he said Thursday.

The predominant types of fish Taylor is seeing on the shore are catfish, pinfish and baitfish.

“The eels, the catfish and the baitfish come first,” Taylor said. “I’m seeing Spanish mackerel, pelagic, and grouper. Today I dumped a load of fish and one large grouper was in there, probably about 3-foot long.”

At Bean Point on Thursday, dead fish were scattered from the shore to the dune lines more than 60 feet away.

“The full moon we had recently and the huge tides washed the fished up to about a 100-foot span,” said Liza Click, supervisor of the Manatee County Property Management Grounds Division. “We’re seeing sheepshead, trout, catfish, dogfish, a lot of mullet and an occasional big grouper washed up on the sand.”

The county has four rakes to cover the local beaches and has been operating three of them recently.

“This past Sunday we had three beach rakes going off,” Click said on Thursday. “Winds play a big part in our day. Today was a great day.”

Click, who operates a beach rake, said her day begins at 4:30-5 a.m.

“The good thing is, we’re not in turtle season so I can get out there early,” she said. “I start at Coquina and once I get to Cortez, I’m closer to the buildings and I can get done by 6 or so.”

Click said the dumpsters where the fish are disposed of are emptied three times a week, and the county is getting ready to put down lime under the dumpsters to alleviate the odors of dead fish.

Taylor said that so far the fish kills are less than he saw during the heavy red tide of 2018.

“It’s not as bad as ’18 was,” he said. “In ’18 we had much larger quantities of fish on the beach.  We’re able to manage right now. We had to bring everybody out in ’18. I worked 28 12-hour nights and days then.”

In 2018, Taylor said there was a run of dead horseshoe crabs along with the fish.

“What’s interesting is at Bayfront is primarily bay species. It’ll be mullet and trout and sheepshead,” he said. “And then out front (in the Gulf), you’ll get the grouper and the mackerel and maybe a pompano even.”

Taylor said thus far, the fish cleanups have been manageable for county crews.

“At some point, we have the beach clean each day right now,” he said.

Red tide intensifies

For the first time this year, some local waters are showing high levels of red tide.

Water samples taken on March 10 at Longboat Pass showed high concentrations of the red tide organism Karenia brevis, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). High levels can cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, probable fish kills, water discoloration and detection by satellite.

Red tide levels were reported as medium at Kingfish Boat Ramp on Anna Maria Sound just east of Anna Maria Island and at the Rod and Reel Pier in Anna Maria. Medium levels can cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, probable fish kills and detection by satellite.

Palma Sola Bay registered low levels of red tide.

According to the FWC, red tide was observed at low to high concentrations in 12 samples collected in Manatee County, background to high concentrations in 38 samples collected in Pinellas County and background to high concentrations in 51 samples collected in Sarasota County.

For updated information on red tide, visit the Red Tide Respiratory Forecast at RedTideForecast.com, which tells beachgoers what red tide impacts are expected to be at individual beaches at different times of the day. The forecast is also available in Spanish at PronosticoMareaRoja.com.

Beachgoers also can get updates at visitbeaches.org, the Mote Marine Laboratory beach conditions reporting system, which documents respiratory irritation and fish kills at local beaches.

Call 866-300-9399 from anywhere in Florida to hear a recording about red tide conditions throughout the state.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ – Administrative Law Judge Bruce Culpepper issued a recommended order supporting the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s issuance of a permit for the construction of 49 canal-side dock slips at the Hunters Point Marina & Resort in Cortez.

