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Questions on the ballot in Holmes Beach

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

HOLMES BEACH – City voters will have a lot more decisions to make with their votes in November than choosing which of the four commission candidates to elect to the city commission dais.

There will be eight questions on the ballot in November. Each question was developed by members of the city’s Charter Review Commission and, if approved, will alter the city’s charter, a document outlining how the city should operate and goals for the future. Each question is answered by the choice of a simple “yes” or “no.”

The proposed charter amendments are:

  • Consolidating the legal description of the city located in Charter Article II into one legal description.
  • Adding language to Article III to further restrict the use of city-owned or controlled property to require an ordinance approved by both a super-majority vote of the city commission and a referendum placed on a general election ballot to sell, vacate, convey, transfer or abandon city-owned real property and rights of way.
  • Amend Article III to add language to the charter to allow city commissioners to vote on budget amendments by resolution rather than ordinance provided that funds are already appropriated and the amendment doesn’t exceed $100,000.
  • Delete the specific reference in Article IV that establishes charter officers in city government and require city commissioners to concur on the termination of a department head.
  • Clarify the scope and responsibilities of the city treasurer in Article VI to exclude the preparation of audited financial statements. The city’s annual audited financial statements are currently prepared by an independent CPA.
  • Delete Article IX – Building and Public Works Department from the charter entirely, removing it as a charter-required department and preventing future building officials from being placed in a charter position.
  • Remove Article X – Human Resources from the charter entirely. This would remove the Human Resources Specialist position from the list of city charter positions.
  • Transfer some of the city clerk’s election duties to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections, specifically the filing of a notice of candidacy for elected officials and the mayor. If approved, this would require candidates for elected offices to apply directly with the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office rather than with the city clerk at Holmes Beach City Hall.

City commissioners recently passed an ordinance that moved some of the city clerk’s election duties to the Supervisor of Elections Office, however, voters need to agree on the measure in order to change it in the city charter.

Holmes Beach voters will go to the polls Nov. 5.

Related coverage

Four qualify in Holmes Beach

Commissioners approve election changes

Castles in the Sand

Real estate market disruption

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

Is there an algorithm in your future? If you’re planning on buying or selling a house, get ready for the future of real estate.

In a world where technology has remade everything from your morning coffee to tracking your investments, the real estate market has remained very old school. Reams of paperwork are the norm and interaction with local real estate professionals is the custom in most markets around the country. It wasn’t that many years ago when local real estate associations opened up multiple listing access to consumers making practically everyone an informed expert. If the availability of multiple listing properties to everyone was a big step, wait until you see what’s coming down the road.

iBuyer computer platforms have been gradually immersing themselves in the real estate market, offering buyers and sellers practically on-the-spot gratification. An iBuyer is a company that uses technology to make an offer on your home instantly. iBuyers represent a dramatic shift in the way people are buying and selling homes, offering a simpler, more convenient alternative to traditional home sales. Just search iBuyers and you’ll be amazed at the hits you get.

Companies like Knock and Zillow are betting big time on the success of these platforms in a world where everyone is too busy to complete traditional real estate transactions. Knock, for example, helps customers buy a new home, usually an upgraded one, and then stages the old home and gets it on the market right away. There are, of course, fees for this service but for many professional couples, it’s worth it.

Zillow and others buy the property after an appraisal and the sellers move on without the hassle of selling. So far Zillow is moving along with its business plan, buying more than 1,500 homes in the second quarter of the year.

Then we have startups who are offering people with good income but not so good credit a way to get into a home. Divvy Homes buys homes then rents the homes to their clients so they can have a place to live, pay rent and build equity towards eventual ownership. This is an idea that has its roots in the real estate industry known as rent with an option to buy, which was a private contract between two parties. It worked for many buyers and sellers in the pre-tech world, especially for difficult-to-sell properties.

Now Divvy and others like Flyhomes are offering high tech plans to fill a need aimed at first-time buyers who are probably already renters. It’s not uncommon for first-time buyers to be faced with student loan debt and little or no savings while they’re getting their careers up and running.

Divvy’s plan is to charge monthly rent with about 20% of the monthly payment going toward equity to buy the property. The monthly rent is higher than what the going rate for a similar rental would be, but equity is being built. Naturally, Divvy makes most of their money from the rent paid.

Flyhomes offers a full-service brokerage, buys the homes for cash giving their clients an edge and then underwrites the potential mortgage. Naturally, there are fees attached to this as well as traditional real estate brokerage commissions.

Ask five different real estate agents what your home is worth and you’ll get five completely different answers. Ask an algorithm what your home is worth and you’ll at least get one answer which may or may not be correct. No matter how you feel about technology getting involved in real estate, we can all agree that it’s definitely a disruption.

More Castles in the Sand:

Fee-fi-fo-fum, do I smell a recovery?

Order out of chaos

Luxury ain’t what it used to be

Officials hope for Spring Lake recovery

Officials hope for Spring Lake recovery

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

HOLMES BEACH – Spring Lake may still have some brown water for now, but newly appointed Director of Development Services Eran Wasserman is hopeful that continuing to aerate the lake will result in clean, clear water soon.

Wasserman said that he is observing the lake visually every day and providing updates to city commissioners. What he’s looking for in these observations is water clarity, fish kills, if there’s any odor and how strong the order is, if present.

Also, he is working with representatives from Aquatic Systems to determine what the best way forward is to monitor the water quality in Spring Lake. During a September meeting, commissioners instructed him to work with City Engineer Lynn Burnett and Aquatic Systems representatives to develop a comprehensive recovery plan for the lake.

