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Anna Maria hosts centennial celebration

Anna Maria hosts centennial celebration

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

ANNA MARIA – On Sunday, the city of Anna Maria celebrated its 100th anniversary for the second time this year.

Taking place again at City Pier Park, Sunday’s celebration served as a follow-up to the initial centennial celebration the city hosted on Memorial Day.

City volunteers and volunteers from the Anna Maria Island Garden Club, the Anna Maria Island Historical Society and Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring sold beer and wine, with the proceeds to be shared by the three organizations that also set up informational tents on the City Pier Park grounds. The Island Players and The Center of Anna Maria Island also had information tents, and the garden club provided shared space for the To Inform Families First (TIFF) organization that encourages motorists to provide additional emergency contact information that can be used to inform family members in the event of a serious traffic accident.

The celebration featured food sales by The Anna Maria General Store and Deli, Harry’s Grill and Poppo’s Taqueria.

With conductor Leornard Murphy on saxophone, a jazz sextet comprised of musicians from the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra kicked off the afternoon’s musical performances, followed by The Stockton Brothers performing acoustically.

During the sextet’s performance, Mayor Dan Murphy welcomed attendees.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here today and celebrating our 100th anniversary. We only do this every 100 years, so we’ll try to do it right,” Murphy said.

After encouraging the attendees to enjoy the beer, wine and food offerings, Mayor Murphy introduced Leonard Murphy and thanked him and his bandmates for being there, as they were at the first centennial celebration earlier this year.

After leaving the stage, Murphy shared some additional thoughts on the celebration.

“I chose today to do it because it’s after Labor Day. I really wanted to make this an event that focuses on our local citizens and celebrates our locals in this nice venue we have here at City Pier Park,” he said.

“We’ve got a pretty good crowd considering it’s the opening day of football season. It’s important to have events in this park with this beautiful shade sail and I’m glad to see people enjoying it and using it. Events like this help foster a sense of community and we appreciate the participation from the local businesses and the not-for-profit organizations that are here today. They’re doing a great job. Fran Berrios and the rest of the city staff did a great job organizing this event and once again they came through with flying colors. I couldn’t be any happier with the layout and the setup,” Murphy said.

During the celebration, city staff members handed out small replicas of the full-sized centennial flags that hung from the light poles along Pine Avenue in honor of Anna Maria becoming a chartered Florida city in 1923.

Anna Maria Commissioner Jon Crane said, “I love small-town activities like this. They’re heartwarming.”

Standing next to Crane, full-time Holmes Beach resident George Fuller said he appreciates the city-hosted events that take place at City Pier Park.

“I love coming up here for these celebrations and the events they do for the veterans. Dan does a great job with this stuff,” Fuller said.

Where have all the volunteers gone?

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Editorial, Opinion.

Election season is coming up and it’s a strange one this year on Anna Maria Island, mainly because there are no elections being held in any of the three cities. All the qualified candidates are incumbents, leaving no reason for voters to go to the polls in November.

Either residents are happy with their current elected officials or are there no more willing volunteers on the Island.

It may be the latter.

Holmes Beach commissioners are about to amend their city’s charter because only one person qualified to run for the five-person 2024 Charter Review Commission. In Anna Maria, the historic preservation board just dropped its numbers down to three people so that it only takes two volunteers showing up to have a quorum.

Are Island residents just not taking an interest in their city governments anymore or is the lack of volunteers due to residents leaving the Island?

While city leaders in Holmes Beach say their population grew over the past year, U.S. Census data from 2021, the most recent data publicly available, shows a drop in full-time residents across the Island.

Drops in population combined with a lack of willing candidates to run for office could signal a shift that some Manatee County and state leaders are looking for, one that would indicate the three Island cities are ripe for consolidation.

Our communities need some volunteers to step up to work on committees and run for office. Otherwise, it may just be the straw that breaks the Island’s back.

Island consolidation back on table

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The threat of consolidation of the three Island cities isn’t over. Members of the Manatee County Legislative Delegation have warned Island mayors that they’re getting ready to start up talks again at an October meeting.

In an Aug. 21 letter, delegation members Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) and Rep. Will Robinson (R-Bradenton) sent a letter to all three Island mayors noting that they’re ready to initiate a Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability study, known as OPPAGA, to “focus on the potential benefits of combining the three municipalities of Anna Maria Island, which encompasses the cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach.”

The letter is in response to Jan. 30 talks with the mayors about the possibility of combining city services. In the Aug. 21 letter, Boyd and Robinson said they haven’t received a major update from the mayors and blamed Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth.

“We understand the mayor of Holmes Beach does not want to participate in the coordination talks, given it will be seen as a first step toward consolidation of the three Island cities,” the letter states, giving the mayors a deadline sometime prior to the delegation’s planned Oct. 5 meeting for a response.

In speaking to The Sun on Aug. 24, Titsworth said that she hasn’t stopped participating in any talks among the three Island mayors. In fact, she said she’s been hosting the ongoing talks at city hall in Holmes Beach.

“Staff is working on it,” she said of the process to combine or streamline some services. She noted that the building departments in all three cities are working to see how they can streamline their processes to make applying for permits in each municipality easier for homeowners and contractors. Though the mayors have all been participating in the talks, she said that at only about eight months in, they’re not at a point where any specific service has been identified for consolidation or streamlining.

“As mayors, we all have full plates,” she said, adding that the mayors are committed to all working together. She said that her city’s code compliance officers have helped to train code enforcement officers in the other cities.

