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Center of Anna Maria Island

Around the Island year in review

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Center of Anna Maria Island, Community News, Special Sections, West Manatee Fire Rescue, Year in Review.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – This past year brought a lot of changes to the three Island cities as well as to some other organizations. Let’s take a look back at what happened in 2018 at The Center of Anna Maria Island and West Manatee Fire Rescue District.

The Center of AMI

  • The Center of Anna Maria Island started 2018 on a positive note as the organization’s flagging finances rebounded and have continued to grow over the year. The Center’s board hopes to end the 2018-19 fiscal year in June 2019 as the second consecutive positive year for the nonprofit.
  • Membership numbers at the Center have also continued to grow over previous years, ending the 2018 calendar year well over 2017 numbers. Board Chair David Zaccagnino said the positive outcome was due in part to the organization’s ongoing partnership with Brenda Canning’s Island Fitness, which moved into the second-floor fitness center in 2017.

    center culhane children
    New Center Executive Director Chris Culhane takes to the field with his family. – Submitted | Center
  • The Center said goodbye to Executive Director Kristen Lessig and hello to new Executive Director Chris Culhane in February. Culhane, a long-time Center attendee and employee, quickly earned the respect of the community and Center employees, guiding the nonprofit to a positive outcome in the first half of its 2018-19 fiscal year.

WMFR

  • West Manatee Fire Rescue began the year and ended it the same way in its commissioners’ quest to sell the oversized administration building on Third Avenue West in Bradenton for a smaller office setting – without completing the planned sale to The Oasis Middle School. Regulatory hurdles and a slow financing process pushed the closing date back three times, with the date now set for summer 2019.
  • With the imminent sale of the administration building and future retirement of Chief Tom Sousa, Commissioner George Harris broached the subject of merging with two neighboring fire districts in June 2018. The idea of the merger with Cedar Hammock Fire District and Southern Manatee Fire District didn’t garner much interest from Cedar Hammock’s commissioners and none with Southern Manatee’s commissioners. Though the idea is still floating around with WMFR commissioners, no action has been taken.
  • The district launched its long-awaited Advanced Life Support service at its Holmes Beach Station 3 in October followed by Station 2 on Cortez Road. The service allows firefighters to perform all the medical treatments that EMS workers can without transport capabilities. Plans are underway to launch the service at all three WMFR stations.
  • Chief Tom Sousa announced his plans to retire early from his post in October 2019. Previously, Sousa was contracted to remain with the district through 2021. The new year begins the search for a new fire chief.

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Holmes Beach year in review

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach, Special Sections, Year in Review.

HOLMES BEACH – The year 2018 was filled with court cases, city renovations and a highly-contested election for city commissioner and mayoral seats. Here are some of the highlights from this past year.

Treehouse

  • The treehouse case, concerning a two-story treehouse built in an Australian pine with additional supports on the erosion control line in front of the Angelinos Sea Lodge, began the year with a refusal by the United States Supreme Court to hear the case. Though city leaders pushed to have the unpermitted structure removed, the treehouse ends the year still aloft in its perch overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Owners Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen filed court documents in mid-December seeking a temporary injunction to prevent demolition of the treehouse. The case goes back to court in early January 2019.

Spring Lake

  • Pollution at Spring Lake in Holmes Beach has remained an issue not only for the residents surrounding the man-made lake but also for city leaders seeking ways to clean up the lake and prevent future pollution. Currently, the previously brackish lake is acidic and cannot support marine life. City Engineer Lynn Burnett is presenting commissioners with a survey determining the amount of solid pollutants in the water and options for removal to return the lake to a healthy saltwater or freshwater state.
Spring Lake
Brown water and silt fill the once-clear basin of Spring Lake in Holmes Beach. – Kristin Swain | Sun

Skate park

  • The city’s skate park has been closed for renovations throughout 2018. At the beginning of the year, city officials were considering rehabilitation of the current park. By the first of December, commissioners voted unanimously to move the skate park to run along Marina Drive with an enlarged concrete park design, costing a budgeted $150,000. If an additional $100,000 can be raised in the next eight months, a skate bowl will be added to the park.

