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FDOT plans Gulf Drive corridor study

FDOT plans Gulf Drive corridor study

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The city commission will decide whether the Anna Maria-owned portion of Gulf Drive will be included in a $1.5 million Island-wide Gulf Drive corridor study.

The commission is expected to make its decision on Thursday, May 25.

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Engineer/Design Manager Craig Fox presented the proposed study during the May 8 Island Transportation Planning Organization (ITPO) meeting held at Anna Maria City Hall.

FDOT will fund the Gulf Drive corridor study, which is expected to begin in November and take a maximum of two years to complete. Fox said the study area will extend along the entire portion of Gulf Drive/State Road 789 in Bradenton Beach, from the Longboat Pass Bridge to the Bradenton Beach/Holmes Beach border.

In Holmes Beach, the study will continue along East Bay Drive to the Manatee Avenue intersection. The study area continues from the Manatee Avenue/Gulf Drive intersection and along Gulf Drive through Holmes Beach to the Gulf Drive/Palm Drive intersection. The study then continues along Gulf Drive to the Holmes Beach/Anna Maria border. The study area in Holmes Beach will not include Marina Drive or the portion of Gulf Drive between Walgreens and the West Coast Surf Shop. The Anna Maria commission is to decide if the study continues along Gulf Drive to Pine Avenue.

Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Executive Director David Hutchinson said the cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach requested the study and FDOT decided to include the Anna Maria portion of Gulf Drive as well.

Fox said the cities can use the study results to pursue state and federal funds to implement the potential street and right-of-way improvements identified in the study.

Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy reminded Cox that the city, not the state, owns the portion of Gulf Drive located in Anna Maria and has owned it since the state turned over ownership and maintenance of that road in the early 1970s. Murphy said the city has already studied and improved the city’s portion of the road.

Murphy asked Cox if the city can opt out of the study. Cox said the city can.

Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said the goal is to come up with a consistent design that meets FDOT’s basic complete street standards which include sidewalks, multi-use trails, crosswalks and more.

“This complete streets study is clearly about safety and mobility, and having this information so funding can hopefully follow to move forward and do something,” Chappie said.

Holmes Beach Commissioner Dan Diggins asked why Marina Drive is not included in the study area. He was told safety and drainage improvements have already been made there.

Commission briefed

During the May 15 city commission meeting, Murphy briefed the commissioners about the proposed study. He said he received the latest version of FDOT’s 46-page scope of services document the previous evening and would send it to them. Murphy asked the commissioners to review the proposed study for further discussion and decision-making on Thursday, May 25.

The FDOT document is titled “Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Studies Barrier Island Complete Streets Improvements.” It lists two main project objectives – implementing recommendations made in the previously completed Barrier Island Traffic Study and reducing flooding along the Gulf Drive/SR 789 corridor.

Murphy told the commission he’s not a big fan of these types of studies and he’s seen three or four studies done on the Island in the past that have not yet resulted in any significant follow-up action.

In 2014-15, the three Island cities and Manatee County partnered on a $125,000 Island-wide Urban Land Institute study which to date has not produced any significant study-related actions.

Murphy referenced the Sarasota-Manatee Barrier Island Traffic Study initiated in 2016 and completed in 2020 that recommends extending the Manatee Avenue right turn lane near the Manatee Avenue/Gulf Drive intersection, which has not happened yet.

According to the traffic study-related phase 2 report dated 2018 and posted at the MPO website, FDOT plans to include the Manatee Avenue right turn lane extension as part of the future Anna Maria Bridge replacement project that currently has no announced start date.

When contacted after he reviewed the FDOT plans, Murphy said, “It’s up to our city commission to decide if the city wants this to go forward. I have thought all along that it was odd for FDOT to come into a city and do a study without first at least discussing what is being studied and why. I am comfortable that we now have it under control and the commission will make that decision Thursday night.”

Center soccer kicking toward championships

Center soccer kicking toward championships

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

ANNA MARIA – With all three soccer leagues winding down at The Center, the championship games are in sight for the youth and adult Island ballers.

Last Tuesday night the number one and two seed teams in the 8- to 10-year-old league had a bye week as their reward for finishing the regular season on top. The Cheesecake Cutie team finished number one with 15 points in the season and a 5-1-0 record.

The Sato Real Estate squad came in a close second with 12 points and four wins in the six-game regular season.

Four scorers put up the points for team Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control last week to put the team into the next round of playoffs. Wesley Bekkerus, Madeline Kimmons, Maggie Niedzwick and Callin Westfall each made a goal against AMI Coconuts goalkeeper Andre Harwood.

The Westfall offense kept Harwood on his toes during the first-round playoff game, making 10 saves in the match. In the opposite goal, Westfall is credited with a save, along with teammate Kason Price’s seven stops.

Scoring the lone goal for AMI Coconuts, TJ Hagey and his teammates could not get past their opponents’ defense and find the net.

Westfall’s Lawn Care took on Sato Real Estate Monday in the first youth semifinal game. In the second game this past Monday, Cheesecake Cutie played team Island Real Estate, the winner of the second quarterfinal game last week.

In post-regulation time penalty kicks, Island Real Estate secured the second semifinal slot, winning against Solid Rock Construction.

Before the PKs, each team scored a single goal. Solid Rock’s Matthew Darak and Island Real Estate’s Preston LaPensee took the teams to a kickoff to determine who played the Cheesecake squad.

With seven and eight saves respectively, goalies Isaac Roadman, for Solid Rock Construction, and Miles Moss, for Island Real Estate, helped secure the overtime play.

Solid Rock Construction’s Elijah Roadman made the only PK for his team. Under the pressure of overtime play, Owen Mahoney and Jordy Perez each made their penalty kicks, helping to secure Island Real Estate’s place in the semifinals.

The winners of the league go head-to-head on May 23 at 6 p.m. in the final game of the season.

