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Tag: Bradenton Beach

Events

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Entertainment, Events.

Events

Thursday, April 24

AMI Chamber Business Card Exchange and Anna Maria Island Historical Society Pat Copeland Scholarship Awards, Anna Maria Island Historical Museum, 402 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 5-7 p.m., $5 for members, $10 for prospective members.

Friday, April 25

Arbor Day tree plantings:

  • Bradenton Beach at Bridge Street west roundabout and Gulf Drive; ribbon cutting of sabal palm, native shrubs and ground cover. 10 a.m.
  • Holmes Beach at 34th and Sixth Avenues; planting of Jamaican caper tree or fiddlewood. 11 a.m.
  • Anna Maria at Villa Rosa Park, South Bay Boulevard; planting of green buttonwood. Noon.
  • Annie Silver Community Center at 103 23rd N. Bradenton Beach; planting of mahogany tree, sabal palm and silver buttonwood; meet your county forester with hot dogs, brats and refreshments. 12:30-1 p.m.

Saturday, April 26

Reel for Rotary fishing tournament. Benefit for disaster relief efforts in Cortez village, support of “Learn to Swim” program and programs at Anna Maria Elementary School. Registration at ianglertournament.com.

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Government calendar

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

Anna Maria

10005 Gulf Drive

For information, call 941-708-6130

Please visit www.cityofannamaria.com or contact city hall for more information.

Feb. 13, 10 a.m. – City Commission meeting

Feb. 17, all day – City offices closed, Presidents Day

Feb. 27, 1 p.m. – City Commission meeting

 

Bradenton Beach

107 Gulf Drive N.

For information, call 941-778-1005

Please visit www.cityofbradentonbeach.com or contact city hall for more information.

Feb. 17, all day – City offices closed, Presidents Day

Feb. 19, 1 p.m. – Scenic WAVES meeting

Feb. 20, 9:30 a.m. – Community Redevelopment Agency meeting

Feb. 20, noon – City Commission meeting

 

Holmes Beach

5801 Marina Drive

For information, call 941-708-5800

Please visit www.holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more information.

Feb. 12, 9 a.m. – Clean Water Ad-hoc Committee meeting

Feb. 17, all day – City offices closed, Presidents Day

Feb. 25, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting with work session to follow

Island-wide

Feb. 18, 6 p.m. – West Manatee Fire Rescue board meeting, administration building, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton

City attorney explains Cushing suspension

City attorney explains Cushing suspension

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

BRADENTON BEACH – In a Jan. 24 letter, City Attorney Ricinda Perry outlined the city’s reasons for the Jan. 21 suspension of Building Official Darin Cushing and is asking his employer to provide a replacement for the city.

The letter, which was addressed to Matthew Causley, president of M.T. Causley, was shared by email with city officials and The Sun. M.T. Causley is a subsidiary of SAFEbuilt Inc. and provided Cushing’s contractual building official staffing to Bradenton Beach.

The city’s reasons for what Mayor John Chappie characterized as Cushing’s “temporary suspension,” center around the Building Official’s approval of a permit for construction of a tiki hut structure at Drift-In on Bridge Street as well as various social media posts.

According to Perry’s letter, “The project at issue was for the Drift-In located on two parcels at 120 and 122 Bridge St. The project on the 120 Bridge St. parcel consisted of an outdoor structure that Mr. Cushing determined was a Chickee Hut, exempt from the Florida Building Code pursuant to Section 553.73 (10) Fla. Stat. He approved the structure with the following notable issues:

1. 450% larger (24’x54’) than the prior structure (13’x15’+3’ overhang);

2. Decreased parking spaces that were previously part of the site;

3. Allowed the replacement structure to be placed back into an easement granted to the City; and

4. The “Chickee Hut” contained non-wood features such as nails, screws, a concrete floor, outdoor bar, stage area, as well as electrical and plumbing work incorporated into the structure.

These proposed improvements fall outside of the Section 553.73 (10) exemption.”

On Jan. 21, Mayor John Chappie and Perry met with Cushing. Perry’s letter states that Cushing was asked about the intent and purpose of public comments he made on social media and said that instead, Cushing redirected the conversation to the tiki hut permit.

According to Perry’s letter, Cushing stated at that meeting: “I’m out. I’m requesting to be out of here. I want to tell SAFEbuilt to send another different building official here. They’ve already got a position for me elsewhere. So, it’s because now it feels like a hostile working environment.”