Dog park

  • One of the most controversial conversations of the year concerned how to improve the city’s dog park. After nearly a year of deliberation between city leaders, dog park users and the city’s parks and beautification committee, a design was created that allows the small dog park to remain where it is and relocates the large dog park to a section of the baseball diamond, which will be repurposed as a part of larger plans to remodel the city field complex. Construction is set to begin in early 2019.

City Field

  • Plans to renovate city field underwent several renovations themselves. Now with a set rough layout for the park complex, renovations are expected to begin early in the new year. The tot lot is being relocated to the opposite side of the park, from near Marina Drive to adjacent to the existing park pavilion. The baseball diamond will be remodeled as part of the dog park renovations and pick up games can be played in the larger multi-use field. With the skate park being relocated, the staging area will be moved to the old skate park location near public works. The only hitch in Burnett’s plans for the park is the newly planted city Christmas tree, located in an area she’d planned as a grand entrance to the multi-use field. Mayor Judy Titsworth vowed to work around the tree to prevent moving and potentially killing the 10-year-old blue cypress.
Holmes Beach city field update map
After months of debate, Holmes Beach commissioners have agreed to a revised layout for the city field complex, as shown in this rendering by City Engineer Lynn Burnett. – Lynn Burnett | Submitted

Bert Harris

  • Holmes Beach received its first Bert Harris case win in court as the court upheld the city’s occupancy restrictions of six people or two per bedroom, whichever is greater, in short-term rental properties. More cases are set to be heard by Manatee County Circuit Court judges in 2019.

City manager

  • Over the summer, commissioners voted not to put a charter amendment on the ballot in 2019 to allow Holmes Beach voters to decide if they want a city manager or not. Instead, commissioners agreed to leave it up to the newly elected charter review committee to place on the ballot. If charter review members decide to not address the issue, commissioners agreed to reconsider before the deadline to submit charter amendments for the November ballot.

City election

  • The 2018 election brought several newcomers to the table, including Joshua Linney who challenged Judy Titsworth for the mayoral seat, and Kim Rash, who, along with Don Purvis, went head-to-head with incumbent Commissioner Pat Morton to claim one of two available seats on the city commission. Rash was elected with the highest number of votes, Morton was re-elected to another two-year term and Titsworth won a term as mayor in a landslide against Linney.

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Red tide gone with the wind

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Archives.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – A NOAA scientist’s prediction that recent storms gave red tide a fatal beating appears to be coming true just in time for high tourist season.

For the first time in 14 months, no red tide is predicted in Southwest Florida in today’s three-day forecast by the University of South Florida/Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides.

Another first – red tide was not found in any water samples collected last week in Florida waters except for one in Manatee County, a background concentration at the Palma Sola Bay bridge, according to today’s FWC report.

Background concentrations of red tide cause no anticipated effects on people or marine life.

NOAA oceanographer Rick Stumpf told The Sun last week that the Dec. 20-21 storm would likely break up the bloom that began in Southwest Florida in October 2017 and arrived in Anna Maria Island waters on Aug. 3. The bloom rivaled one in 2005-06 that lasted 14 months.

Red tide cells crippled by winds gusting to 50 mph and waves cresting at 10 feet would be unable to swim toward nutrients, he predicted, saying, “If we have a normal winter this year, this will be the end of the bloom.”

No fish kills were reported in Manatee County last week, but respiratory irritation was reported on Dec. 21 and Dec. 25-26 at Manatee Beach, according to the FWC.

Florida red tide, or Karenia brevis, is a type of microalgae that emits a neurotoxin when it blooms. Deadly to marine life, red tide also can make shellfish unfit to eat and can cause respiratory irritation in people.

Background concentrations of red tide cause no anticipated effects. Very low levels cause possible respiratory irritation. Low levels cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and possible fish kills. Medium levels cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and probable fish kills. High levels cause all of the above, plus water discoloration.

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Treehouse

Treehouse case goes back to court

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

HOLMES BEACH – Treehouse owners Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen will be kicking off the new year in Manatee County Circuit Court as they try to save their beloved two-story treehouse from the wrecking ball.