“Based on the foregoing findings of fact and conclusions of law, it is recommended that the Southwest Florida Water Management District enter a final order granting Cortez Road Investment’s application for the permit to build a dock in the canal and issue ERP (environmental resource permit) Individual Construction Major Modification Permit 43032468.003,” Culpepper stated in the written recommended order he issued on March 7.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge
Administrative Law Judge Bruce Culpepper presided over the permit challenge hearing. – Submitted

Culpepper’s recommended order will be sent to the water district’s governing board for a final ruling. If the board’s final ruling supports Culpepper’s recommended order, the Hunters Points docks can be built in the man-made, privately-owned canal that surrounds the Hunters Point property on three sides.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge
This rendering illustrates the proposed Hunters Point dock locations along the canal. – Hunters Point | Submitted

Culpepper’s recommended order is based on the multi-day administrative hearing he conducted on behalf of the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) over the span of eight days in June, August and September.

In June 2021, the water management district issued Hunters Point developer Marshall Gobuty and his Cortez Road Investments and Finance Inc. ownership group the environmental resource permit/individual construction major modification permit needed to construct the docks. The permit authorizes Cortez Road Investments to install approximately 4,352 square feet of new piling-supported dock structures and to replace approximately 3,631 square feet of existing piling-supported dock structures.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge
The Cortez Village Marina is located eastward and upland from the Hunters Point property. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Cortez Village Marina is located eastward and upland of the Hunters Point property. In July 2021, the Cortez Village Marina’s MHC Cortez Village LLC ownership group filed a petition challenging the issuance of that permit.

MHC Cortez Village asserted the proposed docks would adversely impact safe navigation and increase and impair vessel traffic through the canal by narrowing the canal’s navigable width.

During the hearing, MHC Cortez Village presented the testimony of marina manager Skip McPadden, Capt. Christopher Karentz and others. Cortez Road Investments presented testimony by Gobuty, land title expert Adron H. Walker, Captain Dane Fleming and others. The water management district’s witnesses included Lauren Greenawalt, who serves as a lead environmental scientist for the district.

The canal

According to Manatee County Property Appraiser records and testimony provided by Walker and Gobuty, Cortez Road Investments owns the portion of the canal that extends eastward from the humpback bridge at 127th Street West to the western boundary of the Cortez Village Marina property. Cortez Road Investments does not own the portion of the canal located directly in front of the marina basin or the remaining portion of the canal east of the marina.

Culpepper’s order notes the marina has existed in its current configuration since at least 2008 and a marina facility has operated at that location since at least the 1970s. According to McPadden’s testimony, the marina provides approximately 365 boat storage slips that include ‘high-and-dry’ slips, outside dry storage and in-water slips. McPadden testified the marina’s average boat size is 26 feet long and the largest boat stored there is 38 feet long and 11 feet wide.

The order notes the canal provides the marina and its clients with their only direct water access to the nearby Intracoastal Waterway.

“Consequently, to reach Tampa Bay or the Gulf of Mexico by boat, marina customers must travel down the canal past Hunters Point,” the order notes.

The order notes there are approximately 18 single-family homes located alongside the canal and many of those homes have existing docks and boatlifts – most of which predate Gobuty’s purchase of the Hunters Point property and canal in 2016.

In his order, Culpepper states: “Mr. Gobuty conveyed Cortez Road (Investments) never authorized any homeowners along the canal to access or use the waterway it owns. Neither has Cortez Road (Investments) given the marina or its customers specific permission to traverse the canal. Mr. Gobuty urged that Cortez Road (Investments) does not necessarily object to boaters using the canal to access Anna Maria Sound. However, Cortez Road (Investments) does intend to take steps to ensure that its property interests and rights to the canal are protected, as well as ensure the safe use of the canal. Towards this end, Cortez Road has and may continue to pursue legal action to ensure that the private homeowners across from Hunters Point comply with Manatee County codes in the configuration and placement of their docks in the canal.”