“What we see is a tremendous improvement,” Wasserman said. “There are no more fish kills as of Tuesday (Sept. 24), I can say for sure.”

The fish kill that took place over the weekend of Sept. 20-22 Wasserman said was the worst that residents could have expected to happen. Now that it’s over and there are a few fish jumping in the lake, he said the focus is on getting the water clear.

Since it’s been almost two weeks since a fish kill was observed in the lake, Wasserman said he would be recommending to city commissioners to go from running the newly installed aeration system overnight to running it 24 hours a day to speed up the oxygenation process for the toxic water lurking on the bottom of the lake. After speaking with a representative from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, he said he doesn’t believe there was anything more that could’ve been done to prevent the fish kill in September and that they’re on the best course of action to help clean up the lake. Though he did add that he’s open to considering any additional ideas to help clear the lake water, if it’s a method that would be approved by FDEP and if it can logistically be applied to Spring Lake.

“We are monitoring this, we do see improvement, but it’s unlikely to see a rapid improvement in water quality due to the fact that we are dealing with the lake and organic matter that was accumulated over there for the past 50 years or so,” he said. “So, this is where we are right now. So, all in all, we see a positive improvement and we are going to monitor this with our specialists that eventually will come up and will figure out whether there is an improvement and whether the aeration system works.” He added that among experts the aeration system is the best way to deal with the toxicity levels in Spring Lake. A contract for water testing with Aquatic Systems is expected to be presented to commissioners at a future meeting.

In the meantime, Wasserman did address two concerns from residents, one concerning the WaStop valve that prevents tidal waters from traveling from Grand Canal to Spring Lake via an outflow pipe and the second regarding the infiltration trenches surrounding the lake.

Wasserman said that the WaStop valve is still in place, but that Spring Lake receives tidal waters through two other smaller pipes coming into the lake. He said that the seawall where the WaStop valve is located is compromised, causing a safety hazard with accessing the valve. He said that he doesn’t know how many gallons of water come and go with the tides in the lake.

“This lake at this time is not completely sealed from the Bay,” he said.

To address resident concerns that the stormwater infiltration trenches around the lake are harming the lake water, Wasserman said it’s untrue.

The infiltration trenches were designed to capture stormwater runoff from the homes surrounding the lake. During a Sept. 24 commission meeting, one resident said that the trenches were having the opposite effect, filling with water and pushing stormwater and sediment into the lake.

Wasserman said that the concerns were unfounded and that he provided a letter to city officials stating that the type of infiltration trenches installed capture the pollutants that might otherwise find their way into the lake.

Another update on the condition of Spring Lake is expected at the Oct. 8 commission meeting, after press time for The Sun.

Related coverage

Problems plague Spring Lake residents

Aeration plans take shape for Spring Lake

Spring Lake cleanup options presented

Castles in the Sand

Fee-fi-fo-fum, do I smell a recovery?

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

Recovery, what recovery? That’s a word we left in our rearview mirror a long time ago. It’s true in Florida generally, and Anna Maria Island specifically has recovered nicely since the financial downturn. There are areas of the country that are still struggling, but August may have been the turn-around month.

According to the National Association of Realtors, August was the strongest month for sales of United States homes in nearly a year and a half. Sales of previously owned homes rose 1.3% in August with a median sale price of $278,200, up 4.7% from the previous August. Conversely, the availability of homes for sale fell in August further increasing prices. Add to this the average fixed-rate mortgage for a 30-year loan was 3.73% at the end of September.

Is this the beginning of the national real estate market starting to turn the corner? Real estate sales have been underperforming relative to jobs and the economy as a whole and economists are viewing the statistics for the past two months as a very good sign.

If you’re interested in how the national market compares to our local Manatee County market, keep reading.

Closed single-family homes were up 10.3% from last August and the median sale price continues to be strong at $317,000, 7.1% higher than last year. The average sale price for single-family homes was $408,738, up 4% from last year. The median time to contract is down by 4.5% to only 42 days and the month’s supply of available properties is 3.3 months.

Condos closed fewer properties down at 25.9%, however, the median sale price was higher at $205,000, up 7.9%. The average sale price was also up 13.1% to $251,339. The median time to contract was up 6.4% to 50 days and the month’s supply of condos is at 3.6 months.

Sales statistics are from the Realtor Association of Sarasota Manatee.

Our sales in both the numbers of properties sold and sale prices continue to perform well compared to the national statistics. Nationally, the median single-family sale price for August was $278,200 up 4.7% from last August, compared to Manatee County’s median of $317,000 up 7.1%.

Based on the above, it’s not a surprise that the southern region of the country ended August with an increase of 3.6% in sales, making it the largest annual growth in sales volume in the country. And this may be just the beginning, as more and more high-income residents of high taxed states are just beginning to feel the effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and are taking refuge in the South.

There are 41 states that collect taxes on wages and salary, with California taking the highest percentage at 13.3%. The remaining nine states that are income tax-free are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. If you’re a part-time resident of one of these states and are considering full-time residency, check out the individual state’s qualifications to establish permanent residency. Both the state you’re leaving and the one you’re coming to have strict and varied residency rules.

It looks like there will be big changes for Florida and other low tax states right around the corner. Nevertheless, don’t get too comfortable with what you see in the rearview mirror when it comes to real estate markets. You never know when that truck will start gaining on you.

