ANNA MARIA – Despite a serious problem with red tide this summer, the Island’s first festival of the season was a success as residents and visitors braved the warm weather to enjoy themselves at Bayfest on Pine Avenue sponsored by the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce.
If there was any red tide in the air, it didn’t seem to be a bother.
“It was very well attended,” said Chamber President Terri Kinder, who said thousands of people showed up. “It was great to see all the people who came out.”
She said the crowd was great during the morning, lightened in the heat of the day and increased as shade emerged and everything cooled off.
When the threat of red tide abated last week, Kinder said the vendors were anxious to participate.
“Not one vendor pulled out,” she said. “We didn’t have any cancellations.”
More than 100 classic cars and their owners greeted visitors as they entered Pine Avenue from Gulf Drive. The Bill Mergens Memorial Auto Show, named after the show’s late organizer, attracted the attention of the visitors, some of whom may have owned or wanted to own one of the colorful vehicles in their youth.
Vendors filled the sides of the street, offering arts and crafts, while non-profits gave opportunities to help a cause.
There was a bounce house, slides and games in the Kid’s Zone and across the street, Roser Memorial Community Church had arts, coloring and face painting for youngsters.
Further down the street, the food court added a variety of aromas to the air. A large tent shaded diners as they sat at rows of tables.
Music boomed from the stage at the end of Pine Avenue and later, after the sun went down, the dancers took to the blocked off street.
Kinder did not have any monetary results at press time. Some of the proceeds will go to Island workers who suffered as the Island economy was hit by the lack of business from the red tide.
Kinder said it was a great Bayfest and praised the people who worked it.
“The volunteers did a wonderful job,” she said. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”
Funny signs for any occasion. - Tom Vaught | Sun
Bayfest brings out the community to Pine Avenue. - Tom Vaught | Sun
Thousands ignore the heat and red tide threat to attend Bayfest. - Tom Vaught | Sun
Former Anna Maria City Commissioner Gene Aubrey displays his 1923 Chevrolet at the auto show. - Tom Vaught | Sun
A car plane was one of the most unusual vehicles at the Bayfest classic car show on Saturday on Pine Avenue. - Cindy Lane | Sun
CBD samples also were available at Bayfest - cannabidiol is a naturally-occurring constituent of cannabis, one of at least 113 cannabinoids identified in hemp plants. - Cindy Lane | Sun
The 8-10-year-old age group is a tight three-team league with Planet Stone currently on top with a record of 2-1-1
Ugly Grouper is right behind having played an additional game and having one more loss. Progressive Cabinetry’s fight hard attitude gives it a current record of 1-2-2
Team Planet Stone and Progressive Cabinetry met head-to-head last Tuesday night. The defensive battle ended the first half of play with the score 1-1.
After 12 minutes of play in the first half of the game, both teams took the field for what would be a scoreless second half.
Putting the second tie in the record book, Planet Stone proved there are contenders in the fall soccer season.
Playing back-to-back games, Progressive Cabinetry could not keep up with the offensive attack of Team Ugly Grouper. Ugly Grouper dominated the field ending the game with the score 3-0.
In a role reversal, Ugly Grouper’s second game of the night was a challenge against Planet Stone. The third game of the night ended with Planet Stone taking the win with three goals.
The 11- to 13-year-old league has a clear leader early in the season with Bins Be Clean undefeated for the time being. Slim’s Place has a 1-1 record, while Wash Family Construction plays with determination looking for their first win.
Bins Be Clean won both of its games last Tuesday night, scoring two goals against Slim’s Place and four against Wash Family Construction.
In their head-to-head, Slim’s Place took the win against Wash Family Construction. Both teams worked hard on the field, having already played one game. The defense of Wash Family Construction could not stop the offensive attack of Slim’s Place, losing the game 3-6.