At that point, the letter states that Chappie advised Cushing he was suspending his service and would be contacting M.T. Causley for a replacement building official.

The city commission approved Cushing’s contract as building official on Jan. 23, 2024. He has been a licensed building official since 2005.

Cushing declined to comment on Perry’s letter.

Perry’s letter cited the following reasons for Cushing’s temporary suspension:

ULTRA VIRES ACT (ACTING OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF AUTHORITY)

“The city is of the opinion that the issuance of an administrative development approval to Drift-In, for the installation of a structure that Mr. Cushing deemed to be a Chickee Hut, as exempted by Florida Statutes, was improperly categorized as such, and should not have been approved until a major development hearing was conducted by the Planning and Zoning Board and City Commission.”

Perry wrote that Cushing’s administrative approval of the structure was outside the scope of his authority, and he failed to adhere to the municipal laws in the city’s Land Development Code.

According to an exhibit attached to Perry’s letter, Cushing stated in a social media post, “It was approved administratively and needed no more than that. But others aren’t getting their way (or that property) so I’m being asked to pull back my approval and force the owner to go through a ridiculous set of processes.”

DISREGARDING DIRECTION FROM MAYOR

“Mayor Chappie proactively advised Mr. Cushing to refrain from issuance of any permits immediately following the approval of a demolition permit for the property at 122 Bridge, because of active legal discussions between the city attorney and the attorney for the Drift-In,” the letter states.

The letter states that Cushing issued the administrative development approval without informing anyone in the city.

“Upon seeing redevelopment work and repairs at the Drift-In on Dec. 13, 2024, Mayor Chappie immediately contacted Mr. Cushing by phone and in writing to advise him of a number of concerns that he had in order to protect the city stating, ‘“[t]he Cities [sic] Land Use Right and the Drift-In’s Land Use Rights must be protected, and proper policy and procedures must be followed. The City must operate in accordance with the policy mandates of the Commission. All proper documentation must be in place to protect the city from any FEMA issues and the Cities [sic] easement issues must be addressed by the commission prior to any additional work.”

A copy of the written notice from Chappie was attached to the letter.

“Mr. Cushing disregarded all advice given by Mayor Chappie,” the letter states.

FAILURE TO ADHERE TO PROCEDURES AND NOTICE TO REVIEWING AGENCIES

Perry’s letter stated: “The failure to notify any of the reviewing agencies i.e. WMFD (West Manatee Fire District) violated the procedures of the Building Department and came at a cost to the property owner. Mr. Cushing did not provide any information nor the plans for review to the West Manatee Fire District (“WMFD”), the City of Bradenton Beach Police Department, nor the City of Bradenton Beach Public Works, as required in the approval process.”

“During a 12/19/24 Commission Meeting where an update was provided on the Drift-In matter, a directive by the city commission to notify WMFD was directed to Mr. Cushing, who made the following statement: “I know the Fire Marshal is aware of the situation, but I will bring this new information to him today and see if he needs to put an approval on it. However, during the WMFD meeting a month later on 1/14/25, Chief Rigney and Fire Marshal Kwiatkowski stated that they learned of the Drift-In project through social media and had not been provided any municipal notice, nor a copy of the permit application. The Fire Marshal was obligated to red tag the property and found that the thatched roof was in violation of the standards and regulations promulgated by the District. Accordingly, the new roof would have to be removed and replaced with synthetic thatched materials, which may have been avoided with notice to WMFD.”

According to a social media post attached to Perry’s letter, Cushing had written, “I will take ownership of not routing to WMFR, but the Fire Marshal and I immediately had a conversation about it and agreed on a game plan. Then he came out and red tagged it, at whose direction? The whole thing stinks to me… I may be wrong… but I’m usually not.”

FAILURE TO ADHERE TO AND PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF FEMA/FLOODPLAIN POST-STORM EVENT

“The cessation of securing a permit for property improvements/repairs at 120 Bridge St. violates a number of policies of the City, the Land Development Code, and, in light of the post-hurricane floodplain/FEMA compliance, likely violated the substantial damage and substantial improvement procedures,” Perry stated in the letter.