Testimony given

The order notes Cortez Road Investments has already implemented several navigational aids to enhance the safe use of the canal. One-way travel along the canal at timed intervals is encouraged to help prevent boats from passing side by side in the canal’s narrowest areas. Mirrors were installed at the 90-degree corners to increase boater visibility. “No wake” signs require boaters to travel at minimum speed and canal users are encouraged to monitor VHF radio channel 9 regarding inbound and outbound canal traffic.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge
Safety pilings and new signs were recently installed in the canal near the Cortez Village Marina. – Hunters Point | Submitted

Regarding testimony he received, Culpepper’s order says, “Ms. Greenawalt best framed the analysis by acknowledging that the dock, and any boats moored thereto, will undeniably affect navigation through the canal to some extent. The evidence clearly shows that boaters will have to be mindful of a reduced navigable width when traveling alongside Hunters Point, particularly when crossing the three ‘pinch points’ on the north-south channel. However, Capt. Fleming convincingly explained that after the dock is built, the canal will still contain sufficient space for boaters to safely travel between the bridge and the marina.

Hunters Point prevails in dock permit challenge
Several of the 86 Hunters Point homes have already been built and some area awaiting new docks. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“All witnesses agree that following construction of the dock, boats will still be able to freely travel through the canal one at a time. The proposed dock will not interfere with or prevent a single boater from traversing from the bridge to an upland property.
“The evidence shows that the dock will not reduce the safe navigational width of the waterway any more than the bridge at the entrance to the canal, which is 15 feet wide, or the narrow bottleneck just before the marina where mangrove growth restricts safe movement to one boat at a time,” Culpepper noted in his order.

“It is uncontroverted that the placement of the dock in the canal will affect navigation to some degree. However, the evidence was insufficient to conclude that the dock will constitute an environmental hazard to public health, safety, welfare or property. Similarly, the evidence and testimony do not show that the construction of the dock will cause more than a mere inconvenience to boaters similar to what they already face at the bridge, much less result in a significant impediment to navigation,” the order states.

“Based on the evidence and testimony presented at the final hearing, the undersigned finds that Cortez Road (Investments) and the district presented competent substantial evidence establishing Cortez Road’s entitlement to the permit. Conversely, the marina did not meet its burden of demonstrating that the district should not issue the permit,” Culpepper stated in his order.

Fireside Chats: Drowning Prevention

Written by Rodney Kwiatkowski on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

It’s that time of year again. You know, when the average high temperature is approximately 74.1 degrees Fahrenheit, the UV index is 6 and the dew point is a very comfortable 58. Oh… and the traffic to the beaches is bumper-to-bumper and stretches west of 75th Street along Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road, respectively. Thousands of those headed to Anna Maria Island are vacationing, staying in one of the roughly 3,500 vacation rental properties or the dozens of resort-style hotels. Spring breakers from the north are here to enjoy some much-deserved sun and fun.  These vacationers are welcomed with open arms; however, there is a lot of information they need to know to fully enjoy their time here and return home safely. Our local beaches, pools and waterways pose a significant safety risk.

Studies show:

  • Drowning kills about 4,000 people each year in the United States;
  • Drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1-4 years old;
  • There are about 8,000 emergency department visits for nonfatal drowning each year;
  • Injuries and deaths from drowning cost the United States $53 billion in 2020;
  • DROWNING IS PREVENTABLE.

This March, in an ongoing effort to combat these risks, the West Manatee Fire Rescue District continues its annual Drowning Prevention Campaign. This campaign is designed to bring awareness to the drowning risks those living and playing in our community face, as well as to educate the public on how to safely enjoy water-related activities.

Fireside Chats: Drowning Prevention
A volunteer waves a sign to raise awareness about water safety near Manatee Beach. – Submitted | WMFR

WMFR’s Fire & Life Safety Bureau, with the assistance of local elementary school teachers and other volunteers, kicked off this campaign with a sign-waving event on March 4 at Manatee Beach. Join WMFR in its effort to make sure everyone has a relaxing, fun and, most importantly, safe Spring Break in 2023.

Letter to the Editor: When is it enough?

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

When do the builders and developers have enough money so that they will stop destroying what used to be a great place to live, Anna Maria Island?

