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Proposed consolidation study concerns city officials

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

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners continue to express concerns about legislative actions recently proposed by State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and other state legislators.

On Jan. 12, Robinson (R-Bradenton) and his fellow Republican members of the Manatee County legislative delegation announced their intent to pursue state legislation that could potentially allow Manatee County to preempt the city of Holmes Beach’s land development code in order to build a multi-story parking garage on county property to provide more parking for beachgoers and other visitors. Robinson and his fellow state legislators also announced their desire for a state-funded study regarding the possible consolidation or elimination of the three Island cities and city governments.

Led by Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), the Manatee County legislative delegation also includes Sen. Joe Gruters, Rep. Tommy Gregory and Rep. Mike Beltran. State legislators began a special 12-day legislative session on Monday, and their regular annual 60-day legislative session begins on March 7.

Bradenton Beach concerns

On Feb. 2, the Bradenton Beach Commission again discussed these legislative matters. Mayor John Chappie noted that City Attorney Ricinda Perry referenced the state legislators’ efforts in a letter she sent to the accounting firm that annually audits the city’s finances. In that letter, Perry identified current or potential legal actions or litigation that could impact the city’s finances.

“The city of Bradenton Beach has been placed on notice that Representative Robinson may propose a study funded by the Florida Legislature to determine if the three Anna Maria Island Cities – Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria – should be consolidated or dissolved,” Perry stated in her Jan. 31 letter.

“The impacts of this would impair all existing contracts, leases, franchise agreements, employment agreements, endowments and retirement accounts. There has been real property gifted to the city that may have reverter clauses. The city would cease to exist if the special act creating the municipality would be repealed and the city was dissolved by the Florida Legislature,” Perry’s letter said.

“To date, the city has not received notice that the study has been authorized, nor has the city received notice that Representative Robinson has filed a local house bill to dissolve the city,” Perry’s letter said in closing.

Perry noted eliminating the city would also eliminate the city charter. Among other things, the city charter includes height restrictions that prohibit the construction of high-rise structures.

Perry receives legislative updates from the city’s contracted lobbyist, Dave Ramba. Ramba believes Robinson will push for the consolidation study during this year’s legislative session and wait until the 2024 session to decide what to do with the recommendations made in the study. Perry said the study is one of Robinson’s top legislative priorities.

Perry also spoke with Florida League of Cities attorney David Cruz and was told the League will be part of the efforts to defeat the legislative actions sought by the Manatee County delegation.

“This is a new attack on home rule,” Perry said.

Perry said she spoke with Robinson, too. She said he’s concerned about the tax burdens placed on the Island’s taxpayers and wants to know whether consolidating some or all of the services provided by each of the Island cities would reduce those tax burdens.

After noting that people voluntarily chose to live and own property on Anna Maria Island, Perry said, “If the extra (property) tax is the concern, then by virtue of his claim every municipality in the state is an overtax on people and every county should be a county with no municipalities in it.”

Chappie noted the city only receives a small percentage of the tax revenues Manatee County collects in Bradenton Beach.

Perry said Robinson also feels the three Island cities, in general, need to find or create more parking for beachgoers and visitors, but one city in particular (Holmes Beach) is the state legislators’ main concern.

On Jan. 30, Chappie, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth and Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy met with Robinson and Boyd at Anna Maria City Hall in a private meeting arranged by Murphy.

During Thursday’s commission meeting, Chappie shared some of what was discussed during that meeting, and also during his previous meetings with Titsworth and Murphy. Chappie said the three mayors have had some preliminary discussion about possibly consolidating some of the services provided by each of the three cities, including flood plain management, the flood insurance-related Community Rating System, code enforcement and things of that nature.

“We’re looking at that and that was part of the request from our legislators,” Chappie said.

Commissioner Ralph Cole addressed the potential consolidation or elimination of the city’s police department.

“It’s good to have your own police department. They know the people, how the area works and what’s going on in each neighborhood,” he said.

“Look at the amount of crime out here on the Island and tell us we haven’t done a good job,” Cole said in comparison to crime rates experienced elsewhere in the county.

Regarding consolidation in general, Chappie said, “I don’t think the numbers actually work. We’re going to look at all that.”

“It would be a disaster for this area,” Cole said.

Compete in the Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament

Reel Time: Compete in the Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament

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

No one has more vested interest in water quality and the protection of our local marine habitat than anglers. That fact is clearly evident for those that make a living from the bays and estuaries that define the Suncoast, making it one of the country’s most desirable locations to visit and live. It’s easy to understand that fishing guides, waterfront restaurants, marinas and resort accommodations like hotels, motels and marinas, benefit from a robust and sustainable environment. What’s less well appreciated by the public at large is the impact of a healthy environment on the economy at large.

Fortunately, local anglers, through advocacy groups like Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, are getting that message to a wider audience through the media, legal actions and events like this week’s Third Annual Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament. The event, a sellout this year, is a two-day, fly fishing-only, catch-and-release redfish tournament with an optional Snook Calcutta that awards the winner a 50/50 cash payout. The event will be held on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 4-5. The tournament has a full field of 50 teams with 100 anglers.

