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One parking lot meets city deadline; three closed

One parking lot meets city deadline; three closed

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – One of four paid parking lots owned by Shawn Kaleta was brought into compliance by the city’s Sept. 9 deadline for adherence to several requirements.

The applicants opted to close the remaining three lots at 102 Third St. N., 206 Bay Drive N. and 207 Church Ave.

Seven months after the city commission conditionally approved a one-year temporary use permit for paid parking at 101 Bridge St., all requirements there have been met, according to city Building Official Darin Cushing.

City commissioners voted unanimously on Sept. 5 to remove the sidewalk installation stipulation for the temporary use permits at Kaleta’s paid parking lots on Third Street and Bay Drive.

Sam Negrin, manager of Beach to Bay Investments Inc., a Kaleta-owned entity, told commissioners at the Sept. 5 meeting that Kaleta plans to build homes on the lots and said permits will be submitted within a couple of months.

“The permit packages are being worked on at this point,” Negrin said.

“The applicants for the temporary use parking lot permits came to last Thursday’s commission meeting to ask for a modification of their stipulations, essentially to not install sidewalks on the Third Street and Bay Drive lots as was originally stipulated,” Cushing wrote in a Sept. 11 email to The Sun. “The commission agreed, and that stipulation was removed.”

But on Sept. 9, Cushing said the applicants emailed city staff informing them that they now intended to terminate the operation of paid parking lots at those lots as well as the Church Avenue lot.

The parking lot stipulations from the Feb. 15 commission approval of the Bridge Street parking lot include no entrance or exit from Bridge Street, the installation of directional arrows, landscaping less than 3 feet high, a sidewalk north of Third Street South to hook into the corner sidewalk on Gulf Drive, trolley benches and a slab, and black and white signage, in addition to review and approval of the site plan by the building official. The one-year temporary use permit runs through Feb. 15, 2025.

In an Aug. 1 letter to Kaleta, Cushing wrote that he intended to barricade the lots on Aug. 9 with a permanent closure deadline of Sept. 6 if all the stipulations had not been met. The deadline was extended to Sept. 9 to allow for the repair of a leaking artesian well at 101 Bridge St.

The parking lots were barricaded by the city on Aug. 9, but reopened the following day after intervention by Kaleta’s Bradenton attorney, Louis Najmy.

City reduces sidewalk requirement for parking lots

City reduces sidewalk requirement for parking lots

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners approved a request last week to remove one of the requirements for two paid parking lots owned by developer Shawn Kaleta.

Sam Negrin, manager of Beach to Bay Investments Inc., a Kaleta-owned entity, spoke to commissioners at a Sept. 5 meeting about a sidewalk installation stipulation at the 102 Third St. N. and 206 Bay Drive N. parking lots.

“I’d like to apologize for how this whole situation has gone down from the start,” Negrin said. “We took the lots back over and we’re back on track and I’ve been working daily with Darin (city building official Darin Cushing) to get the parking lots up to the standards that you’re requiring making sure we’re meeting all your regulations.”

He then addressed the sidewalk stipulation that had been put in place in March by the commission.

“Essentially what’s being requested is these two very small patches of sidewalk at the ends of the two properties, abutting up against Third Street North,” Negrin said. “From my talks with Darin and his talks with the police chief, it seems the general consensus is these sidewalks might not be the greatest set of ideas, for a couple of reasons.”

Negrin said that Kaleta plans to build homes on the lots and that permits will be submitted within a couple of months.

“The permit packages are being worked on at this point,” Negrin said. “Within several months they will no longer be operating as parking lots. The point of this is to walk through this with you and see if it’s something you want us to rush into place for our deadline next week. It’s something that we can do. We’re just questioning whether that’s something you’re looking to have done.”

“You’re saying you’re going to build in a couple months? December?,” Commissioner Ralph Cole asked Negrin.

“No it’s a much longer process,” Negrin said. “We’ve had these plans in the works, they’re now out of the design phase. And we’re working on the permit packets to submit to Darin. He should see the permit submissions within the next couple months.”

Once the plans are submitted and approved, the temporary use permits on those lots will end, according to the stipulations that were put in place for approval in March.

“They serve their purpose for just a short couple months,” Negrin said. “We could start laying the sidewalks tomorrow, that’s not really the issue. The issue is does the city really want to have them?”

“My only concern is we’re getting ready to redo our entire stormwater system and I’d hate to see spot sidewalks all over the city that we’re probably going to wind up ripping out because we’re going to put pipe,” Bradenton Beach Police Chief and Interim Public Works Director John Cosby said. “We have lengthy conversations about mid-block swales to divert the stormwater that is coming. So until we know where we’re actually going to put our stormwater system, that may change the thought that the sidewalk needs to be at the pavement or it needs to be put further back in the right of way. I think there needs to be a little more thought on this.”

City commissioners voted unanimously to remove the sidewalk stipulation for temporary use permits for paid parking at lots on 102 Third St. N. and 206 Bay Drive N.

Homeowners’ property erroneously named in Kaleta lawsuit

Homeowners’ property erroneously named in Kaleta lawsuit

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Business, Real estate | Development.

BRADENTON BEACH – Two city homeowners were surprised to see their property erroneously identified in a July lawsuit filed by Easy Parking Group (EPG) against developer Shawn Kaleta.

“I’ve never had any dealings with Shawn Kaleta or the parking company,” Mark Dexter, owner of 206 Church Ave., told The Sun on Aug. 30.

The Sun published a story on July 29 about the lawsuit complaint, which listed Dexter’s address as the location of a parking lot. The suit was filed in the 12th Judicial Circuit Court on July 18 and claimed fraudulent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment and breach of agreement by Kaleta and his Beach to Bay Investments Inc.

Easy Parking Group is represented in the lawsuit by Sarasota-based attorney Bailey Lowther.

“This may well be a mistake on my part,” Lowther told The Sun on Aug. 30. “I haven’t amended the complaint to verify the correct addresses.”

The suit followed the termination of Josh LaRose’s EPG parking management contract by Kaleta. LaRose is seeking damages in excess of $50,000.

The lawsuit alleges that Kaleta falsely represented that he, or Beach to Bay, owned or controlled the various properties in which EPG provided parking management and operation services. In that complaint, eight properties are listed, including the Church Avenue property owned by Dexter and Maria Trim.

It’s unclear what property Lowther intended to include in the lawsuit.

“EPG does not know if the actual legal property owners are even aware that their properties were used as private parking lots or if they received any portion of the resulting revenues,” according to the lawsuit.

EPG asked the court to order Kaleta to immediately identify the actual owners of each of the properties where EPG provided or agreed to provide parking management and operation services, identify the revenues, if any, received by each property owner from the operation as parking lots, and indemnify EPG from any actions brought by or damages owed to the actual owners of the subject properties.