More Castles in the Sand:

Luxury ain’t what it used to be

The fun and not-so-fun of selling a home

The fun and not-so-fun of buying a home

Pier repairs resume

Pier repairs resume

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

ANNA MARIA – The i+iconSoutheast construction crane has returned to the Anna Maria City Pier construction site and repairs to the accident-damaged pier resumed late last week.

The barge upon which the crane sits crashed into the pier walkway on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The accident damaged the pier walkway about two-thirds of the way out.

Two concrete pilings damaged in the accident were removed on Sept. 19 so new pilings could be driven in their place.

On Sept 20, i+iconSoutheast Project Director Paul Johnson told Mayor Dan Murphy a damaged boom line was discovered on the crane. The crane was then demobilized and repaired. It returned to the pier construction site on Thursday, Sept. 26.

During the Sept. 26 city commission meeting, Murphy said he expected the new pilings to be driven the following day. He also said he was told the construction crew would be working on Saturday as well.

“Once the piles are driven, the beam has to be put on top and then they have to do the stringer work and then the conduits,” Murphy said of the repairs to be made. “The downside of this accident is we’re unable to start the construction on the restaurant and the bait shop.”

Murphy said those construction materials have been delivered to the pier’s T-end, but the construction of the new restaurant and bait shop cannot begin until the breach in the damaged pier walkway is repaired.

Murphy said the barge accident and subsequent repairs will push back the originally anticipated late December-early January pier opening.

“I would estimate late January, early February for an opening date of the shell of the pier, where people can return to the pier, fish and things of that nature. That would be the earliest date,” Murphy said.

It was stated at a previous meeting that the interior buildout of the restaurant and bait shop can take place while the completed pier walkway and T-end decking are open to the public.

Pier lease update

During last week’s meeting, Murphy told the commission that he and commission candidate Mark Short – a retired certified public accountant – recently spent time together exploring options on the amount of rent to be charged for the lease of the new city pier.

“The numbers have to be fine-tuned. We’re close,” Murphy said.

Murphy said he planned to communicate that information to current pier tenant Mario Schoenfelder within five days. Murphy said it would be premature to disclose the proposed rent figures discussed, but he expects to provide the commission with that information soon.

Schoenfelder hopes to enter into a new long-term lease with the city and maintain his presence on the city pier that began in 2000. Murphy and Schoenfelder recently exchanged emails in which they discussed parking considerations and insurance responsibilities for the city’s pier tenant.

Schoenfelder estimated he will have 100 to 115 seats inside and outside of the new restaurant and bait shop and he needs to know how many pier parking spaces the city will lease to its pier tenant. He also asked whether the city would consider installing some form of gated parking to restrict the use of those designated parking spaces.

Related coverage

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Problems plague Spring Lake residents

Problems plague Spring Lake residents

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

HOLMES BEACH – Residents turned out in force during a Sept. 24 commission meeting to protest the city’s plans to clean up the waters in Spring Lake after the installation of an aeration system resulted in brown water and a fish kill.

A long-planned bubbling aeration system was turned on with a test start for 30 minutes on Wednesday, Sept. 18, according to engineer Eron Wasserman. He added that when a smell was noticed during the test run from the water, it was decided to turn the aeration system on only for a short time during the early morning hours, working up to running it 24 hours per day. By Saturday morning, calls were coming into the city from the residents surrounding the lake that not only was there a smell, there also was water discoloration and hundreds of dead fish floating on the lake.

Wasserman said that once he received a phone call, he arrived at Spring Lake within an hour and called public works employees to remove the accessible fish from the lake, a task he said was completed on Monday.

The system was turned off until further direction could be received from city leaders.

Environmental expert Chris Byrne, a consultant who helped City Engineer Lynn Burnett develop the city’s remediation plan for Spring Lake, said that the ammonia on the bottom layer of the lake was 10 times higher than it should be and that there is no oxygen in the bottom layer. With the aeration system, the bubbles forced into the lake through the system push the toxic layer of water up to the surface where the toxins escape into the air and the water is oxygenated. By mixing the water column continuously, Byrne said the water would once again become the healthy lake it was before it was polluted by waste spills in 2015 and 2016 from a nearby lift station. In some instances, where the lake is as bad as Spring Lake, fish kills do happen, he said.

Holmes Beach Spring Lake prior condition
Prior to the installation of an aeration system, the waters of Spring Lake appeared clear, though an ammonia layer of water that lacked oxygen lurked beneath the surface. – Kristin Swain | Sun

“The bottom of the lake is a sewer,” resident Carol Grayson said, adding that she has asthma and the smell coming off the lake was causing breathing problems. Her husband, Boyd Grayson, suggested that city leaders take another look at the drainage trench dug around the lake to stop runoff from surrounding homes. He said that rather than help the situation, the trenches are making runoff problems in the lake worse.

Resident Tim Gibson said he wants a solution to the issues at Spring Lake and for it to once again be a thriving home to fish and other marine life.

“It was a beautiful, beautiful part of this Island,” he said, adding that he doesn’t feel the city’s engineers understand what the previous condition of the lake was before the sewage spills polluted the water.

Holmes Beach Spring Lake brown water
After an aeration system designed to help clear the water at Spring Lake was turned on, the rising toxins from the bottom of the lake turned the water brown and resulted in fish kills. – Kristin Swain | Sun

Commissioners agreed that something needs to be done to help lessen the impact on residents and restated their commitment to cleaning up Spring Lake.