The 11- to 13-year-old teams finished their regular season games last week with Gulf Drive Café defeating Shady Lady Horticultural Services 4-3 and HSH Designs winning over Moss Builders 5-2.

Monday night the Gulf Drive team was scheduled to play team Shady Lady in the semifinals. The other semifinal matchup put HSH Designs against Moss Builders to determine the championship game scheduled for May 23 at 7 p.m.

Adult co-ed soccer semifinal play last Thursday night saw the second seed Pool America winning by one goal against the eighth seed Moss Builders.

In the second game of the night, Vintage Beach, ranked seventh, beat the third seed Sandbar Seafood & Spirits 6-3.

The Paul “Ace” Hayward championship game is scheduled for Thursday night at The Center to end another season of soccer on the Island.

 

 

Sun Scoreboard

May 16

8- to 10-year-old League
Round One Playoffs

 

#3 Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control 4

#6 AMI Coconuts 1

 

 

#4 Solid Rock Construction 1

#5 Island Real Estate 1 – Winner in PKs 3-2

 

11- to 13-year-old League
Week 7

 

 

#1 Gulf Drive Café (5-1-1) 4

#4 Shady Lady Horticultural Services (0-6-1) 3

 

 

#3 HSH Designs (3-2-2) 5

#2 Moss Builders (3-2-2) 3

 

May 18

Adult Co-Ed Soccer
Semifinal Playoff Games

 

#5 Pool America 2

#8 Moss Builders 1

 

 

#7 Vintage Beach 6

#3 Sandbar Seafood & Spirits 3

Castles in the Sand

Too good to give up

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

According to Lawrence Yen, whom I quote frequently, “It’s a unique market condition.”

Coming from the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, this is saying something considering all of the other unique markets we’ve lived through. This particular unique market is the continuation of a lack of inventory even though sales are down in most areas of the country including many parts of Florida, as well as ours.

The problem is that a large portion of homeowners in the country don’t want to sell. This group may actually want to sell and move on to a larger family home or retire to a smaller home, but they feel they are locked into very low-rate mortgages. The “golden handcuffs” homeowners find themselves locked into are keeping the supply of homes for sale unusually low.

The lack of properties is not the first time this has happened. The sub-prime mortgage crisis slowed things down, as did COVID-19 when buyers rushed to snap up larger homes when remote work and school necessitated more family space.

So, what happens when supplies go down or at least don’t go significantly up? Supply and demand kicks in and prices go up. A healthy housing market is traditionally described as having four to six months’ supply of homes. Right now, Manatee County is at 2.7 months for single-family homes.

However, builders are getting a boost from the lack of resales and are starting to build again now that the supply chain is improving. And home improvement contractors are also benefiting since those homeowners who are staying put are expanding and remodeling.

According to the mortgage data firm Black Knight, as of March 31, nearly two-thirds of primary mortgages had an interest rate below 4%. In addition, about 73% of primary mortgages have fixed rates for 30 years; these mortgages are “golden” and something homeowners won’t easily give up. Current mortgage rates are approximately in the mid-6% range and have fortunately been steady for a while.

The April sales statistics for Manatee County were released at the end of last week so it’s time to report what the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee published.

Single-family homes in Manatee County hit a record median sale price of $570,000, 10.7% more than in April last year. This surpasses the previous record for median home prices, meaning so far, our local market continues to be strong relative to the country as a whole. Here’s the rest of the story.

Single-family homes closed with 4.3% fewer properties from April of last year. The median sales price was $570,000, up 10.7% from last April, and the average sale price was $735,779, up 0.9%. The median time to contract was 28 days versus five days last year. New pending sales were up 30.2% and the month’s supply of properties was 2.7 months.

Condos closed 15.8% fewer properties from April of last year. The median sales price was $380,795, up 8.8%, and the average sale price was $452,160, up 12.9%. The median time to contract was 27 days versus five days last year. New pending sales were up 4% and the month’s supply of properties was 3.5 months.

One of the advantageous side effects of this unique market is the fact that in spite of inflation and job layoffs, the housing market and housing prices may stay strong nationally. Not great news for marginal buyers or first-time buyers, but buyers with equity from a previous home and income to cover the additional mortgage rates will keep things afloat.

Unique can be a good or a bad thing; either way, we’re still struggling with a lack of inventory.

Curse of the first continues for Center soccer

Curse of the first continues for Center soccer

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

ANNA MARIA – The adult co-ed recreational soccer playoff games kicked off last Thursday night at the Island’s community center. After seven weeks of exciting soccer play, eight teams battled it out in four action-packed matches.

To start the night at The Center, first-seed Duncan Real Estate took the field as the team to beat, losing only one game in the regular season. Their opponent, the last-place Moss Builders team, had nothing to lose and a seat in the semifinals to gain with the win.

With friends and family cheering on both sides, the underdogs Moss Builders ended the first half of play with a two-goal lead against the Duncan squad.

The Duncan team struggled to click as a team in the game. Moving the ball down the field was an effort against a motivated Moss Builder defense.

After nearly two halves of play in the heat of the early evening, the game was tied with only minutes left in the game.

Duncan Real Estate goalkeeper, Charles “Tuna” McCracken, uncharacteristically let two soccer balls past him with an absent defense at the end of the game. McCracken finished with seven saves, letting five go.

McCracken’s Moss Builders’ counterpart David Moss had eight big stops to help his team to victory.

The hard strikes of Adam Bujarski and Gerardo Urbiola Bolanos, each with two goals in the quarterfinal game, helped the Moss team advance in the playoffs. Teammate Cemal Duzgun scored a solo goal in the match.

Duzgun and Pedro Gonzalez are credited with assists in the goal scoring for Moss Builders.