When will there be enough monster homes built by overzealous investors right next to smaller homes where people raised their families and came to vacation for generations? When will there be enough residents forced to move because of the noise of traffic or the unending disturbance of two, three or four families suddenly living next door, but moving in and out every week? The once-family homes that were razed and replaced with buildings that accommodate three, four and five families are mini-hotels, not homes.

When will there be enough gold lining the pockets of builders, investors and developers who are turning an unpolished gem into Clearwater, St. Pete or Fort Lauderdale? We need to wake up and see the destruction of the lifestyle we all thought we had on Anna Maria Island.

Sean Murphy is right – the issue is not parking; the issue is traffic! Why not have an engineering company perform a traffic impact analysis?

Who is going to pay for the proposed parking garages on the island? Will visitors then have to pay to park when visiting our free beaches?

Beachgoers could park in the two virtually empty parking deck garages in downtown Bradenton. The county can lease, on a seasonal basis, interstate/Greyhound-type buses that have plenty of storage for beachgoers’ chairs, etc. They can run every 20 minutes, significantly reducing congestion. This would eliminate idling cars either stuck in traffic or moving so slowly due to traffic that air pollution is increased, valuable fuel resources are wasted, and frustration and anger and angst are created – let us not forget people who LIVE on the island.

Residents cannot go out to shop, go out to eat, or leave the Island to go to church unless they spend hours in traffic for what used to be a 10-minute drive. Have you ever walked on the Island’s sidewalks in season while cars spew carbon monoxide in your face?

The fellow Holmes Beach resident who wrote, “We only have so much space; apply the math…” was so right.

It is painfully clear that parking isn’t the real issue – the true motive behind this is development and profit.

Stop the madness!

Last, but not least, the county commissioners and the FDOT should build a bridge to Longboat Key which would alleviate the Gulf Drive/Cortez traffic nightmare.

 

Paul Reed Steberger

Holmes Beach

Letter to the Editor: What is AMI’s carrying capacity?

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

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under the Division of Recreation and Parks has the responsibility of planning the use and management of Florida’s public lands and water areas. Governments are tasked with development and management strategies and plans for the quality of recreation experiences and protection of the natural areas which are directly affected by the implementation of the site plans, or land use plans. As we write our state legislators regarding the current hot topic of the “garage,” perhaps we should encourage a study using the DEP Carrying Capacity Guidelines.

Carrying capacity is the maximum population that can be sustained by a specific environment. Carrying capacity computations are vital to the planning of new use sites, alterations of existing use sites and continuous management of all areas of the system. To prevent overcrowding and resource deterioration, the collection of data is fundamental to assessment.

Carrying capacity for a given site governs the number of parking spaces, the size of restrooms and all quantities of support facilities to be provided. Surveys on tourists’ perspectives have shown that in addition to beach cleanliness, safety, information availability and habitat management, overcrowding is considered as a very significant criterion by potential tourists.

Without becoming too technical, these are the broad capacities:

  • Economic – maximum number of tourists that an area can support;
  • Biophysical – damage to the natural environment exceeds the habitat’s ability to regenerate;
  • Social – Reduced visitor enjoyment and increased crime/indicators of when the social carrying capacity has been exceeded;
  • Environmental – ecological and physical parameters, the capacity of resources, ecosystems and infrastructure.

Doug Lansky, an international tourism advisor, has a great YouTube video on tourism, “a new model for success in tourism that emphasizes sustainable growth, protecting local assets, and enhancing life for the locals while maximizing the local economic impact.”

The area of Anna Maria Island is less than a half of a percent of the total area of Manatee County. A $45 million parking garage for 1,500 is not a panacea. Encourage legislators to use smart and sensible planning strategies and studies for the benefit of residents, visitors, and the environment.

Margie Motzer

Holmes Beach

Castles in the Sand

When old is too old

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

Last week we talked about interest rates and the effect they may be having on the national and local real estate markets. But what if you’re a senior citizen, retired and want to buy another home? There may be barriers to obtaining that loan you never considered.