Rather than slowly ramp up to a 24-hour run cycle for the aeration system, commissioners agreed to run the system for a longer period at night for up to two weeks, moving to a 24-hour run time, to expedite the circulation and oxygenation of the water on the bottom of the lake. They also requested daily updates from Wasserman and for the water to be tested weekly with a comprehensive plan on how to bring the water quality back to a clear, healthy condition. Additionally, once the water quality begins to return, Byrne said healthy bacteria will form or can be artificially introduced to the lake’s ecosystem that will slowly eat away at the organic “muck” on the bottom of the lake.

One question that remained for residents and city leaders alike is whether or not to remove the WaStop valve blocking Spring Lake from receiving tidal flows from Bimini Bay.

The valve was installed by Burnett to prevent flooding through the lake’s water rising due to abnormally high tide events, such as king tides. Nearby residents and Commissioner Rick Hurst questioned whether or not it would be a good idea to open the pipe back up and allow the seawater in to help flush out Spring Lake. Mayor Judy Titsworth said she didn’t think it would be a good idea to expose the bay to the toxic water in Spring Lake. Byrne and Wasserman both said they could not address the issue, with Wasserman adding that Burnett would be needed to provide an expert opinion.

Burnett did not respond to requests for comment.

“The aeration will take time,” Titsworth said to the assembled concerned residents. “It’s going to be bad, but we lived through red tide and we will live through this. We all want to make it right.”

Related coverage

Aeration plans take shape for Spring Lake

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Policy prevents CBD use by city employees

Policy prevents CBD use by city employees

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

BRADENTON BEACH – Made from hemp plants, CBD (cannabidiol) oils, creams and other products are legal in Florida, but Bradenton Beach’s drug-free workplace ordinance prohibits city employees from using them.

During the Tuesday, Sept. 10 commission work meeting, Police Chief Sam Speciale asked the City Commission to consider amending the city’s drug-free workplace policy to allow employees and officers to use legally available CBD products that contain only minuscule levels of THC – the cannabinoid that produces the sensation of being high.

Speciale said some city employees have approached him about the city’s drug-free workplace policy as it applies to CBD use. He said his research indicates non-THC CBD products contain less than one half of one percent of THC and it is unlikely those trace amounts would show up in a drug screen.

Speciale suggested amending the city’s drug-free workplace policy to allow the use of non-THC CBD products. He said his suggestion pertained only to “non-THC” cannabis products, and not to the use of medicinal marijuana and marijuana products that contain higher levels of THC.

The city adopted its drug-free workplace ordinance in 2015 and cannabinoids are one of 14 drugs, including alcohol, that city employees, including police officers, can be tested for if they are injured at work or involved in a work-related accident.

City employees sign a drug-free workplace acknowledgment form that includes the following language: “I understand that if I am injured in the course and scope of my employment and test positive, or refuse to be tested, I forfeit my eligibility for medical and indemnity benefits under the Workers’ Compensation Act.”

Code Enforcement Office Gail Garneau noted physicians can legally prescribe non-TCH CBD products to be obtained through regulated providers.

City Clerk Terri Sanclemente noted CBD products are legal according to state law but are still prohibited by federal law.

“The employees need to really be aware of what they’re giving up,” Sanclemente said in reference to risking their workers’ compensation coverage.

“The list of drugs in the policy is just the list of drugs the city can test for. The problem here is the definitions: Is it a legal drug or not? It’s legal in the state of Florida. It’s not legal as far as the federal government is concerned, so, where are we?” Building Official Steve Gilbert added.

Speciale said when he was recovering from back surgery, he was allowed to continue working while taking physician-prescribed, opiate-based hydrocodone pills. He questioned why that is allowed but using non-opiate, physician-prescribed CBD products is not.

Speciale said some employees seeking non-opiate pain relief might be willing to take the chance that their CBD products will not show up in a drug screen.

Mayor John Chappie asked if the city would be exposed to additional liability if city employees were allowed to use CBD products.

Sanclemente said she contacted the Florida League of Cities and was told allowing city employees to use CBD products could jeopardize the liability insurance the city receives through the league’s Florida Municipal Insurance Trust.

Chappie said his concerns extend beyond a city employee getting injured and failing a drug screen. He asked what would happen if a citizen or someone else was injured in an incident or accident involving a city employee allowed to use CBD.

“They come after the city and we don’t have the Florida League backing us up. They’ll have Morgan and Morgan here in a heartbeat,” Chappie said.

Sensing no favorable outcome, Speciale asked the commission to discontinue the discussion and he withdrew it from agenda.

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New Anna Maria noise ordinance in effect

New Anna Maria noise ordinance in effect

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

ANNA MARIA – The city has a newly-amended noise ordinance that now subjects violators to a $35 fine instead of a verbal warning for a first offense.

Increased fines are also now in place for repeat offenses that could also subject vacation rental owners and rental managers to similar citations and fines.

Adopted on final reading on Thursday, Sept. 12, Ordinance 19-851 is accompanied by a city resolution that establishes the fines levied on those who receive noise ordinance violation citations.

The fine for a second noise ordinance violation is now $200, and the fine for a third violation is $500.

Before being amended, Anna Maria’s noise ordinance included a $500 fine for a first offense.

During recent commission discussions, it was noted deputies were hesitant to issue citations that carried such a heavy fine for a first offense.

The $35 first-offense citations will replace the verbal warnings previously issued by deputies. If the responding deputy determines a noise violation has occurred, the violator will be issued a ticket instead of a warning.

