ANNA MARIA – In what was anticipated to be an action-packed championship flag football game last Thursday night, team Luxury Services and the Solid Rock Construction crew gave the spectators a game that did not disappoint.
After a season of lopsided scores, Luxury Services made it clear why they ended the regular season undefeated and on the top of the rankings. Putting up as many as 96 points in a game this season, the squad led by Chase Richardson continued to find his main target, Jonathan Soultatos, in the final game of the adult flag season.
The Richardson-Soultatos duo added 20 points on the scoreboard. Soultatos finished the season with 15 receptions in the championship game against the talented Solid Rock team.
Despite seven precise flag pulls by Charles “Tuna” McCracken, making amazing stops against Soultatos, Solid Rock Construction came up short of the 32-26 win.
Winning the game by just one touchdown, Richardson threw for five TDs including three to Soultatos, as well as singles to Tim Holly and Dustin Tomcho.
Tomcho made three big catches and possibly the game-winning interception on defense to help his team march to victory.
On the other side of the football, QB Dominick Otteni hit his marks with 11 solid catches by Corey Jacques and three by Tyler Brewer. Brewer added two points to the scoreboard with a focused catch in the endzone after a Solid Rock touchdown.
Solid Rock Construction’s Hannah McCracken played a hard final game and made four amazing flag pulls to stop the Luxury Services offense. The efforts of H. McCracken, older sister of Tuna, contributed to the fight that kept her team in it for two halves of play.
Defensively, Travis Bates put the heat on Richardson the entire game as the Solid Rock designated rusher. Putting the pressure on the Luxury QB kept the offensive players on their toes with Richardson’s quick-release passes.
Otteni added to his game stats with a catch thrown by McCracken and a flag pull. Solid Rock teammate Brian Leibfried made big contributions on the field throughout the season to help get the Solid Rock team to the big game.
A flag pull by Jasmine Muldoon added to the strong defensive effort by Luxury Services that earned the team the winter 2023 Center adult flag football championship title.
ANNA MARIA – City and county officials continue to work on an interlocal agreement that would allow the Anna Maria City Pier to be used as a landing area for Manatee County’s pending water taxi service.
On March 9, Mayor Dan Murphy and the Anna Maria City Commission discussed but took no formal action on the revised interlocal agreement recently received from the county. That document includes the revisions county staff made to the original agreement the city proposed several months ago.
The discussion resulted in additional revisions being requested by the city commission. Those revisions will be included in an updated agreement to be presented during the commission’s Thursday, March 23 meeting or soon thereafter. If the commission deems those revisions acceptable, the city-revised agreement will be returned to county officials for their consideration.
Waiting for the taxi
The water taxi service was originally expected to begin in March or April. In October, Manatee County commissioners authorized then-County Administrator Scott Hopes to spend up to $700,000 to design and build two pontoon boats to be used as water taxis. Manatee County will initially own the boats to be managed and operated by the Clearwater-based Clearwater Ferry company.
According to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione, the water taxis will travel to and from downtown Bradenton with anticipated stops at the Anna Maria City Pier, the Bradenton Beach Pier and the Coquina South boat ramp in Bradenton Beach, operating from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Extended hours and/or additional service days are possible depending on demand.
When asked about a starting date for the water taxi service, Murphy told the commission that Falcione would not commit to a specific date but said it would be “right around the corner.”
City revisions
The county-revised agreement says the purposes of the water taxi program are “to relieve
automobile congestion coming to and from the Island, and to provide an alternative and affordable means of public transportation to and from the Island for Manatee County visitors, residents and service workers.”
City Commissioner Charlie Salem suggested removing the word “service” and making the reference inclusive to all who work on the Island.
Commission Chair Mark Short referenced the proposed agreement language that says the cost of any Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-related improvements, permits or studies required for water taxi dockage at the pier would be the financial responsibility of Manatee County or its water taxi contractor.
Short said those ADA improvements could potentially include safety rails being added to the existing boat landing area near the T-end of the pier. He noted the proposed language doesn’t address who would cover the costs of any water taxi-related ADA improvements needed elsewhere on the pier in order to serve as a water taxi stop. According to Murphy, the commission would have to approve any changes or improvements made to the pier.
Short also referenced the agreement language that says, “Subsequent maintenance and the cost thereof for the pier shall remain the responsibility of the city.” He suggested the ongoing maintenance remain the responsibility of the county.
Short noted the county-revised version of the agreement references Exhibits A and B, but those exhibits were not included with the document. City Attorney Becky Vose said the city can’t formally enter into the interlocal agreement without being provided with the documents.
ANNA MARIA – In an action-packed flag football game, team Pineapple Market Place captured the 11- to 13-year-old league championship against Solid Rock Construction in a close battle last Tuesday night at The Center.
With the 8- to 10-year-old flag football league final game rescheduled due to an event at Anna Maria Elementary School, the top-seed Sato Real Estate squad faced the fourth-ranked Westfall’s Lawn Care and Pest Control last Thursday night.
Sato Real Estate’s 38-7 win against sixth-seed Moss Builders last Monday night earned them their spot in the championship game.
Going into the semifinal game a slight underdog, team Westfall fought their way through two halves of flag football play to win by nine points against Solid Rock.
As the clear favorites, the Sato Real Estate team was shook when their opponents came out onto the field playing to win.
With the much-needed mid-season add-on of Kellen Hunt behind center for Westfall, the Sato team fell behind for the first time in the season with a Westfall touchdown in early play.
In a cleanly physical and exciting game, Sato Real Estate’s Dylan Sato found himself injured and on the bench for several snaps of the football.
