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AMOB pier improvements making headway

AMOB pier improvements making headway

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The Anna Maria Oyster Bar (AMOB) took a few more steps in the ongoing process to make several improvements to its Bradenton Beach Pier-based operation.

Led by company president John Horne and operating its Bradenton Beach location as We’re Back Inc., AMOB, since late 2015, has operated in the pier building leased from the city.

We’re Back Inc. also leases the two smaller buildings located next to the main pier building. The yellow-colored space is subleased to Paradise Boat Tours. The salmon-colored space was previously subleased to two retail tenants.

AMOB wants to use that vacant space as a to-go food pickup kiosk that also serves ice cream, alcoholic beverages and more.

When presenting this request in January, Horne also requested the city’s permission to allow alcohol purchased at the to-go kiosk or in the restaurant to be consumed on the Bradenton Beach Pier. An existing city ordinance currently prohibits alcohol consumption on the pier, but alcohol consumption is allowed inside the AMOB restaurant and on the restaurant’s open-air patio.

We’re Back Inc. wants to install three or four tiki hut-like covered high-top tables along the pier railings directly south of the restaurant building.

AMOB pier improvements making headway
The Bradenton Beach CRA pledged a total of $30,000 for the installation of a $60,000 decorative fence that would resemble this fence located elsewhere in Florida. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

We’re Back Inc. also wants to install a $60,000 crab trap and buoy-themed decorative fence along the northern end of the pier property, between the pier parking lot and the Pines Trailer Park. The trailer park side of the fence will be plain wood and will not feature the decorative crab traps.

Horne’s previously requested pier improvements were discussed again at the April 5 CRA meeting and the April 6 city commission meeting.

CRA approvals

During the April 5 CRA meeting, Horne secured from the CRA board a $15,000 contribution for the fence installation. Through the CRA board, he also secured an additional $15,000 in matching funds from Manatee County.

In 2021, the Manatee County Commission approved up to $850,000 in matching funds for the CRA’s yet-to-be-completed floating dock expansion project and the completed dinghy dock replacement project. The county’s $15,000 share of the decorative fence costs will be rolled into the previously approved dock project.

CRA member David Bell requested more time to consider Horne’s requests, but City Attorney Ricinda Perry said the county match expires on Sept. 30 and any additional delays could impact those matching funds. Bell then cast the only opposition vote to Horne’s funding request.

Commission approvals

On April 6, Horne and the city commission resumed their discussion about the requested pier improvements.

According to Horne and Perry, We’re Back Inc. is paying $45,894 in base rent in 2023. The city also receives 2% of We’re Back Inc.’s total gross revenues for its Bradenton Beach operation.

Perry noted the city owns the pier and the city commission must approve any improvements made to it. She said the proposed changes must also be addressed in an amended version of We’re Back Inc.’s existing lease with the city.

After much discussion, the commission unanimously supported We’re Back Inc.’s request to extend its current lease until 2045.

“It’s a long time. I’m happy with their performance, but I’m a little reserved about doing it for the rest of my lifetime,” Commissioner Jake Spooner said before expressing his support for the extension.

At the commission’s request, the amended lease will include language that states the extension only pertains to We’re Back Inc. If Horne, 61, retires, but We’re Back Inc. continues to run AMOB’s Bradenton Beach location, the extended lease remains in effect. If someone else buys We’re Back Inc. and continues to conduct business as We’re Back Inc., the extended lease remains in effect. If We’re Back Inc. is no longer the entity in charge of the pier-based operations, the city commission can terminate the extended lease.

Alcohol consumption

Perry noted an existing city ordinance currently prohibits any alcohol consumption on the pier and that ordinance must be amended before alcohol can be consumed on the pier. We’re Back Inc.’s lease agreement will also have to be amended accordingly.

Horne’s request to allow alcohol consumption on the pier pertains only to alcoholic beverages purchased from AMOB’s new outdoor kiosk or the existing bar inside the restaurant. The alcoholic beverages are to be served in cups bearing the AMOB logo. Alcoholic beverages purchased elsewhere will not be allowed on the pier.

At the request of Police Chief John Cosby, open containers of alcoholic beverages would not be allowed on the floating dock adjacent to the pier. Alcoholic beverages purchased from AMOB and served in sealed to-go containers could be transported from the restaurant area to a boat tied up at the dock.

Before these changes occur, Horne must provide the city with a detailed diagram that shows exactly where alcohol will be sold and consumed on and near the pier.

If the alcohol consumption allowance becomes problematic, the city commission can revoke it. The city commission can also temporarily suspend the alcohol allowance during a children’s fishing tournament or some other family-friendly event taking place on the pier.

None of the commission-supported pier improvements and changes will take effect until the amended We’re Back Inc. lease is finalized and the alcohol ordinance is amended.

Castles in the Sand

Honesty is such a lonely word

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

In 1978, Billy Joel won a Grammy Award for his song “Honesty.” The premise of the song was how dishonest relations between lovers can be. But honesty, integrity and straightforwardness of conduct are key elements in a real estate transaction, which essentially is a relationship between people.

It’s been a long time since I wrote about property disclosures when purchasing primarily residential property, so it’s probably time for a few reminders.

In real estate purchases, the buyer needs to be aware of potential problems with the property and employ the proper inspectors to inspect and verify the home is free of major defects. Helping buyers in this area are Florida state laws that require sellers to disclose defects before the property closes. Since 1985, Florida law has provided that with some exceptions, the seller must disclose any facts or conditions about the property that may have a substantial impact on the value or desirability of the property that may not be visibly obvious.

The Florida Association of Realtors provides a standard form that covers many common property characteristics about which buyers want to know. Some of these items are potential claims or court proceedings; nature of condominium or HOA associations rules; boundary issues; status of any sinkholes; any environmental hazards such as asbestos, lead paint, mold, Chinese drywall; damage from wood destroying organisms; flooding or ground leaks; disclosure of the condition of major systems such as central air and heat, plumbing and electrical systems and brands and condition of appliances.

Although sellers are not required to complete and sign this form, they are still required to disclose all relevant information to buyers even when it may not be obvious. The disclosure of hidden problems is, of course, the most important information, and I would be careful if a seller refuses to put in writing the property disclosure information.

Sellers do have some protection regarding disclosure; they are not required to disclose those property defects of which they have no actual knowledge. If buyers discover a material problem after closing, the onus is on them to prove the seller knew about the defect and did not disclose it, as well as justify that the defect has had a substantial impact on the value of the property.