If the noise violation occurs at a vacation rental property, the property owner and rental manager will be notified. If a second or third violation occurs with the same guests, the property owner and rental manager could be issued similar citations.

City Attorney Becky Vose said notifying property owners and rental managers of the first noise violation puts them on notice.

“This creates the liability on all these people, but the sheriff’s office, working with the city, will have discretion as to who they will be citing,” Vose told the commission.

These new policies were enacted to better address the small number of vacation rentals in Anna Maria that generate repeat noise complaints.

The fine amounts reset for each new set of vacation rental guests, but issuing citations instead of warnings provides the city with written documentation of the repeat noise violations that occur at a specific property.

A property that receives three noise ordinance citations during a rolling 12-month period could be declared a public nuisance. A vacation rental property that is declared a public nuisance could temporarily or permanently lose its ability to be used in that capacity.

Mayor Dan Murphy said the city has long the ability to declare a property a public nuisance but very few $500 noise ordinance citations have been issued to document that process.

“There’s some places – not many, but a couple that are in fact nuisances. I think the message will be loud and clear with this structure,” Murphy said of the amended noise ordinance.

The escalating fines would also apply to the owner of a permanent residence or a vacation home at which repeat noise violations occur.

Vose said the amended ordinance could also result in fines for those who own vacation homes and allow friends or family members to use their home in a manner that generates repeat noise complaints.

Related coverage

Anna Maria taking new approach to noise violations

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Commission seeks consistent parking restrictions

Commission seeks consistent parking restrictions

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

BRADENTON BEACH – Parking with any tires on the pavement or parking within 15 feet of a stop sign will soon subject drivers to a $50 parking ticket.

The mayor and city commissioners remain divided as to whether parking with a portion of your vehicle hanging over the pavement will also be a finable offense.

These changes to the city’s parking ordinance were discussed at the Tuesday, Sept. 10 commission work meeting. At the commission’s request, City Attorney Ricinda Perry is now drafting ordinance language that incorporates the commission’s requested changes.

Mayor John Chappie and commissioners Ralph Cole, Marilyn Maro and Jake Spooner agree that vehicles should not park with any tires on the road or park within 15 feet of a stop sign. The city’s parking ordinance currently prohibits parking within 10 feet of a stop sign.

Chappie and Maro believe tickets should be issued for parking with a portion of the vehicle hanging over the pavement. Cole and Spooner do not support that position.

Commissioner Randy White will likely cast the tie-breaking vote on vehicle overhang when the ordinance is presented for adoption at two future public hearings. White did not attend the recent work meeting.

Chappie initiated the work meeting discussion and voiced concerns that included too many vehicles being parked at vacation rental homes on the south side of town.

Chappie said his primary concern with vehicles overhanging the pavement pertains primarily to vehicles parked close to an intersection, which impedes the visibility of approaching drivers.

Inconsistent rules

Police Chief Sam Speciale said his officers would enforce whatever changes the commission adopts, but they have to be written in a manner that will hold up if challenged in court.

Speciale said the city’s current parking regulations are inconsistent because they have long differed for the north and south sides of the city due to varying space limitations.

Speciale said there generally isn’t enough space in the rights of way on the south side of the city to park without having at least two tires on the road, but you can be ticketed for doing the same on the north side of town.

Speciale questioned the fairness and consistency of ticketing someone who parks with their tires on the pavement on the north side of the city and does not get ticketed for doing the same on the south side.

The four attending commission members agreed that they want consistency and they seek an ordinance that prohibits parking with tires on the pavement citywide.

Other changes

Other proposed changes include prohibiting parking in a manner that blocks an alley, similar to the existing prohibition on blocking a driveway.

Building Official Steve Gilbert suggested eliminating the wordy ordinance language that pertains to parking at city street ends and allowing street end parking unless a no parking sign prohibits it.

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ITPO members pledge support for smaller bridge

ITPO members pledge support for smaller bridge

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

BRADENTON BEACH – Some of the Island’s elected officials are not letting FDOT replace the aging Cortez Bridge with a 65-foot fixed-span bridge without a fight.

Manatee County Commissioner and long-time Anna Maria Island resident Carol Whitmore appeared before members of the Island Transportation Planning Organization at a Sept. 16 meeting to ask for support in taking a stand against the 65-foot bridge. Though Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy was absent from the meeting, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth pledged their support in the fight against the fixed-span bridge on behalf of the ITPO. They also agreed to take the topic back to their respective city commissioners to discuss possible city support of the effort.

“I know it can be changed,” Whitmore said of the Florida Department of Transportation decision to replace the aging drawbridge with a 65-foot fixed-span alternative. She added that if the high bridge is built, she feels that it will decimate the character of the historic village of Cortez as well as that of Anna Maria Island.

Whitmore said that she supports the mid-level alternative offered by FDOT in previous presentations to the public – a 45-foot drawbridge that she said would be higher than the current bridge and allow more boat traffic to pass under it without raising the drawbridge as frequently and stopping the flow of vehicular traffic. She also said that because the bridge isn’t as high as the 65-foot alternative, she doesn’t feel that it would damage Cortez and Bradenton Beach like the large bridge would.

“It really isn’t out of our hands,” she said of the design alternatives for the bridge, adding that “no one objects that it needs to be replaced.”

