ANNA MARIA – Planning and Zoning Board Chairperson David Haddox vacated his advisory board seat after the board’s Aug. 20 meeting.
Haddox and his wife, Marsha McAllister, sold their Anna Maria home and they’re moving to Blue Ridge, Georgia this week.
When the Aug. 20 planning board meeting began, Mayor Mark Short thanked Haddox for the 2 ½-plus years he served as a Planning and Zoning Board member, including his tenure as the board’s chairperson. Short also thanked Haddox for identifying the many navigational markers and buoys that surrounded the city and went missing during the 2024 hurricanes.
Haddox researched and identified who was responsible for replacing each missing marker and buoy – the city, the county or the state.
“Dave has provided significant guidance to me and our staff on a number of other things as it relates to the waterways,” Short said, noting that Haddox previously served as the commander of the Anna Maria Island Sail & Power Squadron.
“I wanted to publicly thank Dave for all his service that he has provided to the city,” Short said.
The board now consists of Jeff Rodencal, David Johnson, Christine Aaron and recently-appointed member Don Buswell-Charkow. The board members will select a new chairperson during their September meeting.
Applicants sought
The city of Anna Maria is now accepting applications to fill that vacant planning board seat.
“This volunteer board plays a vital role in guiding the growth and development of our community by reviewing land use proposals, zoning changes and development plans in accordance with local ordinances and the comprehensive plan,” the city website says. “Help shape the future of the city of Anna Maria. Apply today.”
On Aug. 20, the planning and zoning board included Jeff Rodencal, David Haddox, David Johnson, Christine Aaron and recently-appointed member Don Buswell-Charkow. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The board meets one Wednesday morning per month. Applicants must be residents of Anna Maria. The commission appointee will serve the remainder of Haddox’s current term, which expires May 8, 2026, with the potential for reappointment. The application form can be downloaded at the city website. Completed applications can be emailed to amadmin@cityofannamaria.com or hand-delivered to city hall. For more information, contact Executive Assistant Barbara Jeffries at amadmin@cityofannamaria.com.
ANNA MARIA – There may soon be a new paid public parking lot in Anna Maria for beachgoers and other visitors.
On Aug. 14, the Anna Maria Planning and Zoning Board voted 5-0 in favor of recommending city commission approval for a paid parking lot at 9806 Gulf Drive at the corner of Gulf Drive and Magnolia Avenue. City commissioners will next consider the proposal.
The proposed paid parking lot area is highlighted in red in this diagram. – City of Anna Maria | Submitted
Easy Parking Group owner/operator Josh LaRose presented the site plan approval request to the P&Z board on behalf of the property owner, JRHAMI LLC. The Florida Division of Corporations lists Bradenton resident Jerry Robert Hynton as the LLC’s registered agent and manager. Hynton is a pediatric dentist in Bradenton.
Easy Parking Group owner Josh LaRose represented the property owner at the Planning and Zoning Board meeting. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
LaRose’s Sarasota-based company currently operates at least one similar paid parking lot in Anna Maria and has operated similar parking lots in Bradenton Beach. LaRose also operated the now-defunct Old Town Tram shuttle service in Bradenton Beach that was partially funded by the Community Redevelopment Agency.
If approved, paid parking lot users would enter and exist along Magnolia Avenue. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Included in the planning board meeting packet was a memo written by City Planner Ashley Austin. According to the memo, the site plan proposes 22 paid parking spaces in the shell-covered parking lot, including one designated accessible parking space.
LaRose said the parking lot is currently blocked off to the public but some of the existing parking spaces are used by Ginny’s and Jane E’s Café & Gift Shop employees who work across the street. He said parking spaces would still be provided for those employees during daytime hours and the remaining spaces would be open to the public. Ginny’s and Jane E’s closes daily at 3 p.m.
The paid parking lot would be located at 9806 Gulf Drive. – Joe Hendricks | Su
Austin’s memo notes the paid parking lot will provide additional public parking for beachgoers and those visiting the restaurants, retail shops and other businesses in that area.
The site plan proposes one payment kiosk and six parking management signs that feature QR codes that allow for parking payments made using a cell phone. Parking lot patrons will enter and exit the parking lot along Magnolia Avenue.
During the Aug. 14 meeting, Austin said parking lots are a permitted use in the city’s Residential/Office/Retail (ROR) zoning designation but the proposed use requires a city commission-approved site plan.