All proceeds from the photo submission, all release formats including entry fees, 50% of the Snook Calcutta and raffle ticket purchases directly benefit Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. The fishing boundaries are the west coast of Florida from the southern tip of Sanibel Island to the southern edge of the Crystal River Power Plant main channel. The target species are snook and redfish. The Waterman tournament culminates on Feb. 5 with an awards banquet at the Bradenton Yacht Club and features a raffle made possible by our generous sponsors. A limited amount of guest tickets to the awards banquet are available for purchase for $50.

Locally, we are blessed to receive the benefit of two Waterkeeper groups. Suncoast Waterkeeper concentrates its efforts on the waters of Manatee County and Sarasota County, primarily Sarasota Bay. Tampa Bay Waterkeeper focuses its efforts on the waters of Tampa Bay and its surrounding estuaries. Local anglers know that there are no distinct boundaries between these areas and both organizations work together on broader issues, like Piney Point and the proposed fish farm off New Pass. While the tournament is sold out this year, I’ll report back on the results and would encourage everyone to support these groups’ advocacy efforts through donations, advocacy and volunteerism. Their work supports everything we value locally.

Island officials unite to preserve home rule

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

HOLMES BEACH – Anna Maria Island’s elected officials are uniting to preserve home rule in the face of recent attempts by state legislators to circumvent local parking ordinances and fund a study to determine if the Island’s three cities should be dissolved.

Not only the central city on the Island, but also the one central to a debate at the state level, Holmes Beach has a prohibition against parking garages that state legislators have threatened to overturn. City leaders took a few moments during a Jan. 24 city commission meeting to address that issue and that of dissolving the Island cities.

It was standing room only in city hall chambers as residents, property owners and other stakeholders came out to show their support to Mayor Judy Titsworth and city commissioners. More joined the meeting online through Zoom.

Titsworth thanked everyone in attendance for their “outpouring of support” and vowed to do everything possible to fight back against the state’s encroachment into home rule of the Island, the ability of local governments to govern themselves.

While she said she and the two mayors from Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria would be meeting on Jan. 30 to discuss options and strategy, she wouldn’t be discussing those things publicly so as to not give state legislators the upper hand.

During a January legislative delegation meeting, Rep. Will Robinson Jr. proposed putting a bill forth in the upcoming state legislative session to install a four-story parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach. Installation of a parking garage would undermine city ordinances that prohibit parking garages in the city and would break the city’s three-story building height limitation, which is written into the municipality’s charter. While parking garages were never an approved use in Holmes Beach, the ordinance officially stating that was not passed until 2022, after a meeting with Manatee County commissioners to discuss beach parking issues.

Titsworth said that Robinson, Rep. Jim Boyd and Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge were informed prior to the discussion that parking garages were not an allowable use in the city but that they could submit for a change of use. She said no one from the county, which owns the Manatee Beach property, ever did.

“There’s lots of misinformation from the county,” she said. “I’m over this. We’re not trying to privatize the Island. We’re a far cry from a private island.”

Robinson also proposed having a state-funded agency do a feasibility study to determine if the three Island city governments should be dissolved, putting the Island under the control of Manatee County commissioners. Consolidation of the three cities also has been discussed.

Florida Statutes 165.061(3)(b) requires that if a municipal government is dissolved by a special act of the state Legislature, a neighboring municipality would have to demonstrate that it is willing and able, including financially, to “provide necessary services to the municipal area proposed for dissolution.” Other statutory requirements prohibit the municipality to be dissolved from being “substantially surrounded by other municipalities.”

Data from the Florida League of Cities shows that only 11 municipalities have been dissolved since 1977 and only two of those were by special act of the state Legislature.

Commissioner Terry Schaefer, who attended the legislative delegation meeting, said that no one in the three Island city governments received prior notification about the parking garage proposal or the state-funded study.

“I think it showed a great deal of disrespect to everyone who lives on and loves this Island,” he said, noting that the dissolution study is “a stark warning to every community in Florida.”

“It’ll be really sad if there comes a time when all of our little coastal cities are gone,” Titsworth said.

“We’re not going to get into a fight,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said. “We want to move forward carefully and legally.”

Though the city’s elected officials committed to doing everything they can to halt both the parking garage and the attempt to dissolve the Island cities, they also encouraged all residents, property owners, visitors and stakeholders to lend their voices to the fight by reaching out to local and state representatives with their opinions on the two issues.

Schaefer also appeared on Jan. 26 at a ManaSota League of Cities meeting in Longboat Key on behalf of Holmes Beach. He was joined by Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and representatives from several other local municipalities. The group agreed to draft and send a letter to the state Legislature and local delegation in support of the three Anna Maria Island cities remaining as-is and decrying the state’s potential intrusion into home rule.