“We’re not trying to be defiant,” Titsworth said. “This was just dropped on us in January. We’re trying to work on what the delegation has requested but they need to have some patience.”

One sticking point is that Titsworth said she and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie are unwilling to give up their individual police departments, allowing those two cities to be patrolled only by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies who now provide law enforcement services to the city of Anna Maria. Titsworth said she’s happy with the services provided by the Holmes Beach Police Department and doesn’t want to change the law enforcement situation in the city.

As for the study, she said that it’s important to note that the example given in the letter from Boyd and Robinson of Longboat Key having had a study to determine if it should remain in two separate counties has a major difference from the one proposed on Anna Maria Island – the people of Longboat Key asked for the study.

“They asked for that study; we didn’t,” she said.

If state leaders insist on conducting the study on Anna Maria Island, Titsworth’s response is, “Bring it. I’d love to find ways to help save taxpayer money.” The letter states that the purpose of studying the benefits of consolidation would include saving taxpayer money and potentially reducing taxes for property owners.

While Titsworth said she was unable to attend an Aug. 24 Anna Maria Commission meeting, she said Mayor Dan Murphy had her approval to speak on her behalf giving an official response to the letter on behalf of all three mayors. She said the mayors met earlier in the day to discuss their response and decided that they’re in favor of the study if it can help save taxpayer money. However, they’re not in favor of consolidation of the three Island governments.

The topic of consolidation came as a surprise to the three mayors when the members of the state legislative delegation started the conversation at their Jan. 11 meeting, voting unanimously to approve the OPPAGA study for the Island. That was the same meeting in which the idea of sponsoring a bill to allow Manatee County commissioners to approve and build a parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach against the city’s land development code was initiated. That bill, HB 947, was passed earlier in the summer by the state Legislature after receiving unanimous votes in the House and Senate before gaining the approval of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Castles in the Sand

High-end properties show blow-out numbers

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

Every day I look at new listings on Anna Maria Island and in Cortez, and every day I’m surprised and ask myself when it will end. In the years leading up to COVID-19, I would analyze over $1 million properties listed on the Island and in Cortez. Now that exercise seems quaint, almost peculiar and it all changed in a short three-year period.

Because of these extraordinary listing numbers, which I see every day, I did a quick analysis of available properties in the three cities of Anna Maria Island and Cortez, researched on the Realtor.com website as of this writing. Rather than use $1 million as my breaking point, I upped it to $3 million, so get ready for this:

The city of Anna Maria had 82 properties listed, 44 of which were $3 million or over, almost half. The top property was listed at $16,995,000. Every million-dollar category was represented, and, except for the very top listing, there wasn’t a big gap between the categories.

Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach, which are combined by zip code on Realtor.com, had 179 properties listed, 45 of which were $3 million or over. The top listing number was $22,500,000 and, like Anna Maria, except for the very top, the listing prices represented every million-dollar category.

Even Cortez has a new listing at $3,750,000 with the rest of the 12 listings hovering in the mid- to high-million dollar range.

Sales of properties in the high-end market around the country are slowing. The high-end and luxury market nationwide is defined as the top 5% of homes and they’re suffering from the same issues the regular old real estate market is struggling with, low inventory and high interest rates.

Redfin’s analysis reports that in the first quarter of 2023, the sales of high-end properties were down by 33% from the first quarter of the previous year. They feel this is the result of the frenzy during the pandemic as well as inflation and a volatile stock market.

The markets with the biggest drop in transactions for the three months that ended June 30 are also the metro areas that were unstoppable during the pandemic: Miami was down 40.14%, Nassau County on New York’s Long Island was down 39.34%, New York City was down 35.98%, Los Angeles was down 36.17% and Chicago was down 34.13%.

Miami and New York City are starting to show signs of life. Miami is still recovering from the mass migration and buying frenzy during COVID-19, and inventory has not been resupplied. And New York is New York and will always come back to life with the suburban high-end areas around it following. However, it appears that Los Angeles and Chicago will take a little longer based on residents leaving Los Angeles for lower tax states and Chicago residents leaving because of crime.

Based on the number of pending properties, it looks like Anna Maria Island is also slowing but we are in the worst part of our off-season with heat alerts and record-breaking temperatures, so we won’t have a clear idea until later in the year. Typically, Anna Maria Island, and Florida in general, has outpaced most of the country in growth and the real estate market has followed along.

The combination of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach had 89 properties listed at $3 million or over, all on a 7-mile spit of land. I think I’ll stop asking myself where it will end because I don’t know and neither does anyone else. Such is the nature of real estate.

Team Luxury Services undefeated champs

Team Luxury Services undefeated champs

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

ANNA MARIA – After seven weeks of regular season adult co-ed flag football play in the summer evening heat, Luxury Services team captain Chase Richardson led his team to another victorious playoff run, winning the championship last Thursday night at The Center 40-24.

Making relatively easy work of their opponents each week, the Luxury squad characteristically put 40 points on the scoreboard in the final game of the season against the Moss Builders team for the win.

Finishing the regular season #1 and #2, Luxury Services and Moss Builders were the favorites to meet up in the season finale. Offensive errors by Moss Builders led to three defensive touchdowns by Derrick Carey for his team.

Carey is credited with one offensive TD, two flag pulls and a single one-point conversion. Teammates Tim Holly, Alonzo Lemus and Brad Lowrey each made it into the endzone for Luxury touchdowns. Holly had two in the game for 12 points.