Despite the defeat, the Duncan Real Estate team put three points on the scoreboard. Team captain Kevin Roman scored his last two goals of the season and Erica Nielsen had a nice goal for Duncan. The offensive efforts, including assists by Tyler Brewer and Murat Akay, just were not enough to give their team a W.

Moss Builders moves on in the playoffs, facing Pool America at on Thursday night, May 18, at 7 p.m. at The Center. Pool America beat Gulfview Windows & Doors after a tie in regulation play.

After eight PK shots, Pool America came out on top, with goals by Nate Welch, Eduardo Schlueter and Jamie Hutchison. Dean Hinterstoisser, as the third shooter for Pool America, surprisingly missed his shot.

Keith Mahoney, shooting for Gulfview, was the only one of the four shooters for his team to make the shot.

Goalkeepers Mark Long, for Gulfview Windows & Doors, and Pool America’s Robb Marshall, both made critical stops for their teams with six and seven saves, respectively.

In other adult soccer semifinal playoff action, the Sandbar team faces the Vintage Beach squad in the semifinals at 8 p.m. this week. Vintage Beach defeated Sato Real Estate by one goal, while the Solid Rock Construction team lost to Sandbar Seafood & Spirits with a final score of 5-3.

This week in youth soccer, the 8- to 10-year-olds started league playoff action on the small pitch. The 11- to 13-year-old league finished their regular season games on Tuesday and will start playoff play next week.

As the summer heat approaches, spring soccer at The Center starts coming to a close with championship play in the coming weeks.

 

 

Sun Scoreboard

May 9

8- to 10-year-old League
Week 7

#3 Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control (3-2-1) 2

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

#5 Island Real Estate (2-4-0) 3

#1 Cheesecake Cutie (5-1-0) 0

#2 Sato Real Estate (4-2-0) 4

#6 AMI Coconuts (0-4-1) 2

11- to 13-year-old League
Week 7

#3 HSH Designs (2-2-2) 3

#1 Gulf Drive Café (4-1-1) 3

#2 Moss Builders (3-1-2) 2

#4 Shady Lady Horticultural Services (0-5-1) 2

May 11

Adult Co-Ed Soccer
Quarter Final Playoff Games

#8 Moss Builders 5

#1 Duncan Real Estate 3

#7 Vintage Beach 5

#2 Sato Real Estate 4

#3 Sandbar Seafood & Spirits 5

#6 Solid Rock Construction 3

#4 Gulfview Windows & Doors 3

#5 Pool America 3 – winner in PKs 3-1

Non-conforming lot ordinance on hold

Non-conforming lot ordinance on hold

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

ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria City Commission is delaying action by a month on a proposed ordinance pertaining to multiple non-conforming lots located on a single property.

The commission reached this decision, in part, because adopting the proposed ordinance would almost certainly subject the city to Bert Harris claims filed by negatively impacted property owners. Restrictive language contained in hurricane relief-related Senate Bill 250 also factored into the decision.

Proposed ordinance

In March, the planning and zoning board voted 2-1 in favor of recommending city commission denial of the proposed ordinance, Ordinance 23-914.

On May 11, the city commission discussed the proposed ordinance on first reading.

Section 114-135 of the city’s code of ordinances currently says non-conforming lots that don’t conform with the city’s minimum lot size and area requirements may be built upon as long as the proposed construction complies with all spatial and bulk requirements and all other regulations applicable to conforming lots and parcels.

The proposed ordinance contains new language that states “If two or more platted lots have been combined or used together at any time for a unified development or recognized as one lot under a single parcel ID, such combined lots shall not be utilized separately for use as individual lots for construction unless each individual lot is conforming as to minimum dimension and lot area at the time of requested development or redevelopment.”

Non-conforming lot ordinance on hold
City Planner Ashley Austin presented the proposed ordinance to the city commission. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

When presenting the proposed ordinance amendment to the commission, City Planner Ashley Austin said it would provide consistency with the comprehensive plan which establishes a maximum density of six dwelling units per gross acre and a minimum lot size of 7,260 square feet.

Austin said the proposed amendment would only affect existing non-conforming lots that have been combined by a unified development, with the most common scenario being a single-family home built over two lots.

“Those lots would be deemed non-conforming,” Austin said. “Many of these lots in question are approximately 5,000 square feet.”

City Attorney Becky Vose addressed the legal concerns that would be created by SB 250 if Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the proposed legislation into new state law.

Vose referenced the following language that she said was buried in the appropriations bill: “A county or municipality located entirely or partially within 100 miles of where either Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole made landfall shall not propose or adopt any moratorium on construction, reconstruction or redevelopment of any property damaged by Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole; propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan or land development regulations; or propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning review, approval or issuance of a site plan, development permit or development order before Oct. 1, 2024. Any such moratorium or restrictive or burdensome comprehensive plan amendment, land development regulation or procedure shall be null and void. This subsection applies retroactively to Sept. 28, 2022.”

“Anna Maria is within 100 miles of that landfall. If this gets signed, jurisdictions within that distance on both the east coast and the west coast have to put a pause on changes to their comp plan and land development regulations if they result in something more restrictive or burdensome,” Vose said.

Mayor Dan Murphy said SB 250 contains $60 million in state appropriations for communities damaged by the two hurricanes and that makes it highly unlikely that DeSantis will veto the bill.

“Our chances of stopping this are slim and none,” he said, noting the city still needs to confirm whether Anna Maria is within the 100-mile range of Hurricane Ian’s landfall, as calculated by the state.

Commissioner Jon Crane asked Vose about the risk of Bert Harris claims being filed against the city if the proposed ordinance is adopted.

Enacted in Florida in 1995, the Bert J. Harris Jr. Private Property Protection Act provides relief for property owners aggrieved or inordinately burdened by the actions of the state or a local or county government.

Vose said existing city code allows the owner of two or more existing split lots to build on those lots even if they’re smaller than the currently required minimum lot size.