Tran and Hazen filed for a temporary injunction Dec. 10 asking the court to prevent the city of Holmes Beach or the Florida Department of Environmental Protection from forcibly removing their treehouse from its Australian pine perch in front of their Angelinos Sea Lodge. In a summons received at Holmes Beach City Hall, the couple cited irreparable harm and loss of property value as reasons to allow the treehouse to remain, saying that if the treehouse was torn down there’s no way they could ever rebuild it and there would be damage to the large pine tree or the tree would potentially be taken down with the treehouse. They also asked for relief from the more than $65,000 in fines, growing at a rate of $50 a day for every day the treehouse remains aloft, attributed to the code enforcement violation by the city.

The treehouse was built without a permit more than six years ago. Tran and Hazen say that they went to city hall to inquire about a permit and were told they didn’t need one for a treehouse. They built the two-story structure partially in a large Australian pine that sits on the erosion control line and partially supported by telephone pole-like structures that are disguised to look like trees. When the construction was brought to city leaders’ attention in 2012 it sparked a case that has been ongoing for six years with no end in sight. For their part, city leaders are committed to seeing the treehouse come down and are seeking restitution for the $151,135 spent in court costs and attorney’s fees in the case.

The couple states in the summons that they spent $28,000 to build the treehouse and another $180,000 defending it since 2012. They also say they have a petition signed by approximately 5,000 people asking for the treehouse to remain as-is.

City leaders have 20 days from the Dec. 12 delivery date of the summons to file a written statement to be considered by the court.

The treehouse case goes back before Circuit Court Judge Lon Arend at 10 a.m. Jan. 8 where the judge will hear a motion for entry of default filed by the city’s attorney Jim Dye.

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Coquina Beach lifeguard stand

New lifeguards, stands, on horizon

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Beach, Featured, Outdoors.

CORTEZ BEACH – Six new lifeguards in three new lifeguard stands will protect beachgoers beginning next year at Twin Piers, the site of three erosion control structures popular with surfers.

“I can’t wait for the first day those towers go up,” Manatee County Marine Rescue Chief Joe Westerman said. “They will be operated 365 days a year.”

Manatee County also will rebuild the rest of the stands on Anna Maria Island beaches – six portable stands and the two permanent stands at Coquina Beach and Manatee Beach, he said, adding the structures are nearly 30 years old, some with termites.

The new stands should last longer than 30 years, Westerman said, and feature a new, lifeguard-friendly design that prevents glare and increases air flow with solar-powered exhaust fans to help move the air in the non-air conditioned stands.

Construction is expected to begin early next year, with new lifeguards anticipated in April, he said.

Lifeguards are needed at Twin Piers (a third “pier” was added after the name stuck) because the piers cause limited visibility at the popular beach, he said. The county replaced the three crumbling erosion control structures with three permeable, adjustable erosion control groins in 2016 to protect Gulf Drive from stormwater erosion.

Proceeds from the half-cent sales tax increase that raised the county sales tax to 7 percent will pay for the project. The Manatee County Public Safety Department, which includes Marine Rescue, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office share 15 percent of the proceeds, with 71 percent allocated to transportation and 14 percent to parks and community facilities.

Efforts to use tourist tax funds to pay for lifeguard salaries and infrastructure failed due to state statutory constraints on the expenditure of tourist tax proceeds.

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Lifeguard stands have come a long way on Anna Maria Island.

Lifeguard stands have come a long way on Anna Maria Island.

Holmes Beach tree lighting group

Holmes Beach Christmas tree glows

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

HOLMES BEACH – It was a festive evening Dec. 18 as the lights on the new city Christmas tree lit up the evening sky for the first time.

The short ceremony was attended by more than a dozen people, including Mayor Judy Titsworth, Commissioners Jim Kihm and Carol Soustek, parks and beautification chair Zan Fuller and Dennis and Carole Groh, who donated the 10-year-old tree to the city. Refreshments for the event were donated by Scott’s Deli.