City imposes deadline to close parking lots

City imposes deadline to close parking lots

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – With city-imposed closure deadlines looming, time is running out at Shawn Kaleta’s four paid parking lots.

City commissioners put multiple conditions in place before granting temporary use permits for the paid parking lots; 101 Bridge St. was approved with stipulations on Feb. 15 and 206 Bay Drive N., 207 Church Ave. and 102 Third St. N. gained approval, also with stipulations, on March 21.

Most of the agreed-upon conditions remain unfulfilled, according to City Building Official Darin Cushing. In an Aug. 1 letter to Kaleta, Cushing said he intends to barricade the lots on Aug. 9 with a permanent closure deadline of Sept. 6 if all the stipulations have not been met.

Cushing’s letter reads in part: “To date, very few, if any of these stipulations have been met, first and foremost, the presentation of Professionally Designed Site Plans in order to demonstrate that all of the other stipulations are being adhered to.”

Cushing noted in his letter that the commission approved the applications for temporary use permits contingent on administrative site plan approval by the building official.

“The actual permits have never been approved and are currently sitting in an ‘under review’ status,” he wrote. “Furthermore, the parking lots have all been in operation since February of this year, technically illegally, as they have never been approved by the Planning and Zoning Department.”

Cushing wrote that the applications for these temporary use permits were submitted “after the fact,” as the paid parking lots were all created and put into operation prior to any application being made to the department.

Cushing closed the letter with: “We have no choice but to close the parking lots for use, until such time that we receive the required documentation, and all of the above-mentioned stipulations have been met. We will be barricading the entries and covering the pay kiosks and signs on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. If by Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, we have not received 100% compliance with the stipulations for approval, we will revoke the applications, and all of the modifications that have been made on these parcels will have to be removed.”

Sam Negrin, manager of Kaleta’s Beach to Bay Investments Inc., responded on Aug. 2 to The Sun’s request for comment by text: “Our new parking management company, Island Parking, has taken over as of July 12th and has been working diligently to get the city’s requests completed. We look forward to meeting all of their requirements to remain operating.”

STIPULATIONS FOR APPROVAL

All the temporary use permits for the four lots were granted for one year. Stipulations included a review of a professionally-prepared site plan by the building official, active insurance to be carried by the property owner and production of a business tax receipt to the city clerk. The plans to be submitted to the building department are required to include requested parking spaces, golf cart parking dimensions, ADA compliance and adequate ingress and egress.

The parking lot stipulations for approval at 101 Bridge St. included no entrance or exit from Bridge Street, directional arrows, landscaping less than 3 feet high, sidewalk installation north of Third Street South to hook into the corner sidewalk on Gulf Drive, trolley benches and slab, black and white signage and review of site plan by building official. The one-year temporary use permit runs through Feb. 15, 2025.

There currently remains a driveway leading onto Bridge Street from the parking lot, the sidewalk and slab have not been installed and there are no directional arrows. A leaking artesian well is in the process of being capped.

Some of the stipulations for 206 Bay Drive N., 102 Third St. N. and 207 Church Ave. include the building owner submitting a building permit application or land development approval request within eight months of the temporary use permit approval, permits that will expire on March 21, 2025, and a limit on the number of parking spaces to be approved by the building official on a site plan.

A sidewalk is to be installed along Church Avenue with details to be approved by the building official for the Church Avenue lot, along with landscape buffering and the installation of a privacy fence along the northern and southern property lines. A sidewalk is to be installed along Third Street North along with landscape buffering for the 102 Third St. N. lot.

LaRose sues Kaleta over parking contract termination

LaRose sues Kaleta over parking contract termination

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Following Shawn Kaleta’s termination of Easy Parking Group’s (EPG) contract to manage a Bridge Street parking lot, EPG owner Josh LaRose has filed a lawsuit against Kaleta and Beach to Bay Investments Inc. seeking damages in excess of $50,000.

The lawsuit, filed in the 12th Judicial Circuit Court on July 18, claims fraudulent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment and breach of agreement. The summons was served on the registered agent for Beach to Bay Investments, attorney Louis Najmy, on July 25. He has 20 days from then to respond on behalf of Kaleta, the president of Beach to Bay Investments. Kaleta is the only principal listed for the LLC on the Florida Division of Corporations website.

LaRose entered into the agreement on Jan. 12 with Beach to Bay Investments to provide management and operation services in exchange for a percentage of the net revenues generated by Kaleta’s parking lots, after agreed improvements and startup costs were repaid by Kaleta and basic operating expenses deducted from the gross revenues.

The initial term of the agreement was one year, with termination permitted without cause after the first six months with 30 days written notice.

On June 11, LaRose received a letter from Beach to Bay Investments Manager Sam Negrin terminating the agreement effective July 12, six months from the contract’s inception.

Negrin wrote The Sun in a text message on July 28 that EPG owes money to Beach to Bay.

“We are surprised they sued in response to our letter seeking payment,” he wrote. “We look forward to resolving the issues and recovering the funds owed to us.”

BREACH OF AGREEMENT CLAIM

The letter to LaRose states in part, “All meter equipment, signage, parking equipment and other equipment installed on the parking lots must be removed by July 26, 2024 or they will become the property of Beach to Bay Investments Inc.”

The suit claims that immediately after sending the notice of termination, and prior to July 12, Beach to Bay and/or Kaleta entered the parking lots and removed EPG’s parking app signs, installing new signs with instructions for making payment using a payment app, QR code or Text to Pay system with payments sent directly to Kaleta or his affiliate. Replacement parking meters also were installed and tape was placed over EPG parking meters, according to the complaint.

“The agreement prohibits Beach to Bay from terminating the services prior to July 12, 2024 and also prohibits the removal of parking meters and payment signage installed by EPG,” according to the complaint.

FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION CLAIM

The lawsuit alleges that Kaleta falsely represented that he, or Beach to Bay, owned or controlled all the properties on which EPG provided parking management and operation services.

“Shortly after entering into the agreement, Kaleta, the president of Beach to Bay, tore down various structures on three additional properties immediately adjacent to 219 Gulf Drive S. (the property identified in the agreement), namely 101 Bridge St., 105 Bridge St. and 106 Third St. S., and asked EPG to expand its parking management and operation services onto the newly empty land. Kaleta did not tell EPG that the adjacent properties were legally separate and distinct from 219 Gulf Drive S., with different municipal addresses and owners, but rather represented that they were part and parcel of 219 Gulf Drive,” the complaint states.

“EPG does not know if the actual legal property owners are even aware that their properties were used as private parking lots or if they received any portion of the resulting revenues,” according to the complaint.