Vose also said a recent change in state law now requires the losing party to pay all the winning party’s attorney fees associated with a Bert Harris claim, beginning with the filing of the claim.

“I would anticipate that we would get significant Bert Harris claims,” Vose said. “It would be a pretty expensive proposition to do this.”

Public input

During the March planning and zoning board meeting, longtime Anna Maria resident and former city commission and planning board member Doug Copeland expressed his opposition to the proposed ordinance. He said he and many other property owners would file Bert Harris claims against the city if the proposed ordinance is adopted.

Non-conforming lot ordinance on hold
Former city commissioner Doug Copeland urged the city commission to reject the proposed ordinance. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

During Thursday’s meeting, Copeland said he and his wife, Pat, have owned their property since 1974 and their property contains a house on one lot and a garage on the second lot.

“We’ve always assumed that we would be able to sell or build on the second lot. My daughter expressed interest in building a second home on that property. I’m sure everyone who owns these properties always assumed there’s a certain value in that second, third or fourth lot,” Copeland told the commission.

Copeland said there are at least 500 lots in Anna Maria that are smaller than the currently required minimum lot size and imposing new restrictions on 37 property owners isn’t going to resolve that concern.

“This is a prime example of an inordinate burden. I spoke to a land use attorney. He said that ordinance reads like a textbook case for Bert Harris,” Copeland said.

Copeland urged the commission to discontinue further discussion on the proposed ordinance that would subject the city to significant attorney fees and potential settlement costs.

The commission then reached a consensus to continue the first reading of the ordinance and take no further action for at least a month.

Proposed vacation rental legislation fails

Proposed vacation rental legislation fails

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

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Legislature has failed in its efforts to preempt the regulation of short-term vacation rentals to the state.

During the 60-day legislative session that concluded on May 5, the Florida Senate and House of Representatives both proposed preempting the regulation of short-term vacation rentals (also known as transient public lodging establishments) to the Florida Department of Professional and Business Regulation (DBPR).

Doing so would have severely limited city and county governments’ ability to regulate and inspect short-term vacation rentals at the local level. The proposed legislation would have prohibited city and county governments from imposing and enforcing occupancy limits and would have also ended their ability to regulate and enforce short-term vacation rental advertising by online platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo.

Florida law defines a transient public lodging establishment as any unit, group of units, dwelling, building or group of buildings rented to guests more than three times in a calendar year for periods of less than 30 days or one calendar month, whichever is less; or which is advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests.

On April 27, the Senate adopted SB 714 on third and final reading by a 28-10 margin. Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) and Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) voted in favor of the proposed legislation.

On May 3, the House voted 73-39 in favor of adopting on third reading an amended version of House Bill 833. Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) voted in favor of the proposed legislation.

According to Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, a last-minute amendment made to the House bill would have prohibited local governments from suspending for any reason a locally issued vacation rental registration or license.

Proposed vacation rental legislation fails
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy led the city’s opposition efforts. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

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The House amendment resulted in HB 833 no longer being an identical companion bill to SB 714, which in turn resulted in the non-matching House and Senate vacation rental bills both dying. If matching House and Senate bills had passed through their respective governing bodies, the legislation would have been sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis for him to veto or sign into new state law.

Using the city’s contracted lobbyist and the city-owned Home Rule Florida website, Murphy, the Anna Maria City Commission and City Clerk LeAnne Addy led the statewide opposition to the proposed vacation rental legislation. According to Addy, the Home Rule Florida website generated and resulted in approximately 40,000 opposition emails being sent to state legislators during the past two months.

Proposed vacation rental legislation fails
City Clerk LeAnne Addy manages the city’s Home Rule Florida website. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

When contacted Friday, Murphy shared his thoughts on the failed legislation.

“We are pleased that the vacation rental legislation died a natural death. It was poorly thought out and would have been unenforceable by the state,” he said.

“At the same time, we realize this issue will come back again even stronger next year. So, we’re preparing for that fight now. HomeRuleFl.com served a vital role in getting the word out, not just locally, but across the state as well. We plan to expand our coverage over the next few months so as to have greater coverage and an even more diverse universe of users interacting with our website,” Murphy said.

Castles in the Sand

Packing up the wealth

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

Pity the poor governors of some of the large metropolitan areas in the Northeast, West and Mid-west. Specifically, New York and Illinois, where their mostly wealthy and upper-middle-class residents are packing their bags and their money and heading to other states where they think they will be more appreciated.

The IRS’s adjusted gross income statistics show a startling pattern of migration within the United States; two of the most astounding states are Illinois and New York. The IRS data shows a net 105,000 people left Illinois in 2021, costing the state approximately $10.9 billion in adjusted gross income. That’s up from $8.5 billion in 2020 and $6 billion in 2019. New York’s income loss increased to $24.5 billion in 2021 from $19.5 billion in 2020, and $9 billion in 2019. In addition, California lost $29.1 billion in 2021, more than triple what it did in 2019.

By comparison, the lowest tax states kept adding income even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Florida, a state with zero income tax, gained $39.2 billion, up from $23.7 billion in 2020, and $17.1 billion in 2019. The states that contributed the most to Florida’s billion-dollar bonuses were New York, Illinois, New Jersey and California. Florida certainly isn’t alone – many other low-tax states like Texas, Arizona and Nevada have also benefited from this wealth migration. In addition, Florida and other low-tax states led the country in job growth. Florida’s employment grew 4.5% over the past year and Illinois’ gain was 2.2%.

As great as Florida’s wealth gain is, we have dropped out of the Emerging Housing Markets Index compiled by Realtor.com. Although Florida regions have typically been in the top 10, in some of our smaller and growing areas they are not within the top 10 on this most recent index. This is the good and the bad of being a very popular state. Everything becomes more expensive and housing costs, as we all know, are not nearly as affordable in Florida as they once were.