In addition, homeowners do not need to disclose to buyers if the property has been inhabited by a person infected with HIV or AIDS or that a murder or suicide has occurred or is suspected to have occurred on the property. I would add that reports of a property being “haunted” also do not have to be disclosed.

A word of caution: Homeowners may think that if they are selling the property in an “as is” condition, that absolves them from the requirement of full disclosure. This is not the case and sellers will have to disclose any material defects even if the property is listed as “as is” condition.

The lesson here is that buyers need to do their due diligence to uncover any hidden problems in a property. Sellers must adhere to the principles of honesty in making any pertinent disclosures to buyers and instill confidence in the buyers.

Billy may have had it right in 1978 when he wrote “everyone is so untrue.” But I prefer to believe that most people are basically honest and transparent; hopefully, I’m not wrong.

Proposed legislation could impact AMI condo owners

Proposed legislation could impact AMI condo owners

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

TALLAHASSEE – Two bills currently working their way through the Florida Legislature could significantly impact condominium associations and condominium owners on Anna Maria Island and throughout the state.

Working in unison, Senate Bill 154 and House Bill 1395 seek to clarify and expand the condominium-related legislation the Legislature adopted during a special session last year as Senate Bill 4-D.

The House of Representatives’ staff analysis for HB 1395 also addresses the origins of SB 4-D: “On June 24, 2021, Champlain Towers South, a 12-story beachfront condominium building in the town of Surfside, partially collapsed resulting in the death of 98 people. In response, during Special Session, 2022D, SB 4-D was enacted to provide building safety inspection requirements (milestone inspections) and reserve requirements (structural integrity reserve study) for condominium and cooperative association buildings.”

As of Monday morning, SB 154 and HB 1395 proposed mandatory inspection timelines for condo buildings that are at least three stories tall and 30 years old or older, with additional inspections required every 10 years after that. According to the staff analysis of HB 1395, there are currently more than 2 million Floridians occupying condo buildings that are 30 years old or older.

Proposed legislation could impact AMI condo owners
The three-story Bridgeport condominiums in Bradenton Beach could be impacted by the proposed regulations. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

According to SB 154, “If a building reaches 30 years of age before December 31, 2024, the building’s initial milestone inspection must be performed before December 31, 2024.”

The new legislation would delete from last year’s legislation the 25-year milestone inspection requirement for buildings located within three miles of the coastline. Regardless of coastline proximity, all qualifying condo buildings would be subjected to the 30-year inspection requirements.

The term “milestone inspection” refers to a structural inspection of a condo building and its load-bearing elements, walls and primary structural systems. To be conducted by a licensed architect or engineer, the milestone inspection is to determine the general structural condition of the building as it pertains to safety and to identify any maintenance, repair or replacement needed for those structural components.

The proposed legislation would also require impacted condo associations and condo owners to create and set aside reserve funds for structural inspection studies and for any needed structural repairs or maintenance activities which would include roof replacements and exterior painting. Condominium owners are currently allowed to waive state-imposed reserve requirements.

Clarification pending

As of Monday morning, the proposed legislation would likely impact the most common form of condo buildings on Anna Maria Island: those with ground-level parking areas and two elevated, habitable living levels above the parking.

Further and final clarification is still being sought as to whether ground-level parking will be counted as a story when determining how many stories a condo building has. If ground-level parking is counted as a story, the impact on Anna Maria Island would be significant. If not, the impact would likely be limited to the seven-story condo buildings at the Martinique condo complex in Holmes Beach.

Height limit restrictions imposed by all three Island cities now prohibit the construction of any buildings more than three stories tall and ground-level parking counts as a story. Bradenton Beach Building Official Steve Gilbert said he’s not aware of any three-story condo buildings on the Island that feature ground-level living units rather than ground-level parking.

On these issues, St. Petersburg-based lobbyist Travis Moore is representing the Florida Legislative Alliance which is part of the national Community Associations Institute. Cortez condo resident and former Bradenton Beach condo resident Connie Morrow is the delegate for the Florida Legislative Alliance and her focus is on condominium-related issues.

On Monday morning, Moore and Morrow were among those who participated in a Zoom meeting with State Rep. Vicki L. Lopez (R-Miami/Dade), the original sponsor of HB 1395. Monday’s discussion addressed the possibility of amending the proposed legislation in a manner that would not impact three-story condo buildings with ground-level parking and two upper living levels. According to Morrow, Lopez was at least open to the idea, but Moore said he doesn’t expect that change to happen.

When contacted late Monday morning, Moore said, “If you have three stories, including ground-level parking, this will affect you.”

Proposed legislation could impact AMI condo owners
The three-story La Costa condominiums in Bradenton Beach could be impacted by the proposed legislation. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

One- and two-story condos would not be affected by the proposed legislation as it currently stands.

Moore noted change is always possible during a legislative session.

“This is a snapshot of where we are right now. There are changes being contemplated. They are moving through the legislative process that ends May 5th. As of right now, they’re working to make it very clear that if it’s three floors or more, it affects you,” Moore said.

According to Moore, most of the condo-related legislation passed in 2022, 2023 and 2024 would not take effect before Jan. 1, 2025.

When interviewed on Saturday, Moore said prior to the 2022 adoption of SB 4-D, Florida had no inspection standards in place for aging condo buildings. During the 2022 session, the Senate members focused more on inspection requirements and the House members focused more on reserve funds and other financial elements. The resulting legislation left gaps legislators and others are now trying to address.

Inspections and reserves

Under the legislation, if an initial phase 1 structural inspection identifies structural deficiencies that require structural repairs, a more-extensive phase 2 inspection would be required.

“All these reports and inspections go to the condo owners and the local building official. If they find damage that has to be addressed, they’ll be told by the local building department that they have to get this done and they have 365 days to start the repairs. The building officials are the ones with the ability to enforce this, or to condemn a building. The condo associations can’t just say ‘We’ve got these repairs that need to be done’ and do nothing about it,” Moore said.

Moore said condo boards provide their association members with a fully-funded annual budget that includes reserves for four specific categories. The association members then vote on whether or not to waive state-imposed reserve funding requirements that would increase their annual assessments.

“With a condo, you might have a hundred different owners that all have a say. So, the decisions are not made the same way regarding maintenance and keeping the buildings well-fortified,” Moore said.