With four more weeks of regular season play, each of the six teams face off each Tuesday night leading to the championship games on Wednesday, Nov. 14.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, through Anna Maria City Hall, is collecting items to send to the areas hit by Hurricane Michael last week. The hallway at city hall was already full of items donated by Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch volunteers on Monday. The collection period ends Sunday, Oct. 21. City hall is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
New items being collected include toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, conditioner, hair brushes/combs, hair ties, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, Chapstick, soap/body wash, body lotion, first-aid kits and items, razors, shaving cream, feminine products, sanitary wipes/gel, sunscreen, insect repellant, laundry soap, cleaning supplies, towels, sheets, blankets, sleeping bags, flip flops, water shoes, work gloves, shovels, rakes, saws, empty gas cans, flashlights, batteries, tarps, ropes, box fans, extension cords, paper plates, plastic silverware and cups, mops and brooms and Ziploc bags and trash bags, pet food and supplies and baby products such as diapers, formula and bottles, wipes, baby food (no glass, please) baby wash and shampoo. Donate canned food only.
Cash is not accepted; money can be donated to the Red Cross.
Holmes Beach police also involved
The Holmes Beach Police Department is partnering with Manatee County Search and Rescue to be a drop off location for hurricane relief goods to be transported to the Panhandle. Items may be delivered to the police station, 5801 Marina Drive, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday until Oct. 21.
You can also drop them off at the following Beef O’Brady’s locations:
8913 US-301 N Parrish
1795 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. Bradenton
4286 53rd Ave E (corner of Lockwood Ridge Road and SR 70)
Items requested include duct tape, tarps, cleaning supplies, toys for little children, clothes such as T-shirts, socks, underwear and shoes, plus other nonperishable items like diapers, personal hygiene and feminine products.
There also is a desperate need for pants and boots for the first responders. Any help would be appreciated.
ANNA MARIA – The city’s plans to rebuild its famous city pier are still being kept confidential.
Mayor Dan Murphy said Oct. 11 he sent requests for more information to the five Florida-based construction companies that applied to the city Oct. 3 with plans to rebuild the pier.
Murphy told the City Commission that he gave the five companies a deadline of Oct. 12 to return with clarification on several questions. Murphy wouldn’t go into detail about what issues needed answers.
Once the answers were received, Murphy said he will release the proposals to the commission for review and possible selection.
The mayor said until then the contents of the packages had to be kept confidential.
The five companies that submitted applications were Cone & Graham, Inc., from Port Saint Lucie; GLF Construction Corporation, from Miami; Speeler & Associates, Inc., from Largo; and i+iconUSA and American Bridge, both from Tampa.
City officials have budgeted approximately $2.5 million for the reconstruction. Murphy also has submitted applications to Florida and federal departments for funding, but the mayor has said they’re still waiting for answers.
A meeting date for the RFP decisions hasn’t been scheduled as of publication.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy said Oct. 11 he thinks the city’s north shore lost 30-35 percent of its white sands, but, he added, Bean Point has grown.
Murphy and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Mike Jones toured the city’s beaches after the high waters caused by Hurricane Michael receded. Murphy’s opinion of the state of the beach is based on opinion and visual inspection, not on a formal study.
“We got really lucky,” Murphy said, adding the sea oats planted along the coastline helped keep the sand on the shore. “That’s what they’re there for.”
Anna Maria’s beaches also were spared from major erosion during Hurricane Irma in 2017. According to a coastal impact report published by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the beaches of Anna Maria were listed as only suffering “minor damage” due to the storm losing a lot of its momentum after making landfall.
Murphy said there’s no plan to replace the eroded sand at this time.
Hurricane Michael made landfall at Panama City around 2 p.m. as a category 4 storm with 155 mph winds, and has since dropped to 140 mph winds, moving north/northeast at 15 mph, according to NOAA.
Anna Maria Island saw few effects today, with localized flooding, intermittent rain showers and high surf, which brought out surfers and pushed the Gulf of Mexico high onto the beaches at high tide around 2 p.m.
Local tropical storm and storm surge watches have been lifted, but high surf and rip current advisories remain.