The Cortez Bridge has undergone several repairs over the past few years to help keep it functional, despite the fact that the bridge has outlived its 50-year lifespan. FDOT has secured funding for a design phase, which hasn’t yet begun, and representatives have publicly stated that the fixed-span bridge is the preferred alternative of the three designs presented to the public. No funds have been secured to construct a replacement bridge or to replace the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue which is also planned to be replaced with a 65-foot fixed-span bridge.

Whitmore said that when FDOT leaders decided to replace the bridge on Manatee Avenue with a high-span bridge it was agreed that there would not be a high-span bridge linking Cortez and Bradenton Beach. Now she said she expects FDOT leadership to honor that agreement. Chappie said that he too remembers that agreement and supports Whitmore’s efforts to fight for the mid-level drawbridge replacement option.

“The high bridge is going to destroy the ambiance of our two communities,” he said.

The Cortez Village Historical Society has long expressed opposition to the high-span bridge, concerned about historical buildings on both sides of Cortez Road being affected by the access roads of the proposed bridge.

“I know in my heart this will be good for the whole area,” Whitmore said of the mid-level bridge.

Whitmore asked for a letter of support from the ITPO as well as for each mayor to speak with their city’s lobbyist about pushing the issue at the state legislative level.

Despite Murphy’s absence, Chappie and Titsworth agreed to move forward with supporting her efforts and speaking with their city commissioners and lobbyists about supporting the mid-level bridge replacement option.

“You either stand for something or you stand for nothing,” Chappie said. “We need to stand in support of this.”

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A wake up call on the proposed Cortez Bridge

Gulfview Windows and Doors wins championships

Gulfview Windows and Doors wins championships

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

After a dry spell, one of the Island’s organized sports’ best all-around athletes, Ryan Moss, earned a second championship wearing the Gulfview Windows and Doors logo in the adult co-ed flag football league.

Just a few months ago, Moss, with friend and owner of Gulfview, Jordan DeMers, took home the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup in adult soccer. The dynamic duo, along with teammates Tyler Lancaster, Brandin Holcomb, Dina Calvary, Jake Parsons, Jason Sato and Justin Greer, finished the regular season at The Center in second place behind Progressive Cabinetry, which lost in the semi-final game against Lancaster Designs.

Just minutes into the game, with the football in hand behind the line of scrimmage, Sato found Moss open for the first touchdown of the game and an extra point catch in the end zone by Calvary.

Playing against the team with his business sponsorship, Lancaster’s speed and agility helped stop Lancaster Designs’ team captain and quarterback Tim Shaughnessy. The hot hands of Holcomb and Jordan gave both Moss and Sato excellent targets with a combined 11 receptions, two for extra points and two touchdown catches for DeMers. Coming off having just played an indoor soccer game and a semi-final flag football game, both Sato and Moss dug deep and found the energy to dominate the throwing game, with Moss’ three touchdown passes and Sato having two of his own.

On the other side of the field, Lancaster Design’s father-son combination of Mike and Tim Shaughnessy hit their intended receiver, Anthony Mannino, for a touchdown pass each. Mannino’s touchdown was the only scoring for regular season fourth-place finishers. The team’s loss was not for the lack of heart or desire to win the matchup.

Lancaster Design’s offense has catching ability, as shown in the game statistics. T. Shaughnessy had six catches of his own, with a close second by Mannino’s five nabs. Karri Stephens was the top receiver of the game, but his efforts were not enough to take his team to the top. Louis Pellegrino and Brianna Roberts each had a single reception, paired with three nice catches for Jay Hoffmeister.

Gulfview’s game on both sides of the football was on point and could not be stopped. The team’s defense rattled the offense of Lancaster Design, including an interception by Holcomb. With momentum, Sato hit Moss a couple of more times with a deep route along the sideline for big yardage gains. Gulfview flipped the action with Moss finding Sato running a wheel route.

Missed flag pulls by Lancaster Design let Sato cross the goal line in the first half of the game.

The ladies of the gridiron, Calvary and Roberts are fierce competitors and stellar players. Both with strong all-around games, the one-on-one coverage and battle between the two veteran players endured the entire game. Knowing the taste of victory, each player having bragging rights to multiple championships, Roberts did not give up points to Calvary at the end of the game despite the point spread. Roberts’ tight coverage of Calvary and ultimate flag pull prevented the point after on the final touchdown of the game, leaving the score 34-12 with just seconds left on the game clock and no chance for Lancaster Designs to come back to take the win.

After Lancaster inadvertently ran over his teammate Calvary, the official called the game granting Gulfview Windows and Doors the championship.

In final adult indoor soccer action, the semifinal games will be played Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The first game puts number one seed Progressive Cabinetry against number five seed Sato Real Estate. Moss Builders, finishing second in the season, plays third-place finishers Ugly Grouper in the second game of the night. The winners face off at a date and time to be determined at The Center.

Related coverage

Adult sports head into the playoffs at The Center

Family and friends on the gridiron: Gulfview bests Moss Builders

Progressive Cabinetry shatters Gulfview Windows and Doors

Reel Time: Spain – Basque Country and Andalusa

Reel Time: Spain – Basque Country and Andalusia

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

For a country that’s smaller geographically than Texas, Spain is diverse in its culture, customs and cuisine.

After exploring the capital Madrid and the ancient city of Toledo, a short flight to San Sebastian on Spain’s northern coast seemed more distant as the autonomous Basque Country is distinct, with its strong cultural traditions, celebrated cuisine and distinct language pre-dating the Romance languages. A vibrant coastal city, San Sebastian is a resort town on the Bay of Biscay that’s celebrated for its picturesque bayfront promenade and beaches lined by world-renowned restaurants.