The first quarter index indicates that buyers demand affordable homes and most of these are in the small Midwest cities. The top-ranking area is Lafayette, Indiana and the 10th ranking is the Manchester-Nashua, New Hampshire region. The index ranks the 300 biggest metro areas in the United States. In addition to housing market indicators, the index incorporates economic and lifestyle data. Real estate taxes, unemployment, wages, commute time and small business loans are all factored in.

Finally, I would be remiss not to point out that as of May 1, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the quasi-government agency that controls and insures most of the residential mortgage financing in the country, has changed some of the agency’s mortgage pricing.

The new rules add fees for many borrowers with high credit ratings and large down payments and use them to reduce the cost of borrowing for those with lesser credit ratings and smaller down payments. There is a formula that factors in the borrower’s credit rating and the down payment, but the spirit of the change is to support lower-income homebuyers who, in the opinion of the Federal Housing Finance Agency that regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have the “financial capacity to sustain a mortgage.” Congress is naturally taking a look at this new fee schedule and comparing it to the subprime debacle prior to the 2006-07 financial meltdown.

Next time one of the high-tax states evacuees move in next door, greet them and their bags of money. Florida has indisputably changed from when my parents moved here in the 70s and I’m pretty sure they would think it’s a good thing. My father always said Florida has the best roads in the country. He should see the traffic now.

Vacation rental bills reach final votes

Vacation rental bills reach final votes

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Manatee County.

ANNA MARIA – Local governments, including those on Anna Maria Island, are in danger of losing their ability to regulate short-term vacation rentals at the local level.

Using a contracted lobbyist and the city-owned Home Rule Florida website, the city of Anna Maria is at the forefront of the statewide opposition to the Florida Legislature’s efforts to preempt short-term vacation rental regulations to the state; and specifically, to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) that already requires short-term vacation rentals to be registered with the state.

On April 27, the Florida Senate adopted by a 28-10 margin the final amended version of Senate Bill 714. Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) and Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) supported SB 714.

The matching and accompanying House bill, HB 833, is scheduled for a final vote of the House members this week. During a previous committee stop, State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) supported the bill.

If the House joins the Senate in adopting the proposed legislation, the matching bills will be sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto the legislation or sign it into new state law that would take effect July 1.

The state preemption of vacation rental regulation would apply to short-term vacation rentals, also known as transient public lodging establishments, rented for less than 30 days more than three times a year, or advertised as such.

Commission concerns

During the Anna Maria Commission’s April 27 meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy referenced a late amendment made to SB 714 before the Senate adopted it.

The amended Senate bill would allow a local government to suspend, terminate or refuse to issue or renew a locally-issued vacation rental registration if the vacation rental premises, owner or operator has been found by a local code enforcement board to have violated a registration requirement.

The registration could also be suspended if two more violations of a local law or regulation that does not apply solely to vacation rentals occur within a 90-day period. This would include noise ordinance violations. The local government would be required to first issue a written warning or notice and provide the rental owner or management company the opportunity to cure the violations before suspending or terminating the rental registration.

Vacation rental bills reach final votes
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy has been at the forefront of the city’s vacation rental-related legislative battles this year and in years past. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“It’s a glimmer of hope. You could suspend a vacation rental registration for two violations of noise, two violations of our code over a 90-day period,” Murphy said.

A vacation rental registration could also be revoked if a city or county lien has been placed on a vacation rental property and the lien remains unpaid and unaddressed.

Murphy planned to meet with City Attorney Becky Vose the following day to get a better understanding of how these amendments would impact the city’s vacation rental enforcement efforts if the legislation is enacted as state law.

With the Senate bill already adopted, and the House bill scheduled for a final vote, Murphy said the city’s best hope may lie with DeSantis vetoing the legislation.

Commissioner Charlie Salem, a former congressional aide, suggested asking the city’s lobbyist to provide the city with a list of DeSantis’ top supporters so the city and its supporters can ask them to encourage the governor to veto the legislation.

Vacation rental bills reach final votes
Anna Maria Commissioner Charlie Salem suggested appealing to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ top supporters. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“I think the only way we get this vetoed is if the top supporters of his go to him physically and tell him this is a terrible idea,” Salem said.

Potential impacts

The legislation proposed by SB 714 and HB 833 would eliminate or reduce a city’s ability to regulate short-term vacation rental occupancy limits. It would also eliminate or reduce a city’s ability to monitor, enforce and eliminate fraudulent online advertising by advertising platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo and the city’s ability to annually inspect short-term vacation rentals.

The proposed legislation would also cap the annual registration fee imposed by local governments.

According to SB 714, “Local governments may charge a fee of no more than $150 for processing an individual registration application or $200 for processing a collective registration application for up to a total of 25 individual vacation rentals.”

The city of Anna Maria currently imposes occupancy-based registration fees that range from $336 per year for a vacation rental that allows four occupants, $1,010 for vacation rental that allows 12 occupants and $2,440 for a vacation rental that allows 29 occupants.

During the current fiscal year, Anna Maria’s registration fees are expected to produce approximately $415,000 in annual revenues for the city. Registration revenues are only supposed to be used to enforce the city’s vacation rental ordinance. Those revenues fund code enforcement officers and vehicles, annual inspections, monitoring of online advertising platforms and the administrative and legal costs associated with enforcing the city’s vacation rental ordinance.

Opposition efforts

On Saturday and Sunday, the Home Rule Florida website issued email calls to action to its subscribers. The emails and the website note HB 833 is headed to the House of Representatives for a final vote.

“Nobody wants to live next door to a ‘Party House’ and this bill allows Airbnb, Vrbo and any other vacation rental marketing platform to cram as many people into a house as they see fit! The bill waters down, and in many cases, strips away your local government’s ability to register, inspect, control occupancy or regulate false advertising in the burgeoning vacation rental industry. Please let the House of Representatives know how you feel by sending an email to them. Join your neighbors in opposing this bill,” the email says.