Team Westfall continued to play with accuracy and fire, taking advantage of a Sato squad struggling to find its footing in the game.
Self-determined with supportive coaching by volunteer and father Jason Sato, quarterback Brandon Sato lit up the field and ignited the excitement of the sideline with a game-changing interception. B. Sato’s nab of Hunt’s throw gave the Sato Real Estate team the positive play needed to ultimately win the championship.
Finishing the game with five touchdown passes, two defensive flag pulls and two interceptions, including one for six points, B. Sato was the unofficial game MVP.
Big brother D. Sato caught three of his brother’s throws for touchdowns and had a big defensive stop to help win the game.
Teammates Braylen Briggs and Kellen Reed each were the scoring targets for B. Sato, scoring 12 points in receiving touchdowns.
Scoring three total points, Silas DeWitt, Beau DeWitt and Reed all caught for one point conversion after Sato Real Estate TDs.
The remaining team Sato flag pulls came from Reed, B. DeWitt and Briggs. S. DeWitt had three crucial flag pulls to assist his team defensively.
Game-winning and season-making contributions came from Sato Real Estate players Camden Rudacille and Leo Tyler, helping to make the championship win possible.
Despite the loss, Westfall’s players fought hard until the last second of the final youth flag football game of the season played before the adult flag football semifinal games.
Hunt’s touchdown duos in the big game were Ethan Angel, Carter Hey and Callin Westfall, each with a scoring catch for six points. Westfall put four receptions in the stat book.
Angel finished the game with five catches and two flag big flag pulls. Hey made two stops in addition to his TD catch.
Elijah Karabagli and Cody Stockton caught three and two passes for positive yardage for team Westfall, respectively.
Helping the Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control work their way to the championship game, Thadeous Daniels and Ruby Kesten made critical plays throughout the season.
The high-scoring championship game for the older age group was a shootout with 17 total caught passes thrown by Pineapple Market Place quarterbacks, including by Jack Mattick, for a total of 18 points.
8- to 10-year-old flag football league champions, team Sato Real Estate, are, from left, (top row), Braylen Briggs, Camden Rudacille, Kellen Reed and Brandon Sato, (bottom row) Coach Jason Sato, Beau DeWitt, Silas DeWitt, Leo Tyler and Dylan Sato. – Monica Simpson | Sun
The caliber of play on both sides of the football by both teams makes it difficult to determine who would walk away with the most valuable player honors for the season-ending game.
Mattick threw for three TDs, pulled three flags, caught for one interception and one two-point conversion.
Carter Eurice and the offensive team for Solid Rock Construction threw for 16 passes, scoring 24 points.
Despite the in-the-air action, it ultimately was the two rushing touchdowns that may have been the difference for the 11- to 13-year-old league Pineapple Market Place team.
The speedy wheels of Mattick raced the football past his Solid Rock opponents.
The Pineapple scoring receptions came at the hands of Krosby Lamison with two scoring catches. Cyrus Ryan was the receiver for six points in the endzone.
Lamison’s hot hands made six catches and snagged a flag while on defense.
Rounding out the scoring, Peyton Hovda scored three points with two one-point conversions and a two-point play after a TD. Defensively, Hovda had a team high four flag pulls.
Kaleb Romangnino had a single catch and two flag pulls, while teammate Brantley Kobialka scored one point with a point after conversion.
Brantley finished the last game of the season with two catches in the game.
On defense, Colin Bankert made a huge stop for Pineapple Market Place. Bankert’s teammates Jordan Tobey and Riley Karecki each made team contributions in the winning season.
Working on the other side of the field, quarterback Eurice hit the hands of Hyden Eurice and Audrey Guess for 24 points, each with two TD catches.
Eurice made four catches, two flag pulls and had one interception in the game. Brother Carter Eurice had two flag pulls in addition to his scoring throws.
Guess was the top receiver in the game with eight catches and had five defensive stops.
Austin Guess contributed to his team’s efforts with one catch and three flag pulls, while Addie Guess had two nice receptions and a one-point conversion.
Making a nice two-point conversion and catching a pass for Solid Rock was Colson Mendiola.
Solid Rock Construction’s Bella Roadman had a beautiful defensive stop with a flag pull.
Obi Roadman and Avery Guess made huge team contributions throughout the season, helping the Solid Rock squad make it to the championship game against the top-seed Pineapple Market Place as underdogs.
In the adult co-ed flag football league, #1 met #2 in the final game of the season. With an easy win against The Briley Mortgage Team, with the final score 96-39, the Luxury Services squad secured their position in the big game.
Despite the name, Solid Rock Construction’s owners and family represented Moss Builders on the football field against the Solid Rock team. The Solid Rock squad slotted into the final championship position with the 35-28.
Ready for battle on Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m., top-seed Luxury Services meets team Solid Rock Construction, with the young team looking to take home the championship.
ANNA MARIA – When hearing that “The 39 Steps” is an early Alfred Hitchcock film from 1935, comedy is probably not the first thing that comes to mind, especially considering the adaptation by Patrick Barlow actually follows the plot of the film fairly closely.
Those facts noted, there is absolutely nothing serious in the Island Players’ production of this hilarious spoof in which four actors play more than 100 characters in a little more than 90 minutes on stage, leaving the audience little time to catch their breath between laughs from a talented veteran cast.
Colin Brady is cool-headed as Richard Hannay, an English gent who, after a visit to the theater, gets swept up by pure chance into a convoluted plot of murder and international espionage. Sylvia Marnie is a mysterious German secret agent, a Scottish farmer’s wife and a stranger on a train who wants nothing to do with Hannay, but becomes ensnared in his plight nonetheless.