In addition to the five throws for touchdowns, Richardson added six points to his team’s score with a rushing score of his own. Chase is also credited with three defensive stops and a QB sack on Moss Builders’ QB Ryan Moss.

Rounding out the scoring for Luxury with additional points after touchdowns were Lemus, Lowrey and Jasmine Muldoon.

Despite the loss, the Moss Builders team did not quit. Keeping the game within reach for two halves of play, team captain Moss threw four touchdown passes.

Peggy Smith was Moss’ target for two TDs, while teammates James Roadman and Greg Moss each had a touchdown nab, putting an additional 12 points on the board.

The strong defensive efforts of the Moss Builders team included three flag pulls by Smith, R. Moss and Isaiah Lambert. Moss’ Nick Cavalluzzi finished the game with four defensive stops and an interception on a Richardson pass.

G. Moss rounded out the game statistics with two flag pulls and a sack.

Luxury’s defense made the difference in the big game. Moss Builders were stopped at each point after conversion, leaving their scoring at four TDs, resulting in 24 points.

Overall, the efforts of the Moss squad just were not enough to overcome momentum-changing Luxury Services interceptions. Team Luxury Services once again won it all in the Island’s adult flag football league, ending the season as champions.

Team SRC solid in youth indoor soccer

Team SRC solid in youth indoor soccer

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

ANNA MARIA – Last week at The Center, the summer youth indoor soccer regular season play came to a close with both Solid Rock Construction teams solidly on top with 10-0 wins in both the age group leagues.

In the 11- to 13-year-old league, the Solid Rock team beat the Island Vacation Properties squad. Working hard on the court, team Island Vacation Properties held their own and fought hard for two halves of play.

The Coastline West team handed the Moss Builders team their fourth win with a forfeit last Monday night, leading into the playoffs.

The first round of playoffs was played this past Monday night with identical matchups. Coastline West looks to beat Moss Builders on the indoor pitch to advance to the championship game on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 7:15 p.m.

One of the two teams faces either Solid Rock or Island Vacation Properties.

The younger ballers played last Tuesday night in The Center’s gymnasium with family and friends perched on the stage watching the hardcourt action. AMI Dolphin Tours won against Progressive Cabinetry by three goals, with a final score of 6-3.

In the last game of the regular season for the 8- to 10-year-old league, Solid Rock Construction kept the Intentional Resilient Intuitive team from getting their first win of the season, despite their hard, never quit play.

Each of the four teams matched up identically this Monday night to determine the championship game showdown. The teams are scheduled to play on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m.

Quarter-final adult flag football play concluded Thursday night with no big surprises. Top-ranked Luxury Services faced the last seed The Banks Home Lending Team, coming out on top with an easy win, 54-18.

Luxury faces Cortez Deep Sea Fishing Thursday at 8 p.m. in the first semifinal adult flag football game. The fourth-ranked Cortez Deep Sea Fishing crew won against team Salty Fishing by 27 points. Salty finished the regular season just under their quarterfinal opponents.

In the second half of the night, team Sandbar Seafood & Spirits won against an injured Solid Rock Construction squad. Quarterback Charles “Tuna” McCracken was sidelined at the end of the last regular season game with an injury that impacted him Thursday night.

McCracken’s injury added to team aches with Zach Long also sidelined during the season. Long was unable to play the quarterfinal game.

Sandbar Seafood & Spirits goes up against the second-ranked Moss Builders team in the 9 p.m. semifinal game on Thursday night under the lights of the community center gridiron.

Moss Builders won by 18 points against the second-to-last place Gulf Drive Café team. With the final score of 25-7, Moss Builders showed why the team is a top contender for the season championship winner.

The final game of the adult co-ed flag football season is slated for Thursday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. at The Center of Anna Maria Island to close out the summer sports season.

 

 

SUN SCOREBOARD

 

JULY 31 YOUTH INDOOR SOCCER – WEEK 6

11- TO 13-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE

 

 

#3 Moss Builders (4-2-0) Winner by Forfeit

#2 Coastline West Team/Wagner Realty (3-2-1) L

 

 

#1 Solid Rock Construction (3-2-1) 10

#4 Island Vacation Properties (1-5-0) 0

 

 

AUG. 2 YOUTH INDOOR SOCCER – WEEK 6

8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE

 

#2 AMI Dolphin Tours (2-3-1) 6

#3 Progressive Cabinetry (3-3-0) 3

 

 

#1 Solid Rock Construction (6-0-0) 10

#4 Intentional Resilient Intuitive (0-5-1) 0

 

 

AUG. 3 – ADULT CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL

QUARTER-FINAL PLAYOFF GAMES

 

#1 Luxury Services 54

#8 The Banks Home Lending Team 18

 

 

#4 Cortez Deep Sea Fishing 40

#5 Salty Printing 13

 

 

#6 Sandbar Seafood & Spirits 26

#3 Solid Rock Construction 12

 

 

#2 Moss Builders 25

#7 Gulf Drive Café 7

Castles in the Sand

Money, money, money

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

There’s a great song from the movie Cabaret that goes something like this: “Money makes the world go ’round, the world go ’round, the world go ‘round.” I like it because it says so much in such a short lyric and is understood by everyone. For buyers and sellers in this real estate market, the money is represented by mortgage interest rates which change so quickly your head could go ‘round and ‘round.