NOAA forecasts south/southwesterly winds subsiding Thursday to 20-25 mph, gusting as high as 36 mph, with a 60 percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms and a high around 89 degrees.
A sea turtle nest falls victim to washover in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael passing Anna Maria Island Wednesday. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Water crept high on this dock in Holmes Beach as high tide approached this afternoon. - Cindy Lane | Sun
The sidewalk beside Holmes Beach City Field flooded from rainwater associated with Hurricane Michael this morning. - Cindy Lane | Sun
Surfers took advantage of waves during Hurricane Michael at Twin Piers in Bradenton Beach on Wednesday. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria closed today. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria closed today. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The boats in the Bradenton Beach anchorage fared well today as Hurricane Michael passed by. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
The water was high near the Bridge Street Pier Wednesday, but the boats in the anchorage are faring well. - Joe Hendricks | Sun
Wading birds in Holmes Beach got new feeding grounds from Hurricane Michael today. - Cindy Lane | Sun
This morning, Anna Maria Island showed evidence of extremely high tides overnight. - Cindy Lane | Sun
A child chases retreating waves Wednesday on Manatee Public Beach as Hurricane Michael passes offshore. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Water slid up a driveway this morning in Holmes Beach. - Cindy Lane | Sun
Waves and sea foam reached far up the shoreline Wednesday at Manatee Public Beach. The foam appeared to contain red tide. - Kristin Swain | Sun
As the clouds blew away from Holmes Beach, the surf rose along the shoreline this afternoon before high tide. - Kristin Swain | Sun
A line in the sand in Holmes Beach shows that the Gulf waters rose well up the beach as Hurricane Michael passed the Island Wednesday. - Kristin Swain | Sun
A family waded in the Gulf as Hurricane Michael approached. - Chantelle Lewin | Sun
HOLMES BEACH – Vendors are still calling the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce about the upcoming 18th Annual Bayfest celebration, in spite of the serious red tide outbreak that is cutting into the tourist business, according to Chamber President Teri Kinder.
In fact, all of the food vendor spots have been taken.
“We sold out early,” Kinder said. “I have to tell them that they’ll have to try next year.”
Kinder said nobody seems concerned that the red tide might intensify, despite the lack of an “all clear” from the agencies that monitor conditions in the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay.
Bayfest, known as the Island’s first festival of the season, will be held Saturday, Oct. 20, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. along Pine Avenue in Anna Maria. Admission is free, those attending will be greeted with a wide choice of local food, live music, a Kid’s Zone for the youngsters and a classic and antique auto show. The Anna Maria Island Privateers also will bring their ship, the Skullywag.
Kinder said the classic auto show will be as big as ever.
“Car owners are calling daily to enter,” Kinder said. “We expect to have 100 vehicles at the show.”
The Chamber has not forgotten the damage the red tide has done to businesses and their employees.
Some of this year’s Bayfest festival proceeds will go directly to local tourism industry workers for disaster relief assistance.
Local workers affected by the red tide economic crises must sign up before Oct. 19 with the Chamber. A short application form has been posted on its website, info@amichamber.org. The form can also be picked up at the AMI Chamber, 5313 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. as well as at the Roser Food Pantry during its regular hours. Call 941-778-0414 for Roser Food Pantry hours. Applicants may also call the Chamber to have a form emailed to them.
Completed application forms must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 19, along with employment verification in the form of a recent pay stub or letter from one’s employer.
All funds will be distributed to eligible registered applicants on Friday, Oct. 26, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. at CrossPointe Fellowship, 8605 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach. Recipients must present a valid ID to receive their check.
To raise additional funds for this cause the AMI Chamber will be selling raffle tickets for an Island Experience, a basket full of local fun with gift certificates to stay, eat and play on the Island and the surrounding waters. Tickets are $5 each and will be sold at the Chamber prior to and at the festival all day during Bayfest. The raffle drawing will take place at 9 p.m. on the main stage at Bayfest. Winners need not be present to win. Gift certificates and items to be included in the raffle prize basket, as well as monetary donations for the relief fund itself, are being accepted at the Chamber. All of the raffle proceeds and monetary donations will go directly to eligible affected tourism industry workers.