“After Dec. 31, 2024, you can no longer vote to waive the reserves on these structural integrity items. Painting is considered structural because of the waterproofing element. You could waive reserves on other things like renovating the clubhouse or buying new pool furniture. There are some condo associations that haven’t been reserving funds for 20 years. They’ll need to catch up and their association assessments will go up,” Moore said.

Moore noted some longtime condo owners now live on fixed incomes but over the years their condos accumulated increased equity and value. Moore said it probably won’t happen during the current legislative session, but efforts will be made to create a program that would allow condo associations to take out a loan and allow condo owners who can’t afford to write a $10,000 to $20,000 assessment check to pay back their portion of the loan when they sell their unit.

“If you want to just write the check that’s fine, but there should be an option that allows people some flexibility,” Moore said.

The Senate and House bills have each already passed through two committee stops with the unanimous support of Republicans and Democrats alike.

Moore is confident additional amendments made in the two bills’ final committee stops will produce matching bills to be sent to the Senate and House floors for final votes, and then to Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign into state law.

“We’ve been working with the Governor’s office and all indications are that he’s on board. Anything can happen with the legislative process, but it is expected to pass,” Moore said.

Condo owner insight

Morrow and her husband, Bill, live in a three-story condo building in Cortez. They also own a condo in a two-story building at Runaway Bay in Bradenton Beach.

“The whole point of this is safety and the management of safety. The collapse of Surfside exposed the fact that Florida condo owners have been able to vote every year to not fund a reserve. With this legislation, associations will have to have a reserve for critical structural components. It forces people to budget and set up a stream of revenue through the annual association assessment to fund those structural elements.

“Condominium owners on Anna Maria Island are going to be compelled to have a reserve study done, with a focus on the structural elements. They are going to have to build a plan to address the major structural elements and estimate when those structural elements will need to be repaired or replaced. The next thing is to build a strategy to collect the resources to be able to fund those repairs and major maintenance,” Morrow said.

When asked what happens to a condo association that currently has no reserves set aside, Morrow said,

“They will have to establish a reserve and begin contributing to that reserve in order to meet the structural requirements identified through the structural integrity reserve study. They’re going to have to start saving. If they’ve lived and owned in that building, they’ve contributed to its natural deterioration. What we have done previously here in Florida is to allow owners to ignore those obligations. Now the state is saying we have no choice. We cannot ignore those structural elements.”

Morrow supports the efforts to help find alternative funding support for condo owners and associations.

When asked if the proposed legislation is good or bad, Morrow said, “This is an improvement over last year. They had to come back for a special session and what they pushed out had a lot of gaps, but it was a needed step in the right direction. Now they’re going through the process of refining it and cleaning it up and this is good.”

Multiple departments fight Bradenton Beach fire

Multiple departments fight Bradenton Beach fire

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Featured, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

BRADENTON BEACH – Black smoke could be seen rising high into the air after a fire started on March 8 at 403 Gulf Drive S., Unit D in a four-unit condo building known as Birds Nest.

Bradenton Beach Police Officer Steve Masi and Lt. Lenard Diaz were the first to arrive on the scene after getting through the long line of spring break traffic.

“Since it was unknown whether the building’s units were occupied, as soon as I arrived, I exited my vehicle and ran towards it,” Masi said in a police report. “In passing, I saw the building’s owner, and Unit A resident, Mr. Bettona. I asked him if anyone was in his unit or any other and he said nobody was in his, but they were all rented, so possibly, yes.”

Masi ran up to Unit D, which he said he could clearly see was on fire from the outside and touched the door handle to see if it was hot. Since it was only warm, Masi entered the unit, which was filled with smoke, and said he could visibly see the fire coming from the right side of the condo. He announced himself and asked if anyone was in the unit, while lying on the floor to reduce smoke inhalation. After Masi cleared the unit, he went back down to assist with traffic and crowd control with other officers, since fire crews were on the scene at that point.

In a department report, West Manatee Fire Rescue (WMFR) firefighters note they could clearly see the smoke from the fire as they were crossing the Cortez Bridge into Bradenton Beach. Engine 121 was the first to arrive on the scene and noted heavy smoke and fire coming from the Unit D corner of the two-story-over-parking structure building. The E121 team assumed command and advised a firefighter to stretch a 200-foot line to the affected area while another officer from E121 conducted a 360 check of the building, finding one vehicle and no residents present.

Additional trucks arrived, including ladder engine 139 and trucks from Longboat Key and the City of Bradenton, who also assisted. WMFR’s report notes that fire attack did a good job of extinguishing the fire both interior and exterior and all searches came back negative. According to Fire Marshal Randy Kwiatkowski, the fire started on the exterior second-story balcony of Unit D, but the exact cause was undetermined.

Multiple departments fight Bradenton Beach fire
Firefighters extinguish a fire in a second-floor condo at Birds Nest Apartments, 403 Gulf Drive S. in Bradenton Beach on March 8. – Lewis J. Unger | Submitted

“Our investigation could not determine the cause of the fire in part because the extent of damage to the area of origin compromised the integrity of the balcony, creating an unacceptable life safety risk to our investigators,” Kwiatkowski said. “I did call Bradenton Beach Building Official Steve Gilbert, who responded and condemned Unit D. There were no injuries to firefighters or residents. Also, one note of extreme importance is, at the time of the fire, there was one resident in Unit D in the shower who heard the sound of a smoke alarm. Because of the working smoke alarm, he escaped the fire unharmed. I cannot stress enough that working smoke alarms save lives.”

The fire marshal said the building is a four-unit, all-wood construction apartment building. Units B, C and D are licensed transient public lodging establishments/vacation rentals and all three were being rented at the time of the fire. Once the building was cleared of hot spots and the area was cleaned of debris, residents of the undamaged units were allowed to return.

“Without the extraordinary professionalism of West Manatee firefighters and our partnering agencies, this would no doubt have ended more tragically,” Kwiatkowski noted.

Residents considering Pines Trailer Park purchase

Residents considering Pines Trailer Park purchase

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Residents of the Pines Trailer Park must soon decide if they have the desire and the means to collectively purchase for $16 million the 2.78-acre waterfront property their mobile homes sit upon.

In late January, the Jackson Partnership LLLP which has long owned the mobile home park informed residents and the residents association of its desire to sell.

Under state law, the potentially impacted mobile homeowners must be given the first opportunity to buy the mobile home park property before it can be sold to anyone else.