Letter to the Editor: Try ‘park and ride’

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

My family and I have visited Anna Maria Island for more than 30 years and we have witnessed firsthand how the place is strangling itself with its popularity. Our three-month stay ends at the end of the month and we have never before seen such slow-moving traffic so early in the season.

A multi-story car park anywhere on the island is not the solution.

Our full-time home is in the Roman city of Chester in the United Kingdom, one of very few ancient walled cities in the world. It too gets swamped with tourists from around the globe, but it has a solution to gridlock – so-called Park and Ride car parks serviced throughout the day, throughout the year, by an excellent hop-on, hop-off bus service. For a small fee, users can leave their cars and ride into the city to be dropped off at numerous points on a set route, while the return is just as simple.

Chester is not unique. Several other UK tourist hotspots have adopted the idea, enabling traffic-free city streets, pedestrianization, cycle routes and a reduction in air pollution and traffic-related accidents.

The irony is that you already have the excellent shuttle bus solution in place, and, unlike the UK, acres of land off the island on which to locate car parks, multi-level or otherwise.

I urge the powers that be to give the idea some thought. Sadly, I don’t have a solution to the suggestion that AMI’s three cities should be amalgamated, but I suspect that might go away if the car parking was resolved.

Christopher Proudlove

Bradenton Beach

Letter to the Editor: Dissolution of AMI cities

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

The state of Florida appears to have a strong legal argument for the authorization of the founding and dissolution of cities. However, if you take a step back, the formation of cities is commonly driven by a nucleus of local citizens with a desire for better control of their future. The process is rarely initiated by the state Legislature.

Instead, the state Legislature typically responds to the needs of its constituency by approving or denying a grassroots effort for the formation of a city.

Since the state Legislature is unlikely to initiate an effort for the formation of a city, why would it feel it has the mandate to dissolve a city? Isn’t it more appropriate to leave the question of dissolution of a city to the local needs of the citizenry with the state Legislature serving the process by approving or denying the request?

Jeff Rodencal

Anna Maria

Letter to the Editor: Open letter to AMI representatives

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

This is a copy of the letter I have sent to:

Rep. Will Robinson Jr.
Rep. Mike Beltran
Rep. Tommy Gregory

Sen. Jim Boyd
Sen. Joe Gruter
Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge

It has taken me several days to compose my anger at you and ALL of the other members of the local state legislative delegation. Who do you think you are and how dare you make an attempt to subvert our three local governments? I can’t tell you how disgusted and terrified I am with every one of you. I have always been under the impression that Republicans believed in as little government intervention as possible. It seems as though that has changed with you. Our democracy is now being taken over by a dictatorship!

I discovered early on that Commissioner Van Ostenbridge, who supposedly represents Anna Maria Island, does not support his constituents, apparently, unless they are investors, realtors or wealthy folks who can line his political pockets. He does not think or care about the residents of our three cities. He certainly appears to be another self-centered politician who is only interested in his own well-being. Now, unfortunately, it has become apparent that ALL of you legislative delegates are only interested in your own political futures. Why don’t you come out to the beach two to three times a month, especially during the summer months, and observe that there is no room for one chair, let alone for a group. The overcrowded beaches are becoming unsafe for all of us. But NO!! We have to continue to advertise all over the world and bring more and more tourists here. And then you complain that there is inadequate parking for the thousands of off-island beachgoers and then threaten us with a four-story parking garage.

I have lived here for 30 years and my parents for 20 years before that, so 50 years of being high taxpaying residents while watching AMI lose its quiet charm, especially in the last 10 years. Do you see what is happening to local residents who are leaving in droves? Do you even really care? No, because you receive more money and support from investors, etc.

Now I wonder if we need to warn residents from Sarasota, Pinellas, Hillsborough and other counties with small coastal communities that they may be next? Why don’t you take over Mar-a-Lago???

Please contact the delegates and voice your dissent before it is too late.

May God help us.

Ruth Cawein

Anna Maria

Letter to the Editor: Robinson right

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

First of all, I am a believer of home rule. However, when a government creates an atmosphere of dictatorial leadership, it has failed and must be changed. It is time for a change and I think that State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. is on the right track to being the catalyst to do it.

Holmes Beach has long been ruled by Mayor Judy Titsworth who has ruled with an iron hand. The one thing that she and Police Chief Bill Tokajer have created is a system of traffic-related fines that have punished both residents and visitors for a myriad of fines for anything involving traffic. Among the worst action on their part is the elimination of 645 parking spots in Holmes Beach alone. The reason given by the police chief was to help prevent crime in Holmes Beach. Has anyone read the police reports in the local Island newspapers? If you do, you will typically find a domestic dispute, a bicycle stolen, someone urinating in public. Not exactly a Chicago crime wave. Now she so generously allowed homeowners to purchase parking permits on their own property after paying a for- tune in property taxes. It is not right.