The site plan includes city-required landscape buffering along the western edge of the property and additional non-required landscape buffering along the southern edge of the parking lot property.
At the request of neighboring property owner Bob Dwyer, with LaRose in agreement, the non-required southern landscape buffering will be removed from the site plan because it would block a long-used secondary entry point to Dwyer’s residential properties at 109 and 113 Magnolia Ave.
When asked, LaRose said the parking rate would likely be in the $5- to $7-dollar-per-hour range and possibly $30 for an entire day, with potential increases during holidays.
Regarding enforcement, LaRose said the parking lot would be privately enforced by Easy Parking Group employees who use written warnings to educate violators and the booting or towing of vehicles when repeat or flagrant parking violations occur.
ANNA MARIA – The three sitting members of the Anna Maria Planning and Zoning Board (P&Z) have rejected the idea of allowing non-residents to serve on the city advisory board.
With the recent departures of members Dr. Jose Erbella and Dusty Crane, the board is down to three members: Chairman David Haddox and members Doug Copeland and Jeff Rodencal.
Haddox recently told The Sun that he and his wife, Marsha McAllister, plan to put their Anna Maria home on the market soon and relocate to another state when it sells, creating another planning board vacancy.
The agenda for the planning board’s Dec. 11 meeting included an informal workshop-style discussion about planning board membership. The agenda packet included language found in the city code of ordinances that says, “There is hereby created a planning and zoning board consisting of no less than three and no more than five members who shall be qualified electors (registered voters) and residents of the city.”
During past city commission meetings, it has been stated that approximately 70% of the residential properties in Anna Maria are used as short-term vacation rentals rather than permanent residences.
“The fundamental question is how do we get more participants on P&Z?” Rodencal asked.
He initiated discussion on allowing non-resident Anna Maria property owners or business owners to serve on the planning board that reviews land use and development matters and makes non-binding recommendations to the city commission.
“I’ve been a member of the Planning and Zoning Board off and on for over 30 years. Other than the first few years I was on this board, we’ve had issues getting members. It’s not a new issue,” Copeland said.
“If we open it up to non-residents, we’re signing away our city. Investors will be allowed to be on this board. They will not represent us, as residents, and we will see the end of our city government,” he said.
After acknowledging Copeland’s concern, Rodencal suggested allowing just one non-resident to serve on a board otherwise comprised of city residents. Rodencal said a business owner might offer a different perspective and he noted the city of Bradenton Beach allows a non-resident business owner (Bridge Tender Inn owner Fred Bartizal) to serve on its Planning and Zoning Board.
“We can certainly keep going the way we’re going, but it seems like we’re always struggling to get people,” Rodencal said.
“As we have for 20 years,” Copeland replied. “I certainly wouldn’t take Bradenton Beach as an example of how we want to govern.”
Haddox said someone recently suggested inviting the city’s Historic Preservation Board members to also serve as planning board members. The Historic Preservation Board consists of Sharon Wisniewski, Jack Brennan and Tom Wagner. Haddox noted the preservation board members would have to meet the city residency requirements to serve on the planning board.
City Attorney Becky Vose noted the state of Florida has a dual office holding prohibition that would prevent someone from simultaneously serving on the planning board and the historic preservation board, but the city commission could adopt a “work-around” ordinance that allows that to happen.
“I would certainly support that,” Haddox said.
“I think we should pursue getting joint membership,” Copeland said in agreement.
Haddox said Mayor Mark Short also proposed another possible solution: If more than one person applies to fill a vacant city commission seat, the person, or persons, not appointed could be invited to serve on the planning board.
Copeland said the Planning and Zoning Board has been a “stepping stone” for many Anna Maria commissioners, including himself, Short and Crane.
No formal action was taken on these discussion items but City Planner Ashley Austin said she would draft some proposed language to discuss again at a future meeting.
ANNA MARIA – Planning and Zoning Board members are reviewing the city’s parking regulations with an emphasis on reducing visibility challenges created by parked vehicles.
Joined by City Planner Ashley Austin and General Manager Dean Jones, Anna Maria Planning and Zoning Board members David Haddox, Dusty Crane, Doug Copeland and Jeff Rodencal participated in parking regulation-related workshops on Aug. 21 and Sept. 19. The board recommendations produced during the workshops will be reviewed again on Oct. 31 before being presented for city commission consideration.
The board and city staff recommend regulation revisions that include prohibiting parking on multi-use paths and designated bike lanes and parking within a visibility triangle at a street intersection. Board members and staff also discussed prohibiting street-side parking within 10 feet of a driveway.