At the July meeting of the Federal Reserve, they raised interest rates by another quarter percent, which was expected, but they did indicate the possibility of easing towards the end of the year. According to Forbes on Aug. 2, the average residential 30-year fixed rate mortgage was 7.47%, not making buyers feel warm and fuzzy.

Interest rates are impacting the real estate sales market as frustrated home shoppers are facing high rates combined with a shortage of available properties that are not moving substantially down. Sellers are happily sitting tight on their 3% mortgages with Cheshire cat smiles on their faces for being so smart.

According to the National Association of Realtors, June sales fell 18.9% nationally compared to June of last year. Manatee County had 17.7% more sales for single-family homes compared to June of last year.

Sale prices are down slightly but still historically high. The national median existing-home price fell 0.9% in June from last year to $410,200, and the Manatee County median sale price for single-family homes was down 4.5% to $525,000. However, based on the new listings coming out daily, I wouldn’t be too worried about our values taking a deep dive any time soon.

There is another way for buyers and those sellers who want to sell to come together despite high rates that may be disqualifying some buyers. Sellers could offer or buyers could suggest that sellers finance a buyer’s purchase of their home. This is called taking back a mortgage and is more common for investment properties but could also offer a solution for some buyers with an interested seller.

Seller financing helps buyers increase their purchasing power by saving on closing costs, setting up escrow accounts, and application fees or paying lower interest rates. It could also help sellers who want buyers to make a full-price or higher offer on the home and are concerned about the property appraising through a conventional bank lender. The transaction is similar to closing with a lender; the buyer receives title to the property at the closing as with a traditional mortgage.

Sellers are assuming the larger risk of taking back a mortgage on their property. If the buyer defaults or doesn’t pay their real estate taxes or insurance, the seller will need to proceed with a foreclosure which is expensive and time-consuming. It’s all a little complicated and risky for all parties including getting a tax advisor involved and, of course, an attorney.

Anxious sellers who have properties that have been on the market for some time could consider holding the mortgage. This could also produce a steady stream of income for the seller if they are in a financial position to delay receiving the proceeds from the sale.

Typically, buyers can negotiate an interest rate lower than the prevailing rate, however, there is a minimum interest rate regulated by the IRS to consider. Sellers could wait out the higher rates hoping for a future decline then apply for a conventional mortgage and pay off the seller.

Money makes the world go ‘round and trying to understand it can make your head explode. Proceed with caution.

Owner of illegal vacation rental bedrooms cited

Owner of illegal vacation rental bedroom cited

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

ANNA MARIA – City officials are concerned about ground-level storage spaces in vacation rental homes being illegally converted and used as additional bedrooms.

Mayor Dan Murphy addressed these concerns with the city commission on Aug. 3.

“New single-family homes are being built with storage areas included. It appears some of these storage areas conveniently could be converted into bedrooms. Storage areas should not be converted into bedrooms,” Murphy said, noting that it violates state and city building codes and FEMA flood insurance regulations.

According to the notice of violation the city issued on Aug. 1, the vacation rental home in violation is located at 614 Gladiolus St. and is owned by Windemere residents Jose and Judith Calderon.

According to the violation notice, the home was inspected as a vacation rental on July 24 and the city inspector discovered a ground floor garage/ storage area had been enclosed and converted into a bedroom and/or habitable area. The notice also states the enclosed room is labeled as a bedroom on the sketch required as part of the city’s vacation rental registration program.

According to the notice, the property is currently in violation of several city and state building code regulations.

The notice of violation states the owners had until noon on Aug. 4 to apply for a city-issued demolition permit to bring the property into compliance with its previously issued building permit.

The homeowners were scheduled to meet with the city building official Monday afternoon.

When addressing the commission, Murphy noted the city’s annual vacation rental registration program requires an annual inspection of each dwelling to be used as a vacation rental. While the state preempts the regulation of vacation rentals to itself, the city has the authority to enforce state building codes, he said.

“A bedroom on the ground floor is a violation of Florida Building Code,” Murphy said in regard to new construction. “It was also done without a permit, which is also a violation of the Florida Building Code. They cannot use this as a vacation rental. We have notified them they have the alternative of getting a demolition permit to demolish that,” Murphy told the commission.

“This is not the only one. There are others we suspect,” he added. “As we do these vacation rental inspections, we expect to come across more. Our position is going to be the same: You cannot rent the house out as a vacation rental because you failed the inspection.”

Murphy said any vacation rentals homeowners found to have unpermitted additional bedrooms, bathrooms or living spaces found to violate state, city and/or FEMA regulations will be told they have to demolish the illegal space in order to use the dwelling as a vacation rental.

Murphy said violating FEMA regulations could result in flood insurance rates increasing for property owners citywide.

“That affects all of us,” Commissioner Mark Short said.

Commissioner Charlie Salem asked if contractors who illegally install unpermitted ground-level bedrooms, bathrooms and living spaces could also be penalized.

In response, Murphy said, “That’s a bridge I don’t want to cross yet. Where we are is enforcing it against the homeowner. Some people have done this themselves; other people probably have used a contractor. I don’t know how far I can go legally in finding out who did the work, but I do know who owns the property. That’s cut and dry.”

Anna Maria rejects proposed water taxi modifications

Anna Maria rejects proposed water taxi modifications

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

ANNA MARIA –City officials rejected Manatee County’s proposed water taxi-related modifications to the City Pier, but negotiations remain ongoing.