For more information, contact the Chamber at 941-778-1541 or at info@amichamber.org.
ANNA MARIA – It’s been years in the making. The city’s multi-year project to create a multi-use trail along its city streets and through its quieter neighborhoods is becoming a reality Oct. 3 at 11 a.m.
The idea was first seeded in 2016 and has taken more than two years to germinate.
The opening ceremony will be on the corner of Gulf Drive and Archer Way and will officially open the first segment of the trail to the public. City Commissioner Amy Tripp will cut the ribbon.
This part of the trail runs along the northern side of Gulf Drive from Archer Way to Willow Avenue.
Mayor Dan Murphy said it’s the first of at least seven or eight planned trail segments, which will create a route for cyclists and pedestrians to travel through Anna Maria. The trail will run east down North Bay Boulevard and North Shore Drive before ending at the intersection of North Shore Drive and Pine Avenue.
ANNA MARIA – It’s going to be more expensive to live in Anna Maria. The City Commission unanimously approved the city’s 2018-19 annual budget on Sept. 27, setting the final millage to the ad valorem rate of 2.05. The 2018-19 ad valorem is an 8-percent increase over the previous year.
Millage is the rate at which taxes are determined. One mill is equal to one dollar per each $1,000 of a home’s taxable value.
The total approved budget is $13,464,387.
The reconstruction of the Anna Maria City Pier is the largest expenditure planned for this fiscal year Mayor Dan Murphy said the bulk of the city’s planned expenditures is being allocated for the reconstruction.
He added that it is a one-time expenditure and, if all things go according to plan, won’t be on the budget next year.
“It’s an anomaly,” he said.
City officials are hoping construction on the city pier will begin in December or at the beginning of 2019. The city also is accepting another round of pier request-for-proposal applications Oct. 5.
ANNA MARIA – The City Commission has accepted a $1.37 million staff recommendation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that would help fund the construction of a new city pier.
During a special commission meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 29, Mayor Dan Murphy presented the FEMA recommendation for the commission to approve or reject. Murphy said the commission could challenge the FEMA offer in hopes of getting an extra $100,000 or $200,000, but he recommended accepting the offer.
Murphy said the city submitted to FEMA a $1.8 million estimate for damages the pier sustained last September during Hurricane Irma – damages that occurred when the aging pier was already slated for rehabilitation within five years.
The damage included the roof being torn off the bait shop and bar building, damage to the restaurant building and significant damage to the pier’s T-end decking.
Murphy said FEMA offered the city 75 percent of what was requested and that was due to questions about the scouring of the pier pilings that could not be definitively attributed to the hurricane. Scouring is erosion caused by moving water.
“I would have difficulty saying there was no scouring of the pilings prior to the hurricane,” Murphy said.
“If we challenge it, we go back to the steps we were in before – negotiating, getting engineers’ estimates and providing more information as to what we’re challenging,” Murphy said.
“If you accept this, they go on and complete the formalized offer. At that point, we could begin our construction. Until we get the formal offer back from FEMA, we can’t start that construction,” he added.
Murphy said it would take approximately 30 days to formalize the FEMA offer.
The state of Florida must also concur with the FEMA recommendation that also has to be presented to the Congressional Budget Committee because the funding request exceeds $1 million.
“They have to allocate the money to give us the resources to start the pier,” Murphy said.
“The bottom line is if you vote today to accept this offer, my estimate is that in the late October-early November time frame we could begin driving piles,” Murphy said, noting this would still keep the pier project on track for a December 2019 completion date.
Murphy originally anticipated construction beginning in September, but he and the commission have not yet selected a pier construction firm. After recently rejecting the first two bids received because the bids were too high, a modified request for proposals is supposed to be issued this week. Murphy said he expects the second round of construction bids to be submitted to the city by the end of September.
Murphy praised City Clerk LeAnne Addy for working on the FEMA funding for the past nine or 10 months.