No secret that lots of real estate is sold to seniors in the state of Florida, and not just Florida. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports that 13% of all mortgages originated in 2021 were by people 65 years of age and older; that is over 1.9 million mortgages.

Nevertheless, older borrowers who no longer draw a paycheck and rely on investments and the interest they generate may have a problem proving to a lender that they have sufficient income and assets to qualify for a mortgage. This is especially true now as housing prices have gone up substantially over the past couple of years.

In addition, widows and widowers could have another problem qualifying if they have lost income after their spouse has passed. Frequently pension benefits are lost or reduced and Social Security benefits will also be reduced. A woman I met told me that after the loss of her husband, she couldn’t afford to stay in her house and didn’t qualify for a home equity loan to help with expenses even though there was adequate equity in the property.

Seniors who are depending on investments to cover living expenses will qualify if they are taking regular distributions from IRA accounts, which are considered income. However, if they are just withdrawing funds as needed, lenders may not consider that as income. Every lender is different, so finding one that has worked with seniors in similar positions is helpful. And of course, keeping your credit score up is essential, so be prudent when considering cosigning a car loan for your grandson.

Last week, we also reported on the sales statistics for Manatee County and the national sales statistics came out right around the same time. The National Association of Realtors said the number of closed sales fell 36.9% from last January; this is in line with our statistics that single-family closings were down by 31.7% in Manatee from last year.

Not similar, however, were the national median existing-home prices, which rose 1.3% in January from a year earlier. Manatee County’s median sale price for single-family homes was up 5.4% compared to last January. This should be expected when you see the selling prices on Island homes and other coastal areas in Manatee County.

Also, according to the National Association of Realtors, seven of the top 10 cities with the largest year-over-year increases are in Florida or the Carolinas. Sarasota is up 19.5%, Naples is up 17.2%, Punta Gorda is up 15.2% and Daytona Beach is up 14.5% – the Florida hot spots. Lawrence Yun, the Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, says, “Even with a projected reduction in home sales this year, prices are expected to remain stable in the vast majority of the markets due to extremely limited supply.” I would add that supply is gradually improving with the possibility of it impacting sales values.

If you’re a senior and are experiencing a problem getting financing, remember that it is against the law to discriminate because of age. But it’s not against the law to discriminate because of a lack of income. Use the tools available to get that mortgage done before the prices go up again.

Reel Time: Suncoast Waterkeeper launches ‘Eyes on the Suncoast’

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

The waters on the Suncoast need the protection of those who love them. You can help Suncoast Waterkeeper (SCWK) do that with a new program the nonprofit launched recently by keeping your “Eyes on the Suncoast” and reporting what you see.

Whether you’re boating, biking, swimming, fishing or walking, everyone on or near the water can help SCWK remind residents and visitors why the Suncoast’s marine ecosystem is worth protecting. Suncoast Waterkeeper can’t be everywhere at once, that’s why your contributions are vital to their efforts.

Suncoast Waterkeeper launches 'Eyes on the Suncoast'
You can help Suncoast Waterkeeper by report- ing conditions such as this light-colored plume in area waters. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

SCWK has designed a platform that makes it easy for you to submit and share what you see. Sharing what you see using your phone, social media and the hashtag #eyesonthesuncoast can be invaluable in efforts to preserve water quality and habitat.

Here are two ways you can report what you see:

1. Use the form on their website for bad conditions or pollution reports only. The form will let you post an image, add a description and give the location of the report.

2. Post to Facebook or Instagram. Here is the perfect place to post what you love about the Suncoast and why it’s important to help organizations like SCWK keep it sustainable. A YouTube video walks you through the process on the webpage. Follow these four easy steps to post to your social media platform:

• Upload a picture;

• Include a description of what you’re reporting;

• Provide the latitude and longitude for your location using your phone’s compass or by dropping a pin on a map app; and

• Add #eyesonthesuncoast.

Need a couple of tips on what to report?

Post the things that inspire and amaze you – wildlife sightings, clear/clean water, a special sunrise and/or sunset, healthy seagrass or marine scenery.