The email letter template posted at the Home Rule Florida website for immediate distribution to the House members echoes those sentiments.

The 2023 legislative session is scheduled to end on Friday, May 5.

Letter to the Editor: Island Shopping Center needs sprucing

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

The appearance and condition of the Island Shopping Center in Holmes Beach does a disservice to the entire AMI community. The cement sidewalks in front of the stores and restaurants are a disgrace. The signage on the businesses is boring, providing minimal value to the attractiveness of the center. The parking areas, particularly adjacent to the cement sidewalks, are full of sand and dirt. I recently witnessed a worker blowing sand, attempting to clean the parking area with an electric blower. How ludicrous is that? It’s like trimming your large shrubs with a pair of scissors.

In contrast, the condition of the shopping plaza on East Bay Boulevard is a testament to cleanliness. The plaza also has landscaping that is meticulously maintained. The cement sidewalk is power washed frequently (I believe weekly) by a professional service. The signage adds a spark to the overall appearance.

Holmes Beach and Manatee County have spent millions upgrading our city center with sidewalks, pavers, palm trees, flowers and lighting. The people responsible for the appearance of the Island Shopping Center should step up to the plate and demonstrate they care about our city.

 

Pat Annese

Holmes Beach

Castles in the Sand

One country, two housing markets

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

The trend has been obvious for a while, east coast versus west coast with COVID-19 accelerating the movement. In fact, the March sales statistics are still showing that home prices are declining the most in the western part of the country.

Since the 1990s, the western part of the country, particularly California and Washington, enjoyed a steady run up of growth because of the technology industry. Now the areas most closely associated with the tech industry have the fastest falling home prices.

The eastern part of the country is still attracting companies, adding jobs and keeping the real estate market thriving. Florida in general, including Orlando, Miami, Tampa and other southern markets, is in the lead. However, even northern east coast areas like Connecticut are attracting families who have decided cities may not be the place to raise a family.

According to Black Knight, a research strategy company, this geographical diversity is very unusual and possibly unprecedented. Housing analysts say they have never seen anything quite like this where the division between east and west is so stark.

The National Association of Realtors reports that home sales fell across the country in March. Existing home sales decreased 2.4% in March from the prior month and 22% from a year earlier. Manatee County’s single-family properties had a 4.4% increase in sales in March compared to the previous year, the first year-over-year increase in sales since February of last year.

The market’s slowdown is starting to affect prices, which have fallen on an annual basis for two consecutive months for the first time in 11 years nationally. The national median existing home price in March was down 0.9% to $375,700. Manatee County’s median single-family home prices were also down by 6.3% to $491,988.

There is no doubt that Manatee County as a whole may be more valuable than the national market, but we are also experiencing longer times to sell and a downturn in values. However, the number of pending properties has gone up in Manatee by 7.9% compared to our surrounding areas. And the month’s supply of inventory continues to increase for both condos and single-family homes by triple digits.

The national housing market is still battling the increase in rising mortgage rates, high home prices and low inventory. In addition, a cooling economy with high inflation and the prospect of recession in the next year is keeping some buyers on the sidelines. Home prices are rising or at least stabilizing in regions where jobs are being added and housing is relatively affordable with the more expensive areas of the country adjusting to lower prices.

I recently read a United States Census Bureau report on Manatee County that will make everyone understand all the traffic we’ve all been complaining about and all the irritating construction. Manatee County has increased its population by 29,420 during the past three years, not including 2023. Since 2010, the population has increased by 106,292 and, as of the end of 2022, is 429,125, over 100,000 people in 12 years. Why do I think this is just the beginning?

Is it possible that we’ve hit the bottom and the only way now is up? Maybe, we can certainly strive for that. It is certain that the market is not as competitive as it was last year and even though inventory is still historically low, it is steadily increasing.

Island Players prepare final play of season

Island Players prepare final play of season

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – The Island Players, Manatee County’s oldest community theater, plans to go out with a bang this season.

After directing “The Psychic,” the final play of the 2021-22 season, James Thaggard returns to close out another season with a show he says will bring plenty of laughs involving a unique stage design essential to the plot.

“Our set is two living rooms on one stage simultaneously, with dialogue happening in both, and not always at the same time during the play,” Thaggard said. “At one point we have the characters in both living rooms, but it’s Thursday in one room and Friday in another.”

The story of “How the Other Half Loves” is that of an upper-class couple in an upper-class house and a middle-class couple who live more modestly. Because of an affair, three couples wind up involved in a situation that Thaggard says will leave the audience in stitches. The play was written in 1970 by the prolific Alan Ayckbourn, and while Thaggard stuck to the script, he says sound was very important in this production. No spoilers, but he says audiences may catch some “audio Easter eggs” he personally added due to his fondness for that time in history.

“How the Other Half Loves” runs from Thursday, May 4 through Sunday, May 14, with daily performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. There are no performances on Mondays. Tickets are $25 at the box office and $27 online. The box office is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 941-778-5755 or visit theislandplayers.org.

Team Gulf Drive Café still undefeated

Team Gulf Drive Café still undefeated

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

ANNA MARIA – Coming into week three of youth recreational soccer play, the Gulf Drive Café team was on top with two wins. Their week three opponents, HSH Designs, earned a win and fought hard for a tie in the past weeks.

Keeping both teams’ goalkeepers busy, the offenses made shots past defenders for two halves of play.

The leadership of Cyrus Ryan in goal helped the Gulf Drive Café squad to their third victory. Listening to the chatter of Ryan, Gulf Drive players shifted and changed field position to keep the HSH team moving and guessing.

Ryan finished the game with six saves. His counterpart, Chase Castagna, fought hard in the net for his team, also closing out the match with six critical stops.