EPG asked the court to order Kaleta to immediately identify the owners of each of the properties where EPG provided or agreed to provide parking management and operation services, identify the revenues, if any, received by each property owner from the operation as parking lots and indemnify EPG from any actions brought by the owners of the properties.

EPG also provided parking management and operation services for Bradenton Beach properties at 206 Church Ave., 207 Church Ave., 102 Third St. N. and 202 First St. N.

The Manatee County Property Appraiser’s office website lists the owner of 206 Church Ave. as D&C Properties of Tampa LLC, with Maria Trim and Mark Dexter of Tampa as principals.

“While all of the properties but one (219 Gulf Drive S.) are owned by LLCs that are effectively owned, at least in part, and/or managed by Mr. Kaleta, Easy Parking Group provided its services under the impression that all of the properties were owned exclusively by Mr. Kaleta and/or Beach to Bay Investments Inc.,” LaRose’s Sarasota-based attorney, Bailey Lowther, wrote in a July 27 email to The Sun. “Accordingly, all of the parking revenues from the various lots paid by EPG were deposited into the same bank account, presumably belonging to Beach to Bay. If Beach to Bay failed to distribute those revenues properly, i.e. to the LLCs that owned the parking lot properties, EPG potentially faces claims from those LLCs.”

If one or more of those LLCs has members other than Kaleta, Lowther said it raises potential questions that include whether or not all the members of the LLC knew and consented to the property being used as a parking lot, and whether the LLC members received their fair share of the revenues.

“Depending on the ownership and operating agreement of each particular LLC, if the answer to any one of the questions is ‘no,’ my client could very well be sued by one or more of the LLC property owners,” she wrote.

Beach to Bay’s Negrin disputes the claim that Kaleta was using properties he wasn’t entitled to use.

“He is either the owner or agent of all of the properties,” Negrin told The Sun on July 27.

“With respect to 219 Gulf Drive S., which is owned by AMI Plaza LLC, Mr. Kaleta told my client, and the agreement specifically states, that property was owned by Beach to Bay Investments Inc.,” Lowther wrote. “Also, all of the questions above, and my concerns about the potential liability of my client, are applicable to the owner/landlord of 219 Gulf Drive S.”

According to the Florida Division of Corporations website, the owner of AMI Plaza LLC is Firkins Nissan. Registered agent William Saba confirmed in a July 27 telephone interview with The Sun that Kaleta leases the property from him.

“We have a written lease agreement,” Saba said. “Shawn is entitled to use the property.”

UNJUST ENRICHMENT CLAIM

“EPG, in providing its parking management and operation services, including but not limited to undertaking and incurring inception and start-up activities and costs, to Beach to Bay and Kaleta, conferred benefits on Beach to Bay and Kaleta,” according to the lawsuit complaint. “The reception and retention of the benefits conferred by EPG by Beach to Bay and Kaleta is inequitable unless Beach to Bay and Kaleta are required to pay EPG for the value of the benefits.”

Commission terminates parking talks with Kaleta

Commission terminates parking talks with Kaleta

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners voted unanimously on July 18 to terminate parking lot management agreement discussions with Beach to Bay Investments Inc. for a paid parking lot between Church and Highland Avenues.

Beach to Bay, with Shawn Kaleta as president, was the sole bidder in the city’s Request for Proposal 2024-03 to improve the city parking lot and begin charging for parking. The lot is located directly across from the city’s Public Works department.

At the beginning of the July 18 city commission meeting, Mayor John Chappie showed a PowerPoint presentation with pictures he had taken of the 101 Bridge St. lot showing flooding caused by a leaking artesian well.

The Bridge Street parking lot is owned by Kaleta and was approved for temporary use by the city in February, subject to stipulations that have not been met, Chappie said.

“I would like to start out with some things. In my reviewing of the information and from past meetings and documentation and materials that have been provided, I continue to have concerns with the proposed agreement,” Chappie said.

Chappie read from the proposed parking lot management agreement.

“In starting with the parking lot management agreement itself in particular it states, ‘whereas the parties hereto being of like mind and intent believe that the provision of quality, attractive, landscaped and paid parking facilities will advance their common goal,’ ” he read. “I don’t believe we are of like mind or intent and I say that after going through and looking at the four previously approved temporary use parking that have been made by the city of Bradenton Beach.”

Chappie was referring to parking lots at 102 Third St., 206 Bay Drive, 207 Church St., and 101 Bridge St.

“All four of these temporary use permits that have been previously approved are operating right now but none of the properties have followed through with or completed the required stipulations,” Chappie said.

He concluded his presentation with pictures of the flooding at the Bridge Street parking lot caused by a leaking artesian well.

“Again, the pictures clearly show they haven’t followed through at any of the places with the stipulations and guidelines we put forward in making that approval,” Chappie said. “All these properties are owned by the same corporation or individual. I’m not satisfied at all with the management of the properties. On this basis, I’ve come to the conclusion I don’t see how we can possibly go through with this agreement with someone who I don’t consider to be qualified from past experiences.”

Chappie also noted a discussion from a previous meeting about a cap on parking rates at the public works lot.

“I listened to the tape again and Sam (Sam Negrin of Beach to Bay) did make a statement which I took to offer up about the cost that would be charged per hour,” Chappie said. “I think Jan (Commissioner Jan Vosburgh) mentioned it and Ralph (Commissioner Ralph Cole) mentioned it as well that Sam stated that the $5-$10 range that Beach House is charging, somewhere in that range would be fair.”

NO SITE PLAN, NO DEAL

Chappie said that Building Official Darin Cushing had not received a requested site plan for the parking lot.

“The normal everyday operations of public works and the police department are a top priority. With the drawing we did have I know it would negatively impact the operations of public works and PD to some degree as well,” he said. “These are the reasons I don’t feel comfortable with the management choice, I was okay with it at first, but looking back at the examples of their operations in the city, I don’t think we should enter into an agreement for the cell lot.”

Commissioner Ralph Cole, who moved to terminate discussions with Beach to Bay, agreed with Chappie.

“I have to agree with you about the other parking lots and the fact that the same company hasn’t done what they said they were going to do,” Cole said. “What’s to prevent them from putting food trucks in other parking lots?“

A food truck has been parked at the Bridge Street lot for about the past week.

“We still don’t have a site plan, so we really don’t know what we’re looking at in a permanent way and I’m really not comfortable with the pricing,” Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce said.

Vosburgh said she’s always felt uncomfortable about approving the agreement.

During public comment, Ingrid McClellan, vice chair of the Scenic WAVES committee, spoke.