Driveway concerns
Earlier this year, the board members and city staff assumed city code prohibited street-side parking within 10 feet of a driveway, but they later learned no such prohibition exists.
When discussing a possible driveway-related parking prohibition in August, Copeland said, “When people park directly up to your driveway, you cannot see to get out.”
He noted the lack of visibility experienced when pulling out of a driveway presents a danger to families walking down the street and makes it difficult to see oncoming motorists.
Rodencal agreed but questioned how the city would enforce such a prohibition and notify residents and visitors of that new restriction.
Rodencal also questioned whether eliminating numerous public parking spaces located within 10 feet of a driveway impacts the city’s ability to provide the number of public parking spaces required to qualify for county and state-funded beach renourishment projects. He said city staff would need to review the city’s parking plan and determine how many parking spaces would be eliminated.
Copeland said he previously asked the city to install traffic delineators on each side of his driveway entrance. The delineators consist of a white and orange plastic sleeve slipped over a metal fence post. The delineators limit the available parking space and make it difficult to park without the vehicle’s tires encroaching onto the street pavement, which is a parking violation.
The board expressed concerns about the visual aesthetics of installing parking delineators at every residential driveway, and there is no desire to install more “No Parking” signs in the city’s residential areas.
“Obviously we don’t want to put up two parking signs at every driveway, but the plastic bollards are really not that offensive and they’re fairly effective,” Copeland said during the August workshop.
Jones said the city would incur the costs of installing and maintaining the parking delineators.
“It’s a great idea, but how do you execute it out in the field?” he asked.
During the Sept. 19 workshop, Jones proposed asking the city commission to consider allowing the public works department to install driveway parking delineators only as requested by residential property owners.
Visibility concerns
During the September workshop, Copeland said he received a call from a resident who expressed concerns about a rental business on Pine Avenue parking their golf carts in the street-side parking spaces located in the city-owned right of way. Austin said that’s not allowed and she would look into that.
Haddox expressed a similar concern about a small commercial truck that’s frequently parked in a city-owned parking space along Pine Avenue. Haddox said the parked truck creates a visibility challenge when exiting the post office parking lot. Crane said a sign located on or near the post office property also limits visibility.
Jones said he would diplomatically share the board’s concerns with those business owners.
Crane reiterated her previously stated concerns about the visibility challenges created by parked vehicles, fences and residential landscaping at the North Bay Boulevard and Poinsettia Road intersection. She said the landscaping at the North Bay and Jacaranda Road intersection also impedes visibility.
Landscaping limits visibility at the North Bay Drive and Poinsettia Road intersection. – Joe Hendricks | SunLandscaping limits visibility at the North Bay Drive and Jacaranda Road intersection. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Crane expressed concerns about the reduced visibility created by the landscaping at the Magnolia Avenue and South Bay Boulevard intersection.
“I agree, that’s a really dicey intersection,” Haddox added. “There’s just too much foliage there when you’re trying to execute a right-hand turn.”
Existing city code says, “On a corner lot, there shall be no parking or loading spaces, structure or planting which materially obstructs the vision of vehicular traffic within 20 feet of the two intersecting street right-of-way lines.”
Rodencal said similar visibility challenges exist throughout the city, and he asked what’s hindering the city’s efforts to address those concerns. Jones said he would research the board’s concerns.
Board member needed
The Anna Maria Planning and Zoning Board seeks a new volunteer member. Serving as an advisory board and recommending body to the city commission, the commission-appointed board meets one Wednesday morning per month to discuss and review matters pertaining to land use, building, development, construction, permitting and more.
To obtain an application, visit www.cityofannamaria.com/residents and click on “forms & permits,” email amclerk@cityofannamaria.com or call 941-708-6130.
ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria Planning and Zoning Board recommends city commission approval of a request to vacate an existing utilities easement at 117 Peppertree Lane.
The board-supported request to vacate the easement is included on the City Commission’s Thursday, Feb. 8 meeting agenda.
The residential property is owned by 117 Peppertree LLC. According to the property owner’s attorney, Taylor Faulkner, the property was platted in 1925 and the current home was built in 1967. In 1971, a garage and concrete driveway were built atop an existing utility easement previously granted to the city. In 2003, the city commission approved a request to vacate the easement, but there’s no record of that request ever being finalized and recorded.