Millions of dollars every year are spent every year to attract more visitors to “old Florida.” I think not; the slogan should be, Welcome to our Sunny Island, but leave your car at home.

When invited by the county to attend a meeting in 2022, both Ms. Titsworth and Chief Tokajer refused to meet to discuss the parking situation created by them. How is that a sign of open government? You cannot govern properly by shutting the door to discussion. Somehow in the fourth quarter they were convinced to meet, but it was to no avail and nothing positive came out of that meeting. One of the things Ms. Titsworth brought up was that the parking situation was a county problem, not hers, and get this, she said they should build a parking garage at the county beach. Now in the latest news she states that she is against such a plan. Talk about flip-flopping.

Ms. Titsworth has said if the county took over, the residents would leave. That is exactly what has been happening under her watch for the past five years because of the construction of six- and eight-bedroom rental properties. This is a fact that family houses built in the 50s or 60s are being bought by developers, torn down and replaced with massive rental houses.

This is not a private island; if you want tourists, treat them like you really appreciate them. Be reminded that the Florida law states that everyone in this state is allowed to walk the beaches. There is also a federal law that backs that up.
My suggestion is to have the Manatee government withdraw the Holmes Beach parking ordinance and have the parking restriction eliminated. They should also dissolve the municipal governments, as an island with three governments in a seven- mile long strip of land is ridiculous.

I suggest that as a first step, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department take over the police force for the entire Island. They are a professional organization that already has roots on the island and has experience across the entire county.

Have the state create a single entity to govern the entire Island, either as Rep. Robinson suggested as an unincorporated part of Manatee County or establish a municipal government for the entire island.

Anthony Accatatta

Perico Island

Letter to the Editor: Keep AMI low-rise

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

Reference recent “bombshell” articles; it appears money and greed have purchased Bradenton power.

Busting height restrictions will destroy our “old Florida” uniqueness and ignores our lessons of Martinique.

Consolidation smacks of power; conquer and control.

Top-down bullying is never good, nor professional or acceptable. The proposals benefit a “noticeable” very few.

Islanders wake up, stand up and speak up, for the “rape” of our Island is gaining momentum.

To our county commissioners and state representatives, you were elected to represent our best interests, not those of foreign investors!

You need to visualize how the change to four stories will change the Island. It will not stop at a parking garage!

Bill Hahn

Holmes Beach

Letter to the Editor: Home rule at risk

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

I would like to thank you for your coverage of the controversial local bills being introduced by Rep. Will Robinson. It is extremely important that we educate all on the dire consequences of loss in home rule.

Cities were founded on the belief that local government understands best the needs of local citizens. The state then determined that cities could legislate themselves. We are currently in a time where the state had giveth and now with precedent, the state can taketh away.

Rep. Robinson has stated that the reason for the first bill on mandating a parking garage at the public beach is because the city would not budge on the reduction in parking in the city. On the contrary, the city of Holmes Beach agreed to the use of AME school, the library, and city hall for additional overflow parking. A suggestion was also made that they purchase the large Bank of America lot that has close and safe access to the public beach for overflow parking. Although county and state leaders choose to lob insults at the city of Holmes Beach, we historically have and continue to be a part of the solution for the county’s failure to plan.

Rep. Robinson has stated that the sole reason for the second bill, a study on dissolving the cities, is due to declining populations on the Island. He even went so far as stating that this is a proactive approach instead of reactive, as this will get ahead of the time when there are no longer enough residents to maintain three cities. What he said is entirely different than what I heard. Being that this study was not initiated by the city leaders and local bills are historically never controversial, it brings me to ponder on whether the proactive approach that our state representatives are taking was generated years ago with the intended outcome, the elimination of cities.

You see, when the cities lost their ability to regulate vacation rentals taking over the residential districts, this brought an onslaught of developers from all over the country gobbling up every beach house in site. The market value soared, and the local hard-working citizens were pushed out of their homes and forced to move inland. The holdouts remain but are subject to a declined quality of life due to noise, trash, nutrient loads in bays, congestion and no longer having the ability to know their neighbor.

As mayor, it is my job to support our residents and businesses and to make decisions to maintain and improve the quality of their lives. Because of these efforts, full-time residents
are returning. I have witnessed the drastic increase in property tax that the county receives by no longer being constrained by homestead caps ($17 million in the past 10 years). Add to that, the Tourist Development Tax that was sold to the voters lacking foresight. The voters thought this tax would be a good thing, it would bring money to our cities from visitors instead of just property owners. What they didn’t understand is what a cash cow it became. The city of Holmes Beach alone has contributed well over $30 million in bed tax to the coffers since its inception with little in return. It isn’t because we haven’t asked. It is because the county commission chose to use it elsewhere.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that this is all happening at the same time entire boards of county commissions are being replaced by potential “yes men” for developers. Campaigns are being driven by strategists, all heavily funded by big developer PAC money. I believe our state representatives have been taking a proactive approach for many years now and it is setting up Florida coastal cities to fail.