“I had a concern with the parking lot on Gulf Drive. That’s on the Bradenton Beach Scenic Highway and that does not look scenic at all,” she said.

In response to a question from Scaccianoce as to whether the commission could terminate the discussion, City Attorney Ricinda Perry advised the commissioners.

“Under the RFP process, it puts the city in a position of we have to negotiate in good faith, so then the question becomes has the city negotiated in good faith up to this point? Part of negotiations is the city doing its homework and making sure whatever it is purchasing and contracting for, it meets your expectations,” she said.

Perry commented on the photo of the flooded lot on Bridge Street.

“I would note that the image before you that is not after a rain, that is an existing concern that the city has put in writing and asked to have that remediated a number of times,” she said. “The artesian well has not been fixed and water continues to go down the public streets. Also, you can see the overgrowth, the haphazard poles, the lack of appropriate ground cover and there were other stipulations that have not been met.”

She said she and the mayor have had discussions about other uses that are coming onto the site.

“When you see that your expectations are not being met, on not one thing, not two, not three, but more than four, it does raise the question can they meet your expectations? One of the CRA goals is to beautify the district and, as Ingrid said, this certainly is not scenic. This is not beautification that meets the expectations of this board.”

“With (the city’s) appropriate due diligence and that there has not been appropriate follow through with site plans, and with the existing parking lots, I believe that we have negotiated in good faith,” she said. “I believe that you’re in a position now where you could essentially terminate negotiations that have failed and you could articulate what those reasons are.”

She said the three reasons are that expectations have not been met, the requirements of a site plan and the requirements established and articulated by the building official have not been met, and commissioners do not feel that they could come to terms with the amount charged.

“I feel very comfortable that the city is in a good position to terminate the negotiations based off the discussion today,” Perry said.

Kaleta and Negrin were not at the meeting and did not respond to requests for comment by The Sun.

City threatens shutdown of Bridge Street parking lot

City threatens shutdown of Bridge Street parking lot

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – A city-threatened shutdown of the paid parking lot at 101 Bridge St. prompted its management to begin to fix one long-standing issue, but due to non-compliance with other city requirements, a temporary closure of the lot may still be imminent, according to the city’s building official.

The property, owned by developer Shawn Kaleta, has been operational since earning commission approval in February for temporary use as a paid parking lot. That approval by the commission was conditional on stipulations, including the submission of a site plan, that have not been fulfilled, according to city officials.

“I gave them until last Friday, July 12 to get things tightened up, or we would barricade off the lot and not allow it to be used for parking until there was progress being made to rectify these issues,” Bradenton Beach Building Official Darin Cushing wrote in a July 15 email to The Sun. “The representative immediately responded and began working toward resolution and has been in daily contact with myself and the code enforcement officer, therefore we did not shut them down.”

On July 8, Cushing sent Kaleta’s representative, Sam Negrin, the following email:

“The Temporary Use Parking Lot is getting out of hand, yet again. If several issues are not addressed ASAP, we will be forced to barricade and close off the parking lot until they are addressed.

“First and foremost, the artesian well onsite is once again leaking and spreading water all over the lot, and down the street toward the Bay. It needs to be PERMANENTLY capped off immediately, not just temporarily.

“Electronic pay station kiosks have recently been added without any permitting. We were supposed to have been provided with a final site plan for the entire lot months ago as a condition of the temporary use that was approved in February.

“Again, we need a true site plan, prepared by a civil engineer, showing all of the dimensions, number and location of parking spaces, location of the added slabs, location of the pay kiosks and other signage, ingress and egress (traffic circulation), the post and rope that was installed, and anything else that has been added or modified since the lot(s) were vacant. A hand or computer-generated ‘sketch’ won’t cut it, we need a site plan.

“This parking lot has been in operation for five months now, during which time we have had to continually address the well issue. We’ve also asked multiple times for a site plan to be prepared and turned in for the temporary use permit file.

“Please make these things happen. If they have not, by close of business on Friday (7/12/24) of this week, the lot will be shut down, and the area barricaded permanently, and the temporary use permit revoked. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.”

“After I sent them the email, they did contract with someone to cap the artesian well. It’s been leaking for a long time,” Cushing said on July 16. “I still don’t have a site plan and there are other issues that haven’t been taken care of. I still may be shutting it down temporarily in the next few days until these things are done.”

Cushing said the artesian well is next to Florida Power and Light equipment and the repairs to the well need to be coordinated with the power company.

“That well needs to be dug deep,” he said.

UNMET STIPULATIONS

On Feb. 15, the city commission voted unanimously to approve the one-year temporary use permit for paid parking at the lot which encompasses 101 Bridge St., 105 Bridge St., 219 Gulf Drive S., and 106 Third St. S. with the following conditions:

• No ingress or egress from Bridge Street;

• Parking layout in accordance with the city’s land development code for parking drive aisle, parking bumpers and directional arrows;

• Turtle-friendly lighting at the lot management’s discretion;

• Landscaping buffering around the perimeter;

• Installation of a sidewalk on the north side of Third Street to Gulf Drive and Bridge Street at the corner of Gulf Drive to the boundaries of the Daiquiri Deck property;

• Installation of a concrete slab for trolley benches;

• CRA black and white signage; and

• ADA requirements by state and federal law for any parking spaces with a detailed site plan to the satisfaction of the building official.

In addition to the site plan not having been produced to the city, there currently exists ingress and egress from the lot to and from Bridge Street, landscape buffering has not been installed, no directional arrows are in place and the required sidewalks and concrete slab have not been installed.

Despite a statement made by Negrin at the February meeting that there would be no overnight parking at the lot, a food truck has been parked there for at least the past week.

Neither Negrin nor Kaleta responded to The Sun’s request for comment.

CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT

The parking lot was, up until the past week, managed by Easy Parking Group of Sarasota before the contract was terminated by Kaleta and new kiosks were put in place.

The new kiosks, which now say “Island Parking” show a parking rate of $15 per hour.

Josh LaRose, owner of Easy Parking Group, declined to comment on details of the termination.

“We did not do anything to default the contract with Shawn,” LaRose wrote in a July 16 email to The Sun.

LaRose wrote he was not responsible for the maintenance of the parking lot.

“My contract states that I’m only responsible for parking management, collecting payment and enforcement, which is what my company does,” he wrote.

During the February commission meeting, Negrin had stated that LaRose would hold the insurance on the property. With LaRose no longer affiliated with the management of the parking lot, it’s unclear who, if anyone, is carrying insurance.

CANCELED TAX SALE

A tax deed sale for past due property taxes on 101 Bridge St. was scheduled for Sept. 19 and according to the www.manatee.realforeclose.com website, the sale was canceled and the property was redeemed.