With the tree planted at city field near Holmes Beach City Hall, residents and visitors alike can watch as the blue cypress grows a foot or more each year. The blue cypress was donated to the city by the Grohs, who raised the towering tree from a sapling at their Holmes Beach home. This year, the tree is decorated with strands of white lights and a sparkling gold star topper.

Holmes Beach tree lighting
Frosty the Snowman guards the Holmes Beach city Christmas tree after the lighting of the blue cypress tree Dec. 18 at Holmes Beach city field. – Kristin Swain | Sun

After the lack of a city Christmas tree was brought up at a Holmes Beach Parks and Beautification meeting, Soustek contacted Groh to see what kind of tree would be appropriate to plant. Groh said he invited her over to his home to view the tree in his backyard and the visit ended with the tree being relocated to city field. Groh said the tree was planted on a raised berm to allow the roots to burrow into their new location without being subjected to flooding. With the careful relocation of the tree and care that it’s received from public works employees, Groh said it has an 80 percent chance of survival barring any natural disaster, such as a hurricane. The tree must remain staked for a year to allow the roots time to become established.

When it was planted, the tree was a matter of some concern to Titsworth and city engineer Lynn Burnett, who has been tasked with remodeling the city field complex.

The tree was planted during the transition period after the election and did not receive proper approval from city commissioners. Commissioners later voted to have the tree lighting but have not formally agreed to keep the tree in its current location. If moved, Groh said the tree would not be able to withstand the shock and would die.

During the December parks and beautification meeting, Titsworth committed to trying to work with the current location of the tree, near the pavilion at city field, though she said future plans would need to go through appropriate channels to be approved.

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Mobility program dropped in favor of ban

Bike share regulations on hold

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

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners are moving forward with a moratorium blocking bike and scooter share companies from setting up shop in the city but are waiting to tackle any regulations until January.

During the Dec. 11 regular commission meeting, Commissioners Jim Kihm, Rick Hurst and Kim Rash voted unanimously to approve the second reading of a six-month moratorium banning bicycle and scooter share services, whether they have a dock or not, from opening in the city. The moratorium continues through June 30 or when commissioners decide on regulations, if any, for the businesses, whichever comes first. If no agreement on regulations is reached, commissioners have the option to vote to extend the moratorium.

With Commissioners Pat Morton and Carol Soustek absent from the meeting and following work session, Hurst suggested postponing discussions about regulations until a future work session when the two can be present, particularly Morton who is an avid cyclist.

Commissioner Rash said that while he’s willing to discuss regulations, currently he doesn’t feel that unmanned bicycle rental stations are truly needed in the city with the amount of existing bicycle rental businesses.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said she understands Rash’s perspective, but that the bicycle share services would offer short-term rentals rather than the daily or weekly rentals offered by companies in Holmes Beach.

The moratorium does not impact existing bicycle or scooter rental services already established in the city.

When commissioners do discuss regulations, City Attorney Patricia Petruff said they should consider whether they want the services in the city at all, if the bicycles need to be docked or not, how many bicycles a company is allowed to place in Holmes Beach at one time, what the effects on parking may be and whether the bicycles can be placed for rent on private or public property.

Commissioners next meet Jan. 8 with a work session to follow the regular meeting.

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Wave

Storm may have beat red tide back

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Updated Dec. 21, 2018 – ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Bad weather may have brought the Christmas gift that Floridians have been asking for – the beginning of the end of red tide.

The bloom that began in Southwest Florida in October 2017 and arrived in Anna Maria Island waters on Aug. 3 had been getting weaker before the storms arrived, NOAA oceanographer Rick Stumpf said.

Richard Stumpf, NOAA
Richard Stumpf, NOAA

Concentrations of the toxic algae had disappeared or fallen to background or very low levels everywhere in the state except for two sites in Manatee County as of Dec. 17, according to Friday’s update from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

“If we have a normal winter this year, this will be the end of the bloom.” – Rick Stumpf, NOAA

Since those samples were taken, heavy weather on Dec. 20-21 gave red tide cells a beating in the waves, likely dealing a serious blow to the 14-month bloom in Southwest Florida waters, according to Stumpf.