According to three Pines residents who spoke on the condition of anonymity, at least two sales-related community meetings have been held in the Pines Trailer Park community building. During those meetings, residents were informed that they’d have approximately 45 days to determine if they can secure the $16 million needed to purchase the park.

The park contains 87 individual lots, which equates to $183,908 per lot. Some residents live in the park year-round and others reside there on a seasonal basis. It is not clear what would happen to the existing mobile homes if the homeowners are unable to buy the park or whether another potential buyer is waiting in the wings.

The park’s management and park residents have not responded to requests for on-the-record comments regarding the potential sale.

State statute

Section 723 of Florida Statutes addresses the sale of mobile home parks and reads as follows: “If a mobile home park owner offers a mobile home park for sale, she or he shall notify the officers of the homeowners’ association of the offer, stating the price and the terms and conditions of sale. The mobile home owners shall have the right to purchase the park, provided the homeowners meet the price and terms and conditions of the mobile home park owner by executing a contract with the park owner within 45 days unless agreed to otherwise, from the date of the notice.

“If a contract between the park owner and the association is not executed within such 45-day period, then – unless the park owner thereafter elects to offer the park at a price lower than the price specified in her or his notice to the officers of the homeowners’ association – the park owner has no further obligations,” according to the statute.

“If the park owner thereafter elects to offer the park at a price lower than the price specified in her or his notice to the homeowners, the homeowners, by and through the association, will have an additional 10 days to meet the price and terms and conditions of the park owner by executing a contract.

“If a mobile home park owner receives a bona fide offer to purchase the park that she or he intends to consider or make a counteroffer to, the park owner’s only obligation shall be to notify the officers of the homeowners’ association that she or he has received an offer and disclose the price and material terms and conditions upon which she or he would consider selling the park and consider any offer made by the homeowners.

“The park owner shall be under no obligation to sell to the homeowners or to interrupt or delay other negotiations and shall be free at any time to execute a contract for the sale of the park to a party or parties other than the homeowners or the association,” according to state statute.

AMOB employees save man from drowning

AMOB employees save man from drowning

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – An unidentified 80-year-old man who strolled to the end of the Bradenton Beach Pier at the end of Bridge Street on Friday escaped injury due to the heroic efforts of two Anna Maria Oyster Bar (AMOB) employees.

On the afternoon of March 3, the man took a stroll down the pier with his wife. According to witnesses on the scene, he was leaning over the railing at the end of the pier where the water is the deepest when his glasses fell into the water. The man then made a quick decision to jump in the water to get them back, but was unable to get back up the pier and was in danger of drowning.

According to AMOB employees, when the man went in the water, his wife immediately called the restaurant first, instead of 911, because she knew someone could respond much more quickly, and that’s exactly what happened. As soon as the hostess got the call, employees Roo Tuttle and Frederick Brown ran to the end of the pier as fast as they could. Tuttle then jumped in the water to help the man, who could not get footing to climb back up to the pier.

“He was floating and holding on to part of the pier after he swam to where he could get some footing, but could not get to a ladder that was nearby,” Brown said. “Roo just jumped in the water and pushed up his feet to lift him up, and I grabbed his hands and pulled while she pushed. We got him out safely, and everybody was unhurt.”

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Marine Rescue Unit (MCSO) was the first to arrive on the scene, followed shortly after by Bradenton Beach police and EMS. The man told responders he was unhurt and did not require any EMS treatment. Brown said after the man dried off, he thanked them for being good Samaritans and got on his bike and rode away. Brown also said that the man being a bicycle enthusiast and physically fit probably made a big difference in his ability to be rescued.

A call from The Sun to MCSO confirmed they responded to the scene and the incident was listed as a near-drowning of an 80-year-old male, however, they did not record the man’s name. Bradenton Beach Police also had no report of the man’s name. The AMOB employees said they were more focused on his welfare than his identity, so nobody on the scene could confirm who the victim was.

In the end, the question everyone was asking was whether or not the man got his $700 glasses back.

He retrieved them and held on to them for the entire ordeal, and rode away on his bike wearing them. While this incident has a happy ending, Marine Rescue and Bradenton Beach police both warn that it’s not worth the danger of jumping off the pier if someone drops a cell phone or a pair of glasses. There won’t always be someone close to save a life.

Security guard reports battery at Bradenton Beach Marina

Security guard reports battery at Bradenton Beach Marina

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – With millions of dollars worth of boats and equipment onsite, the owners of the Bradenton Beach Marina employ an after-hours security guard to prevent property theft, damage, trespassing and illegal after-hours parking.

Violence isn’t a normal part of the job, but that changed on the evening of Feb. 20.

Bradenton Beach Police Officer Kyle Orms responded to the marina in reference to a possible battery. When Orms arrived, he made contact with the victim, Francisco Martinez, who said he had been punched in the head by a man who was still on the scene. Orms found the man, later identified as Desmin Shaw, walking back and forth around the marina property.

“I observed that Mr. Shaw had the strong odor of alcohol about his person and was stumbling and having a hard time keeping his balance,” Orms said in a police report.

Orms handcuffed Shaw and placed him in the back of his patrol vehicle while he continued to speak with Martinez. Since the officer noticed Shaw had several scrapes and bruises, he called EMS to the scene to check on his physical welfare. The man was determined to not need medical attention.

Martinez told Orms, who by this time had assistance from Holmes Beach police, that he was sitting in his car with his wife when the suspect came up to the car and screamed at him using profanities to get out of the vehicle. Martinez’s wife said Shaw raised his fist and attempted to punch her in the face, but she was able to shut her door before he could make contact. Shaw then went to the rear passenger door and jumped in the car, she said, at which point her husband got out and confronted the man. She told police that Shaw then got out of the car and punched Martinez in the face. Martinez used his pepper spray to end the assault, at which time Shaw ran to one of the boats, which he boarded before jumping in the water.

The police report that Martinez was in full security uniform, which carries the same additional penalties as assaulting a firefighter or EMS responder, a felony.

Shaw asked Orms if Martinez and his wife would be pressing charges.

“When he asked if they were pressing charges, I asked him why charges would need to be pressed,” Orms said in his report. “He then backtracked and said he was just assuming the situation.”

Shaw was arrested and charged with burglary for entering the vehicle, as well as battery. He was transferred to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office before being transported to the Manatee County Jail, where he was later released on a $4,000 bond.