The assessed value of the property was listed at $1,086,406 and the opening bid for the tax sale was listed as $67,512.85 with 205 Sycamore LLC as the listed property owner. The manager of that LLC is Shawn Kaleta and the registered agent is Najmy Thompson, a Bradenton-based law firm.

City commissioners question paid parking contract

City commissioners question paid parking contract

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners took issue with multiple provisions of a proposed parking lot management contract between the city and Shawn Kaleta-owned Beach to Bay Investments Inc., opting to continue the discussion at a Tuesday, July 16 meeting.

At a March 7 commission meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a bid from Beach to Bay Investments, the sole bidder for RFP 2024-03, to manage the existing parking lot between Church and Highland Avenues by the Public Works Department in a 50/50 split partnership with the city.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry read the terms of the proposed contract to commissioners on June 20 and several of the provisions raised concerns among the commission.

One of the sticking points was a clause that stated in part, “All decisions as to changes, charges and rates, and the timing and modification of same during the term of this Agreement and extensions or renewals of same shall be made by the operator (Beach to Bay) in its sole discretion.”

Commissioner Ralph Cole said that stipulation conflicted with his recollection of the discussion of parking rates at the March meeting and he requested time to review the audio recording.

“I thought we had thoroughly discussed pricing in March,” Cole said.

“I hate to say this to a client, but an open-ended determination of the cost was agreed upon by the city,” Perry said. “Nothing in the RFP said it was capped. We’d have damages if we walked away.”

At the March 7 Commission meeting, the following discussion took place.

Mayor John Chappie said, “We’d like to look at a cap on what we charge per hour.”

Pricing would change during the time of the year, Beach to Bay Investment representative Sam Negrin said.

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh asked what the parking rates would be and Negrin said that was open to discussion with the city.

“That’s something we could certainly put a cap on,” Negrin said. “I don’t know what we’re going to charge there yet. The lot across from Beach House charges $5-$10 an hour, so I think it will be somewhere in that range.”

Cole said he would like to know what the hourly charges are in order to make a determination as to which of three offered partnership plans to accept.

Some of the other issues discussed by commissioners at the June 20 meeting were the costs to the city for termination of the agreement.

“Either party shall have the right to terminate this agreement with or without cause upon providing 30 days’ notice to the other party,” according to the agreement proposal.

Beach to Bay Investments will be improving the city-owned parking lot with paving and striping, landscaping, clearing of the lot, signage and installation of lighting and security cameras.

A discussion ensued as to when the city’s obligation for reimbursement for the improvements would be ended in the event of a termination of the agreement.

“We need to have a good number for the cost of the improvements,” Cole said. “I need to see all the numbers before the contract is signed.”

“We can come up with a number the city is comfortable with,” Negrin said at the meeting. “It can be made more specific.”

Perry said she had an issue with indemnification and insurance.

“They want to cap it at $250,000,” Perry said. “Our agreement with John Horne at AMOB is $1 million per occurrence. I have an issue with indemnification and insurance. That’s very important.”

Perry suggested resuming the contract discussion at a future meeting.

“Let’s carry this on to the next meeting,” Chappie said.

A motion to continue the discussion to the July 16 meeting was made by Commissioner Jan Vosburgh and seconded by Cole. The motion passed unanimously.

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Commission denies another parking lot

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners denied a temporary use application for a paid parking lot next to the Gulf Drive Café at an April 4 commission meeting.

The application for 900 Gulf Drive N. was submitted by applicant Joshua LaRose on behalf of property owner Wendy Kokolis.

Julian Botero represented the applicant at the commission meeting.

“We’re looking for paid beach parking, 27 spots on the south end of Gulf Drive Café at the white fenced-in lot,” Botero said. “This is a C-2 (commercial) zone, similar to everything else going on on the Island.”

Botero noted that the parking area would give visitors direct access to the beach.

“We got an application for a paid parking lot,” City Building Official Darin Cushing said. “This is again a case of where it got started before it was requested. We told them to halt construction, we had to have a permit.”

Mayor John Chappie cited a number of his concerns about the application.

The property is seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line, he said.

“Several state agencies need to chime in on this after-the-fact application. This is something we’re cracking down on,” Chappie said. “These are the problems you run into when you do something without asking and it creates problems with the city.”

The applicant requested that hours of operation for the parking lot be approved for 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and that it could be used as additional parking for the Gulf Drive Café.

“None of this jives. It makes me wonder what’s going on here,” Chappie said.

Chappie expressed concerns about the health, safety and welfare of the public in a high-density, high-traffic area.

“This is two blocks from the Cortez Road intersection, one of the busiest on the Island and the busiest in Bradenton Beach,” he said. “It’s high density with condos to the south. I’m concerned about that and the traffic.”

Chappie said there are no crosswalks in the immediate area, which has high pedestrian activity.

“I don’t see how the negative impact can be mitigated,” Chappie said, also taking issue with the proposed hours of operation and the potential for lights on the beach to disorient sea turtles during nesting season, which begins May 1.

Cushing said that the application for the parking lot would require approval from multiple agencies prior to the city considering approval.

“You’re under an FDEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) permit for an addition to the restaurant, this would require this as well,” he said. “There’s no way we can say yes. There’s the FDEP sea turtle division. SWFWMD (the Southwest Florida Water Management District) would also have to get involved. There are state agencies that have required permits before we can even take a look at this.”

PUBLIC OPPOSITION

During public comment, several people spoke in opposition to the application to which Botero replied, “We feel precedent has been set, such as the parking lot at the Beach House, which is the same dis tance from the Cortez Bridge intersection. We could change the time of operations,” he said. “City lights were attracting turtles. All the other lots that have been approved have been in residential areas. Ours is not.”

“When you’re dealing with a temporary use permit every application stands alone,” Chappie said, adding that not all applications for temporary parking have been approved, and those that were have come with stipulations to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry said Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby objected to the parking lot and said it would cause excessive vehicular traffic in the area.

“The chief specifically objected to turning on a southbound lane from a parking lot because it will likely back up traffic,” Perry said. “To travel in the northbound lane will require a vehicle to travel across three lanes of traffic and that is very dangerous, especially without traffic control devices.”

Perry added that without an FDOT study and without support of FDOT, the proposed parking would create a dangerous situation.

“People need to stop doing things before they come to the city, period, it’s not going to be tolerated. We have rules and regulations and we treat everybody the same according to our land development regulations and our comprehensive plan and it creates problems, and creates a tremendous cost to the taxpayers when things happen the way they should not happen,” Chappie said.

Commissioners deny paid parking lot

Commissioners deny paid parking lot

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners denied an application for a temporary use paid parking lot at 2509 Gulf Drive N. at their April 4 meeting.