Red tide swims toward light and nutrients, and steady, rough weather can keep the cells from getting to their food and growing, he said.

The same storm-tossed water causes diatoms – good algae that produce oxygen – to grow and gradually overtake red tide, Stumpf said.

“If we have a normal winter this year, this will be the end of the bloom,” he said.

Forecast

Forecasters predict medium levels of red tide through at least Monday, Dec. 24 at Palma Sola Bay, and very low levels around Anna Maria Island, according to the University of South Florida/Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides.

Red tide is a type of algae that emits a neurotoxin when it blooms. Deadly to fish, sea turtles, marine mammals and shorebirds that feed on affected fish, red tide makes shellfish unfit to eat, and can cause respiratory irritation in people, especially those with asthma, COPD or other respiratory diseases.

A medium concentration of the harmful algae was detected on Dec. 17 in water samples at Palma Sola Bay and a very low concentration was found at Longboat Pass that day.

High concentrations of red tide detected in a sample at Palma Sola Bay on Dec. 13 were no longer present on Dec. 17.

No fish kills were reported in Manatee County last week, but respiratory irritation was reported, according to the FWC.

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Churches celebrate the reason for the season

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Churches, Community News.

Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, and Christians usually want to give thanks, as well as unwrap presents and feast with family. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, there are six houses of worship that will be available on or near Christmas.

CrossPointe Fellowship
CrossPointe Fellowship

CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, 941-778-0719, will have a Christmas Eve service at 7 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Episcopal Church of the Annunciation
Episcopal Church of the Annunciation

Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, 941-778-1638, will have a Holy Eucharist on Sunday, Dec. 23, at 8 a.m. and Lessons and Carols at 10:30 a.m. On Christmas Eve, there will be Family Eucharist with music at 5 p.m., carols at 10:30 p.m. and Festival Eucharist with music at 11 p.m. There will be a Holy Eucharist at 9 a.m. on Christmas day.

 

Gloria Dei Lutheran ChurchGloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 941-778-1813, will host its regular 9:30 a.m. service and fellowship at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 23.

 

 

 

Harvey Memorial Community Church
Harvey Memorial Community Church

Harvey Memorial Community Church, 300 Church Ave., Bradenton Beach, 941-779-1912, will hold a Christmas Eve service at 7 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

Roser Church in Anna Maria
Roser Church in Anna Maria

Roser Memorial Community Church, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 941-778-0414, will hold a Christmas Eve family service from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary with the Joyful Noise Children’s Choir singing. At 9 p.m., there will be a Christmas Eve candlelight service.

 

 

 

St. Bernard Catholic Church
St. Bernard Catholic Church

St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach, 941-778-4769, has Christmas Eve Mass at 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. and Christmas Day Mass at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Anna Maria holiday carol singers

Community gathers for holiday carols in the park

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Entertainment, Events, Holiday, Music.

ANNA MARIA – The city hosted a weather-modified Holiday Carols in the Park event on Friday, Dec. 14.

Despite the threat of rain, nearly 100 people showed up at City Pier Park late Friday afternoon for the second annual event.

City Commissioner Doug Copeland and city staff members dispensed ice cream-enhanced eggnog and cookies.

Anna Maria holiday carols Eggnog
City Commissioner Doug Copeland serves eggnog to Anna Maria residents Carol Conte and Michael Cusato. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Members of the Public Works Department assisted Santa Claus as he appeared through a cloud of multi-colored smoke at the far end of the park. After Mayor Dan Murphy greeted Santa, the children lined up to speak with the jolly one. Santa also got a few kisses from a small dog named Piglet.

Weather concerns led to the cancellation of the vocal and instrumental performances to be given by students from St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, but Bob Carter, Barbara Murphy and Angie Blunt led the crowd assembled underneath the shade sail structure in a Christmas carol sing-along.

“I wish the weather had cooperated a little more, but this is one of those things where you go with what you’ve got. That was what we decided, and I’m glad we did. The children are enjoying it and that’s the important thing,” Murphy said of his 2 p.m. decision to proceed with the event.