“As noted by the Fire Marshal on 1/14/25, the second structure located at 122 Bridge St. had undergone extensive renovations including electrical, plumbing, restroom reconfigurations, windows, doors, concrete, painting, flooring, HVAC work. No permit was required by Mr. Cushing for any of the work until a meeting with WMFD, wherein the City Attorney and the WMFD Fire Marshal requested for one to be applied for and reviewed by the Building Department and the appropriate agencies,” Perry’s letter states. “As directed by FEMA Floodplain Management and Insurance Specialist, Braydon Williams from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, every single improvement to any property, including minor repairs such as repainting an interior wall, triggers the need in a post-storm event for a permit in order to properly and legally capture substantial damage and substantial improvement matters. Failure to do so is grounds for non-compliance and audits.”

SOCIAL MEDIA

“The actions of Mr. Cushing to engage in salacious social media postings with slang profanity terms is improper and harmful to the City of Bradenton Beach. The City is aware of no less than half of a dozen comments on social media that contained factual misstatements, made declarations adverse to the best interest of the City, incited the public against the City, and made statements that could be taken as threats against the City ‘[s]o when it all hits the fan, be prepared to get some on your face!’,” Perry’s letter states.

She stated that one additional posting by Cushing pending his temporary suspension casts a negative light on the City of Bradenton Beach.

“I requested the assistance of Paul Featherston to address any written or verbal statements by SAFEbuilt, M.T. Causley or its agents that could be defamatory in nature with the public or press. We would again emphasize the importance of maintaining a level of professionalism that does not negatively impact the reputation of the City or SAFEbuilt/M.T.Causley,” Perry stated in the letter.

Featherston is the West Coast/Central Florida Regional Operations Manager at SAFEbuilt.

THE CITY’S REQUEST FOR REPLACEMENT BUILDING OFFICIAL

“Mayor Chappie has contacted Mr. Featherston each day this week since Mr. Cushing has left the service of the city and has been advised that options are very limited,” Perry’s letter states. “Time is of the essence—especially in the aftermath of the two storm events that greatly impacted our community. If SAFEbuilt is unable to provide the services needed and contracted for by the city, please advise immediately.”

Cushing deserves fair hearing

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

None of us on Anna Maria Island born since the storm of 1921 have ever been through anything like the hurricanes of 2024, Helene and Milton, including building officials.

We had our hurricane plans in place, such as they were, but found ourselves overwhelmed and struggling to meet our most minimal survival needs, with some obligations taking a back seat to simply finding a place to eat and spend the night.

Bradenton Beach was by far the hardest-hit of Anna Maria Island’s three cities, so comparing what they did in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach is not fair to Bradenton Beach Building Official Darin Cushing.

He was faced with inspecting hundreds of buildings, some of which had floated down streets and fallen over sideways and collapsed with only the roof showing, while the worst damage to the north initially observed by reporters after Hurricane Helene was a house fire.

With little help in the early days after both hurricanes hit the Island, he was undoubtedly overwhelmed like the rest of us, but showed up to a hazardous workplace where buildings threatened to collapse and vehicles took on nails in their tires and got stuck in sand dunes that had been transferred from the beach to the neighborhoods.

In short, it was a disaster area.

It remains to be seen if Cushing made a mistake or was negligent in applying the statutory Native American exemption for chickee huts at the Drift-In on Bridge Street, which the city has suspended him for.

Any shortcomings in the application of the statute could potentially be reversed, such as taking out plumbing and electric and clearing the easement.

Cushing has suggested in Facebook posts that there is far more to it than that, and there usually is. The Tuesday, Jan. 28 city commission meeting at 9 a.m. at city hall may shed more light on the issue.

But at minimum, we expect the city to presume Cushing’s innocence and give him an opportunity to clear his name in a fair and impartial hearing before making a rush to judgment and terminating his employment.

And we thank him for his service during this difficult time.

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Government calendar

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

Anna Maria

10005 Gulf Drive

For information, call 941-708-6130

Please visit www.cityofannamaria.com or contact city hall for more information.

Jan. 23, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting

 

Bradenton Beach

107 Gulf Drive N.

For information, call 941-778-1005

Please visit www.cityofbradentonbeach.com or contact city hall for more information.

Jan. 22, 10 a.m. – Pier Team meeting

Jan. 28, 9 a.m. – City Commission work meeting

Jan. 29, 1 p.m. – Scenic WAVES workshop

 

Holmes Beach

5801 Marina Drive

For information, call 941-708-5800

Please visit www.holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more information.