The application, which stated the property was in an R-2 (residential) zone, was submitted by Rick Munroe, of Sarasota-based Palm Parking, on behalf of property owner Mark Toomey for a 19-space paid parking facility.

“We feel we’re providing a service for short-term accommodations,” Munroe said. “We’re asking for a 24-hour operation.”

“We have nothing that has been presented by FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation), FDEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection), SWFWMD (South Florida Water Management District)” – the state agencies that conduct review processes on such proposals, Mayor John Chappie said.

According to building official Darin Cushing, a site plan was not presented with the application.

“We need more documentation, a parking plan,” Cushing said. “We need a better idea of what the full plan is.”

Toomey said the site plan had been submitted with the application.

“I delivered the site plan myself. I don’t know how that piece of paper didn’t arrive. There’s two site plans on there,” Toomey said.

Toomey said he attempted to have a home built on that property four years ago and it was denied by the commission.

“The option is to have an additional 19 spaces here,” Toomey said. “Coquina Beach is full every day. We’re giving people an additional option. If I could have a permanent permit, I would do so. If that doesn’t work, I’ll have to sell it to one of the developers on the island.”

A copy of the site plan was then presented to commissioners at the meeting.

“I’m not sure how it wasn’t included in the package,” Cushing said. “I don’t know if we can consider it (the application) without the other agencies.”

“There’s a procedural component to offer the applicant the opportunity to continue this to the next commission meeting so the commission can review the site plan,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said. “The site plan for whatever reason didn’t make it into the packet, they’re entitled to have that reviewed by the commission. The proper step is to ask if they would like to continue this to the next meeting so the commission can receive and review the site plan or are they prepared to move forward and allow the commission to make their decision tonight?”

At that point, Toomey stated the property was in C-2 (commercial) zone, despite the application indicating it was in an R-2 (residential) zone.

“On your application, it clearly says R-2,” Chappie said. “What is your decision? Do you want us to proceed with the process here? Or have the opportunity to come back so we have a full packet?”

“You have the full packet,” Toomey said. “The site plan magically disappeared out of the application so I don’t think in two or four weeks you’re going to change your mind.”

“We’re not here to argue, we want to be sure it’s a clean presentation and have a key component of your application,” Chappie said.

“I don’t think we’ll be submitting any further paperwork with regard to the parking,” Toomey said.

Cushing characterized the site plan as a diagram showing spaces as they fit into the lot, without showing dimensions. He said the document did not show emergency vehicular access, ingress and egress, or a drainage plan. There was one handicapped-accessible parking spot shown.

Several people spoke during the public comment session of the meeting.

“We need a moratorium on paid parking because you’re going to set a precedent and wind up in litigation. If you give it to George you have to give it to John, and so on and so forth,” Bradenton Beach property owner Bob Bolus said, also asking the city to govern parking fees.

“I think it’s clear the applicant doesn’t have his ducks in a row until those other agencies are approached,” John Lutz said.

“There was a public comment stating the city is inviting litigation by issuing temporary use permits,” Perry said. “This does not invite litigation. Every single application is considered on an individual basis on the characteristics of the surrounding properties, the testimony from the public, the location. Everything is a specific decision. There is no precedent set approving one location and denying another.”

She also noted there is a Florida statute that preempts the ability of cities to regulate what anyone can charge for parking.

“You will have to make the decision based on testimony you received today,” Perry advised the commission.

“We don’t have information from FDEP, FDOT or SWFWMD,” Chappie said. “The site plan doesn’t provide adequate information to make a clear judgment.”

The applicant left the chambers prior to the commission vote in which commissioners Jan Vosburgh, Marilyn Maro and Deborah Scaccianoce along with Mayor Chappie unanimously voted to deny the application.

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Temporary paid parking vendors hired

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one.

Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and 206 Bay Drive N.

Businessman Joshua LaRose submitted a temporary use permit application for the parking lot at 109 Third St. N., which is owned by local restaurateur Ed Chiles.

Commissioners discussed each application individually with the parking lot discussion taking more than two hours for the property at 102 Third St. N., as it is in a designated R-3 residential zone.

“Each application will be addressed individually to protect the existing areas,” Mayor John Chappie said.

Evelyn Stob, a neighbor of the Third Street property, spoke in opposition to the application for a parking lot 102 Third St. N.

“Why are we allowing anyone and everyone to purchase a piece of property, demolish what it is and then say, ‘I need to make it temporary parking because I don’t know what I’m going to do with this lot,’ ” Stob said. “Now my residence is turning into a giant parking lot. It was purchased under R-3 zoning. I feel you have the right to say no.”

“In a way, you’re increasing heavily the traffic that’s going to be going through that neighborhood,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said. “We’ve got four or five of these and we’re changing the whole look. It’s not my vision of Bradenton Beach.”

“A temporary use may be just a little bit outside of what was anticipated in the zoning, but you do have criteria on what must be met. It can’t be obnoxious to the neighborhood. It can’t create a public health/safety/welfare issue,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said.

Referring to the city’s Land Development Code (LDC), City Attorney Ricinda Perry said, “I believe parking is contemplated for special permit uses because it talks about coffee shops, restaurants, cocktail lounges, retail shops and services and other similar accessory use, well parking is absolutely an accessory to a shop so I believe you can say parking could be contemplated as a special permit use here. You as a legislative body can say that’s not what that means, but then you have to explain why.”

“If we don’t think we have an allowable use, we have to build a case,” Chappie said. “We have to go by the LDC.”

Perry said the commission may add stipulations that will protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.

“The longer the day goes on, that’s all I can see now is parking lots. This is a beautiful place. Do we want parking lots all over the place?” Commissioner Jan Vosburgh asked, voicing concern that if a temporary use permit is approved for one year, the applicant may then ask for an extension.

Sam Negrin, who represented applicant Kaleta, spoke to the commission to alleviate those concerns and said the parking lot will be temporary.

“The properties were bought with the intention of building,” Negrin said. “This is a way to generate revenue in the meantime.”

A motion to approve the temporary use parking permit for 102 Third St. N. for temporary paid parking was passed unanimously with stipulations that include a limit to the number of motor vehicles to be approved by the building official, with no trailers, RVs, campers, buses, overnight parking or tailgating. The property owner will be required to submit a building permit application or land development approval request within eight months of approval of the temporary use permit and a requirement that insurance must be carried by the property owner.

The temporary use permit is valid one year from March 21 or upon the issuance of a building permit, whichever occurs sooner. Landscape buffering is planned along Third Street North via a landscape plan to be approved by the building official, and a privacy fence is planned along the east and west property lines. The installation of a sidewalk is also planned. A site plan is to be submitted to the building official.