On Aug. 3, Mayor Dan Murphy presented the county’s proposed pier modifications to the city commission. The modifications rejected by the mayor and commission included a floating finger dock with submerged pilings attached perpendicular to the existing boat landing at the T-end of the pier. The county also proposed railings and a locked gate that would have provided exclusive access to the county water taxis.

 

Anna Maria rejects proposed water taxi modifications
The county’s rejected plan proposed a floating finger dock (in red), and an exclusive water taxi landing area (in yellow) at the T-end of the pier (in blue). – Manatee County | Submitted

The county-funded water taxis will initially be operated from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between downtown Bradenton, Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach by the county-contracted Gulf Island Ferry company.

“When I saw this, I was not happy with it at all,” Murphy told the commission.

Murphy said the proposed pier modifications would cost the county $300,000, but the city would have to reimburse the county for that amount if the city later decided to opt out of the water taxi program.

Murphy said Anna Maria, like Bradenton and Bradenton Beach, will now agree to pay for the ongoing maintenance of any county-funded pier modifications approved by the city commission.

The mayor and commission are also concerned that the county has not yet provided specific details pertaining to any additional water taxi-related safety modifications needed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Murphy said the proposed finger dock would require several pilings that would require permitting by the Army Corps of Engineers, which could be a lengthy process.

Murphy said he met with Manatee County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione on Aug. 1, before the Council of Governments (COG) meeting later that afternoon.

“I told them this is not an acceptable proposal for the city of Anna Maria,” Murphy said. “You need to keep this simple, short, sweet and very cost-effective with minimal or no cost to the city if we decide to cancel,” Murphy said.

“My proposal back to them was just to dock parallel to the existing landing. If there’s any modification that needs to be made, make them to your boat. It’s a lot cheaper to modify a boat than it is to do all this and it requires no permit,” he said.

Murphy said the proposed pier modifications were designed by the county’s contracted engineering firm without any consultation with the city.

He said Van Ostenbridge and Falcione agreed with his simplified approach for the water taxi landing area and will proceed in that direction.

“With what I proposed, they literally could be in business in a couple of days. There’s no rocket science here. Somehow, I think this will come to fruition,” he said.

Regarding the service itself, Murphy said, “I told them this is not the focus of what our city wants for a water taxi, based upon the hours of operation and the days of operation. It’s not what we view as an endgame, but it’s a start in the right direction. I endorse that start and recommend that start because I truly believe there’s a future here in the water taxi to serving this city, particularly as it relates to bringing employees out here. Make it fast, make it economical, make it attractive to employees to bring them out and drop them off here or down in Bradenton Beach. It would have to be efficient and timely. Three days a week with the hours they propose is not going to attract many employees,” Murphy said.

Murphy said Falcione and Van Ostenbridge agreed and they recognize this is just a starting point for a service that will hopefully later be expanded.

“If it works, it works. If it doesn’t work, I don’t want to have to pay a ransom to walk away,” Murphy said.

Commissioner Deanie Sebring said the county’s proposed plan didn’t consider that fishing is a primary use of the City Pier. She said the proposed railing and gated area made no sense.

As an alternative, Murphy said the commission could adopt a city resolution that prohibits unattended boats from being tied up to the pier landing area. Commissioner Charlie Salem said if the water taxis run on a regular schedule, docking at the landing could be prohibited during those 15 intervals.

When commenting on the proposed modifications, Commission Chair Mark Short said, “I hate this. I hate tying up one corner of the pier by putting a fence up. I hate the logistics of putting a dock in. They’re proposing wooden pilings that won’t last in Tampa Bay. Bringing it in sideways makes way too much sense to me. There’s rarely a boat that docks there anyway.”

Short reiterated Commissioner Jon Crane’s concerns that the county still hasn’t presented any proposed ADA compliance modifications and he questioned whether that could include a proposal to install safety railings along the entire length of the pier walkway, where none currently exist.

Echoing Murphy’s comments, Short said the service schedule and rates are not going to encourage Island employees to use the water taxis to commute from the mainland.

“I don’t see any incentive for someone who would want to take this to come out here and work. Maybe that’s the next step,” Short said.

Future expansion

During Tuesday’s COG meeting, Falcione discussed the anticipated future expansion of the water taxi/ferry service. He said the county plans to apply for a grant to purchase a larger, high-speed ferry to transport passengers between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria, with the two pontoon boats then traveling between the City Pier, the Bradenton Beach Pier and the Coquina South boat ramp.

Anna Maria rejects proposed water taxi modifications
The Gulf Island Ferry water taxis were recently placed in the water in Cortez. – Manatee County | Submitted

Falcione envisions water taxi/ferry service someday taking place seven days a week with an expanded route and additional stops, including stops near the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto and the new Marriot hotel currently being built next to it, and at the Powel Crosley Estate near the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

Falcione said the initial water taxi service is now expected to begin this fall, to be followed in early 2024 with a program that incentivizes employee ridership. Falcione said the county has already committed $1.4 million to the water taxi/ferry service.

Solid Rock comes out on top

Solid Rock comes out on top

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

ANNA MARIA – The final week of regular season adult co-ed flag football play energized The Center gridiron last Thursday night. For the four teams in the middle of the pack, every play and every second mattered.

By the end of the night, team Solid Rock Construction captured the third-seed position in the first round of the playoffs, narrowly defeating the Salty Printing squad with a score of 14-12.