On offense for HSH, Cecelia Kroth made a beautiful goal, scoring her team’s only goal.

Gulf Drive Café selflessly passed the ball, getting the soccer ball to the feet of Theo Aupelle, Luke Dellenger, Josiah MacDonald and Jayden Sparks for goals. Kegan McGalde is credited with an assist in the game.

The scoring power of the 11- to 13-year-old league leader, Gulf Drive Café, was just too much for their week three opponent.

Going into the coming week, the teen league’s Shady Lady Horticultural Services looks for their first win. Last week, the squad came close with a 3-2 loss against the Moss Builders team.

Moss Builders finished the week with a 1-1-1 record.

As the season approaches the playoffs, the oldest youth recreation league championship game is still in reach for all four teams at The Center.

 

 

Sun Scoreboard

April 18

8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE
Week 3

 

 

Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control (1-2-0) 3

Island Real Estate (1-2-0) 1

 

 

Cheesecake Cutie (3-0-0) 3

Sato Real Estate (2-1-0) 1

 

 

Solid Rock Construction (2-1-0) 5

AMI Coconuts (0-3-0) 1

 

 

11- TO 13-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE
Week 3

 

Gulf Drive Café (3-0-0) 4

HSH Designs (1-1-1) 1

 

 

Moss Builders (1-1-1) 3

Shady Lady Horticultural Services (0-3-0) 2

 

 

April 20

Adult Co-Ed Soccer
Week 5

 

Gulfview Windows & Doors (1-3-1) 6

Vintage Beach (1-3-1) 5

 

 

Pool America (2-3-0) 7

Solid Rock Construction (3-2-0) 3

 

 

Duncan Real Estate (3-1-1) 6

Sato Real Estate (2-2-1) 2

 

 

Sandbar Seafood & Spirits (4-1-0) 4

Moss Builders (2-3-0) 1

Opposition to vacation rental legislation continues

Opposition to vacation rental legislation continues

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

ANNA MARIA – City officials continue to lead the opposition to proposed state legislation that would curtail local governments’ ability to regulate short-term vacation rentals.

Senate Bill 714 and House Bill 833 seek to preempt the regulation of vacation rentals to the state, specifically to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).

According to the April 15 staff analysis provided to House of Representatives Commerce Committee members, HB 833 would still allow local governments to create local vacation rental registration programs and charge an annual registration fee, but the fees could not exceed $50 to register a single vacation rental home or unit, or $100 to collectively register vacation rental homes or units.

The proposed legislation would make the regulation of online vacation rental advertising platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo exclusively the state’s responsibility and take enforcement abilities away from local governments.

The staff analysis notes the proposed legislation would not supersede the authority of condominiums, cooperatives or homeowners’ associations to restrict the use of their properties and prohibit short-term vacation rentals.

Legislative actions

On April 12, HB 833 successfully passed through the House Ways & Means Committee by a 13-10 vote. State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) was among the 13 members who voted favorably on the bill.

HB 833 previously successfully reported out of the House’s Regulatory Reform & Economic Development Subcommittee on March 29.

The bill was scheduled to be discussed and potentially voted on by the House’s Commerce Committee on Monday, April 17, the third and final committee stop for the bill before it can be brought to the floor for a final vote by all House members.

SB 714 was scheduled to be discussed and potentially voted on by the Senate’s Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government Committee on Tuesday, April 18. This is the second of three committee stops scheduled for the Senate bill.

On May 13, SB 714 successfully passed through the Senate’s Regulated Industries Committee by a 5-2 vote.

The proposed legislation dies if it does not successfully pass through three preliminary committees. The 60-day legislative session is scheduled to end on May 5.

Local concerns

Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy provided the city commission with an update on the city’s opposition efforts on April 13, noting the issue is the city’s primary legislative focus this year.

Murphy referenced the emails and letters that continue to be sent to state legislators through the city-owned and managed Home Rule Florida website, www.HomeRuleFl.com.

“It’s very impressive the amount of mail that this little city has generated. It didn’t all come out of this city. It comes from across the state because of our website. The lobbyist has assured me our efforts have not gone unnoticed, but we need to keep the pressure on,” Murphy told the commission.

“This thing is sailing through the House and the Senate along party lines. The Democrats are voting no and the Republicans are all voting yes. If it sails through along party lines, which it very well might do, it’ll then go to the governor’s desk for signature. If the governor sees that we already have all these letters, he’s going to think twice before he would sign off on it knowing there’s mass opposition amongst the public,” Murphy said.

Murphy said it’s premature to start lobbying Gov. Ron DeSantis before the proposed legislation reaches his desk.

“The governor’s not going to interfere in the legislative process,” Murphy said. “We need to save our thunder for when and if this thing gets to his desk. That’s when we really need to put a full-court press on.”

Commissioner Charlie Salem asked if the city’s lobbyist has at least informed DeSantis that the proposed vacation rental legislation might be headed his way. Murphy said that’s a good idea.

Murphy implored the city commissioners to urge their constituents to continue sending emails and letters to the Senate and House committee members who will determine whether the proposed bills make it to their respective floors for a final vote.

Murphy said the city’s recent labeling of the proposed legislation as a “party house bill” has gained a lot of traction in Tallahassee.

City Clerk LeAnne Addy and her staff manage the Home Rule Florida website that issues email updates and calls to action to those registered to receive them. The website contains pre-formatted email messages users can use to quickly and easily contact multiple state legislators at one time.

During the April 13 meeting, Addy said HomeRuleFl.com users have sent 30,489 emails to state legislators since the legislative session began in March.

“I’m very impressed by the work LeAnne and the mayor are doing,” Commissioner Jon Crane said. “I’m very impressed with the use of party house branding for this issue.”

“It takes away our right to regulate occupancy and they can jam as many people into a house as they want,” Murphy said in response.

Commissioner Deanie Sebring said most people who vacation in Anna Maria don’t want to stay next to a “party house.”