Post the things we need to be aware of like trash/debris, excessive mangrove trimming, including dead mangroves, fish kills, dead or sick aquatic animals, discolored, foamy
or foul-smelling water, sewage spills, algae blooms, gas, oil or grease spills, runoff from construction sites, direct pollution or chemical spills, invasive species as well as other concerns.

If you have questions, visit Suncoast Waterkeeper online.

Don’t underestimate the impact that your contributions can make.

As Margaret Mead, the famous cultural anthropologist said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Ugly Grouper hoping for playoff miracle

Ugly Grouper hoping for playoff miracle

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

ANNA MARIA – Last Thursday, The Center’s adult co-ed flag football league closed out the regular season with team Luxury Service undefeated with a 7-0 record.

On the flip side of the coin, the Ugly Grouper squad finished without a win.

The two teams meet up in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs on Feb. 3. A playoff miracle for Ugly Grouper is needed against the high-scoring Luxury team.

The Briley team easily defeated the Ugly Grouper lineup last week 41-0, finishing the season with a 4-3 record.

A late player substitution was made to The Briley Mortgage Team roster with the addition of Jon Moss working behind the center as quarterback.

The change led to a passing game with 30 receiving points, including four thrown by Moss and one by Connor Haughey.

On the receiving side of the scoring, the hot hands and body control by Karri Stephens scored 12 points. Stephens had one defensive stop in the game. Jesse Skipper, Mike Bolognone and Haughey each had a six-point catch to help The Briley team capture their fourth win of the season.

Skipper had a single flag pull and a sack. Haughey’s game stats include one receiving reception, a single one-point conversion, seven total catches and stop while on defense.

Topping off the offensive scoring for The Briley Mortgage Team were Jana Whitehead and Alonzo Lemus, each with a point after a touchdown conversion.

The remaining defensive stops included flag pulls by Bolognone, Whitehead and Lemus, with an interception by Lemus.

Despite the loss, the Ugly Grouper players put critical statistics into the books in last week’s game. Kiatrell Zachery led the defense with six flag pulls and one interception.

Credited with an INT while on defense, Limarcus Waller lit up the football field with three catches and four flag pulls.

Daniel O’Connor had two defensive stops, adding to a single by Colton Fox.

Contributing offensively, Zachary Blakeney and Devyn Larson each had a catch for important yardage in the game.

With Jon Moss as the QB for Briley Mortgage Team, there is a potential match-up against family members on team Moss Builders.

Brother Ryan Moss, cousin, Greg Moss, and father, Ed Moss, make up nearly a third of the team that defeated The Banks Home Lending Team on Feb. 23 with a score of 38-19.

Moss Builders finished the season with a 6-1 record and faces Gulf Drive Café in the first round of the adult league playoffs at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

The café team had a single win in the regular season, with a loss handed to them by The Sandbar team in the final week of pre-playoff games.

Almost pulling out a win last week, with the final score 48-41 in Sandbar’s favor, Gulf Drive Café goes into the playoffs as underdogs against the solid Moss squad.

In the final game of the first playoff night, The Briley Mortgage Team snaps against The Sandbar at 9 p.m.

 

Sun Scoreboard

 

Feb. 20

8- to 10-year-old league

Week 6

 

 

#5 AMI Coconuts (3-3-0) 28

#8 SynLawn (0-6-0) 12

 

 

#1 Sato Real Estate (6-0-0) 25

#2 Solid Rock Construction (4-2-0) 13

 

 

#3 Island Real Estate (4-2-0) 28

#6 Moss Builders (2-4-0) 6

 

 

#4 Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control (4-2-0) 35

#7 Cloud Pest Control (1-5-0) 30

 

 

Feb. 21
11- to 13-year-old league

 

 

#1 Pineapple Market Place (6-0-0) 34

#3 Moss Builders (4-2-0) 26

 

 