“They lost all of our paperwork at one point. We’ve been showing records and we’ve been negotiating, and LeAnne has done a sterling job with bringing us to the point where we are today,” Murphy said.
Pier revenue sources
The mayor also presented the commission with a pier funding update. In addition to the FEMA money, the city has already secured $1.5 million in a Tourist Development Council recommendation for County Commission-approved resort tax revenues, $330,000 in County Commission-approved surplus beach concession revenues, $750,000 from the Florida Legislature and $650,000 from the city’s general fund.
Commissioner Brian Seymour noted the pier demolition cost approximately $750,000 and that leaves $4.4 million to build a new pier – a pier that includes a restaurant and bait shop at its T-end.
Murphy said the only amount listed in his revenue projections that has not been secured is the $500,000 he hopes to get from the pier tenant.
“I had always projected $500,000 from the tenant, whether it’s the current tenant or a new tenant,” he said.
The tenant’s contribution will be used for the interior buildout of the restaurant and bait shop.
Current pier tenant Mario Schoenfelder’s lease with the city expires in December 2020. He and Murphy have engaged in productive preliminary discussions but Schoenfelder had not yet committed to assisting with the pier funding and extending his lease. If Schoenfelder and the city cannot come to terms, a new tenant will be sought.
ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria called upon Cortez fishermen Nathan Meschelle and Michael Dolan to help remove dead fish that littered the city shoreline because of red tide.
Meschelle and Dolan spent Wednesday, Aug. 8 and Thursday, Aug. 9 removing dead fish and seagrass from the public beach near the now-demolished Anna Maria City Pier from the Lake La Vista Inlet southeast to Magnolia Avenue.
This mutually beneficial relationship sprang from a conversation Meschelle had with Island resident and Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore.
“Nate contacted me and asked how he could help so I called the local governments and told them they were available. It’s a private-public partnership and we’re helping some fishermen get some work right now,” Whitmore said.
“I reached out to Carol and told her that due to the conditions the fishermen are out of work and we would like to do what we can to help the community. At the same time, maybe the cities or county can help us get through these hard times,” Meschelle said.
Meschelle and Dolan arrived early Wednesday morning by boat aboard a custom Carolina skiff with a smaller flat skiff in tow. Using pitchforks, they tossed the natural debris into the smaller skiff and later transferred it to a dumpster to be hauled off by Waste Management. They were also asked to remove a section of temporary shoreline fencing installed to protect turtles during the recent pier demolition. The fencing was ensnaring dead fish and seagrass.
“We’re trying to get what we can cleaned off the beach. If we do get another bad push of fish we won’t have all this grass and it’ll be easier for us to clean up,” Meschelle said, while noting the possibility of a west wind bringing more dead fish ashore later in the week.
Meschelle and Dolan said they saw gag grouper, trout, grunts, eels and more on the beach, but they also saw signs of possible improvement.
“The water color’s better today. There’s baitfish along the beach too,” said Dolan, who was wearing a facemask and a protective sport hat that covered his head and neck.
Meschelle and Dolan are both members of the Organized Fishermen of Florida and Meschelle wore a hat bearing the organization’s logo.
“There’s anchovies and sheepshead on the rocks right here,” Meschelle said, pointing to the jetty.
“We thought it was complete wipeout, so this is a good sign,” Dolan added.
“I traditionally bait fish offshore and the bait fish are virtually non-existent. I think that’s where most of the red tide is lingering. I have friends that are still trying to bait fish and they’re having to fish off of Clearwater. Down this way, it’s just a dead zone as soon as you get out there a mile and half and up to six miles out,” Meschelle said.
“The offshore fisheries that include your grouper and snapper at 10 miles out plus are still good. The fishery was amazing right before this happened,” Dolan noted.
Meschelle also contacted Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and offered their services and the services of additional Cortez fishermen should they be needed on the south end of the Island.
Cooperative efforts
Public Works Manager Dean Jones stopped by Wednesday morning to assess the work underway.