The temporary use permit for paid parking was approved unanimously for 207 Church Ave. with similar stipulations for 102 Third St. N., including landscape buffering along Church Avenue and a privacy fence to be installed along the north and south property lines. The applicant may combine parking with 206 Bay Drive N. for purposes of parking, ingress and egress.

The temporary use permit application for 206 Bay Drive N. was approved unanimously with similar stipulations to 102 Third St. N. Hours of paid parking shall be from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

An application for temporary paid parking at 205 First St. N. was withdrawn by Negrin.

The application by Joshua LaRose for a temporary use permit for paid parking at a parking lot owned by Ed Chiles at 109 Third St. N. was denied unanimously by the commission after LaRose indicated that the parking lot may become permanent.

Chappie noted that the lot is in the emergency evacuation route for the south end of Bradenton Beach.

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Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation.

BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY?

A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one way to alleviate traffic and parking issues.

Brandt Clark, whose family owns Bridge Street Jewelers, read a prepared statement that said in part, “I recommend turning Bridge Street into a one-way street with all the parallel parking spots converted into diagonal parking.”

Clark said delivery trucks block half the street which causes a hazard to drivers and pedestrians.

“Everyone is aware of the parking issues in Bradenton Beach, as well as on Bridge Street. Currently, the street has about 12 parallel parking spots,” Clark read. “The spots are honestly too small, and result in cars not being able to fit, cars taking up multiple spots, cars getting locked in, and a lot of vehicular damage. I, myself, have been locked in by cars parking far too close to mine, as well as having my car hit at least a dozen times. By making the street one way, we can turn the parallel parking into diagonal spots.”

“This has been discussed over the years and the conclusion was not to,” Mayor John Chappie said, suggesting putting the topic on the agenda for the Community Redevelopment Agency.

“Let’s say we wanted to move traffic from west to east, for those 100 spots and everything else that comes down the road would be directed through The Pines and the neighborhoods and along Bay Drive where we have a lot of pedestrians,” Chief John Cosby said. “Do we want to move traffic to this area?”

Cosby said the current two-way traffic is a safer option.

“I don’t know how comfortable I am moving all this traffic into the neighborhoods,” he said.

When the city was reviewing Bridge Street, there was a substantial amount of time spent with engineers, Chappie, Cosby and the Public Works Department and through that collaboration, new signs were posted saying cars must fit completely inside parking spots, according to City Attorney Ricinda Perry.

“If you are over the lines you will get a ticket,” Perry said.

GOLF CART PARKING AT 301 GULF DRIVE S.

A request for a temporary use permit for golf cart parking at 301 Gulf Drive S., a vacant building, was approved by commissioners with conditions.

Use is limited to the storage of battery-powered golf carts; active insurance must be in place; the permit runs from March 21, 2024-Sept. 21, 2025; landscape buffering is required; a site plan must be submitted to city building department; all golf cart loading and unloading shall be onsite or along Third Street South; hours of delivery will be between 6:30-8 p.m.; use of the property is limited to employees and staff; a sidewalk will be installed along Gulf Drive and Third Street South with ingress and egress to be approved by the city building official; compliance with a triangle of visibility for drivers must be met, and a business tax receipt must be submitted to the City Clerk.

The application was submitted by Wendy Kokolis on March 5. Julian Botero and attorney Aaron Thomas represented the applicant at the commission meeting.

PICKLEBALL COURTS AT HERB DOLAN PARK

An anonymous donor has donated $24,000 for the expansion of two soon-to-be-built pickleball courts at Herb Dolan Park.

“We have a situation where we needed more funding and we had a bid in for $24,000. So we had a shortfall,” Mayor John Chappie said. “The City of Bradenton Beach is in possession from an anonymous donor for the full $24,000. We have the funding to expand it 10 feet and take care of amenities to expand it and make it nicer.”

Chappie said the court will be a first-class facility for all levels of pickleball players.

“Thank you to the angel that’s going to provide this for us,” pickleball player Kat Witt said during public comment.

The proposal from Stewart Tennis Courts & Fencing includes adding 10 feet of asphalt to the east side of the court and 4 feet to the back of the court, adding more fencing, installing four new net post anchors and adding color coats to the courts.

A motion to approve the change order for the pickleball courts was approved unanimously.

DONATE LIFE MONTH

A proclamation was passed designating April as Donate Life Month in Bradenton Beach, supporting organ donation through LifeLink of Florida and www.DonateLifeFlorida.org.

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach.

The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system that is capable of handling the current parking environment at six (6) municipal locations, a public street, and a future 7th site.”

Two bidders – Beach to Bay Investments and SP Municipal Parking – submitted proposals to the city by the Feb. 29 due date.

Representatives from both entities laid out their cases for approval at a March 19 city commission work meeting. A decision was deferred to the March 21 commission meeting where a choice between the two was expected to be made.

Instead, neither one of them was chosen. On March 21, Mayor John Chappie recommended having the city oversee paid parking without a vendor.

“The more I looked over two really impressive applications – each with a lot of plusses – I thought why have that third person? We’re talking about 75 parking spaces. I’m recommending we deny both of these and look at doing it in-house,” Chappie said.

The RFP 2024-04 went out for bid to provide paid parking in areas that included all of Bridge Street, an after-hours parking lot to the east and west side of the police department, the city hall parking lot, the area around the pickleball court on Highland Avenue (with free passes to pickleball players), the shared parking lot with Silver Resorts at First Street North, Gulfside parking spaces near the Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge and future options at the Tingley Library, if the building is raised to create parking.

“This is a big commitment to make, and once we do it, it’s done,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said. “There are a lot of unknowns and that’s what bothers me.”

“I think we should keep it in-house with the ability to go back and revisit the proposals,” Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce said.

During the public comment session, Shawn Kaleta, president of Beach to Bay Investments, addressed the commission.

“It’s an option for the city to review the idea to manage it – wise decision. However, while the RFPs are already in, select one if you don’t come up with a solution,” Kaleta said. “You’ve already done the RFP so maybe selecting which one works now so you don’t have to go through that process and take that time up at a later date. But obviously, it’s your property. If it’s best to manage it internally or try it, if it doesn’t work, then you have the RFP you can go back to on whatever terms you negotiate today. I think the big thing is liability… (cities) are not in the business of operating parking lots, they’re in the business of operating a city.”

“I respect the council’s decision,” said Will Gloor, regional manager for SP Municipal Services, offering consulting services if requested.

“The city needs to give a timeline to go back to the vendors,” Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said. “I think we’d be biting off more than we can chew.”

Chappie said he is leaning toward rejecting the bids.

“I’m leaning toward a clean slate,” Chappie said. “We may decide we don’t want to do it.”