Despite a late-game injury, Tuna McCracken and the Solid Rock team won by two points in what proved to be a defensive battle. With 36 total flag pulls recorded by both teams, Evelyn Long led the league in flag pulls for the week.

Long’s eight flag pulls Thursday night put her in third to end the regular season in defensive stops. Her 29 total pulls were only topped by teammates Tyler Brewer and McCracken, each with 30 in the seven-game season.

With McCracken on the sideline, receiver Connor Ludwig took the snaps for the last several minutes of the game. Throwing for a touchdown to Brewer and receiving for one from McCracken, Ludwig helped clinch the team’s playoff position.

On the flip side, Brandon Rolland had the only offensive scoring for Salty while teammate Zaon William scored six points on defense for his team.

Williams also finished the season tied with Long for third in flag pulls with 29 big stops.

Making the scoring difference for Solid Rock Construction was Brewer’s two one-point conversions, giving the squad a marginal lead. Brewer had seven catches in the game, leading his team and adding to his season total of 38 receptions.

Solid Rock’s win put them in the third quarterfinal game bracket with Sandbar Seafood & Spirits. Sandbar lost to #7 Gulf Drive Café in the first game of the night, giving the Gulf Drive team only their second win of the season.

Playing in the last game this Thursday night against the second seed Moss Builders team, team Gulf Drive Café will need to play strong and with no mistakes.

Salty’s loss placed them in fifth position behind Cortez Deep Sea Fishing. In the second playoff game Thursday night at 7 p.m., the two teams will face off for a spot in the semifinal next week.

Playing in the heat of the 6 p.m. game, the underdogs of #8 The Banks Home Lending Team hope the curse of the first-place team continues to rear its ugly head as they face the top-seed Luxury Services team.

As the quarterback, Luxury’s Chase Richardson leads the league in passing touchdowns with 32 this season. Between them, The Banks Home Lending’s Cruz Rodriguez and Cory Banks managed to pass 20 total touchdowns in seven games.

Luxury Services also closed out the season number one and three for receiving touchdowns with Tim Holly finishing with 13 TD catches and Alonzo Lemus securing 11 scoring nabs.

The team’s regular season dominance continued on defense with Holly’s 11 QB sacks, as well as a total of 12 interceptions by teammates Derrick Carey, Jasmine Muldoon and Richardson, each with four picks.

This week’s play will see if the top team prevails or if the undefeated Luxury Services team has their championship hopes stopped short Thursday night.

 

SUN SCOREBOARD

 

JULY 27

 

ADULT CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL

WEEK 7

 

 

#7 Gulf Drive Café (2-5-0) 40

#6 Sandbar Seafood & Spirits (3-4-0) 30

 

 

#3 Solid Rock Construction (4-3-0) 14

#5 Salty Printing (3-4-0) 12

 

 

#1 Luxury Services (7-0-0) 63

#8 The Banks Home Lending Team (1-6-0) 27

 

 

#2 Moss Builders (5-2-0) 27

#4 Cortez Deep Sea Fishing (3-4-0) 23

City hopes to incentivize permanent residents

City hopes to incentivize permanent residents

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

ANNA MARIA – City officials are exploring the possibility of using grants and other incentives to attract and retain full-time residents.

City Commissioner Charlie Salem first proposed the idea during the commission’s June 22 budget meeting and he suggested budgeting $75,000 for a feasibility study to help determine what can be done.

Salem proposed possible tax breaks and possible building code allowances for property owners who formally and voluntarily agree to not use their home as a short-term vacation rental. He also proposed marketing Anna Maria as a place for full-time residents to live.

City Attorney Becky Vose said she’d research what can and can’t be legally done before the commission seeks a feasibility study.

On July 13, Vose provided the commission with an update on her initial and ongoing research. She said property tax reductions and rebates are not allowed in Florida.

“The state has preempted the issues having to do with ad valorem taxation, exemptions and assessments. That’s a non-starter, but that does not get rid of the possibility of giving grants to full-time residents or property owners who lease to tenants who are full-time residents,” Vose said.

Vose is still investigating the parameters of a grant program that would include participating property owners voluntarily entering into restrictive covenants that would prohibit their property from being used as a short-term vacation rental for a specific number of years.

Vose said development and building code incentives might also be possible for the construction or redevelopment of dwellings used for full-time residency.

“It’s still being looked into and I’ll come back with a comprehensive report as soon as it’s ready,” Vose said.

Vose said the city can advertise and market Anna Maria as a destination for permanent residents.

According to Mayor Dan Murphy, approximately 70% of the dwellings in Anna Maria are used as short-term vacation rentals.

Salem thanked Vose for her research and analysis and said, “I’m encouraged by the progress that we’re making, even with some changes as to how we might deliver the relief to permanent residents here. It might not be possible to do it through ad valorem (taxes) but there are other avenues we can pursue. The marketing piece is something we can do however we choose to pursue it. That’s something I think we could fast-track if the commission and mayor are interested.”

Regarding a feasibility study, Salem said, “It’s important to do a study because we are in uncharted territory. If we stay focused on the ultimate goal, which is to increase the number of permanent residents we have here and by extension make our community stronger, I think we’ll have something to be proud of.”

Commissioner Robert Kingan asked Vose if she’s aware of any other Florida city using grants to attract full-time residents. Vose said she’s not aware of any other city doing that, but she is aware of cities that use grants to incentivize desired commercial activity. Vose noted that grants, in general, are given to people in the private sector to accomplish the goals of a municipality.