“If I was going on vacation and renting a house, I wouldn’t want all that madness next to me because it would ruin my vacation,” she said. “If you want to party, don’t rent a place in Anna Maria. Rent it someplace else.”

“It’s a family destination,” Commission Chair Mark Short added.

Gulfview rallies to tie Duncan

Gulfview rallies to tie Duncan

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

ANNA MARIA – With the completion of week three of the adult co-ed soccer spring season, team Gulfview Windows & Doors is still in search of their first win. The team fought back on April 13 against Duncan Real Estate with hard-striking goals by Keith Mahoney to tie the ballgame 5-5 in the last minutes of the match-up.

Duncan Real Estate’s team captain, Kevin Roman, started the scoring in the game early in the first half, kicking in his only goal in the game. Despite the single goal, Roman worked the soccer field both on offense and defense, giving his teammates scoring opportunities.

Javier Rivera scored the second goal for Duncan with a shot ricocheting off the left post. The third goal, shot by Nicholas Cavalluzzi, kept the Duncan Real Estate squad in the lead.

Working the field, Mahoney scored a total of four goals in the game for Gulfview Windows & Doors, with a single by Kris Yavalar.

Rounding out the goal-making for Duncan Real Estate, Murat Akay shot the next goal, taking the score to 4-2. Shooting the fifth goal, Akay gave his team a two-point lead, after a Gulfview goal.

Duncan goalie, Charles “Tuna” McCracken, despite his amazing saves, saw his team’s lead diminish as Mahoney scored the tying goal. Finishing the game with 15 saves, McCracken continues to be one of the toughest goalkeepers in the league.

McCracken’s counterpart, Mark Long, made 17 saves in the game, always keeping the Duncan team in the Thursday night battle.

With the tie, team Duncan Real Estate moves into third place along with Sato Real Estate with a 2-1-1 record. The Vintage Beach team tied the Sato squad with four goals each.

Sandbar Seafood & Spirits holds on to the top spot with a win over Pool America by one goal. Solid Rock Construction shares the top spot with the Sandbar team, earning nine points in the season.

Going into the fifth week of play, Moss Builders has a 2-2-0 record after losing to the Solid Rock team.

More than mid-way through the season, the top position is still up for grabs. All eight teams in the league continue to vie for the championship title.

 

 

Sun Scoreboard

April 11

8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE
Week 2

 

 

Cheesecake Cutie (2-0-0) 3

Island Real Estate (1-1-0) 0

 

 

Solid Rock Construction (1-1-0) 2

Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control (0-2-0) 1

 

 

Sato Real Estate (2-0-0) 5

AMI Coconuts (0-2-0) 0

 

 

11- TO 13-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE
Week 2

 

 

HSH Designs (1-0-1) 4

Shady Lady Horticultural Services (0-2-0) 2

 

 

Gulf Drive Café (2-0-0) 4

Moss Builders (0-1-1) 1

 

April 13

Adult Co-Ed Soccer
Week 4

 

 

Gulfview Windows & Doors (0-3-1) 5

Duncan Real Estate (2-1-1) 5

 

 

Solid Rock Construction (3-1-0) 4

Moss Builders (2-2-0) 3

 

 

Vintage Beach (1-2-1) 4

Sato Real Estate (2-1-1) 4

 

 

Sandbar Seafood & Spirits (3-1-0) 3

Pool America (1-3-0) 2

Mote Marine facility opening May 5

Mote Marine facility opening May 5

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

ANNA MARIA – The grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Mote Marine education outreach center on the City Pier remains on track for Friday, May 5.

The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in City Pier Park, across the street from the pier, and be followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the pier entrance.

During the April 13 city commission meeting, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said invitations were sent to Anna Maria city commissioners and other city and county officials.

Murphy expects the ceremony to last approximately 45 minutes. After the mayor’s introductory remarks, Mote Marine President and CEO Dr. Michael Crosby will speak. Some of the attending city and county officials may also make brief remarks.

Portions of Pine Avenue, North Bay Boulevard and South Bay Boulevard will be closed during the ceremony.

The grand opening ceremony is open to the public and the Mote Marine education outreach center will open to the public right after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Featuring live and virtual marine life exhibits, the outreach center will then be open daily at no cost to the public.

At the recommendation of the Manatee County Tourist Development Council, the Manatee County Commission provided $500,000 in county funds for the interior buildout of the city building and the installation of the Mote Marine exhibits. Mote Marine is leasing the city building rent-free but will operate and staff the outreach center at its own expense.

“This has been a long, long, long, long, long time coming. We’re finally here,” Murphy said. “We’re at the cusp of opening it up and I’m really excited. I think it’s going to bring a lot to the city in terms of education. When we pursued this, it was about awareness and education.”

Murphy referenced the commission discussions and public debate that ensued in 2020 and 2021 and pertained to whether the larger of the two city-owned pier buildings should be leased to a full-service restaurant operator or be used for some other purpose. After multiple efforts to secure a restaurant operator fell short, the commission majority decided to pursue the Mote Marine facility instead.

“Do we have hamburgers or do we have knowledge? We opted for knowledge,” Murphy said of that decision-making process.

Commissioner Robert Kingan noted the city actually got both because the smaller pier building is already leased to the operators of the City Pier Grill & Bait Shop.

Kingan said he visited the pier facility the previous day and saw workers installing the backgrounds and displays associated with the live and virtual exhibits.

“I think it’s going to be a resounding success,” Kingan said.

“It’s all about public awareness and knowledge and research. The pier is the jewel of this city and has been for over 100 years. We’re dedicating it to science and research and knowledge about the environment and clean water,” Murphy said.

Commissioner Jon Crane said, “I, for one, am absolutely thrilled.”

“It’s exciting for it to finally be open,” Commissioner Deanie Sebring added.