The holiday event was part of the city’s continued efforts to utilize City Pier Park as a community gathering place.

“It’s a place to get together, celebrate and have a good time. We’re trying to foster a sense of community and these events bring people together in one place to chat, renew acquaintances and make new acquaintances. This is a perfect fit for the park, I can’t think of a better use. And what’s better than a sing-along?” Murphy said.

When asked if the mayor has Christmas wish for the citizens and business owners of Anna Maria, Murphy said, “Yes. I’d like for you to have a new pier.”

The construction of the new Anna Maria City Pier is slated to begin in late-January.

Center soccer Sato semi-finals

Sato Real Estate to defend title

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

The Center of Anna Maria Island field saw six games of co-ed, adult soccer last week as the eight teams went head-to-head in the fall season’s playoffs games. In the end, top-ranked Sato Real Estate captured two wins in the week, solidifying the team’s place in the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup championship game Thursday night.

The pitch lights were on Tuesday night for the quarterfinal games. The cold night thinned out the crowd, but the faithful fans of futbol stayed to watch the closest match of the night between Moss Builders and AMI Locals.

After extra play in overtime, the two teams selected each of their best five shot makers to battle it out in penalty kicks. Fourth-ranked Moss Builders prevailed, winning the game by one goal. The win moved Ryan Moss’ Moss Builders into the semi-final action.

Jiffy Lube, Lancaster Design and Sato Real Estate also played Thursday night to determine the final play lineup.

With four teams vying for one of the two final spots, Moss Builders’ Adam Bujarski was the only man in a blue jersey that could find the net. Goalie Jordan DeMers solidly protected his net making 11 saves on the night, but their efforts just were not enough against Kris Yavalar’s Lancaster Design.

On the other side of the field, last season’s Sato Real Estate key player, Zachary Lieb, put in two goals to help his new team, Lancaster Design, clinch a spot in the cup game.

Lieb’s teammates Cemal Duzgan and Ryan Hogan contributed with their all-important points in the game for the win.

Sato Real Estate’s Trey Horne solidified his place as one of the league’s top goalies with 13 recorded saves. Horne’s team did not have an easy go of its semifinal game against Jiffy Lube. The battle royale put the #1 and #2 teams against each other one last time in the season.

Team captain Danny Anderson scored two of the team’s four points. Brother Ricky had one of his own. Frontman Brayan Felipe had a solo goal as well.

But the goals of Josh Sato, team captain, two goals by Andrew Schmidt and singles by Francisco Oliviera and Eric Pullen gave Sato Real Estate the win by one goal in overtime.

Sato Real Estate’s narrow victory gives the team a chance to repeat last season’s success and continue to reign as champions. Yavalar looks to put another championship under his name Thursday, Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. at The Center.

Related coverage

Sato Real Estate on top again

Adult co-ed soccer heats up in the night chill

Top teams take the championship

Holmes Beach skate park concept new

Skate park plans move forward

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

HOLMES BEACH – The city’s current skate park may be going away but a new one is in the works, one that includes a 5,000 square-foot plaza section and may even have a skating bowl if funds can be raised.

City engineer Lynn Burnett and American Ramp Company lead designer Tito Porrata appeared before commissioners Dec. 11 to present a concept design for the new Holmes Beach skate park. The design was met with overwhelming approval by city commissioners and the local skateboarding community.

“I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality of this design,” Commissioner Jim Kihm said.

Porrata presented a design for a 5,000 square-foot plaza with a quarter pipe, flat rails, pyramids and ledges for skaters to practice on. The plaza is set to be created primarily of cement with some different materials used for various skating elements. Rather than fencing in the park, he suggested using a natural fence created by landscaping that would allow police officers to see into the park from the road but also trap any wayward skateboards and help protect skaters from wayward vehicles that might find their way off the roadway. He also presented an idea for an additional skating area, a 2,000 square-foot, three to four feet deep skating bowl placed over the existing retention pond at the corner of Marina Drive near city hall.