Mayor Judy Holmes Titsworth

Holmes Beach

Fireside chats: Vacation rentals

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

Our community is changing. That’s a given, but communities are always changing, and change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When it comes to changing communities, the fire district’s goal is to adapt to the change and continue providing the needed services. We are not politicians, but public servants and among the most valuable service we provide is safety. Walk into any supermarket, doctor’s office, library, etc., and you will find occupancy-specific passive and active fire and life safety features designed to protect life and limit the damage caused by fire; fire barriers, fire alarms systems and sprinklers systems to name a few. Local fire districts have done a commendable job of keeping up with the change in these areas. However, there is one area where change has outpaced our ability to keep up… vacation rentals.

Let me be clear, West Manatee Fire Rescue District is not proposing the enactment of any new legislation or ordinance aimed at restricting or prohibiting residential occupancies from renting as transient public lodging establishments; that is not our goal, nor is it our role. As a fire district, we recognize the value both small and large business provides to a healthy, vibrant community. Our objective is life safety!

Safety in vacation rentals

It is estimated that someone is injured in a vacation rental every 44 seconds, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Estimations aside, during the last three years on Anna Maria Island there were 11 structure fires at single-family residential occupancies. Of those 11, eight, or 73%, occurred at licensed transient public lodging establishments (TPLE).

Furthermore, on Anna Maria Island in 2022, not counting on our beaches or in swimming pools located at multi-family occupancies, there were three pediatric drownings or near drownings; of those three, 100% occurred at TPLEs.

The drowning crisis last year provoked a WMFR Water Safety Campaign that was kicked off by a press conference in Holmes Beach where, among other experts, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth gave impassioned pleas imploring the public to commit to overseeing young people while in and around our waters. Since then, WMFR has continued its efforts to provide water safety materials to local vacation rental companies. Along the way, questions have been asked as to the extent of oversight the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) has over vacation rentals. This article wishes to address that question.

What is a vacation rental?

Florida Statute 509.242(1) states, “A public lodging establishment shall be classified as a hotel, motel, non-transient apartment, bed and breakfast inn, or vacation rental if the establishment satisfies the following criteria…” Florida Statute 509.242(1)(c) goes on to define a vacation rental as, “Any unit or group of units in a condominium or cooperative or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit that is also a transient public lodging establishment…” And finally, Florida Statute 509.013(4)(a)(1) defines Transient Public Lodging Establishments as “any unit, group of units, dwelling, building, or group of buildings within a single complex of buildings which is rented to guests more than three times in a calendar year for periods of less than 30 days or 1 calendar month, whichever is less, or which is advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests.” Transient public lodging establishments are licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations (DBPR).

There are some exclusions, however. For example, if one had a single-family home and wished to convert it into an assisted living facility, a license from the Agency for Healthcare Administration (ACHA) would be required. Similarly, requirements for daycare centers and nursing home licensure would be required. The aforementioned are occupancies that WMFR has been inspecting annually for years without hesitation or question. WMFR inspects these occupancies utilizing the appropriate prescriptive chapters of the current edition of the Florida Fire Prevention Code.

Fire code and vacation rentals

Florida Statute 633.206(1)(b) Uniform Fire Safety Standards states: “State Legislature mandates local fire jurisdictions protect the health, safety, and welfare of “all-new, existing, and proposed… nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult family-care homes…  transient public lodging establishments…” Additionally, it goes on to say in 633.206(2)(b), “All such local authorities shall enforce, within their fire safety jurisdiction, the uniform fire safety standards for those buildings specified in paragraph (1)(b).” Lastly, the Division of State Fire Marshal’s Florida Administrative Code 69A-43 Uniform Fire Safety Standards for Transient Public Lodging Establishments, Timeshare Plans, and Timeshare Unit Facilities further address the required inspections of TPLEs and which specific prescriptive code sections to utilize.

Changing together

As Manatee County, Anna Maria Island and the vacation rental industry continue to grow and change, it is incumbent upon WMFR to keep up with the change. The fire district has a state mandate to protect the health, safety and welfare of those vacationing in transient public lodging establishments. To that end, WMFR wishes to partner with all state and local stakeholders to ensure those living, working and playing within our community are safe. Please join us at our first vacation rental stakeholders meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall.

AMI fights back against state representatives

AMI fights back against state representatives

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As state representatives discuss bypassing Holmes Beach codes to build a parking garage and dissolving the three Island cities, locals aren’t taking it lying down.

Residents, property owners, business owners, visitors and others who love the Island just the way it is have banded together to get the word out and reach out to Manatee County’s state legislative delegation members in an effort to have their voices heard in Tallahassee.

Led by Holmes Beach resident Laurel Nevans, 950 people had joined Save AMI Cities as of Jan. 23. The Facebook group is dedicated to making the people’s voices heard at the local and state level on both issues.