Mark Shoemaker and Joseph Smith each play dozens of roles without missing a beat. To accomplish this feat, there are a lot of quick costume changes, many of which take place during the action in front of the audience. To do it any other way would not accomplish what is at the core of “The 39 Steps,” being 180 degrees opposite of what community theater audiences are used to seeing.
At the beginning of the play, director Heiko Knipfelberg warns the audience that there will be special effects including gunshots, strobe lights and dense fog, which all add to the fun, but are not the norm for the Island Players.
Fans of Hitchcock should make sure to keep an eye out for references to many of his other films. Some are subtle, while others are more “in your face” references. It’s all part of the extremely fast-paced fun.
The only thing audiences may have a difficult time keeping up with is the actual plot, but it doesn’t matter, it’s supposed to be that way. Even the protagonist seems lost about what’s going on at times. The laughs come from the journey, which proves the old adage that getting there is often more fun than the destination.
“The 39 Steps’” runs through Sunday, March 26, with daily performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. There are no performances on Mondays. Tickets are $25 at the box office and $27 online. The box office is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and can be reached by phone at 941-778-5755 or online.
ANNA MARIA – Coming off a hilarious run of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple, The Female Version,” the Island Players are ready to take the audience for a ride across England and Scotland to stop an international gang of spies, with four actors playing more than 150 characters in a comedic adaptation of the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, “The 39 Steps.”
Director Heiko Knipfelberg promises that audiences will see things they aren’t used to seeing at an Island Players production, including special lighting and sound effects and non-stop action. When asked to describe how an Alfred Hitchcock film could become a zany comedy, Knipfelberg offered this quote from The New York Times to sum it up: “Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel and a dash of Monty Python, and you have ‘The 39 Steps.’ ”
The play is adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan, but the Hitchcock film is at its core.
“The authors of the play included most of the film, almost verbatim in a stage production,” Knipfelberg said. “They’ve taken license in certain areas, certainly in the way they’ve used the characters. We have a female lead who plays three characters and a male lead who plays himself throughout the whole play, but then we have two clowns who play about 60 characters each. Unlike Hitchcock’s version, this is very much a comedy.”
“The 39 Steps” runs from Thursday, March 9 through Sunday, March 26, with daily performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. There are no performances on Mondays. Tickets are $25 at the box office and $27 online. The box office is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and can be reached by phone at 941-778-5755 or online.
ANNA MARIA – City officials and their allies are gearing up to oppose the newest attempts by the Florida Legislature to preempt more local short-term vacation rental regulations to the state.
This year, the Legislature is considering Senate Bill 714 and House Bill 833. Senator Nick DiCeglie (R-St. Petersburg) sponsored SB 714 and State Rep. Wyman Duggan (R-Jacksonville) sponsored HB 833.
In addition to limiting local government’s ability to register, inspect and regulate short-term vacation rentals, the proposed legislation seeks to give the state the exclusive regulation of online advertising platforms such as Vrbo and Airbnb.
The proposed legislation would also impact Florida cities financially by cap- ping the annual vacation rental registration fee that can be charged.
“Local governments may charge a fee of no more than $50 for processing an individual registration application or $100 for processing a collective registration application,” according to SB 714.
Commission reaction
Commissioners discussed SB 714 at the Feb. 23 Anna Maria City Commission meeting.
“It pretty much makes us a gatekeeper for people to register a vacation rental,” Mayor Dan Murphy said. “Even with that, you could do blanket registrations. If you’ve got 75 homes in our city, you can just do one blanket registration. It takes away the registration fee we use to enforce our (vacation rental) ordinance. It takes away our being able to regulate the advertising program, which is key to enforcing occupancy.”
This year, the city of Anna Maria is charging an annual registration fee of $84.17 per occupant allowed in accordance with the city’s vacation rental ordinance. This year’s annual fee for four-occupant vacation rentals is $336, with a six-occupant vacation rental fee of $505 and a 12-occupant vacation rental fee of $1,010. The registration fees are projected to generate approximately $415,000 for vacation rental enforcement during the 2022-23 fiscal year.
“It totally guts everything,” City Attorney Becky Vose said. “It’s a horrendous statute. Hopefully, it won’t pass.”
“What this amounts to for people who live in Anna Maria is a tax increase be- cause the money that’s collected through these registration fees is only collected
in order to enforce these regulations. It’s going to have to be made up somewhere else,” Commissioner Charlie Salem said. “This problem stretches over the bridge. We hear more stories about vacation rentals popping up in Palma Sola, west Bradenton and Bradenton. So, this problem, while it’s been acute on the Island, is coming to a neighborhood in Manatee County. The residents of Manatee County and their representatives should be really concerned. It basically amounts to residents funding vacationers’ activities, and I don’t think that’s what their intent is.”
Murphy noted the city has been fighting this annual legislative battle for the past six years. To combat these latest efforts, the city will again rely on its contracted lobbyist and the city-owned www.Hom- eRuleFl.com website that provides concerned citizens with issue-specific form letters that target key state legislators.
ANNA MARIA – Last Thursday, The Center’s adult co-ed flag football league closed out the regular season with team Luxury Service undefeated with a 7-0 record.
On the flip side of the coin, the Ugly Grouper squad finished without a win.
The two teams meet up in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs on Feb. 3. A playoff miracle for Ugly Grouper is needed against the high-scoring Luxury team.
The Briley team easily defeated the Ugly Grouper lineup last week 41-0, finishing the season with a 4-3 record.
A late player substitution was made to The Briley Mortgage Team roster with the addition of Jon Moss working behind the center as quarterback.