City wants to reestablish obstructed alleys

City wants to clear alleys

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City officials want to reestablish some city-owned alleys that are currently obstructed by landscaping, equipment, debris and other obstacles.

During a Feb. 16 city commission meeting, Building Official Steve Gilbert said the first step is to get cost estimates to survey each alley to help determine where the city-owned alleys are located in relation to the privately-owned properties that abut them and how much it will cost to reestablish them.

“In the meantime, we can tell the folks that we are getting surveys done and they will get marked and eventually they’re going to get a notice to move their stuff out. I think you’ll find that some folks will move their things voluntarily when they find out you’re actually spending money to fix it,” Gilbert told the commission.

Gilbert said he and Public Works Director Tom Woodard have discussed reclaiming city-owned alleys many times during the past 10 years.

Woodard told the commission Manatee County recently had a water main break and the repair crew’s efforts were hindered by an inability to access the break area through an obstructed alley.

Mayor John Chappie said the water main break occurred in the alley between 24th and 25th Streets North and Avenues A and B.

Chappie suggested the alley between 25th and 26th Streets North as a potential starting place for the latest alley reestablishment efforts.

Commissioner Jake Spooner said reestablishing the alley between 23rd and 24th Streets North would provide a nice walkway for pedestrians.

City wants to reestablish obstructed alleys
Some residents and property owners along the 2500 block of Gulf Drive North want that alley cleared and reopened. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Chappie noted there are no funds budgeted in the current fiscal year for alley reclamation projects. Gilbert said there might be enough funds to clear one alley during the current fiscal year, depending on the estimated cost. Chappie said additional funds will need to be budgeted for additional alley-clearing projects in future fiscal years.

“If we’re going to do this, it needs to be notified,” Woodard said. “That’s the first step. The people encroaching in the alley that are causing the problems are aware of what they’ve done. I’ve already been threatened. I had some guy pull a gun on me.”

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said, “We’ve been talking about alleys for quite a few years. People are already anticipating we’re going to do something. It’s not going to be a surprise.”

City wants to reestablish obstructed alleys
These palm trees obstruct a portion of the alley between 25th and 26th streets north. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

In reference to a previous alley reclamation discussion that took place last November, Woodard said some residents and property owners along the 2500 block of Gulf Drive North want that alley cleared and reopened.

During that November discussion, it was noted that a large grass-covered mound is blocking most of the alley behind the vacation rental/resort structure located at 2503 Gulf Drive North. Another portion of that alley is blocked by palm trees. A visit to the alley in November also revealed a construction dumpster blocking the north end of the alley.

Commissioner Ralph Cole said he wants to know how much it will cost to re-establish the alleys before moving forward with those efforts. He then made a motion authorizing Gilbert to get cost estimates for the alley surveys and the commission unanimously supported his motion.

Castles in the Sand

When the numbers are too high to count

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

Several years ago, I started writing a monthly column analyzing the over $1 million properties on the Island and in Cortez. Then, because of the volume of properties, I amended that to do the analysis quarterly. Now I’m faced with the reality of having so many properties over $1 million that it’s easier to count the ones under a million and provide an overview of what’s going on. And what’s going on is mind blowing, probably something I don’t need to tell you.

Little Cortez has 19 properties either available or pending. Twelve of them are $1 million or over, counting a $999,000 property. The properties start with $4,999,999 and several of the properties are part of the new Hunters Point community.

The city of Anna Maria, which everyone knows by now is the second most expensive zip code in the state of Florida, continues to grow. There are 80 properties either available or pending on the north end and only two of those listings are under $1 million. It starts at $12,775,000 and ends at $1,399,900 with only 16 properties between $1 million and $2 million.

The combined cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach have 172 available or pending properties. They start at $12,995,000 and end at $999,000. There are only 53 out of 172 properties listed under $1 million.

All of the above numbers are based on the available information as of this writing, which changes daily. Nevertheless, it’s pretty obvious that we have broken records and keep breaking them. But why?

It seems like the world is moving to Florida and based on the increase in population numbers it very well may be. The population of Florida in 2022 was 22,244,823, an increase of 1.91% from 2021. The population of Florida at the end of 2019, when the COVID-19 pandemic was just starting, was 21,492,056, an increase of 752,767 in just three years.

As a comparison, the state of New York for the year 2022 had a population of 19,677,151. You would have to go back to 2014, long before COVID was even a word, when Florida’s population was 19,853,880 to come close to New York state’s current population. The increases in Florida’s population show a consistent growth pattern, with only two states, California and Texas, having higher populations.

And there are other reasons for Florida’s expanding population. Certainly, the lack of state income tax is a huge draw for wealthy individuals and businesses alike. Florida has a lower budget by billions than other large states and a higher GDP rate. And, although our sales tax and some permitting fees may be higher than other large states, in the end, it’s generally a more affordable state to live in.

Finally, do I even want to go down the lifestyle road, something it’s impossible to put a number on? For the most part, properties are being bought by buyers from out of state and it’s not all about the money.

I guess I really do know the reason the sales numbers are too high to count and the population keeps increasing. In spite of some adjustments to the real estate market all over the state, chances are it will continue, especially when buyers and sellers realize it’s now or never.

Annie Silver elects 2023 officers

Annie Silver elects 2023 officers

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – For decades, the Annie Silver Community Center has served the community, providing a meeting place for Island organizations such as the Anna Maria Island Privateers, condo associations, civic events and even wedding receptions.

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, they provide the center free of charge, asking for donations to help with operating costs. They also serve the community by hosting dinners, bingo and other activities such as Senior Adventures, which offers outings for area seniors in cooperation with The Center of Anna Maria Island.

Center members elected board members and officers last week to oversee the operation of the community center. The officers are: President – Jim Hassett; Vice-President – Donna Kirkpatrick; Treasurer – Dianne Coates; Secretary – Judy Pruitt. The board members are: Kaye Bell, Linda Yarger, Wally Sinn and Bruce Butler. The center needs one more board member to make up the necessary five required by its charter.

“Several of our officers and some of the board members have been in these positions for quite awhile,”  Pruitt said. “We really need to find some new members that would be willing to help. They do not have to live here all year. Mainly during January through April or May.”

The Annie Silver Community Center will hold its next dinner, open to anyone in the community, on Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 5-7 p.m. at the center, 103 23rd St. N. They will serve BBQ chicken, pulled pork, potatoes, mac and cheese, baked beans and rolls. Soft drinks and coffee will also be available.