Jan. 23, 11:30 a.m. – Police officer’s pension board meeting

Jan. 28, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting with work session to follow

Feb. 5, 3:30 p.m. – Planning Commission meeting

Construction to begin on Bridge Street hotel project

City attorney: Hotel project will begin construction this year

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

BRADENTON BEACH – Construction is expected to begin this summer on the Bridge Street hotel project, according to City Attorney Ricinda Perry.

“By way of keeping you in the loop with development activities within the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) district, I have spoken with Shawn and Jake (hotel co-applicants Shawn Kaleta and Jake Spooner) who have the hotel that’s supposed to come on to Bridge Street,” Perry said to CRA members at a Jan. 16 meeting.

On Dec. 7, 2023, the city commission approved the 106-room resort hotel, 60-seat restaurant, 5,396 square feet of retail and 154 on-site parking spaces.

“I have been told that those plans have been worked on, they are submitting the building department plans for this and they hope to turn dirt by late summer for that project, so it is still on task,” Perry said.

Just days after approval, on Dec. 11, a permitted demolition began on 129 Gulf Drive S., the location of the former Joe’s Eats N Sweets. On Jan. 13, 101 Bridge St., formerly the Freckled Fin, was demolished. On Jan. 26, demolition began on the building at 105 Bridge St., formerly the Magnolia Inn.

The parcel, on the corner of Bridge Street and Gulf Drive South, has since been used as a public paid parking lot.

The hotel property is sited on 1.61 acres and located at 101, 105, and 117 Bridge St. and 106, 108, 110 and 112 Third St. S.

“It’s nice to hear Bridge Street hotel is moving forward with their project,” Mayor John Chappie said.

Building Official Darin Cushing said he has not yet received updated plans from the hotel applicants.

Perry’s update was one of three she presented on Kaleta-owned projects at the CRA meeting. The others were a possible rezoning of the Pines Trailer Park and conceptual plans to eliminate dry storage at Bradenton Beach Marina and add retail and restaurants there.

The Sun reached out to a representative for Kaleta for comment, but no response was received by press time.

Pines homeowners caught off guard by closure

Pines homeowners caught off guard by closure

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

BRADENTON BEACH – In a community that Pines Trailer Park homeowners expected to be bustling with activity once again after receiving the city’s permission to repair their hurricane-damaged mobile homes, the 86-unit park now sits quietly following the ownership’s decision to shut the park down.

Pines Trailer Park mobile homeowners reacted to the Jan. 4 park closure notification from Pines Park Investors LLC, including those who bought there in 2024 based on what they said were assurances from the ownership that the park would remain in existence for five to 10 more years.

Two months before Hurricane Helene hit on Sept. 26, Cory Jackson purchased four mobile homes in the Pines. Those purchases were based in part on what he said were assurances by the owner and management that the park would not only remain in place for 10 years, but that improvements were planned in the coming years.

“I was told by Brien (Quinn, former park manager) and Shawn (Kaleta, Pines Park Investors LLC manager) that it would be 10 years before anything would happen and the intent was to add a pool by the clubhouse in a couple of years,” he said.

Jackson said he has approximately $650,000 invested in the four units.

“I’m just going to walk away,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking for everyone.”

Steve Jackson purchased a unit in July 2024 for $125,000 with the intention of renting it out for passive income in his retirement.

“I met Shawn the day I looked at the unit and he seemed to have some great plans for the park,” Jackson said. “It seemed like he was invested and had a clear vision and put me at ease.”

He said he was shocked to learn the park was being closed.

“I read some people may have the option to stay, I’d be willing to invest if it’s going to be a few more years,” he said.

The Jan. 4 letter does not make it clear what the plans are for the park, and states that one option that is being considered, pending city of Bradenton Beach approval, is to allow continued month-to-month tenancy for some residents, possibly extending up to a couple of years, depending on the overall timeline for vacating the property. The letter does not indicate what criteria would be used for allowing some residents to stay.

Jeffrey Roth bought his unit for more than $150,000 in March 2024, in part to be close to his in-laws in Cortez when he and his wife visit, and they intended to rent the mobile home when it wasn’t in use.