“There’s still fish out there that are going to keep floating up. I’m going to monitor the beach and when I think there’s another day’s worth of work they can come back and clean the beach again. It’s an ongoing thing and we’ve got a long-term plan that I feel very good about,” Jones said.
“I’ve also got to give kudos to the county. They helped clean up Bayfront Park and Mark Taylor has been running his tractor up and down the beach. As far as I know, he’s been going from Coquina Beach all the way to Bean Point. There’s been really good coordination between the cities and the county and there’s a lot of players making this work,” Jones said.
During Thursday night’s City Commission meeting, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy praised the cleanup efforts.
On Thursday evening, this stretch of bayside beach in Anna Maria contained few, if any, dead fish. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Commissioner Carol Whitmore was coordinating cleanup efforts in her role as TDC (Tourist Development Council) chair. She made the suggestion that we find these Cortez fishermen who are out of work because of red tide. These guys really did a commendable job. They charged us $1,000, which I think is a more than reasonable rate,” Murphy said.
“It’s a symbiotic story: they needed work and we needed fish picked up. They had a boat and the equipment to do it and we didn’t have the workforce to do it. It really worked out nice,” Murphy said.
Red tide wedding
A return visit to the cleaned beach right after Thursday’s meeting resulted in an encounter with a couple from Louisville, Ky. who had just gotten married on the beach, joined by family members.
“I wanted to be barefoot in the sand,” said the new bride, Karen (Armstrong) Focht. “We scoured the beaches all week and decided on here.”
The newlyweds said the conditions that night were better than they were earlier in the week and the red tide did not delay their nuptials.
“This is the day we planned,” Don Focht said.
“Our grandchildren could come at this time and we needed them here,” Karen added.
This Thursday evening beach wedding party included, from left, Gary Carrasco, Anita Carrasco, the groom, Don Focht, the bride, Karen (Armstrong) Focht, Zoey Carrasco, Alex Carrasco and Stephanie Williams. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Lying on the sand nearby as sunset approached were Hannah Tredyew and Shanti Clawson from Colorado.
“We actually didn’t know about it until we got here last night. When we were checking out at Walgreen’s the lady told us to be careful about the red tide,” Tredyew said.
“We knew it was south of here, but I didn’t think it was here yet,” Clawson said.
Clawson said they started their day near the Bradenton Beach-Holmes Beach border.
“We went to watch the sunrise this morning and there was like five feet of dead fish going down the coastline. It was crazy. They had a huge dumpster that was labeled ‘fish only,’ ” she said.
“We didn’t think it was that bad, but people running the stores said, ‘Don’t go to the beach.’ I did have a strong histamine response this morning. I started feeling like I was having allergies and I usually don’t,” Tredyew said.
Colorado visitors Hannah Tredyew and Shanti Clawson enjoyed a clean beach Thursday evening. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
ANNA MARIA – City commissioners have agreed to make an $18,500 contribution to The Center of Anna Maria Island.
To be taken from the city’s current fiscal year budget, the money will help support the nonprofit’s youth programs, including summer camp and after-school activities.
Executive Director Chris Culhane presented the budget request to commissioners on Thursday, June 28, after he and board chair David Zaccagnino were told on June 14 their request needed to include more specific details.
Each year the Anna Maria commission budgets taxpayer money to help support the Center, but this year’s contribution was withheld until concerns about the nonprofit’s financial stability and the organization’s willingness to share financial and operational records were addressed.
During last week’s meeting, Commissioner Brian Seymour made an initial motion to give the nonprofit $32,000, but his motion died for the lack of a second. The commission then voted 4-1 in favor of the requested $18,500 contribution, with Seymour voting opposition.
After the meeting, Seymour said, “While $18,500 is a generous donation, it doesn’t amount to anywhere close to what I feel the city should be contributing to the Center on an annual basis to support our youth. Our $18,500 is less than one-half of 1 percent of our annual budget and less than 1.5 percent of the Center’s current budget. I will keep pleading the case for more support in future years, and I hope the other commissioners can get on board.”