The center’s next book sale will be on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; a potluck lunch also will be served and everyone is welcome. Bingo is every Thursday at 6 p.m. with pizza and soft drinks available for purchase during the games. Money raised from these activities helps with operating costs.

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Bradenton Beach enacting food truck moratorium

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Commissioners are in the process of enacting a temporary citywide moratorium on food truck operations.

On Feb. 2, the city commission, minus absent Commissioner Marilyn Maro, voted 4-0 in support of the moratorium ordinance drafted by City Attorney Ricinda Perry and presented on first reading. The moratorium will take effect if it is adopted on second and final reading at the commission’s Feb. 16 meeting.

The ordinance will impose a temporary 90-day moratorium on the use, operation or storage of mobile food dispensing vehicles within the city. The moratorium is being enacted to provide the commission, the city attorney and city staff time to develop permanent food truck regulations and operating standards to be adopted in a new and separate ordinance.

During Thursday’s meeting, Mayor John Chappie said he’d like to have the new food truck regulations in place during the first quarter of 2023.

Perry said she and Building Official Steve Gilbert have been working on proposed food truck regulations and locations to present to Planning and Zoning Board members for their preliminary review. Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said when she lived in Utah, food trucks gathered in a city park on Friday nights and she has fond memories of those gatherings.

“It was so enjoyable. It was very family-oriented,” she said. “We’re not saying we’re not ever going to have food trucks, right?”

“It’s not a prohibition. It’s identifying areas in the city that make good sense,” Perry said, noting that one goal is to prevent food truck operations in residential areas.

The city is responding to a state law that took effect in 2020 that prohibits city and county governments from prohibiting food truck operations citywide or countywide. The state law also prohibits local governments from imposing additional licensing and permitting requirements and fees on food truck operators.

The Anna Maria Commission recently adopted a food truck ordinance that limits food truck operations to privately-owned properties located in C-1 commercial zone districts. Exceptions can be made for food truck operations during city commission-approved special events. The finer details of Anna Maria’s food truck regulations will be established in an accompanying city resolution to be presented on Thursday, Feb. 9.

Bradenton Beach ordinance

The Bradenton Beach food truck moratorium ordinance notes that Florida Statutes define the term “mobile food dispensing vehicle” as any vehicle that is a public food service establishment and that is self-propelled or otherwise moveable from place to place and includes self-contained utilities, including but not limited to gas, water, electricity or liquid waste disposal.

“The city hereby finds that despite Section 509.102, Florida Statutes, municipalities continue to enjoy significant home rule authority to regulate land use and zoning and operational standards related to mobile food dispensing vehicles,” the moratorium ordinance says.

“Through regulated circumstances, mobile food dispensing vehicles provide a valuable and convenient service to the community by providing food and beverage options at special events and other appropriate venues. The city wishes to support convenient food and beverage options at special events and other appropriate venues and encourage and support local business and entrepreneurship by adopting uniform regulations to allow the operation of mobile food dispensing vehicles within the city consistent with the preemption provided in Florida Statutes,” according to the moratorium ordinance.

Merger or dissolution could erase local city regulations

Merger or dissolution could erase local city regulations

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The recent proposal by Manatee County’s state legislative delegation to fund a study to determine the feasibility of combining or eliminating the three Anna Maria Island cities has far-reaching ramifications.

The Florida Legislature has the power to merge or dissolve cities, although it has only dissolved three cities in the past 50 years.

The 1973 ratification of the Home Rule Powers Act allows dissolution or consolidation by a special act of the Florida Legislature or by a referendum vote of the voters in the municipality, according to the Florida League of Cities.

Since then, only 11 municipalities have been dissolved and only three were by a special act of the Legislature: Hacienda Village was merged into the town of Davie in 1984, Golfview was sold to an airport in Palm Beach County for a new runway in 1998 and Islandia was dissolved in 2012 because the population dwindled to less than five and no elections had been held since 1990.

In 2005, voters in Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach voted in favor of a non-binding resolution to study the feasibility of consolidation, but Anna Maria city commissioners opted to not put the question to voters in that city, so nothing came of the proposal.

If the state Legislature consolidates the three Island cities into one new municipality, the new city would lose its existing ordinances, including length of stay for vacation rentals, height restrictions, parking restrictions, occupancy requirements and vacation rental regulations. Some regulations would lose their grandfathered status as they would be pre-empted by subsequent state law, according to the league.

Deconstructing cities

According to Florida Statute 165.061, not only can a municipality be dissolved by a special act of the state Legislature, but multiple municipalities also can be merged together.

The statutory requirements for a municipality to be dissolved include that the municipality not be substantially surrounded by other municipalities. The county or another neighboring municipality also must prove the ability and willingness to provide necessary services to the dissolved municipality and be able to absorb the financial responsibilities of the dissolved municipality. In addition, a financial or job placement arrangement must be made for employees of the dissolved municipality.

To create a new municipality by merging existing municipalities, the area under consideration must be compact, contiguous and susceptible to urban services, honor existing solid waste contracts, provide financial compensation or job placement for employees and meet the prerequisites to annexation listed in Florida Statute 171.042. Some of those prerequisites include the creation of a new boundary map, creating plans for the running and governing of the new municipality and holding public hearings for all residents and property owners.

Mayors on Anna Maria Island have expressed their opposition to the dissolution or consolidation of the cities and met on Jan. 30 with delegation members Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and Rep. Jim Boyd to discuss the proposed study and a proposed bill to circum- vent Holmes Beach regulations to build a four-story parking garage at the county-owned property at Manatee Beach. A joint statement on the two topics is expected to be issued after press time for The Sun. 

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Proposed consolidation study concerns city officials

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

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners continue to express concerns about legislative actions recently proposed by State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and other state legislators.

On Jan. 12, Robinson (R-Bradenton) and his fellow Republican members of the Manatee County legislative delegation announced their intent to pursue state legislation that could potentially allow Manatee County to preempt the city of Holmes Beach’s land development code in order to build a multi-story parking garage on county property to provide more parking for beachgoers and other visitors. Robinson and his fellow state legislators also announced their desire for a state-funded study regarding the possible consolidation or elimination of the three Island cities and city governments.

Led by Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), the Manatee County legislative delegation also includes Sen. Joe Gruters, Rep. Tommy Gregory and Rep. Mike Beltran. State legislators began a special 12-day legislative session on Monday, and their regular annual 60-day legislative session begins on March 7.