City Attorney Ricinda Perry asked the board if the city had the funds available to prepare the lots in question for paid parking or whether this would come under the purview of the Community Redevelopment Agency.

“I think it’s the CRA,” Chappie said.

A motion was read to reject all bids submitted under RFP 2023-24 to direct the mayor to investigate and present a plan for municipal paid parking within 90 days to the CRA.

The motion passed unanimously.

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Commissioners consider more paid parking lots

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Following their approval to draft a contract with Beach to Bay Investments Inc. for a paid parking lot across from the Public Works Department, commissioners postponed a decision on March 7 on a second set of bids for paid parking in multiple city lots.

Request for Proposal (RFP) 2024-04 went out for bid to provide paid parking in areas that included all of Bridge Street, an after-hours parking lot to the east and west side of the police department, the city hall parking lot, the area around the pickleball court on Highland Avenue (with free passes to pickleball players), the shared parking lot with Silver Resorts at First Street North, Gulfside parking spaces near the Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge and future options at the Tingley Library, if the building is raised to create parking.

“On Bridge Street, the majority of people parking are employees there and shoppers can’t get a space,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said. “The parking near the Moose, those are prime beach spots.”

Perry said two bids were received.

“SP Municipal Services offered a 65/35 split to the city,” Perry said. “The city would receive 65% of net revenue. They haven’t told me costs.”

The second bidder, Beach to Bay Investments Inc., offered three choices. Developer Shawn Kaleta, president of Beach to Bay, is a principal in the recently-approved Bridge Street hotel resort project.

“They recognize they will be having the hotel up and operating with valet service, they would utilize their valet system to get people parked,” Perry said, adding they would provide shuttle and trash services.

Beach to Bay offered three options to the city. All of the options included the bidder taking on all improvement costs.

1) A lump sum payment of $100k per year;

2) An annual payment of $50,000 with 25% of profits;

3) A 50/50 split.

Beach to Bay asked for a 15-year lease term.

“That’s a lot to look at,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said. “I’d like to see more public input.”

Cole said he would like to know more of the operational costs.

“The costs of improvement are the responsibility of Beach to Bay, but will that be part of the profit costs?” Cole asked.

“My understanding is they’re eating that cost up front, but that needs to be fleshed out,” Perry said.

Cole said he would have a difficult time making such a big decision without additional thought and information.

“I think we’re all in agreement to postpone this to flesh out some things,” Mayor John Chappie said.

Commissioner Marilyn Maro, who telephoned into the meeting, spoke in favor of holding a work meeting.

“It’s such a big issue it needs its own one-agenda meeting,” Cole said.

“We will hold the selection of the bidder under 2024-04 in advance and to be considered in a work meeting to be scheduled by the city clerk,” Perry read as a motion.

The motion passed unanimously.

“We are under a cone of silence so the bidders may not communicate or lobby in any way shape or form,” Perry reminded commissioners at the conclusion of the meeting.

Commissioners approve paid parking lot

Commissioners approve paid parking lot

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners approved a bid from Beach to Bay Investments Inc. on March 7 to improve a city parking lot and begin charging for parking.

Request for Proposal 2024-03 pertains to the parking lot between Church and Highland avenues directly across from the city’s Public Works department.

“It is our public works parking lot, it is largely unfinished and was in need of someone to come up with a design,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said. “We received one bid that came in.”

Developer Shawn Kaleta is president of Beach to Bay Investments Inc.

Perry, Public Works Director Tom Woodard and City Treasurer Shayne Thompson evaluated the bid favorably based on background and experience, references, business plan, financials, bid details and project timeline.

Police Chief John Cosby participated in the evaluation by telephone.

“They came up with 21 standard spots, two ADA and 10 golf cart spots,” Perry said. “My understanding is if the city blesses the plan, they are prepared within a month’s time to get the construction completed on the site for paid parking.”

Three options were presented by the bidder for commission consideration, all with parking lot improvements to be made at the bidder’s cost.

1) A payment to the city of $48,000 per year;

2) A $24,000 lump sum payment annually to the city and 25% of the proceeds from the paid parking;

3) A 50/50 split of parking proceeds.

Perry said she, Woodard, Thompson and Cosby were leaning toward the second option, as it will provide guaranteed income to the city.

“We like that blended model, but this is all in your court to do anything you want,” Perry said.

Beach to Bay Investments asked for a lease term of 15 years and will provide insurance and indemnification, Perry said.

“The city needs flexibility, being committed for 15 years with no out is something that needs to be looked at by the city,” Perry said.

Sam Negrin, who represents Beach to Bay, spoke at the meeting.

“We own the property next door, the Bradenton Beach Marina,” Negrin said. “Part of our proposal was we’d like to offer nighttime security, 24/7 security to this parking lot as well.”

Negrin said the bidder is flexible as to terms.

“That 15 years, we might want to look at more of a trial period, less than 15, that’s for sure,” Mayor John Chappie said. “We’d like to look at a cap on what we charge per hour.”

Pricing would change during the time of the year, Negrin said.

“I think there needs to be a shorter term so we can make adjustments along the way, if need be,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said.

Cole questioned the ability of the city to track revenue and Perry said the city would have the right to audit.

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh asked what the parking rates would be and Negrin said that was open to discussion with the city.

“That’s something we could certainly put a cap on,” Negrin said. “I don’t know what we’re going to charge there yet. The lot across from Beach House charges $5-$10 an hour, so I think it will be somewhere in that range.”

Cole said he would like to know what the hourly charges are in order to make a determination as to which plan to accept.

“I like what I’m hearing so far,” Chappie said. “The security, the nighttime cameras, that’s big.”

Commissioners discussed the three revenue options as well as proposed lease terms and an exit plan for the city.

“I do take into consideration we’re getting the parking lot redone and that’s worth a nice chunk of money,” Chappie said. “I’m sure in the negotiation we’ll have a figure they’d like to recoup if we decide to part ways.”

The commission agreed to a five-year lease with options to renew twice at five years each.

Cole said he was in favor of the 50/50 split option.

“I’m fine with the 50/50 split,” Chappie said.

“If you charge $5 that’s $500 for eight hours – that’s good money,” Cole said.

Vosburgh agreed to the 50/50 split.

A fully negotiated contract will be presented at the next commission meeting, Perry said.

“A motion to accept the recommendation to evaluate Beach to Bay as the number one bidder for RFP 2024-03 public parking and to select Beach to Bay for parking services under RFP 2024-03 and to direct the city attorney to prepare a contract with Beach to Bay,” was read by Perry and was approved unanimously by commissioners.

Commissioner Marilyn Maro telephoned into the meeting.