Holmes Beach skate park Marina Drive
This view shows how the proposed layout for the new plaza-style skate park will look when gazing to the north down Marina Drive. – Submitted

While the design and construction of the plaza area are projected to cost $150,000, taking the city’s entire available budget for the skate park, the bowl would cost another $100,000. To install the additional section, Burnett said the city would either have to acquire the additional funds through grants or fundraising, ideally before construction is finished on the plaza section to eliminate additional mobilization costs. Construction on the plaza is expected to be complete by the end of 2019.

Local skateboarder Jack Coleman said he thinks the proposed new park will be amazing. “If the bowl is added,” he said, “I’ll have zero reason to leave the Island ever.”

Another local skateboarder Matt Bauer said he likes the bowl transition but if that doesn’t come to fruition, he still approves of the new plaza design for the skate park. “It’s a great design,” he said. “I’m stoked. This is awesome.”

“I am stoked as well,” Mayor Judy Titsworth said, “and I’m not a skater.” She added that her nephews who are skaters are happy commissioners are considering the bowl addition.

Commissioners approved the plaza design along with the bowl design and gave Burnett the green light to move forward in the design phase with the caveat that construction of the bowl can be added at a later date if the funds are raised. Commissioner Kim Rash suggested pursuing grants, fundraising and also potential business or residential sponsorship of different park elements to help raise the additional $100,000 for the bowl.

With commission approval for the new park, Burnett said she would move forward with the demolition of the current skate park, which will become a staging area, move construction equipment from the current staging area by the small dog park and begin work on the dog park and skate park.

Kihm said that after all of the discussion, he’s “glad to see things moving to the implementation phase.”

Related Coverage

Skate park plans scrapped by users

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Funds come through for park improvements

Castles in the Sand

Red tide, hurricanes and interest rates

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Uncategorized.

It’s been a strange year and a few months for real estate. Irma took a toll, although not a devastating one, but enough for us and prospective buyers to sit up and take notice. Then the red tide rolled into town and took its time leaving, with traces still floating around, and then interest rates went up, putting a damper on the housing market nationally and the potential that it could trickle down to us. In spite of, this Anna Maria Island still keeps moving forward with selling prices holding and buyers still looking.

Since everyone in real estate, homeowners and professionals alike, are always interested in the upper end of the market, it’s time to do an analysis of $1 million and over sales and listings for residential properties including condos and vacant land. We’ll take a look at July, August, September and October. The closed property numbers are from the Manatee County Property Appraisers Office and the available or pending properties as of this writing are from realtor.com.

Cortez had two properties close over $1 million; last time this tiny area didn’t have any. The city of Anna Maria had 17 properties $1 million or over close during these months ranging from $1,000,000 to $2,500,000; during the previous analysis, there were nine. The combined cities of Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach had 14 over $1 million closings during these months, ranging from $1,100,000 to $5,000,000. In the previous analysis, there were 19 sales.

As far as currently on the market or pending, Cortez has five, ranging from $1,099,900 to $1,500,000, which is a waterfront lot. During the previous analysis, there were four properties in this price range. The city of Anna Maria currently has 51 properties over $1 million, ranging from $1,049,000 to $5,200,000. Of these, two are over $3 million, and two are over $4 million. Last time, Anna Maria had 64 properties listed at $1 million or more.

And the combined cities of Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach have 68 properties currently listed over $1 million, ranging from $1,000,000 to $7,775,000, which is a large waterfront parcel of land. Of these, two are over $3 million, three are $4 million or over and one is over $5 million. Last time these cities had 77 properties available in this price range.

Although not exact, the numbers are fairly consistent. Much of the country is experiencing a slowdown of the real estate market because of the lack of inventory driving up prices but resulting in lower sales. We too see that in our marketplace, but we also have the additional element of a reputation for hurricanes and the persistent red tide, which is getting a lot of media publicity around the country. Now that we’re getting into the busy selling season, we should have a clearer idea of the availability of buyers.

I was on Palm Beach Island for a weekend a few weeks ago, and $1 million properties don’t even exist on that island. But on this Island, we have plenty, and, hopefully, that trend will continue into the new year.