The change led to a passing game with 30 receiving points, including four thrown by Moss and one by Connor Haughey.
On the receiving side of the scoring, the hot hands and body control by Karri Stephens scored 12 points. Stephens had one defensive stop in the game. Jesse Skipper, Mike Bolognone and Haughey each had a six-point catch to help The Briley team capture their fourth win of the season.
Skipper had a single flag pull and a sack. Haughey’s game stats include one receiving reception, a single one-point conversion, seven total catches and stop while on defense.
Topping off the offensive scoring for The Briley Mortgage Team were Jana Whitehead and Alonzo Lemus, each with a point after a touchdown conversion.
The remaining defensive stops included flag pulls by Bolognone, Whitehead and Lemus, with an interception by Lemus.
Despite the loss, the Ugly Grouper players put critical statistics into the books in last week’s game. Kiatrell Zachery led the defense with six flag pulls and one interception.
Credited with an INT while on defense, Limarcus Waller lit up the football field with three catches and four flag pulls.
Daniel O’Connor had two defensive stops, adding to a single by Colton Fox.
Contributing offensively, Zachary Blakeney and Devyn Larson each had a catch for important yardage in the game.
With Jon Moss as the QB for Briley Mortgage Team, there is a potential match-up against family members on team Moss Builders.
Brother Ryan Moss, cousin, Greg Moss, and father, Ed Moss, make up nearly a third of the team that defeated The Banks Home Lending Team on Feb. 23 with a score of 38-19.
Moss Builders finished the season with a 6-1 record and faces Gulf Drive Café in the first round of the adult league playoffs at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
The café team had a single win in the regular season, with a loss handed to them by The Sandbar team in the final week of pre-playoff games.
Almost pulling out a win last week, with the final score 48-41 in Sandbar’s favor, Gulf Drive Café goes into the playoffs as underdogs against the solid Moss squad.
In the final game of the first playoff night, The Briley Mortgage Team snaps against The Sandbar at 9 p.m.
ANNA MARIA – The city has new food truck/mobile food dispensing vehicle regulations in place.
The new regulations are set forth in city resolution R23-787, which the city commission adopted by a 4-1 vote on Feb. 9.
The resolution accompanies the food truck/mobile food dispensing vehicle ordinance, Ordinance 23-913, adopted by commissioners on Jan. 26. The ordinance allows food trucks to operate in Anna Maria only on privately-owned properties that carry a C-1 (commercial) zoning designation. The ordinance includes a provision that allows food truck operations elsewhere in the city during city commission-approved special events.
Resolution R23-787 contains the following regulations:
Every food truck must be a motorized vehicle with a valid tag; no trailer may operate as a food truck.
No food truck may be longer than 18 feet.
No more than one food truck shall be located on any one tax parcel.
No more than one vendor may operate out of one food truck.
No food truck shall be permitted to operate before sunrise or after sunset.
Every food truck operator must provide a trash bin and recycle bin and remove all trash and recyclables from bins and properly dispose of it off-site at the end of each day of operation.
Every food truck operator shall keep the site of the food truck and surrounding areas clean and picked up during hours of operation and shall also clean up the site at the end of each day of operation.
All food trucks shall be in compliance with any and all state, county and city regulations and laws regarding the operation of food trucks.
Recently appointed Commissioner Charlie Salem initiated a discussion about a proposed regulation that would have required food truck operators to provide temporary seating for their patrons. Salem noted food trucks are often considered “grab and go” dining options and requiring tables and chairs might result in more objects being placed in the temporary food service area than the city wants.
Anna Maria’s new mobile food truck regulations prohibit non-motorized food dispensing trailers. – Sun file photo
Commission Chair Mark Short said he proposed the seating requirement as a way to help ensure that food containers and other trash associated with the food truck operation are properly disposed of. Short said it wasn’t his intent to require all food purchased from a food truck to be eaten in the provided seating area. Short later voted against the resolution after the proposed seating requirement was removed.
Commissioner Robert Kingan questioned whether requiring food truck operators to provide tables and chairs might be considered onerous by the state. The commission adopted the food truck ordinance and resolution in response to a state law enacted in 2020 that prevents local governments from prohibiting food truck operations citywide or countywide. The state law also prohibits local governments from imposing additional licensing requirements and/or licensing fees on food truck operators.
Commissioner Jon Crane asked who would enforce the ordinance and the resolution. Mayor Dan Murphy said the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the city’s code enforcement officers would enforce both. In response to a question posed during public comment, Murphy said any excessive food truck generator noise would be enforced according to the city’s noise ordinance.
ANNA MARIA – Commissioners have established the city’s vacation rental registration fees for the year-long period encompassing portions of 2023 and 2024.
The new fee will be $84.17 for each occupant allowed in accordance with the city’s vacation rental ordinance, adopted in 2015, and also in accordance with approximately 100 Bert Harris claim settlements reached in 2016 and 2017 that allow higher total occupancies at specific vacation rental properties.
The registration fee is increasing by $9.70 per occupant from the $74.47 per occupant fee established last year. For existing vacation rentals, the increased fee takes effect as annual registration licenses are renewed throughout the year.
The annual occupancy-based registration fees are established each year by a resolution adopted by the city commission.
“We do this each year because under Florida law our fees need to be based on the actual cost of enforcing our ordinance,” City Attorney Becky Vose said when presenting resolution R23-786 to commissioners on Feb. 9.