Bradenton Beach concerns

On Feb. 2, the Bradenton Beach Commission again discussed these legislative matters. Mayor John Chappie noted that City Attorney Ricinda Perry referenced the state legislators’ efforts in a letter she sent to the accounting firm that annually audits the city’s finances. In that letter, Perry identified current or potential legal actions or litigation that could impact the city’s finances.

“The city of Bradenton Beach has been placed on notice that Representative Robinson may propose a study funded by the Florida Legislature to determine if the three Anna Maria Island Cities – Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria – should be consolidated or dissolved,” Perry stated in her Jan. 31 letter.

“The impacts of this would impair all existing contracts, leases, franchise agreements, employment agreements, endowments and retirement accounts. There has been real property gifted to the city that may have reverter clauses. The city would cease to exist if the special act creating the municipality would be repealed and the city was dissolved by the Florida Legislature,” Perry’s letter said.

“To date, the city has not received notice that the study has been authorized, nor has the city received notice that Representative Robinson has filed a local house bill to dissolve the city,” Perry’s letter said in closing.

Perry noted eliminating the city would also eliminate the city charter. Among other things, the city charter includes height restrictions that prohibit the construction of high-rise structures.

Perry receives legislative updates from the city’s contracted lobbyist, Dave Ramba. Ramba believes Robinson will push for the consolidation study during this year’s legislative session and wait until the 2024 session to decide what to do with the recommendations made in the study. Perry said the study is one of Robinson’s top legislative priorities.

Perry also spoke with Florida League of Cities attorney David Cruz and was told the League will be part of the efforts to defeat the legislative actions sought by the Manatee County delegation.

“This is a new attack on home rule,” Perry said.

Perry said she spoke with Robinson, too. She said he’s concerned about the tax burdens placed on the Island’s taxpayers and wants to know whether consolidating some or all of the services provided by each of the Island cities would reduce those tax burdens.

After noting that people voluntarily chose to live and own property on Anna Maria Island, Perry said, “If the extra (property) tax is the concern, then by virtue of his claim every municipality in the state is an overtax on people and every county should be a county with no municipalities in it.”

Chappie noted the city only receives a small percentage of the tax revenues Manatee County collects in Bradenton Beach.

Perry said Robinson also feels the three Island cities, in general, need to find or create more parking for beachgoers and visitors, but one city in particular (Holmes Beach) is the state legislators’ main concern.

On Jan. 30, Chappie, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth and Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy met with Robinson and Boyd at Anna Maria City Hall in a private meeting arranged by Murphy.

During Thursday’s commission meeting, Chappie shared some of what was discussed during that meeting, and also during his previous meetings with Titsworth and Murphy. Chappie said the three mayors have had some preliminary discussion about possibly consolidating some of the services provided by each of the three cities, including flood plain management, the flood insurance-related Community Rating System, code enforcement and things of that nature.

“We’re looking at that and that was part of the request from our legislators,” Chappie said.

Commissioner Ralph Cole addressed the potential consolidation or elimination of the city’s police department.

“It’s good to have your own police department. They know the people, how the area works and what’s going on in each neighborhood,” he said.

“Look at the amount of crime out here on the Island and tell us we haven’t done a good job,” Cole said in comparison to crime rates experienced elsewhere in the county.

Regarding consolidation in general, Chappie said, “I don’t think the numbers actually work. We’re going to look at all that.”

“It would be a disaster for this area,” Cole said.

Fireside chats: Vacation rentals

Written by Rodney Kwiatkowski on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

Our community is changing. That’s a given, but communities are always changing, and change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When it comes to changing communities, the fire district’s goal is to adapt to the change and continue providing the needed services. We are not politicians, but public servants and among the most valuable service we provide is safety. Walk into any supermarket, doctor’s office, library, etc., and you will find occupancy-specific passive and active fire and life safety features designed to protect life and limit the damage caused by fire; fire barriers, fire alarms systems and sprinklers systems to name a few. Local fire districts have done a commendable job of keeping up with the change in these areas. However, there is one area where change has outpaced our ability to keep up… vacation rentals.

Let me be clear, West Manatee Fire Rescue District is not proposing the enactment of any new legislation or ordinance aimed at restricting or prohibiting residential occupancies from renting as transient public lodging establishments; that is not our goal, nor is it our role. As a fire district, we recognize the value both small and large business provides to a healthy, vibrant community. Our objective is life safety!

Safety in vacation rentals

It is estimated that someone is injured in a vacation rental every 44 seconds, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Estimations aside, during the last three years on Anna Maria Island there were 11 structure fires at single-family residential occupancies. Of those 11, eight, or 73%, occurred at licensed transient public lodging establishments (TPLE).

Furthermore, on Anna Maria Island in 2022, not counting on our beaches or in swimming pools located at multi-family occupancies, there were three pediatric drownings or near drownings; of those three, 100% occurred at TPLEs.

The drowning crisis last year provoked a WMFR Water Safety Campaign that was kicked off by a press conference in Holmes Beach where, among other experts, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth gave impassioned pleas imploring the public to commit to overseeing young people while in and around our waters. Since then, WMFR has continued its efforts to provide water safety materials to local vacation rental companies. Along the way, questions have been asked as to the extent of oversight the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) has over vacation rentals. This article wishes to address that question.

What is a vacation rental?

Florida Statute 509.242(1) states, “A public lodging establishment shall be classified as a hotel, motel, non-transient apartment, bed and breakfast inn, or vacation rental if the establishment satisfies the following criteria…” Florida Statute 509.242(1)(c) goes on to define a vacation rental as, “Any unit or group of units in a condominium or cooperative or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit that is also a transient public lodging establishment…” And finally, Florida Statute 509.013(4)(a)(1) defines Transient Public Lodging Establishments as “any unit, group of units, dwelling, building, or group of buildings within a single complex of buildings which is rented to guests more than three times in a calendar year for periods of less than 30 days or 1 calendar month, whichever is less, or which is advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests.” Transient public lodging establishments are licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations (DBPR).

There are some exclusions, however. For example, if one had a single-family home and wished to convert it into an assisted living facility, a license from the Agency for Healthcare Administration (ACHA) would be required. Similarly, requirements for daycare centers and nursing home licensure would be required. The aforementioned are occupancies that WMFR has been inspecting annually for years without hesitation or question. WMFR inspects these occupancies utilizing the appropriate prescriptive chapters of the current edition of the Florida Fire Prevention Code.