The battle is focused on a parking garage. Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge wants to build one at Manatee Beach, a property owned by the county but located in Holmes Beach. Before those plans got off the ground, city commissioners voted to not allow multi-level parking structures in their city, a stance echoed by city leaders in Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria. Van Ostenbridge warned city leaders at a public meeting that there would be consequences to their actions.

Now the fight has escalated to the state level with Rep. Will Robinson Jr. initiating a bill to not only override the city’s decision to disallow parking garages but also to break the city’s three-story building height restriction, which is in the city charter. Robinson said he wants to see a four-story parking garage built at Manatee Beach. A four-story garage also would violate the three-story height limitation for unincorporated Manatee County, which is what the Island would likely be merged into if all three Island cities were dissolved by the Legislature.

AMI fights back against state representatives
A cool morning leaves the beach in Holmes Beach nearly vacant, even at the height of snowbird season. – Submitted | Beverly Battle

That possibility arose from state legislative delegation discussions earlier this month to consider hiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to study the feasibility of dissolving the Island’s three cities.

Protestors speak out

Members of Save AMI Cities are writing letters to state representatives and looking at other ways to make sure their opinions on the proposed measures are heard.

The Sun reached out to those members to see what they have to say about the two proposals.

“This ‘taking’ of our local cities diminishes our votes and our ability to get those little things done in our communities,” Binky Rogers said. “We have owned in Bradenton Beach for 35 years and lived here permanently for 14 years. I feel that our mayor and city commission have our best interests at heart, and they are very approachable. The ‘bully’ county commissioners will not worry too much about our small Island except, of course, bringing in more tax dollars from all the high rises that’ll appear. All I can say at this point is think hard about who you vote for. We can’t just ‘pave over paradise and put up a parking lot.’ ”

“I recognize the value of tourism to our little island, but it’s the vibrant, quaint, simple life that we fell in love with and that is slowly being destroyed by developers,” Holmes Beach resident and local Realtor Kelly Gitt said. “I am strongly against the proposal of a parking garage and an advocate of slower speed limits, safe sidewalks/bike lanes and paying a toll to come out to the island. I don’t believe the parking garage has anything to do with protecting our beaches or the slower pace of life we love and appreciate here.”

AMI fights back against state representatives
Anna Maria Island residents and business owner Bob Casey, pictured here with his wife, Connie, questions the motives behind two proposals by state representatives. – Submitted | Bob Casey

“I’m a homeowner and small business owner here on AMI,” Bob Casey said. “A parking garage is not the solution and I think the county commissioners know this. How about finishing the parking lot at Coquina? I could be wrong, but I think they have ulterior motives. If they can overrule our three-story building limit it will be like ringing the dinner bell to all the developers. Then AMI will lose its old-school charm that locals and visitors alike enjoy. Our local governments are not perfect (who is?) but they live among us and have our best interests at heart.”

“The tourist board advertises Anna Maria as ‘a taste of Old Florida,’ then does everything it can to destroy that,” resident Janis Ian said.

“It begs the question of what the motivation is for the county commissioners and legislators to try and control AMI,” part-time Island resident Barbara Trinklein Rinckey said.

Chris Arendt referenced an Urban Land Institute study that notes that additional parking on the Island will not solve issues related to reaching maximum capacity for people and vehicles on the seven-mile Island. Arendt called both proposals by the legislative delegation “sham proposals.”

“It’s intimidation, plain and simple,” Arendt said. “Fact is every single Island conservative I know, and that’s many, are vehemently opposed to both the proposals. That should tell you all you need to know.”

“This is outright intimidation to control our Island towns,” Barbara Quinn said. “A garage won’t help the massive traffic caused by overdevelopment.”

“The Manatee County commission wants to keep their thumb on the cash cow that is AMI,” Laura Siemon Seubert said. “And a certain county commission member didn’t get his way, he essentially ran to ‘daddy’ to step in and make the other kids play with him. The county doesn’t care if we turn into another Panama City Beach or Fort Lauderdale. They only see the dollar signs with each bed tax. The ironic thing is a parking garage won’t help the bottom line. The day trippers that will use the parking garage aren’t spending the night. There is no financial gain from a parking garage. And as far as the three cities becoming one? All the charm and uniqueness of the Island will disappear.”

“I thought we lived in the United States?” Bradenton Beach resident Chris Johnson questioned. “Have any of the commissioners talked to the Islanders to see how we feel on the Island? This Island has been in my family’s blood for four generations, and we have protected the Island for years. The beaches are beautiful but there is more to this Island than beaches.”

Bradenton Beach Commission opposes state attacks on home rule

Bradenton Beach Commission opposes state attacks on home rule

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Protecting home rule rights will be the city commission’s top priority during the state legislative session that convenes on March 5.

Home rule rights and the ability to self-govern at the local level were already a top priority before Bradenton-based State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and the Manatee County legislative delegation announced their shared desire to preempt home rule rights at the state level so Manatee County can build a public parking garage in Holmes Beach. The delegation, which also includes Republican state senators Jim Boyd and Joe Gruters and state representatives Tommy Gregory and Mike Beltran, are also requesting a state-funded study regarding the potential dissolution or consolidation of the three Island cities.