Vose noted Mayor Dan Murphy and City Clerk/Treasurer LeAnne Addy created the proposed fee schedule. The annual registration fee for a one-bedroom short-term vacation rental that allows two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests will be $336.38. The annual fee for a six-occupant vacation rental will be $505.02. The annual fee for a 12-occupant vacation rental will be $1,010.04. The highest annual fee listed in the resolution is $2,440.93 for a vacation rental that allows 29 occupants.
Addy said the annual registration fees are calculated to cover the costs of enforcing the city’s vacation rental ordinance. Those costs include enforcement personnel and vehicles and the lobbying costs associated with the state Legislature’s annual attempts to preempt vacation rental regulation to the state rather than the city. The fees also cover vacation rental-related inspection costs, administrative costs and more.
Murphy also noted the annual fee is strictly related to the enforcement of the city’s vacation rental ordinance. Each year he estimates what the city’s total vacation rental enforcement costs will be and then divides that number by the number of registered vacation rental units in Anna Maria. The 2022-23 fiscal year budget adopted in September included $415,110 in projected vacation rental registration fee revenues.
Commission Chair Mark Short asked Murphy if the new fee matched the anticipated vacation rental expenses and revenues included in the 2022-23 fiscal year budget adopted in September.
Murphy said the fee is in line with the projections made for the current fiscal year budget. Addy said registration revenues might be slightly higher than projected due to the ongoing construction of new vacation rental homes.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The recent proposal by Manatee County’s state legislative delegation to fund a study to determine the feasibility of combining or eliminating the three Anna Maria Island cities has far-reaching ramifications.
The Florida Legislature has the power to merge or dissolve cities, although it has only dissolved three cities in the past 50 years.
The 1973 ratification of the Home Rule Powers Act allows dissolution or consolidation by a special act of the Florida Legislature or by a referendum vote of the voters in the municipality, according to the Florida League of Cities.
Since then, only 11 municipalities have been dissolved and only three were by a special act of the Legislature: Hacienda Village was merged into the town of Davie in 1984, Golfview was sold to an airport in Palm Beach County for a new runway in 1998 and Islandia was dissolved in 2012 because the population dwindled to less than five and no elections had been held since 1990.
In 2005, voters in Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach voted in favor of a non-binding resolution to study the feasibility of consolidation, but Anna Maria city commissioners opted to not put the question to voters in that city, so nothing came of the proposal.
If the state Legislature consolidates the three Island cities into one new municipality, the new city would lose its existing ordinances, including length of stay for vacation rentals, height restrictions, parking restrictions, occupancy requirements and vacation rental regulations. Some regulations would lose their grandfathered status as they would be pre-empted by subsequent state law, according to the league.
Deconstructing cities
According to Florida Statute 165.061, not only can a municipality be dissolved by a special act of the state Legislature, but multiple municipalities also can be merged together.
The statutory requirements for a municipality to be dissolved include that the municipality not be substantially surrounded by other municipalities. The county or another neighboring municipality also must prove the ability and willingness to provide necessary services to the dissolved municipality and be able to absorb the financial responsibilities of the dissolved municipality. In addition, a financial or job placement arrangement must be made for employees of the dissolved municipality.
To create a new municipality by merging existing municipalities, the area under consideration must be compact, contiguous and susceptible to urban services, honor existing solid waste contracts, provide financial compensation or job placement for employees and meet the prerequisites to annexation listed in Florida Statute 171.042. Some of those prerequisites include the creation of a new boundary map, creating plans for the running and governing of the new municipality and holding public hearings for all residents and property owners.
Mayors on Anna Maria Island have expressed their opposition to the dissolution or consolidation of the cities and met on Jan. 30 with delegation members Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and Rep. Jim Boyd to discuss the proposed study and a proposed bill to circum- vent Holmes Beach regulations to build a four-story parking garage at the county-owned property at Manatee Beach. A joint statement on the two topics is expected to be issued after press time for The Sun.
ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria has a new food truck ordinance in place that limits food truck operations to private properties located in C-1 (Commercial) zoning districts.
On Thursday, Jan. 26, the Anna Maria Commission unanimously adopted Ordinance 23-913 on second and final reading. The ordinance establishes the areas where food trucks are allowed to operate on a general basis.
Anna Maria’s C-1 zoning districts are located at the corner of Pine Avenue and Bay Drive South, the Galati yacht sales and marina property at the end of Bay Day Drive South, several Gulf-side properties between Elm Avenue and Magnolia Avenue (including the Chiles Hospitality group properties) and some properties along Gulf Drive between Magnolia Avenue and Palmetto Avenue. Food trucks will be allowed elsewhere during special events, as permitted by the city commission.
An accompanying city resolution to be presented at the commission’s next meeting will establish the specific food truck regulations that address operational hours, the size and number of trucks allowed, trash disposal and more.
Last year, the commission discarded a proposed food truck ordinance that would have created a designated food truck zone at the northwest end of Bayfront Park – a location that garnered opposition from several residents and property owners in that area.
Commissioner Jon Crane supports the new food truck ordinance. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“This version of the food truck ordinance is much better than the first attempt. This really hones in on what the city should be doing. I’m all for it,” Commissioner Jon Crane said during Thursday’s meeting.
The mayor and commission’s efforts to adopt a food truck ordinance are in reaction to state legislation adopted in 2020 that prohibits city and county governments from prohibiting food trucks citywide or countywide.
Our community is changing. That’s a given, but communities are always changing, and change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When it comes to changing communities, the fire district’s goal is to adapt to the change and continue providing the needed services. We are not politicians, but public servants and among the most valuable service we provide is safety. Walk into any supermarket, doctor’s office, library, etc., and you will find occupancy-specific passive and active fire and life safety features designed to protect life and limit the damage caused by fire; fire barriers, fire alarms systems and sprinklers systems to name a few. Local fire districts have done a commendable job of keeping up with the change in these areas. However, there is one area where change has outpaced our ability to keep up… vacation rentals.