Kingan asked Vose if the state might perceive a grant program as an attempt to circumvent the state’s ad valorem tax restrictions.

“I would not tie the grant to the tax assessments. I think that would be a mistake. There are numerous sources of funds the city receives that are not otherwise obligated,” Vose said.

“I think this is an exciting path to explore. I think it’s a great idea. There are places we can get money to fund a program such as this,” Murphy said.

Vose is still researching whether ad valorem property tax revenues could be used to help fund a grant program.

“It can’t come as a rebate on your property taxes,” Salem clarified.

Vose said that was correct and the incentives would not be related to how much a property owner pays in property taxes.

Salem said he’s aware of ski towns in Colorado that are having trouble finding employees because of the high rent in those areas. He believes grants are being used there to help attract employees and he intends to research that.

Vose said she looked at several grant programs in other states but there aren’t a lot of residential grant programs in Florida.

“It’s a very exciting concept and I’m hoping we’ll be able to be on the cutting edge of this in Florida,” she said.

Related coverage

 

Incentives proposed for permanent Anna Maria residents

Castles in the Sand

Mortgage rates on the move

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

Residential mortgage rates barely budged in June, leveling off at the 6.5% mark the last week of May. Just when buyers were starting to exhale, thinking this may be as high as we go, the national 30-year average fixed-rate mortgage blew past that mark the first week of July. Talk about fireworks. According to Freddie Mac, rates finished the week ending July 6 at an average of 6.81%. One outlier from the Mortgage News Daily reported a 30-year fixed mortgage hit 7.22%.

If you’re thinking well, that’s not too bad, consider the poor buyer who is looking at a $400,000 mortgage and now faces an increase in monthly carrying charges over $100. This could be the breaking point for some buyers as far as qualifying.

And we’re not done yet. Housing market watchers expect mortgage rates to remain elevated amid ongoing economic uncertainty and the Federal Reserve’s rate hike war on inflation. The expectation is two more rate increases before the end of 2023. If they proceed with quarter-point increases, you do the math.

The Federal Reserve has clearly stated there is a long way to go to bring inflation back to its 2% goal. Since July 26 is their next meeting, we won’t have long to wait for an answer. Housing experts like Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, feel the Fed has been hawkish as it regards rate increases. Yun says, “The rate hikes from earlier months have yet to exert their force at a time when inflation has already decelerated to 4% and there is no need to consider raising interest rates.” We’ll see if anyone in Washington listens to him.

Further, if you think housing inventory is down now, wait till these higher rates kick in. Sellers with mortgage rates below 3% or 4% are not motivated to sell no matter how much they want that extra bedroom or water view. Homeowners feel locked in and are remaining on the sidelines willing to wait it out. They may have a long wait.

No matter how high the rates go, however, keep in mind the real estate market has survived rates higher than we will probably be looking at by the end of the year and people were still buying houses. Eventually, buyers and sellers will have to blink and start the market rolling again.

Before I end this column, I would like to acknowledge the passing of Pat Copeland, an Island treasure and the editor of this column for The Sun for many years. She edited with a light touch, never passing judgment, simply suggesting a more concise sentence structure or precise word, and she was always right.

I was away when she passed, but was thankfully home in time to attend her memorial at Roser Church on Pine Avenue. Her family did her proud, from her young grandchildren to her well-poised and talented daughters and sons-in-law and, of course, her husband of 50 years, Doug Copeland, an Island treasure in his own right. It was an uplifting event with big smiles from all who attended, ending with a New Orleans-style second-line processional to celebrate a life well lived by a special lady.

You may not be able to influence how mortgage rates are moving, but you can keep your life moving in the right direction. In the words of Pat Copeland, “Life is a party.” Who cares what the Federal Reserve says?

Castles in the Sand

The value of a renovated home

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

Most homebuyers today want to buy a home, but very few want to buy a project. Nice work if you can get it, but even in our slightly leveling-off market, it may not be so easy.

Unfortunately for buyers, there is still a lack of inventory in most markets around the country. Our local market is no different with only a 2.7-month supply of available properties as of the end of May, higher than last year but still well below a 6-month availability, which is considered a healthy market.

The challenge for buyers has a lot to do with increased mortgage rates. Purchasing a home that is fully renovated may cost more but if the buyer is qualified, this additional cost can be financed and become part of the overall underlying mortgage. Even at today’s higher rates, 6.67% on average at the end of June, it’s still better to have the work done before purchase than to renovate after purchasing. Coming up with the cash to renovate or finance the renovation is also subject to today’s higher interest rates and shorter repayment terms.

The challenge for sellers is that they are no longer getting multiple offers on their property no matter what condition it’s in. According to the National Association of Realtors, sellers are receiving an average of three offers now, compared with around six a year ago. The consensus is that renovated properties sell quicker than unrenovated properties, which appears to be true for both primary homes and second homes.

Real estate professionals feel that anything that sits on the market for more than a month is usually either overpriced or in need of significant repairs or updates. In Manatee County as of the end of May, single-family homes were in contract an average of 32 days from listing. How long a property is on the market can be influenced by a variety of factors. Here in Florida, the season is a major factor. The market traditionally slows down in the summer, so there are fewer buyers in the pool. That said, some buyers simply have no choice but to purchase a home that needs renovation.