The Bradenton Beach Commission recently authorized a $5,000 contribution from its current fiscal year budget to assist with the Senior Adventures program that provides weekly adventures for senior citizens departing from the Annie Silver Community Center in Bradenton Beach.
The Holmes Beach Commission recently approved a $22,500 contribution to the Center from the city’s current fiscal year budget.
ANNA MARIA – Anna Maria Commissioners recently adopted an amended tree ordinance, then promptly applied it when approving two grand tree removal requests previously denied by Public Works Manager Dean Jones.
In attempt to protect the city’s shrinking tree canopy, the ordinance adopted on June 14 allows those who wish to remove a grand tree to donate to the city’s tree replacement fund instead of or in addition to planting replacement trees on their own property. Donated funds will be used to plant trees at city parks or on other city properties.
Anna Maria Commissioners recently approved the removal of this grand tree at 319 Hardin Ave. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
During that meeting, property owner Ronnie Leto agreed to donate $2,500 to remove a grand tree at 319 Hardin Ave. Leto wants to remove the tree so he can install a pool in the yard. Robb Bauman agreed to donate $2,500 to remove a grand tree at 211 Oak Ave. Leto and Baumann both said new and smaller trees would also be planted on those private properties.
At the recommendation of certified botanist Lucas Davis, the amended tree ordinance removes the word “diameter” and replaces it with the word “caliper” in terms of a grand tree being defined as one that has an 8-inch caliper when measured at a height of 4.5 feet from the ground. A tree with an 8-inch caliper is approximately 24 inches in circumference, which is how the ordinance previously read.
According to both the previous and the recently amended ordinance, the removal of a grand tree requires City Commission approval. City ordinance also protects native trees.
The amended tree ordinance was inspired by a recent incident involving a property owner who removed a grand tree after the commission denied the request. As a result, that property owner was fined $5,000.
Ordinance language
“The removal, relocation, destruction of any grand tree, excluding ficus and Australian pine trees, is prohibited unless it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the City Commission that the location of the grand tree renders the lot or parcel as non-buildable, the grand tree is a hazard or severely diseased, or denial of the removal of the grand tree will result in an extreme hardship for the property owner, as determined by the City Commission after a quasi-judicial hearing,” the tree ordinance now says.
“If the removal of a grand tree is permitted, the city commission shall have the authority to require that replacement tree or trees of a type and size specified by the commission be planted on the same lot or parcel, which will result in approximately the same amount of shade/canopy potential within one year of the time of planting as the grand tree removed.
“As to any replacement tree (or trees) on the same lot or parcel, such replacement trees must be guaranteed by the seller of the tree (or trees) for no less than one year, and properly maintained by the property owner for a period of one year, so that if after one year the replacement tree (or trees) are not in healthy condition, as determined by an arborist, such replacement tree (or trees) will be required to be replaced by other replacement tree (or trees),” the ordinance says.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy doesn’t want people blaming the Ayres Associates design and engineering firm for the pending demolition and replacement of the Anna Maria City Pier.
Murphy recently questioned a Sun story that stated Ayres Associates repeatedly recommended the demolition of the pier. A review of the commission’s pier discussions dating back to October indicates Ayres Associates did not recommend pier demolition. Nor, when following the City Commission’s direction, has Ayres Associates expressed support for any plan that doesn’t involve a new pier being built where the currently closed pier stands.
“The commission’s vote unanimously was to build a pier to a 75-to-100-year term. We went to Ayres and said we need you to start designing a 75-to-100-year pier,” Murphy said during the commission’s Jan. 29 pier meeting.
“Ayres did not declare the pier totally destroyed. The lease declared it totally destroyed. Ayres did not say you need a whole new pier. The commission decided. If there’s any misconceptions about where we’re headed, the responsibility lies with the six of us sitting here today,” he added.
Pier presentation
During the Oct. 12, 2017, City Commission meeting, Murphy discussed the forthcoming Oct. 17 pier meeting.