The cobblestoned old town, Parte Vieja, features a variety of upscale shops and vibrant pintxos bars, or tapas restaurants as they’re known here, that pair local wines with the small portioned regional specialties. We were centrally located in the Old Town in the Pension Iturriza, an intimate accommodation that was just steps away from the harbor, pintxos bars and the picturesque Monte Urgull, a public park that features the remains of fortification that dates back to the 12th century.

The park has many winding trails along the Atlantic Ocean’s rocky coastline and spectacular views of the city and bay from its lofty promontory. The city also has a world renounced film festival and a beach that attracts surfers from around the world. A local square was a wonderful place to people watch and featured a bandstand where musicians entertained tourists as locals participated in traditional Basque dances.

At the suggestion of our hosts Ibon and Miata, we rented a car and drove to the small coastal town of Zumaia that is world-renowned for a geologic formation along its beaches that’s known as the Flysch, the longest set of this particular continuous rock strata in the world. A walk along the beach with its towering cliffs and caves that feature the uplifted layers of sedimentary rocks was truly awe-inspiring.

On the final leg of our trip, we traveled south to Seville in the autonomous region of Andalusia, situated on the southwestern Iberian peninsula, an area rich in a mix of cultures dating from the early Romans. Over the centuries, it was dominated first by the Moors and then Christians. On the first day, we took an electric bike tour with a local company Elecmove that gave us an excellent introduction to the city and lesser know but more authentic enclaves like Triana.

Next week we explore the Giraldi Bell Tower, The Alcazar and the fabulous cuisine of Seville.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: Spain – Madrid and Toledo

Reel Time: Get ready for fall

Reel Time: Charleston and the Low Country

‘Steel Magnolias’ bleeds Southern charm

‘Steel Magnolias’ bleeds Southern charm

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – After a champagne party to celebrate the start of the Island Players’ 71st season, the show began for “Steel Magnolias,” a play written by Robert Harling in memory of his sister, who died at an early age.

Anybody who has seen the star-studded 1986 movie might get confused because the opening of the movie had Tom Skerritt using a shotgun to scare away birds in a huge magnolia tree.

That scene was not in the play, but it wasn’t missed. In fact, there were no male roles in the play, but they were not missed either.

The cast was up to the opening performance with great timing on the line delivery, especially the jokes. The Southern accents were believable and Director Mike Lusk did a great job.

The setting is a beauty salon in Chinquapin, Lousiana. Jennifer Kwiatkowski was brilliant as Truvy, the salon’s owner. She “chewed the scenery” when it came to dialogue with punch lines.

Tahlia Chinault, a newcomer to the Island Players, has performed on stages along the Sun Coast. She played the new girl in town, Annell, quite well and was spot-on in playing off the other actors’ lines. She will be replaced by Caitlin Ellis for the second week, but we would love to see her in future plays.

Cathy Hansel-Edgerton played Clairee, a regular customer at the beauty salon, who, as she says in the play is “richer than God,” and she buys the local radio station to give her something to do.

Sometimes actors get roles they can have fun with. That was the case with Sue Belvo, who played Ouiser (pronounced “Wheezer”). She’s mean and offends many of the townsfolk. Belvo got laughs as she delivered her lines.

Then we have a mother-daughter team played by mother Kelly Wynn Woodland and her daughter, Corinne Woodland. Kelly Wynn Woodland is known for her directing, but she occasionally takes to the stage, while Corinne has performed with her mother in other productions. It is remarkable how much they resemble each other and hard to tell the mother from the daughter when they’re on stage.

As Shelby, Corinne is determined to have a baby, even though she is diabetic and her doctor recommends against it. As M’Lynn, Kelly Wynn Woodland has to deal with the loss of her daughter when the inevitable occurs.

“Steel Magnolias” is a great play if you like to laugh and then wipe back a few tears at the end.

Acqua Aveda Salon and Spa is the play’s co-producer.

For ticket information, call the box office at 941-778-5755.

Related coverage:

All-female cast performs ‘Steel Magnolias’

Honors presented at Island Players banquet

Expect comic mayhem at next Island Players show

Castles in the Sand

Order out of chaos

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

Writing has been compared to bringing order out of chaos, something I try to do weekly on this page, and one of the most chaotic aspects of real estate is the mortgage process, which may be getting even more confusing to the average home buyer.

As confusing as the typical mortgage process is, the relationship of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA and Ginnie Mae – entities that are also known as government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) – to the mortgage market continually contribute to the chaos.

Before we go on, a quick review: Over 50 years ago Congress chartered the government-sponsored enterprises to provide liquidity to housing finance. The GSEs securitized and guaranteed mortgages, freeing up private lenders to provide more loans, making mortgages more readily available to the average home buyer. This created the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, which has been the gold standard of housing finance for all these years.

It was a great system until it went off the rails with sub-prime mortgage products partly encouraged by Congress leading to the bursting of the housing bubble and financial collapse in 2008. The American taxpayer was on the hook for $190 billion dollars to keep Fannie and Freddie floating and they have been in government conservatorship since then.

Now the federal government wants to gradually shrink the GSEs and start returning them to private hands. One of the suggested ways is to require them to have additional capital and underwriting standards comparable to private lenders. Will this happen? Maybe, but even if the wheels start to spin in that direction, it will be a long painful process which could turn on a dime subject to the outcome of a national election.