#6 Intentional Resilient Intuitive (2-4-0) 25

#7 Sandhoff Construction (1-5-0) 20

 

 

#4 Shady Lady Horticultural Services (3-3-0) 45

#8 Chick-Fil-A (1-5-0) 20

 

 

#2 Solid Rock Construction (5-1-0) 40

#5 Storage Building Company (2-4-0) 6

 

 

Feb. 23
Adult Flag Football – Week 7

 

 

#4 The Briley Mortgage Team (4-3-0) 41

#8 Ugly Grouper (0-7-0) 0

 

 

#1 Luxury Services (7-0-0) 46

#3 Solid Rock Construction (4-3-0) 28

 

 

#5 The Sandbar (3-4-0) 48

#7 Gulf Drive Café (1-6-0) 41

 

 

#2 Moss Builders (6-1-0) 38

#6 The BanksHome Lending Team (3-4-0) 19

Castles in the Sand

Real estate market warming up

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

It’s winter in Florida and it can be a little chilly in the morning, but, if you pay close attention, you may feel a slight warming breeze. However, the breeze I’m talking about is not in the air, but in the real estate market, and it’s starting to stir demand among buyers.

Mortgage rates have fallen by about a full percentage point for a 30-year fixed-rate loan, signaling that the Federal Reserve may be nearly finished lifting interest rates. As of this writing, the average 30-year fixed-rate loan is averaging about 6.79%, but there are loans out there that are as low as 6.46%, and a 15-year fixed-rate loan is averaging about 6.22%.

The last time we saw mortgage rates in the 6% range was for several years between 2003 and 2008 after which the rates started dropping. Understandably, new buyers to the market were appalled when the rates went over 7% from a low of 3% since they had never seen rates this high.

Redfin reports that the number of people contacting real estate agents to start their buying process has increased from a November low. In addition, real estate contracts rose in December and mortgage applications are up by about a quarter nationally since the end of last year.

The real estate market has always been a barometer of how the economy is doing in general because so much of a successful economy is driven by a successful housing market. Goldman Sachs Group economists said this past month “they expect the worst of the downturn has passed and housing is poised to exert less of a drag on economic growth going forward.”

And buyers are hearing the message and getting accustomed to their monthly housing costs being higher if they plan on buying a home. It’s a correction in their thinking which has finally taken hold.

Let’s see if Manatee County residents are also getting the message. These are the January sales statistics reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

Single-family homes closed 31.7% fewer homes than January of last year. The median sale price was $505,710, up 5.4%, and the average sale price was $650,544, up 5.8%. Median time to contract was 32 days, compared to 7 days last year, and the month’s supply of properties is 3.2 months.

Condos closed 24.4% fewer properties than last January. The median sale price was $345,000, up 14.4%, and the average sale price was $392,332, up 3.4%. Median time to contract was 26 days, compared to 6 days last year, and the month’s supply of properties is 3.2 months.

Cash sales continue to drop 31.6% for single-family and 34.6% for condos. However, inventory is increasing and the median and average sale prices are still in positive territory compared to last year. The combination of increased inventory and values that are holding is a great thing. There are regions around the country that would love to be in our position.

In addition, historically, 6% interest rates are not unusual. What was unusual was when they got down to 3%. We as a country have always survived high-interest rates frequently much higher than 6%. Buyers continued to buy even then because owning a home is ultimately the goal of most Americans. So, enjoy the warming trend and be patient it you haven’t felt it yet, it’s coming.

Castles in the Sand

When the numbers are too high to count

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

Several years ago, I started writing a monthly column analyzing the over $1 million properties on the Island and in Cortez. Then, because of the volume of properties, I amended that to do the analysis quarterly. Now I’m faced with the reality of having so many properties over $1 million that it’s easier to count the ones under a million and provide an overview of what’s going on. And what’s going on is mind blowing, probably something I don’t need to tell you.