Wishing everyone a peaceful and merry holiday.

More Castles in the Sand:

No Christmas gifts for foreign buyers

Tax overhaul saved one thing

Anticipating condo special assessments

Red tide weekend forecast medium

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Medium levels of red tide are predicted through at least Monday, Dec. 17 around most of Anna Maria Island, according to the University of South Florida/Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides.

For the first time since red tide arrived in local waters last August, no fish kills were reported in Manatee County last week, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

The absence of fish kills may be because the nearshore fish population already has been eradicated in recent months, according to Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department.

The most recent FWC water samples available show these concentrations of red tide:

Not present or background: Mead Point at Perico Island, Dec. 11

Very low: Rod and Reel Pier (Anna Maria) Dec. 10; Longboat Pass boat ramp (Sarasota Bay) Dec. 10

Low:  Cortez Beach (Bradenton Beach), Dec. 10

Medium: Palma Sola Bay bridge, Dec. 10.

  • Background concentrations of red tide cause no anticipated effects.
  • Very low levels cause possible respiratory irritation
  • Low levels cause possible respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and fish kills.
  • Medium levels cause probable respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and fish kills.
  • High levels cause all of the above, plus water discoloration.

Respiratory irritation was reported Dec. 9-12 at Coquina Beach (Bradenton Beach) and Dec. 6-7 and Dec. 9 at Manatee Beach (Holmes Beach).

While no fish kills were reported, FWC reported a red tide-distressed seagull on Anna Maria Island on Dec. 13.

Red tide is a type of algae that emits a neurotoxin when it blooms. Deadly to fish, sea turtles, marine mammals and shorebirds that feed on affected fish, red tide makes shellfish unfit to eat, and can cause respiratory irritation in people, especially those with asthma, COPD or other respiratory diseases.

The toxic algae bloom has been present in the southwest Gulf of Mexico since October 2017, reaching Anna Maria Island in early August 2018.

Related coverage

https://amisun.com/2018/12/15/new-tourism-initiatives-address-red-tide-challenges/

Center of Anna Maria Island adult soccer kick

Sato Real Estate on top again

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

The last regular season co-ed adult soccer game ended Thursday night with Lancaster Design pulling out the big win over Jiffy Lube.

After Moss Builders took the first victory of the night over Eason Builders, Slim’s Place earned its first win of the season against a winless Ross Built Construction.

Sato Real Estate handed AMI Locals its third loss of the season. Playing with a demanding defensive attack lead by Alta Bujarski, Sato Real Estate’s Andrew Schmidt lead the team out of the gate with a beautiful shot.

Matthew Staggs took the second score statistic, advancing the score to 2-0 two minutes into the game.

Team captain Kevin Roman hit the net next for his team, AMI Locals. Schmidt followed up with his second point of the game with 17 minutes left in the half.

Tyler Robinson, Roman’s teammate of the sponsored AMI Locals, brought the game to a one-point spread with the score 3-2.

The third game of the night ended with a goal by Chris Culhane, taking the score to 4-2.

Danny Anderson, the leader of Jiffy Lube, started the last game with a bang, scoring within the first few minutes of the game.

Anderson’s brother Ricky put the second point on the scoreboard, and teammate Nathan Kragt scored the third goal with 10 minutes left in the half.

Just as it looked like Jiffy Lube was going to run away with the game, Lancaster Design’s team woke up and started its scoring streak at the 17th minute by Zackary Lieb.

Right before the end of the first half of the game, D. Anderson struck the soccer ball for the teams fourth and final goal of the night.

At the very start of the last 23 minutes of play, Lancaster Design came out scoring. Lieb scored the next two goals tying the ball game 4-4.

With a tie looking to be the destiny for the match, Lieb put his team head and gave it the win with a little over five minutes left on the clock.

The second round of the playoffs will start at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13.

Related Coverage

Adult co-ed soccer heats up in the night chill

Top teams take the championship

Planet Stone, Bins Be Clean, Sato Real Estate on top