“The first question you need to weigh in on is what type of a service life do you want? I strongly recommend that we build a service life for this pier of 75 to 100 years,” he said.
He noted his recommendation would be incorporated into the pier presentation. On Oct. 17, Ayres Vice President Jay Saxena gave a PowerPoint presentation that referenced a pier designed for a 75-to-100-year service life with pre-cast pilings, concrete beams and framing and Lumberock composite decking. At that time, the commission had not yet voted on what type of service life it desired.
“If we’re looking to extend that service life, wooden piers may not be that option,” Saxena said.
With Commissioner Nancy Yetter absent, the commission voted 4-0 in favor of Ayres designing a pier with a 75-to-100-year service life.
At the time, the commission consisted of Yetter, Carol Carter, Doug Copeland, Brian Seymour and Dale Woodland. In February, Yetter resigned and Amy Tripp was appointed to serve the rest of her term.
The Oct. 17 vote has guided the commission’s decisions on concrete pilings, Kebony hardwood decking, Kebony hardwood siding for the restaurant and bait shop, and the demolition of the current pier.
Woodland recently questioned the Oct. 17 decision when opposing the selection of a pier demolition firm.
The path to demolition
During the Jan. 29, 2018, pier meeting, Murphy recapped the commission’s decision-making process to date.
He referenced the structural assessment report Bridge Design Associates submitted to the city and Manatee County in 2016. The report projected a five-year life expectancy for the existing pier. It stated recommended repairs would extend the pier’s service life by 20 to 25 years and replacing the pier with one built to current standards would provide a 50-to-75-year service life.
“To that end, we issued an RFP (request for proposals) for design services,” Murphy said.
The city couldn’t come to terms with the three firms that responded to the RFP. This led later to Ayres Associates being contracted to serve as the city’s second city engineering firm, focusing primarily on the pier.
Murphy recalled the damage Hurricane Irma inflicted on the pier, his need to know if it was safe to reopen, and if not, how long it would take to repair?
“Ayres came back with a report that basically said it’s not safe. You need to close the pier immediately,” Murphy said of that September decision.
He noted the period of closure would depend on whether the commission wanted patchwork repairs, remedial repairs or long-term repairs.
“Any way you cut it, it’s going to be closed for 120 days because there’s some permitting required,” Murphy said.
He then referenced the lease pier tenant Mario Schoenfelder signed in 2000.
“That lease stated that if repairs to the pier were over 120 days then it would be deemed at the sole discretion of the city to be totally destroyed. We all know the pier’s not totally destroyed. That’s how we got to the pier being declared totally destroyed,” Murphy said in January.
ANNA MARIA – She was lost. She was pregnant. She just wanted to get home.
The loggerhead sea turtle came ashore on Wednesday, May 13 at Bayfront Park, probably to nest.
But apparently, she didn’t find a favorable spot, because she just kept going, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox.
First, she crawled up North Shore Drive.
Possibly wondering why the sand had turned to something hard that flippers couldn’t dig into, she headed back to the park.
Then she crawled down North Bay Boulevard.
No good sand there, either.
Meanwhile, Turtle Watch volunteer Karen Anderson had saddled up for morning turtle surveys and was noticing turtle tracks that came ashore, but no signs of nesting and no tracks going back to the bay.
Like the cavalry, Bob and Debbie Haynes and Lisa Weiss came to the rescue.
They tracked down the 400-pound turtle, coaxed her onto a sheet, picked her up, carried her to the park, sat her down on the beach and pushed her back into the water, Fox said, thrilled that all the volunteer training had paid off in a successful crisis management example for the turtle record books.
The next day, volunteers discovered a nest near Bayfront Park.
Did the rescued turtle come back to nest the night after her ordeal?
They don’t know.
But in 1997, a turtle got lost in the same spot, Fox said.
No telling if it was the same turtle, or if the area is just bad turtle terrain in need of a turtle crossing sign.
If you find a sea turtle on the road on Anna Maria Island, call Turtle Watch at 941-778-5638.