In the meantime, there is a new type of unconventional mortgage that has turned up. It’s called asset-depletion loans or asset-dissipation loans. Basically, they are designed for people who don’t have conventional paychecks, particularly retirees. As long as the borrower’s ability to draw on their assets is not overestimated, the loans can be fine.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do make these loans but only based on a borrower’s 401k assets. However, Fannie and Freddie have eased up on standards for this type of loan, asking for smaller down payments and allowing more debt for borrowers. Again, this creates more risk for the American taxpayers.

So, what else do the gatekeepers of the American housing market have up their sleeve? Well, there is something that many Florida residents will be very interested in. Within the past year, they rolled out a program that would treat manufactured homes the same as it does site-built properties.

This means that a previous market that was difficult to obtain mortgaging for will now operate as a conventional mortgage market. They have also designed mortgages for manufactured homes at lower interest rates than buyers of these properties were previously able to obtain, as well as allowing appraisers to compare manufactured homes to those built on-site when determining value.

This may be a great program for many buyers of manufacturers homes, but in Florida, as we all know, manufactured homes are the most vulnerable in storms. Again, call me crazy, but do we as taxpayers need to assume more mortgage risk?

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as all other GSE programs, will go on for a long time before any real change is made. It’s almost impossible to take away something that’s been in effect for so long. All I can do is try to bring order out of the mortgage processing chaos.

More Castles in the Sand:

Luxury ain’t what it used to be

The fun and not-so-fun of selling a home

The fun and not-so-fun of buying a home

Adult sports head into the playoffs at The Center

Adult sports head into the playoffs at The Center

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

As the second week of September comes and goes, the adult athletes at The Center of Anna Maria Island take the competitive action to the next level on the football field and indoor soccer court, progressing toward the leagues’ championship games.

In adult flag football, four teams matched up on the gridiron, while the top two teams had a bye week, giving second seed Gulfview Windows and Doors and the regular season top finishers Progressive Cabinetry a break.

Before suffering an injury, Moss Builders’ team captain had 11 receptions, including three touchdowns and two extra points from passes by Jon Moss. Moss had four passing touchdowns in the game. The game’s MVP, despite her team’s loss, was Lexi Sato for Moss Builders.

Sato had 12 catches in the game, getting into the end zone three times with two touchdowns and a point after conversion reception. Her biggest play was a run after the catch, taking the football more than halfway down the field and getting past three defenders.

With the game’s win, Tim Shaughnessy, captain for Lancaster Designs, had five scoring throws, finding Anthony Mannino for 14 catches. Mannino’s catches included two touchdowns and two extra points, adding to the three touchdown catches by Jay Hoffmeister.

In the second wildcard game of the night, both teams used the teams’ rosters for another close game.

Team Ugly Grouper could not capture the victory despite spirited play by the team lead by Matthew Manger. Strong defensive play by Manger with a sack against the Hashmark Sports QB and the interception by Bradley Coleman just was not enough.

Getting into the end zone, Cooper Rosier, Sirkevius Williams and Corey Jakes scored touchdowns, with extra points by Anthony McCance, Cooper Rosier, Williams and Jakes, put 35-points on the scoreboard for Ugly Grouper.

Hashmark Sports earned one more week of play with scoring passes by Chase Richardson, Octavious Cole and Tim Holly. Richardson, Holly, Corey Banks, Zach Holder and Kate Simpson put the points up and helped their team to win the head-to-head against Ugly Grouper.

Semifinal match-ups start at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, with Progressive Cabinetry facing off against Lancaster Design and Gulfview Windows and Doors playing Hashmark Sports for the second final game position. The four remaining teams fight to the end looking to secure a slot in the championship adult flag football game at 9 p.m. Thursday night.

In indoor soccer action, team captain and high scorer, Slim’s Place’s Joey Hutchinson put the soccer ball into the net nine times in his game against Moss Builders. Hutchison’s teammate Jose Casaras had five goals, while Clancey Vaughn got past the goalkeeper twice.

Staying busy by the net, Robb Marshall had 20 saves in the game, only to be topped by Sato Real Estate’s Mark Rudacille with 24 saves and Ugly Grouper’s John Haggerty getting to the soccer ball 27 times.

Kevin Roman’s Progressive Cabinetry squad won another one in the second indoor game of the week. Roman had four goals, adding to the scores by Diego Felipe, Steve Oelfke, Murat Akay and Jessica Williams.

Despite the loss, Gulfview Windows and Doors’ Jose Bolanos, Freddy Lenhert and captain Keith Mahoney managed to put eight points on the scoreboard.

In the battle of the goalies and the lowest-scoring game of the night, Sato Real Estate took the win against Ugly Grouper. Ben Sato and Adam Bujarski led the Sato Real Estate team in the win with four and three goals for each player, with an additional goal by Jason Sato and Ryan Moss.

Ugly Grouper’s loss was hard-fought. Connor Bystrom got his hat trick in the game with three goals in addition to the single goal by Olaf Krause and a pair by Yuri Pereira.

Going into playoffs, Progressive Cabinetry topped the ranking as the first seed team, followed by Moss Builders, earning the teams a bye week. This week’s playoff games put Gulfview and Sato Real Estate on the indoor court for the first championship game slot.

At 7:30 p.m. Ugly Grouper and Slim’s Place go against each other for the final place in the playoff bracket for the final game of the season to be played on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 9 p.m.

Related coverage

Family and friends on the gridiron: Gulfview bests Moss Builders

Bowlers escape the heat as they support The Center

Progressive Cabinetry shatters Gulfview Windows and Doors