“It was an investment,” Roth said. “I was told when I purchased this it would stay as a park for at least five years. I’m actively looking for an attorney in Florida to discuss my legal options. I was misled and I’m not the only one.”

The Sun reached out to a representative for the LLC for comment.

“Our intention was always to keep Pines a trailer park. Neither Shawn or Brien was being untruthful,” Pines Investors representative Sam Negrin wrote in a Jan. 8 text to The Sun. “The hurricanes created these circumstances where only approximately 50% of residents were willing to rebuild and continue their tenancy. Additionally, 75% of residents decided they no longer needed to pay rent due to the storms, and we’ve had to close the park for that reason.”

Ryan Pfahler and his wife, Marcy, own three units and live in one. He said the two units had been booked as rentals for February and March but over the Christmas holiday they were returning thousands of dollars in deposits.

Pfahler said there was no communication from the LLC since shortly after Hurricane Helene in September until the Jan. 4 communication saying the park would be closed.

“Saying nothing is saying something,” he said. “I feel like they sabotaged their own park, and I don’t believe he doesn’t have a plan. They’re not going to shut down the park without a plan.”

“I don’t believe he wanted to keep it a park,” Pfahler said. “If they wanted to keep it a park he would have lent us a hand.”

He and other residents took issue with many of the reasons for closing the park that the LLC cited in the Jan. 4 letter.

The letter gave the following four reasons for the decision to close the park:

“Financial challenges: The park is operating at an unsustainable income level, with high delinquency rates (approximately 75%). While some residents have expressed concerns about amenities needing restoration, such projects – such as waterfront docks – would take years to complete and require significant investment. Combined with delinquency issues, it is not financially viable to operate under these conditions,” the LLC’s letter states.

“The only cleanup was done by Brien or the residents. They were ignoring the whole thing,” Pfahler said. “There was no care or concern and they threw this back in our faces. Had they shown any care or concern, everyone would have been back paying rent. I believe it was 100% intentional to use that as an excuse.”

Pines resident Lesley Mullaney posted the following on the AMI Sun Facebook page:

“102 days without communication? The city giving us the green light to repair and offering free permits. A clubhouse that is so disgusting, dirty with dried muck all over the floors. We cleaned up our streets. WE did that without any help from his crew. A laundry facility that is void of all equipment with debris still littering most areas. Would you be willing to pay between $1,200-$1,475 a month when your place is uninhabitable?”

The second reason given by the LLC is: “Restoration and Compliance: The required renovations for many units to meet the 50% rule for updates would involve considerable investment, which we are aware many residents are unwilling or unable to make, if permits were to even be issued. Additionally, the park’s compliance with fire codes presents a complex and costly challenge, as addressing one unit’s compliance issues often triggers a chain reaction requiring others to come into compliance.

“With the exception of the three on the bay that were condemned, I know for a fact people would have fixed them up,” Pfahler said.

City Building Official Daryn Cushing told The Sun in December that he received multiple permit applications from Pines mobile homeowners for repair work.

The LLC letter continues: “Resident Concerns and Safety: We have received numerous requests from residents wishing to relinquish their deeds, but as a property management team, we are not in the business of owning trailers. Furthermore, the park has faced yearly flooding and other storm-related damages that create unsafe conditions for residents and untenable liabilities for management. This, coupled with instances of harassment toward our team and city officials, has exacerbated the challenges of maintaining operations.”

“What they’re calling harassment, I would call being persistent,” Pfahler said. “You keep trying to get a hold of anybody and there’s no response.”

“Long-Term Viability: The cumulative impact of delinquency, loss of units, and the need for significant investments makes it clear that the park’s current model is no longer feasible. Additionally, management cannot continue to bear the risk of another storm coming and once again losing almost all income, all of which is essential to remain afloat.”

The LLC has not disclosed plans for the park. According to Cushing on Jan. 6, the LLC has not applied for any permits for work there.

Shamrock Shiver moves from beach to bar

Shamrock Shiver moves from beach to bar

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Business, Restaurants | Bars.

CORTEZ – The annual Clancy’s New Year’s Day Shamrock Shiver charity event looked a little different from prior years, but the goal was still the same – to raise money for local charities.

In previous years, members of the community have plunged into the chilly Gulf waters to raise donations for charitable organizations.