Let me be clear, West Manatee Fire Rescue District is not proposing the enactment of any new legislation or ordinance aimed at restricting or prohibiting residential occupancies from renting as transient public lodging establishments; that is not our goal, nor is it our role. As a fire district, we recognize the value both small and large business provides to a healthy, vibrant community. Our objective is life safety!
Safety in vacation rentals
It is estimated that someone is injured in a vacation rental every 44 seconds, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Estimations aside, during the last three years on Anna Maria Island there were 11 structure fires at single-family residential occupancies. Of those 11, eight, or 73%, occurred at licensed transient public lodging establishments (TPLE).
Furthermore, on Anna Maria Island in 2022, not counting on our beaches or in swimming pools located at multi-family occupancies, there were three pediatric drownings or near drownings; of those three, 100% occurred at TPLEs.
The drowning crisis last year provoked a WMFR Water Safety Campaign that was kicked off by a press conference in Holmes Beach where, among other experts, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth gave impassioned pleas imploring the public to commit to overseeing young people while in and around our waters. Since then, WMFR has continued its efforts to provide water safety materials to local vacation rental companies. Along the way, questions have been asked as to the extent of oversight the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) has over vacation rentals. This article wishes to address that question.
What is a vacation rental?
Florida Statute 509.242(1) states, “A public lodging establishment shall be classified as a hotel, motel, non-transient apartment, bed and breakfast inn, or vacation rental if the establishment satisfies the following criteria…” Florida Statute 509.242(1)(c) goes on to define a vacation rental as, “Any unit or group of units in a condominium or cooperative or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit that is also a transient public lodging establishment…” And finally, Florida Statute 509.013(4)(a)(1) defines Transient Public Lodging Establishments as “any unit, group of units, dwelling, building, or group of buildings within a single complex of buildings which is rented to guests more than three times in a calendar year for periods of less than 30 days or 1 calendar month, whichever is less, or which is advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests.” Transient public lodging establishments are licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations (DBPR).
There are some exclusions, however. For example, if one had a single-family home and wished to convert it into an assisted living facility, a license from the Agency for Healthcare Administration (ACHA) would be required. Similarly, requirements for daycare centers and nursing home licensure would be required. The aforementioned are occupancies that WMFR has been inspecting annually for years without hesitation or question. WMFR inspects these occupancies utilizing the appropriate prescriptive chapters of the current edition of the Florida Fire Prevention Code.
Fire code and vacation rentals
Florida Statute 633.206(1)(b) Uniform Fire Safety Standards states: “State Legislature mandates local fire jurisdictions protect the health, safety, and welfare of “all-new, existing, and proposed… nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult family-care homes… transient public lodging establishments…” Additionally, it goes on to say in 633.206(2)(b), “All such local authorities shall enforce, within their fire safety jurisdiction, the uniform fire safety standards for those buildings specified in paragraph (1)(b).” Lastly, the Division of State Fire Marshal’s Florida Administrative Code 69A-43 Uniform Fire Safety Standards for Transient Public Lodging Establishments, Timeshare Plans, and Timeshare Unit Facilities further address the required inspections of TPLEs and which specific prescriptive code sections to utilize.
Changing together
As Manatee County, Anna Maria Island and the vacation rental industry continue to grow and change, it is incumbent upon WMFR to keep up with the change. The fire district has a state mandate to protect the health, safety and welfare of those vacationing in transient public lodging establishments. To that end, WMFR wishes to partner with all state and local stakeholders to ensure those living, working and playing within our community are safe. Please join us at our first vacation rental stakeholders meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall.
ANNA MARIA – On Thursday, Jan. 26, the city commission will appoint Charlie Salem or Brian Seymour to fill the commission seat recently vacated by Carol Carter.
Commissioners Mark Short, Jon Crane, Robert Kingan and Deanie Sebring will decide whether Salem or Seymour serves the remaining months of Carter’s two-year commission term, which expires after the city elections in November.
The sitting commissioners will base their decision in part on the presentations Salem and Seymour gave during a city commission workshop on Jan. 19. The two commission applicants each answered the 24 questions they received in advance as part of a new vetting process recommended by Mayor Dan Murphy.
When filling past commission vacancies, applicants were simply given a few minutes to address the commission before the appointment was made. During Thursday’s workshop, Salem and Seymour were given as much time as they needed to address the commission.
The questions were received before State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and other state legislators who represent Manatee County expressed their desire for the state to preempt the city of Holmes Beach’s building codes so Manatee County can build a public parking garage. Those same legislators also seek a state-funded study pertaining to the potential dissolution of the three Island cities and its city governments.
Introductory remarks
Salem was born and raised in Miami. He and his husband, Scott Toland, moved from Washington D.C. to Anna Maria in 2017. They own a commercial building on Pine Avenue that’s leased to two businesses. Salem serves as a board member for The Center and in 2021 was appointed to the city’s Planning and Zoning Board.
Charlie Salem currently serves on the city’s Planning and Zoning Board. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science and government and a doctorate degree in law, Salem worked in Tallahassee as a special counsel for the State of Florida’s Office of Planning and Budgeting. He then moved to Washington D.C. to run a state office of federal affairs pertaining to the Hurricane Andrew recovery efforts in south Florida. He then served as legislative director and chief of staff for a U.S. Senator and he finished his time in D.C. working as a public policy director for Microsoft.