During the Bradenton Beach Commission’s Jan. 19 meeting, commissioners unanimously agreed that fighting the state legislators’ latest efforts to eliminate the city’s home rule rights would be a top priority for the city and its contracted lobbyist, Dave Ramba.

Prior to the meeting, Mayor John Chappie provided the commissioners with a two-page list that detailed the commission’s 2023 legislative priorities. The list was prepared before Robinson and his fellow state legislators expressed their intentions regarding home rule rights and the potential consolidation or elimination of the three Island cities.

According to the priorities list, “Home rule is why no two cities are alike. Intrusion on home rule from the state or federal government undermines the constitutional right of citizens to govern themselves.”

During the Jan. 19 meeting, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said, “There have been two additions I think the city should implement into this based on the Manatee County delegation meeting: The elimination or consolidation of the Island cities as well as the usurpation of home rule authority on height restrictions for parking garages.”

Chappie then said, “I totally agree. I had a discussion with Rep. Robinson. I voiced my concerns and disappointment and he told me his reasoning, which I disagree with. It is concerning. It is disappointing. As I told our representative, government’s supposed to work from the bottom up, not from the top down. This is local stuff. This isn’t even really party politics, it’s about the best type of governance that they think would be best for us. Who do they think they are?” Chappie said.

“Yes, we depend on the state and federal governments for certain things, but we’re responsible at the local level for health, safety and welfare. If we need something, we go to our legislators. That’s not what happened in this case and it’s a state of affairs. The three Island cities are going to be working together to correct this injustice,” Chappie said.

Chappie said he was meeting with Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth the following day. He also said that Perry will work with the Florida League of Cities on these legislative concerns.

Commissioner Ralph Cole said state legislators should focus their efforts on providing state funds for undergrounding utility lines, adding and improving sidewalks and other projects that benefit local communities.

Cole questioned whether a state pre-emption that allows parking garages to exceed city-specific building heights would then lead to the construction of other high-rise structures. He also said Manatee County needs to finish the drainage improvement project at Coquina Beach that’s temporarily reduced parking for beachgoers.

Commissioner Jake Spooner said state legislators should focus more on undergrounding projects, stormwater and drainage improvements and other infrastructure improvements.

Additional priorities

Another home rule-related legislative priority pertains to the continued local regulation of short-term vacation rentals. The city commission supports legislation that repeals the state preemption of the local regulation of short-term rental properties.

“Please reject efforts to restrict our abilities to locally respond to the needs of our community,” the priorities list says.

The commission supports property insurance reform that would address increasing insurance rates, claim duration processes, policy cancellations and benefits assignments.

Commissioners also support the expanded use of Manatee County’s 5% tourist development tax – much of which is generated by lodging establishments on Anna Maria Island. The priorities list notes Bradenton Beach has a resident population of approximately 1,200 people, but during weekends, holidays, peak tourist periods and busy beach days, more than 30,000 people occupy the city at any given time. The commission supports legislation to expand the use of those restricted tourist development tax revenues to also help fund additional policing services and infrastructure improvements.

The commission supports the preservation of the communication services tax and the local business tax and opposes legislation that modifies, restricts or eliminates municipalities’ authority to levy or collect those tax revenues that help fund city services.

The commission also supports legislation that provides recurring funding sources for programs and projects that preserve and enhance water quality and/or mitigate the negative environmental and economic impacts of red tide and other harmful algae blooms that threaten public waterways.

The commission unanimously approved the revised legislative priorities list that now includes the commission’s opposition to the legislative actions proposed by Robinson and the Manatee County legislative delegation.

Reel Time: Scallopalooza - Welcome to the Clam Jam

Reel Time: Scallopalooza – Welcome to the Clam Jam

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

On Saturday night, Feb. 11, Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) will hold its 13th annual major fundraising event, “Scallopalooza: Welcome to The Clam Jam,” at the Sarasota Hyatt Regency Hotel. Last year’s event was a sellout with over 400 community supporters in attendance and, if history is any indication, this year will be too.

SBW’s Executive Director Ronda Ryan, who has been with Sarasota Bay Watch since 2007, continues to spearhead the group’s education and restoration efforts. Sarasota Bay Watch’s shellfish restoration efforts resulted in nearly 1 million clams being released in 2022 alone. Their work highlights the need for action to protect the local marine ecosystem. As a part of that “natural system,” clams filter algae that have been growing in excess and affecting water quality and clarity in the bay. Reduced water quality and clarity negatively affect seagrass growth, a necessary component for a healthy ecosystem. Seagrass beds provide essential habitat and food to all creatures in the bay, including humans.

Sarasota Bay Watch Board President Brandon Taaffe and members of the event committee, Brian Jung, Al Jeffery, John Ryan and Ernesto Lasso De La Vega, helped Ryan organize an event that highlights the importance of and support for local nonprofits stressing the significance of clean water.