Despite fewer offers on properties, the prices haven’t declined as much as many economists expected. Because of higher mortgage rates, current homeowners are reluctant to sell their properties, keeping the supply of homes on the market lower than normal. Home prices peaked in June of 2022 and declined until January of 2023 when they started to recover.

However, even homes that need renovations are still selling near the list price or slightly higher because there aren’t enough homes on the market to meet the demand. Nationally, the median existing-home price fell 3.1% in May from a year earlier to $396,100, according to the National Associations of Realtors. Manatee County’s median single-family home price at the end of May fell by 6.4% to $515,000.

Buyers with busy lifestyles are less inclined to buy a home requiring major renovations. This is especially true for many buyers in our area who are second homeowners and live out of state. It’s difficult to manage a home renovation when you’re local but almost impossible from 1,000 miles away.

Nevertheless, if you’re in the market for a project, and have the funds to renovate and manage the project, you may be able to come out ahead. Picking your kitchen cabinets and bathroom tile does have an advantage and is nice work if you can get it.

Island population drops in all three cities

Island population drops in all three cities

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – It may not come as a surprise to some long-time residents, but the population of this seven-mile stretch of paradise is dwindling.

While the U.S. Census Bureau conducts 10-year counts across the country, the organization also conducts a yearly American Community Survey to record changes and trends in population. The available online data spans 2010-2021 and shows a few minor ups and downs in population numbers. However, there is a stark difference in all three Island cities in the numbers between 2020 and 2021 – all three cities lost a significant portion of their population.

Looking at the data, the city of Holmes Beach is the undisputed largest municipality on the Island. In 2010, Holmes Beach had 4,136 residents. After fluctuations of 100-200 people per year, the city had 4,276 residents in 2020. That number dropped to 3,132 in 2021. That’s a loss of 1,144 in a single year, or 26.75% of the population.

In Anna Maria, the population changes were more volatile over the years. In 2010, the city had a recorded 1,475 residents, hitting a high of 1,556 in 2013 before steadily dropping to 719 in 2019. In 2020, the city’s population jumped to 1,087 before dropping to 944 in 2021, a loss of 143 residents in a single year, representing 13% of the population.

The population in Bradenton Beach also suffered a steady decline over the years. In 2010, the city had 1,452 residents. That number dropped to 836 by 2019 before picking back up to 902 in 2020. By the 2021 count, Bradenton Beach had lost another 35 residents, dropping the population down to 867, a 4% loss.

In a single year, 2020-21, 1,322 residents left the Island life behind. With stories floating around the three municipalities about more and more residents moving away, population numbers have the potential to drop even more when the 2022 and 2023 data comes out. And while the state of Florida and greater Manatee County are showing population increases, that data isn’t reflected in the population numbers for the Island.

The Census Bureau states that when cities start to see marked decreases in population year over year, that’s when it becomes more likely that the cities will disincorporate, with the land annexed into a larger geographic body, such as unincorporated Manatee County, an idea that was proposed by the Manatee County legislative delegation prior to the 2023 state legislative session. While the idea of folding the three cities into one or putting them all solely under the governmental leadership of the Manatee County Board of Commissioners wasn’t pursued this year, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s off the table for coming legislative sessions if population numbers continue to dwindle.

Loggerhead sea turtle ‘Suzi’ released into race

Loggerhead sea turtle ‘Suzi’ released into race

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Sea turtles.

BRADENTON BEACH – As hundreds of delighted onlookers gathered to see a publicized turtle release at Coquina Beach, loggerhead sea turtle “Suzi” made a grand entrance from the sand to the water.

She hesitated several times walking on the beach, appearing to look at the crowd that had gathered, but once she reached the water she was in her element and took off swimming.

The June 27 release, however, won’t be the last time Suzi’s whereabouts will be known. Just after nesting in Bradenton Beach, she was outfitted with a satellite monitor and is the latest turtle to join the Tour de Turtles race. Her location will be monitored for several months via satellite.

“She nested right here and we boxed her up. We dedicated the nest that she laid to Suzi Fox, so we have a plaque here,” said Kristin Mazzarella, executive director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring. “She’s now part of the Tour de Turtles race.”

Turtle Watch volunteer Barbara Riskay praised the naming of the loggerhead in commemoration of Suzi Fox, the late executive director of Turtle Watch.

“It was a no-brainer to name her ‘Suzi,’ ” Riskay said.

Within three days of her release, loggerhead Suzi had traveled 16 miles at an average speed of .25 mph.

The release was sponsored by the non-profit Sea Turtle Conservancy, along with Turtle Watch and Waterline Resort.

“Started in 2008, the Tour de Turtles is a fun, educational journey through the science, research and geography of sea turtle migration using satellite telemetry,” according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy website. “Created by Sea Turtle Conservancy, with help from sponsors and partners, this event follows the marathon migration of sea turtles, representing four different species, from their nesting beaches to their foraging grounds.”

By tracking sea turtles, scientists have learned a lot about them.

“We now know that sea turtles are highly migratory, often traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles between the beaches where they lay their eggs and the foraging (feeding) grounds where they spend much of their time at sea,” according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy website. “Since most research conducted on marine turtles has been carried out on nesting beaches and well over 90% of a sea turtle’s life is spent in the water – feeding, mating, migrating and doing whatever else a sea turtle does when no one is watching – we are missing important information that can help us better protect sea turtles.”

Check the Sun’s Facebook page for weekly updates on Suzi’s location in “Where’s Suzi?”