Fire code and vacation rentals

Florida Statute 633.206(1)(b) Uniform Fire Safety Standards states: “State Legislature mandates local fire jurisdictions protect the health, safety, and welfare of “all-new, existing, and proposed… nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult family-care homes…  transient public lodging establishments…” Additionally, it goes on to say in 633.206(2)(b), “All such local authorities shall enforce, within their fire safety jurisdiction, the uniform fire safety standards for those buildings specified in paragraph (1)(b).” Lastly, the Division of State Fire Marshal’s Florida Administrative Code 69A-43 Uniform Fire Safety Standards for Transient Public Lodging Establishments, Timeshare Plans, and Timeshare Unit Facilities further address the required inspections of TPLEs and which specific prescriptive code sections to utilize.

Changing together

As Manatee County, Anna Maria Island and the vacation rental industry continue to grow and change, it is incumbent upon WMFR to keep up with the change. The fire district has a state mandate to protect the health, safety and welfare of those vacationing in transient public lodging establishments. To that end, WMFR wishes to partner with all state and local stakeholders to ensure those living, working and playing within our community are safe. Please join us at our first vacation rental stakeholders meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall.

AMI fights back against state representatives

AMI fights back against state representatives

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As state representatives discuss bypassing Holmes Beach codes to build a parking garage and dissolving the three Island cities, locals aren’t taking it lying down.

Residents, property owners, business owners, visitors and others who love the Island just the way it is have banded together to get the word out and reach out to Manatee County’s state legislative delegation members in an effort to have their voices heard in Tallahassee.

Led by Holmes Beach resident Laurel Nevans, 950 people had joined Save AMI Cities as of Jan. 23. The Facebook group is dedicated to making the people’s voices heard at the local and state level on both issues.

The battle is focused on a parking garage. Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge wants to build one at Manatee Beach, a property owned by the county but located in Holmes Beach. Before those plans got off the ground, city commissioners voted to not allow multi-level parking structures in their city, a stance echoed by city leaders in Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria. Van Ostenbridge warned city leaders at a public meeting that there would be consequences to their actions.

Now the fight has escalated to the state level with Rep. Will Robinson Jr. initiating a bill to not only override the city’s decision to disallow parking garages but also to break the city’s three-story building height restriction, which is in the city charter. Robinson said he wants to see a four-story parking garage built at Manatee Beach. A four-story garage also would violate the three-story height limitation for unincorporated Manatee County, which is what the Island would likely be merged into if all three Island cities were dissolved by the Legislature.

AMI fights back against state representatives
A cool morning leaves the beach in Holmes Beach nearly vacant, even at the height of snowbird season. – Submitted | Beverly Battle

That possibility arose from state legislative delegation discussions earlier this month to consider hiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to study the feasibility of dissolving the Island’s three cities.

Protestors speak out

Members of Save AMI Cities are writing letters to state representatives and looking at other ways to make sure their opinions on the proposed measures are heard.

The Sun reached out to those members to see what they have to say about the two proposals.

“This ‘taking’ of our local cities diminishes our votes and our ability to get those little things done in our communities,” Binky Rogers said. “We have owned in Bradenton Beach for 35 years and lived here permanently for 14 years. I feel that our mayor and city commission have our best interests at heart, and they are very approachable. The ‘bully’ county commissioners will not worry too much about our small Island except, of course, bringing in more tax dollars from all the high rises that’ll appear. All I can say at this point is think hard about who you vote for. We can’t just ‘pave over paradise and put up a parking lot.’ ”

“I recognize the value of tourism to our little island, but it’s the vibrant, quaint, simple life that we fell in love with and that is slowly being destroyed by developers,” Holmes Beach resident and local Realtor Kelly Gitt said. “I am strongly against the proposal of a parking garage and an advocate of slower speed limits, safe sidewalks/bike lanes and paying a toll to come out to the island. I don’t believe the parking garage has anything to do with protecting our beaches or the slower pace of life we love and appreciate here.”

AMI fights back against state representatives
Anna Maria Island residents and business owner Bob Casey, pictured here with his wife, Connie, questions the motives behind two proposals by state representatives. – Submitted | Bob Casey

“I’m a homeowner and small business owner here on AMI,” Bob Casey said. “A parking garage is not the solution and I think the county commissioners know this. How about finishing the parking lot at Coquina? I could be wrong, but I think they have ulterior motives. If they can overrule our three-story building limit it will be like ringing the dinner bell to all the developers. Then AMI will lose its old-school charm that locals and visitors alike enjoy. Our local governments are not perfect (who is?) but they live among us and have our best interests at heart.”

“The tourist board advertises Anna Maria as ‘a taste of Old Florida,’ then does everything it can to destroy that,” resident Janis Ian said.

“It begs the question of what the motivation is for the county commissioners and legislators to try and control AMI,” part-time Island resident Barbara Trinklein Rinckey said.

Chris Arendt referenced an Urban Land Institute study that notes that additional parking on the Island will not solve issues related to reaching maximum capacity for people and vehicles on the seven-mile Island. Arendt called both proposals by the legislative delegation “sham proposals.”

“It’s intimidation, plain and simple,” Arendt said. “Fact is every single Island conservative I know, and that’s many, are vehemently opposed to both the proposals. That should tell you all you need to know.”

“This is outright intimidation to control our Island towns,” Barbara Quinn said. “A garage won’t help the massive traffic caused by overdevelopment.”

“The Manatee County commission wants to keep their thumb on the cash cow that is AMI,” Laura Siemon Seubert said. “And a certain county commission member didn’t get his way, he essentially ran to ‘daddy’ to step in and make the other kids play with him. The county doesn’t care if we turn into another Panama City Beach or Fort Lauderdale. They only see the dollar signs with each bed tax. The ironic thing is a parking garage won’t help the bottom line. The day trippers that will use the parking garage aren’t spending the night. There is no financial gain from a parking garage. And as far as the three cities becoming one? All the charm and uniqueness of the Island will disappear.”

“I thought we lived in the United States?” Bradenton Beach resident Chris Johnson questioned. “Have any of the commissioners talked to the Islanders to see how we feel on the Island? This Island has been in my family’s blood for four generations, and we have protected the Island for years. The beaches are beautiful but there is more to this Island than beaches.”