The evening’s activities will include live music, an open bar and a large silent auction that includes artwork, event tickets, and merchandise of every description. After dinner, a live auction will feature packages including travel, fishing trips and much more.

One of the best parts of the event is the opportunity to mingle with some of the region’s most passionate environmental supporters and to share the common mission for protecting Sarasota Bay. De La Vega, who leads the clam restoration efforts, will be back to update participants on SBW’s projects, which include the first-ever clam lease in Sarasota Bay that is dedicated to restoration.

To get involved with the work SBW is doing to protect Sarasota Bay and support their mission, visit the group’s website. As their motto says, “A healthy bay is everybody’s business,” literally and figuratively!

Castles in the Sand

An island in the sun

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

I clearly remember traveling to the Caribbean islands when I was still living in the cold northeast and wondering what it would be like to live and work in such a beautiful place. Do high heel shoes become a thing of the past, to be replaced by flip flops, and do you immediately discard anything that says 100% wool, not to mention pantyhose? I did all of this and never looked back except to be grateful that I found this particular Island when I did.

Don’t misunderstand; I am very pro-real estate and most of the homes on Anna Maria Island are tasteful, new and built to current hurricane building codes, making them safer than their one-level ranch ancestors. Nevertheless, these days if I visit a small island, I can’t help comparing it to Anna Maria Island and can’t even imagine what the next 10 years will bring.

For now, let’s see what the December sales statistics for Manatee County have to say, reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:

Single-family homes closed 29.7% fewer properties from December of last year. The median selling price was $507,000, up 10.2% from last year, but the average selling price was $610,237, down 0.6% from last year. The median time to contract was 27 days this December compared to six days last December, and the month’s supply of available properties is three months this year compared to 0.6 last year.

Condos closed 24.2% fewer properties from December of last year. The median selling price was $344,475, up 13.7% from last year, but the average selling price was $364,057, down 3.6% from last year. The median time to contract was 19 days compared to six days last year, and the month’s supply of available properties was 2.7 months this December compared to 0.5 last year.

The consensus of opinion is that 2022 has been a change or shift in the market and we are seeing that as well. Dr. Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, indicates that inflation has been dropping and consumers can expect mortgage rates will likely fall as well.

In addition, although there are fewer sales, we have a significant increase in listings, making more properties available. Our market is still, however, considered a seller’s market per the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

An island – really just a spit of sand in the Atlantic Ocean – that made all these feelings come roaring back was a one-day stop at a totally undeveloped island called Half Moon Cay, a private island owned by one of the major cruise companies. The actual name for this dot of paradise is Little San Salvador Island 100 miles southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas. Half Moon Cay’s size is close to Anna Maria Island’s, but you would never know it driving around. There are only a handful of homes, a beautiful lagoon, a tourist center with shops and a spectacular unspoiled beach.

That said, based on a recent profile of Anna Maria in the Wall Street Journal, Anna Maria, “a tropical oasis,” is Florida’s second-most expensive zip code (34216) as ranked by median listing price, according to realtor.com. Anna Maria city is topped by Miami’s Fisher Island, pretty good company.

As Anna Maria keeps growing and property values keep going up, I wonder what would happen to lovely Little San Salvador if civilization invaded their beach. Every time I read a profile of Anna Maria in a national publication it leaves me shaking in my flip-flops, but that’s progress and this is an island in the sun.

34216 zip code named second most expensive in Florida

34216 zip code named second most expensive in Florida

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – The city at the north end of Anna Maria Island is known for its white sand beaches, high-quality dining and shopping, cultural events and charming homes, but a Jan. 13 article in the Wall Street Journal is a reminder that it comes at a price – a very high price.

Anna Maria’s 34216 zip code is now the second most expensive in Florida, according to the Journal, quoting Realtor.com.

To put in perspective just how expensive the median home price in Anna Maria actually is, it ranks second only to the ultra-exclusive Fisher Island in Miami, which is home to residents like Oprah Winfrey, Andre Agassi, Robert Herjavec and other ultra-high net worth individuals and celebrities. The city of Anna Maria has a current median list price of $3.6 million, a median $1,695 per square foot price, an average of 75 days on the market before a home is sold and 42 active listings, which is up 133.33% year-over-year.

It should be noted that Anna Maria is not even in the top 100 wealthiest zip codes in Florida. The 2020 census reports that residents of Anna Maria have an average household income of $80,865 compared to around $500,000 on Fisher Island, which has zero residents living below the poverty line – compared to 10.8% in Anna Maria. That’s a high per-capita income compared to the national average, but far from what can be found in many south Florida coastal towns.

The most expensive home sold in Anna Maria closed at $16 million last year and according to the article, the biggest factor influencing price is proximity to water. A canal is nice, a bay view is fantastic and windows facing the Gulf of Mexico mean big bucks.