In reference to Robinson and other state legislators, Salem said, “I’m re- ally concerned about our permanent resident population and the ability of our citizens to be able to govern themselves. That is something I think I could help bring some focus to.”
Seymour was born and raised in the Washington D.C. area and moved to Anna Maria 14 years ago. He spent 20 years working for Marriot International before becoming the owner/operator of the Anna Maria General Store & Deli. He and his business partners also operate the City Pier Grill in space leased from the city.
Seymour was elected to the city commission in 2016 and earned a second term running unopposed in 2018. He resigned from office in September 2019 to devote more time to his business ventures and private life. While in office, Seymour served as commission chair and as vice mayor. Seymour said this is a good time for him to return to the commission.
Applicant presentations
Regarding the most important responsibilities of a city commissioner, Salem listed protecting quality of life, ensuring public safety and being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars.
“I haven’t held elected office, but I’ve been around both the legislative and executive branches of government,” Salem said.
Brian Seymour previously served as a city commissioner for three years. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Seymour said it’s important to be open and approachable to everyone and to be open-minded and educated about other people’s concerns.
“Take the personal out of your decisions and do what’s best for the entire community,” he said.
Regarding his skills that would benefit the city, Salem listed “Understanding the political and the policy processes, how the levers of government work and how we can use the resources we have to impact that process.”
Regarding the state legislators’ latest efforts to eliminate the Island cities’ home rule rights, Salem said, “I have a background in putting together coalitions. I would use that experience to help craft a strategy to work with the commission, the mayor and our lobbyist on this issue.”
Regarding his beneficial skills and traits, Seymour said, “I believe I’m pretty open-minded. I might go into a discussion with an opinion but you can change my mind. I’m open to both sides of an idea. I also tend to look at the benefit to others before I look at a benefit to myself.”
Salem and Seymour agree that street paving, stormwater and drainage projects and the pending Pine Avenue safety improvements are the city’s top three core objectives, but neither believes installing bike paths along Pine Avenue and preserving the existing parallel parking spaces should be an either/or proposition. Both said they want to learn more as to why bike paths can’t be installed without eliminating the street-side parking spaces.
If forced to choose one or the other, Seymour said he’d keep the existing parking spaces.
Regarding additional priorities, Salem said, “Given recent developments, I’d say home rule is also very important and something I’ve been working on as part of planning and zoning is restoring the balance between vacationers and the residents. I think that’s also important for home rule. If we don’t have an active population and voter base that cares about the city, we’re not going to be able to withstand the influences from outside of our Island that are trying to govern us.”
Seymour said, “We could potentially lose home rule and they could throw all those codes and ordinances out the window and we could become a high-rise city. That scares me.”
Seymour thinks the city should also prioritize utility infrastructure improvements.
“I think this Island and our city has a considerable problem with utility infrastructure,” Seymour said.
He noted the 500 block of Pine Avenue loses power for six to 12 days a year, even on sunny days. He also said several Anna Maria properties recently experienced non-storm-related Spectrum internet service interruptions on two non-consecutive days.
“It really impacts business when we can’t process payments. How can we partner with FPL and Spectrum to make our grid a little more stable?” Seymour said.
Salem and Seymour both said they’d seek re-election in November if appointed.
They both support the 2.05 millage rate that’s remained in effect for several years. Salem favors the lowest tax rate possible and Seymour is open to lowering or raising the millage rate if needed.
They agree that noise ordinance enforcement is important for maintaining residents’ quality of life. Neither owns vacation rental properties and neither has any conflicts of interest they feel would impede their ability to govern.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As state representatives discuss bypassing Holmes Beach codes to build a parking garage and dissolving the three Island cities, locals aren’t taking it lying down.
Residents, property owners, business owners, visitors and others who love the Island just the way it is have banded together to get the word out and reach out to Manatee County’s state legislative delegation members in an effort to have their voices heard in Tallahassee.
Led by Holmes Beach resident Laurel Nevans, 950 people had joined Save AMI Cities as of Jan. 23. The Facebook group is dedicated to making the people’s voices heard at the local and state level on both issues.
The battle is focused on a parking garage. Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge wants to build one at Manatee Beach, a property owned by the county but located in Holmes Beach. Before those plans got off the ground, city commissioners voted to not allow multi-level parking structures in their city, a stance echoed by city leaders in Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria. Van Ostenbridge warned city leaders at a public meeting that there would be consequences to their actions.
Now the fight has escalated to the state level with Rep. Will Robinson Jr. initiating a bill to not only override the city’s decision to disallow parking garages but also to break the city’s three-story building height restriction, which is in the city charter. Robinson said he wants to see a four-story parking garage built at Manatee Beach. A four-story garage also would violate the three-story height limitation for unincorporated Manatee County, which is what the Island would likely be merged into if all three Island cities were dissolved by the Legislature.
A cool morning leaves the beach in Holmes Beach nearly vacant, even at the height of snowbird season. – Submitted | Beverly Battle
That possibility arose from state legislative delegation discussions earlier this month to consider hiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to study the feasibility of dissolving the Island’s three cities.
Protestors speak out
Members of Save AMI Cities are writing letters to state representatives and looking at other ways to make sure their opinions on the proposed measures are heard.
The Sun reached out to those members to see what they have to say about the two proposals.