City Planner Ashely Austin said the existing 10-foot-wide easement would be exchanged for a new 7-foot-wide easement located closer to Gulf Drive. Austin said the city currently has no plans to use the new easement area, but it will be there if ever needed.
The board voted 4-0 in support of recommending city commission approval of the request.
Board configuration
Anna Maria resident Janis Ian was recently appointed to the planning board but prior to the board’s Jan. 31 meeting, she informed the city clerk’s office that she would not be joining the board due to other obligations.
Recently appointed planning board member Jeff Rodencal did not attend the Jan. 31 meeting but is expected to participate in the board’s next meeting on Wednesday, March 13.
The addition of Ian and Rodencal would have created a six-member board, which would have then resulted in longtime board member David Haddox becoming an alternate board member rather than a regular board member due to the anticipated sale of his Anna Maria home. With Ian’s withdrawal, Haddox will continue to serve as a regular board member until his house sells and he forgoes his city residency.
Form 6 email
During Wednesday’s meeting, board member Lisa Bagwell said she received an email from the Florida Commission on Ethics informing her that she would be required to file a Form 6 financial disclosure form later this year. None of the other planning board members received a similar email.
Participating by phone, City Attorney Becky Vose said city commission-appointed Planning and Zoning Board members are not subject to the Form 6 financial disclosure requirements that now apply to elected and appointed mayors and city commissioners. Vose surmised the email must have been mistakenly sent to Bagwell.
ANNA MARIA – The Planning and Zoning Board (P&Z) has requested modifications and clarifications regarding a proposed ordinance that would amend the city’s sandwich board sign regulations.
City code currently prohibits A-frame sandwich board signs, but in recent years the prohibition has not been enforced. In late July, Mayor Dan Murphy suggested revisiting the sign ordinance in response to a complaint he received. Murphy said then that he was not in favor of prohibiting the signs that help businesses attract customers.
On Aug. 24, City Attorney Becky Vose presented the commission with a proposed ordinance that would no longer prohibit sandwich board signs. Vose noted past city commissions enacted enforcement moratoriums on the sandwich board sign prohibition in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and before that when the City Pier was closed and replaced due to damage sustained during Hurricane Irma.
The proposed ordinance would allow one A-frame sandwich board sign per business address.
The signs will only be allowed on commercially zoned and Retail/Office/Residential (ROR) zoned properties. The signs will be allowed only during active business hours and must be removed at the end of each business day, and also during inclement weather. The signs shall not be located on any city-owned sidewalks or rights of way and shall not impede pedestrian traffic or vehicular sight lines.
P&Z review
The proposed ordinance is being reviewed by the P&Z members, who will ultimately make a recommendation the city commission can accept, reject or modify.
The Anna Maria Planning and Zoning Board consists of David Haddox, Dr. Jose Erbella, Lisa Bagwell and Dusty Crane. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
During the Sept. 27 P&Z meeting, board member David Haddox asked what constitutes a business address. City Planner Ashely Austin said if 307A is one business address and 307B is another business address, and both are located on the same property, each business would be allowed one sandwich board sign. The board members requested further clarification as to what constitutes a business entity and business address.
The board members noted the Pineapple Marketplace features approximately 30 different vendors that share the same address. Board member Lisa Bagwell expressed concerns about not allowing businesses with shared addresses to display sandwich board signs when there’s enough space on the property for more. Board Chair Dr. Jose Erbella suggested the number of allowed signs be determined by the available privately owned space on a property.
Board member Dusty Crane said she’s not a big supporter of sandwich board signs and she questioned how the proposed sign allowance would be enforced.
“I’d like to see them all gone to tell you the truth,” she said.
The proposed ordinance currently says a sandwich board sign shall not exceed 24 inches in width by 36 inches in height, including the frame. Haddox noted the standard size offered by many sign manufacturers is larger than that. He suggested the sign’s graphic area not exceed 24×36 inches and the surrounding frame not exceed 27×45 inches.
Haddox noted some sandwich board signs feature a single panel that hangs in the middle and swings in the wind. He suggested prohibiting signs that move in the wind and requiring them to have two fixed panels.
The board also requested clarification on the vehicular sight distances and visibility triangle referenced in the proposed ordinance.
“You all do a great job of analysis and I want to thank you for it,” Vose said in appreciation of the board’s efforts.
The requested modifications and clarifications will be brought back to the P&Z members before the proposed ordinance is forwarded to the city commission.
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