Little Cortez has 19 properties either available or pending. Twelve of them are $1 million or over, counting a $999,000 property. The properties start with $4,999,999 and several of the properties are part of the new Hunters Point community.

The city of Anna Maria, which everyone knows by now is the second most expensive zip code in the state of Florida, continues to grow. There are 80 properties either available or pending on the north end and only two of those listings are under $1 million. It starts at $12,775,000 and ends at $1,399,900 with only 16 properties between $1 million and $2 million.

The combined cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach have 172 available or pending properties. They start at $12,995,000 and end at $999,000. There are only 53 out of 172 properties listed under $1 million.

All of the above numbers are based on the available information as of this writing, which changes daily. Nevertheless, it’s pretty obvious that we have broken records and keep breaking them. But why?

It seems like the world is moving to Florida and based on the increase in population numbers it very well may be. The population of Florida in 2022 was 22,244,823, an increase of 1.91% from 2021. The population of Florida at the end of 2019, when the COVID-19 pandemic was just starting, was 21,492,056, an increase of 752,767 in just three years.

As a comparison, the state of New York for the year 2022 had a population of 19,677,151. You would have to go back to 2014, long before COVID was even a word, when Florida’s population was 19,853,880 to come close to New York state’s current population. The increases in Florida’s population show a consistent growth pattern, with only two states, California and Texas, having higher populations.

And there are other reasons for Florida’s expanding population. Certainly, the lack of state income tax is a huge draw for wealthy individuals and businesses alike. Florida has a lower budget by billions than other large states and a higher GDP rate. And, although our sales tax and some permitting fees may be higher than other large states, in the end, it’s generally a more affordable state to live in.

Finally, do I even want to go down the lifestyle road, something it’s impossible to put a number on? For the most part, properties are being bought by buyers from out of state and it’s not all about the money.

I guess I really do know the reason the sales numbers are too high to count and the population keeps increasing. In spite of some adjustments to the real estate market all over the state, chances are it will continue, especially when buyers and sellers realize it’s now or never.

Join in the cleanup

Reel Time: Join in the cleanup

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

Have you been looking for a way to meet new friends who share your passion for the environment and work to keep it healthy? An upcoming event will provide you with that opportunity. Join Sarasota Bay Watch, Suncoast Aqua Ventures and Suncoast Waterkeeper on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Harbor Cove Community, 499 Imperial Drive in North Port. Hurricane Ian blew a tremendous amount of debris into the Myakka River, our area’s premier wild and scenic river. Join the effort in removing debris and restoring this natural treasure.

You can sign up at the Sarasota Bay Watch website. The event starts at 8:15 a.m. with a safety meeting followed by the cleanup, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided at noon at the end of the cleanup. Fourteen kayaks will be provided for those who want to participate but don’t own a kayak. Sign up early to reserve a seat. Participants can, of course, bring their own kayak or shallow draft boat. Work gloves, trash bags, maps and equipment will be provided. Non-boaters are needed to retrieve trash or clean areas from land. Parking is limited, so carpool if possible. If you have questions, contact Ronda Ryan at 941-232-2363. Other sponsors include North Port Friends of Wildlife and the Harbor Cove Community.

As you may be aware, Hurricane Ian had a huge impact over a wide swath of waterways across the state. While the news has moved on to more immediate stories, the debris left by the storm remains in some of the Suncoast’s most important natural areas. On their first event held on Dec. 11, 2022, the organizations cleaned up the waterways in the community of Holiday Estates. A particularly hard-hit area on the Suncoast, Lemon Bay sits at the southern end of the watershed monitored by Suncoast Aqua Ventures, Sarasota Bay Watch and Suncoast Waterkeeper. With the assistance of Lemon Bay Conservancy and the Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Program, they worked to clean up the canals of Ainger Creek, a major tributary of Lemon Bay.

This is a great opportunity to learn about and participate in the important work of these organizations, as well as an opportunity to spend a day making a difference and meeting new friends. Join in to keep the Suncoast the special place it is for this and future generations.