“This ‘taking’ of our local cities diminishes our votes and our ability to get those little things done in our communities,” Binky Rogers said. “We have owned in Bradenton Beach for 35 years and lived here permanently for 14 years. I feel that our mayor and city commission have our best interests at heart, and they are very approachable. The ‘bully’ county commissioners will not worry too much about our small Island except, of course, bringing in more tax dollars from all the high rises that’ll appear. All I can say at this point is think hard about who you vote for. We can’t just ‘pave over paradise and put up a parking lot.’ ”
“I recognize the value of tourism to our little island, but it’s the vibrant, quaint, simple life that we fell in love with and that is slowly being destroyed by developers,” Holmes Beach resident and local Realtor Kelly Gitt said. “I am strongly against the proposal of a parking garage and an advocate of slower speed limits, safe sidewalks/bike lanes and paying a toll to come out to the island. I don’t believe the parking garage has anything to do with protecting our beaches or the slower pace of life we love and appreciate here.”
Anna Maria Island residents and business owner Bob Casey, pictured here with his wife, Connie, questions the motives behind two proposals by state representatives. – Submitted | Bob Casey
“I’m a homeowner and small business owner here on AMI,” Bob Casey said. “A parking garage is not the solution and I think the county commissioners know this. How about finishing the parking lot at Coquina? I could be wrong, but I think they have ulterior motives. If they can overrule our three-story building limit it will be like ringing the dinner bell to all the developers. Then AMI will lose its old-school charm that locals and visitors alike enjoy. Our local governments are not perfect (who is?) but they live among us and have our best interests at heart.”
“The tourist board advertises Anna Maria as ‘a taste of Old Florida,’ then does everything it can to destroy that,” resident Janis Ian said.
“It begs the question of what the motivation is for the county commissioners and legislators to try and control AMI,” part-time Island resident Barbara Trinklein Rinckey said.
Chris Arendt referenced an Urban Land Institute study that notes that additional parking on the Island will not solve issues related to reaching maximum capacity for people and vehicles on the seven-mile Island. Arendt called both proposals by the legislative delegation “sham proposals.”
“It’s intimidation, plain and simple,” Arendt said. “Fact is every single Island conservative I know, and that’s many, are vehemently opposed to both the proposals. That should tell you all you need to know.”
“This is outright intimidation to control our Island towns,” Barbara Quinn said. “A garage won’t help the massive traffic caused by overdevelopment.”
“The Manatee County commission wants to keep their thumb on the cash cow that is AMI,” Laura Siemon Seubert said. “And a certain county commission member didn’t get his way, he essentially ran to ‘daddy’ to step in and make the other kids play with him. The county doesn’t care if we turn into another Panama City Beach or Fort Lauderdale. They only see the dollar signs with each bed tax. The ironic thing is a parking garage won’t help the bottom line. The day trippers that will use the parking garage aren’t spending the night. There is no financial gain from a parking garage. And as far as the three cities becoming one? All the charm and uniqueness of the Island will disappear.”
“I thought we lived in the United States?” Bradenton Beach resident Chris Johnson questioned. “Have any of the commissioners talked to the Islanders to see how we feel on the Island? This Island has been in my family’s blood for four generations, and we have protected the Island for years. The beaches are beautiful but there is more to this Island than beaches.”
I clearly remember traveling to the Caribbean islands when I was still living in the cold northeast and wondering what it would be like to live and work in such a beautiful place. Do high heel shoes become a thing of the past, to be replaced by flip flops, and do you immediately discard anything that says 100% wool, not to mention pantyhose? I did all of this and never looked back except to be grateful that I found this particular Island when I did.
Don’t misunderstand; I am very pro-real estate and most of the homes on Anna Maria Island are tasteful, new and built to current hurricane building codes, making them safer than their one-level ranch ancestors. Nevertheless, these days if I visit a small island, I can’t help comparing it to Anna Maria Island and can’t even imagine what the next 10 years will bring.
For now, let’s see what the December sales statistics for Manatee County have to say, reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:
Single-family homes closed 29.7% fewer properties from December of last year. The median selling price was $507,000, up 10.2% from last year, but the average selling price was $610,237, down 0.6% from last year. The median time to contract was 27 days this December compared to six days last December, and the month’s supply of available properties is three months this year compared to 0.6 last year.
Condos closed 24.2% fewer properties from December of last year. The median selling price was $344,475, up 13.7% from last year, but the average selling price was $364,057, down 3.6% from last year. The median time to contract was 19 days compared to six days last year, and the month’s supply of available properties was 2.7 months this December compared to 0.5 last year.
The consensus of opinion is that 2022 has been a change or shift in the market and we are seeing that as well. Dr. Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, indicates that inflation has been dropping and consumers can expect mortgage rates will likely fall as well.
In addition, although there are fewer sales, we have a significant increase in listings, making more properties available. Our market is still, however, considered a seller’s market per the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.
An island – really just a spit of sand in the Atlantic Ocean – that made all these feelings come roaring back was a one-day stop at a totally undeveloped island called Half Moon Cay, a private island owned by one of the major cruise companies. The actual name for this dot of paradise is Little San Salvador Island 100 miles southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas. Half Moon Cay’s size is close to Anna Maria Island’s, but you would never know it driving around. There are only a handful of homes, a beautiful lagoon, a tourist center with shops and a spectacular unspoiled beach.
That said, based on a recent profile of Anna Maria in the Wall Street Journal, Anna Maria, “a tropical oasis,” is Florida’s second-most expensive zip code (34216) as ranked by median listing price, according to realtor.com. Anna Maria city is topped by Miami’s Fisher Island, pretty good company.
As Anna Maria keeps growing and property values keep going up, I wonder what would happen to lovely Little San Salvador if civilization invaded their beach. Every time I read a profile of Anna Maria in a national publication it leaves me shaking in my flip-flops, but that’s progress and this is an island in the sun.