Following the hurricanes, Clancy’s decided to replace the Shamrock Shiver plunge with an ice bucket challenge. Community members raised donation pledges for local charities Healthy Teens, Take Stock in Children and Mothers Helping Mothers.

After getting doused with a bucket of ice water, Tom Overmier said he has participated in the event for the past 16 years.

“This is for helping kids,” Overmier said. “That’s why I do it.”

Healthy Teens is dedicated to empowering youth to make positive, healthy decisions for their success and wellbeing.

“We provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed choices about their physical, mental and emotional health,” according to the organization’s mission statement.

Take Stock in Children Inc. is a nonprofit mentoring, college success and college scholarship organization dedicated to transforming Florida one student at a time, according to its mission statement.

Mothers Helping Mothers provides basic necessities for families and children, including baby items, free to families in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

The ice bucket challenge was followed by music by the Dr. Dave Band, along with door prizes, raffles and a silent auction.

More than $438,000 has been raised for local charities since the annual fundraiser began in 2009. The target goal for 2025 was $40,000.

Bradenton Beach condemns 25 properties

Bradenton Beach condemns 25 properties

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

BRADENTON BEACH – City Building Official Darin Cushing has released a list of 25 con­demned properties in the city.

It is the only city on Anna Maria Island where properties have been condemned after Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton hit in September and October, disproportionately affecting the southernmost city on the Island.

“I have forwarded this list to our attorney (City Attor­ney Ricinda Perry), and she is supposed to be drafting a letter to send out to each of the property owners .I’m not sure if she has done this as of yet, ”Cushing stated in his Dec. 2 email to The Sun. “The house that floated down 12th Street S. (1201-A Gulf Drive S.) was already demolished and removed, since it was in the road.”

Three houses already have been demolished by the own­ers, 2301 Ave. B, 300 23rd St. N. and 304 23rd St. N.

Demolition permits have been applied for at 2000 Gulf Drive N. and 2004 Gulf Drive N.

The other properties on the list are:

  • 201 Gulf Drive S.
  • 306 Gulf Drive S.
  • 401 Gulf Drive S.
  • 403 Gulf Drive S.
  • 501 Gulf Drive S.
  • 807 Gulf Drive S.
  • 1303 Gulf Drive S.
  • 1207 Gulf Drive S.
  • 1203 Gulf Drive S.
  • 1201 B Gulf Drive S.
  • 303 Gulf Drive N.
  • 305 Gulf Drive N.
  • 1200 Gulf Drive N.
  • 1202 Gulf Drive N.
  • 2214 Gulf Drive N.
  • 2301 Gulf Drive N.
  • 100 Fourth St. S.
  • 100 Ninth St. S.
  • 103 12th St. S.
Bradenton Beach condemns 25 properties
The city of Bradenton Beach condemned 25 properties due to damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton. Many were clustered together and are represented by single markers. – Apple Maps | Submitted

The demolition and removal of condemned properties came up at a Dec. 4 city commission special emergency meeting.

“My biggest concern right now is getting to those homes that are off their foundations or collapsed or leaning over,” Police Chief and Public Works Director John Cosby said.

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh asked if the homeowner is responsible for the demolition and removal of condemned buildings.

“Yes, we do not go on private property,” Cosby said.

“I’m working with Ricinda (City Attorney Ricinda Perry) to get a letter out to individuals,” Building Official Darin Cushing said. “There’s probably 20 that we deemed condemned because they were just a danger and a hazard.”

Vosburgh asked if insurance companies will cover the cost of demolition and removal.

“This issue is quite a few don’t have insurance. These homes have been in the family for generations, so they never purchased any flood insurance, they just have fire insurance and just felt if something happened, something happened, and now of course something happened,” Cosby said. “And now they don’t know what to do and don’t have the funds to do it. The bottom line is, it’s got to be up to them.”

Cosby said those homeowners may have the option to sell the property at a lower cost.

“We, at some point if they don’t comply, will wind up taking them to court,” Cosby said.

“Originally FEMA had put out some guidance that they were going to help cover this cost. We researched it a little better and it’s not quite what it seems it was going to be,” Cosby said. “What they’re doing is, if your house is insured through the Flood Insurance plan, they will offer the homeowner a $30,000 grant to remove that house and also help them construct a house to code.”

Bradenton Beachcondemns 25 properties
This condemned home along Gulf Drive North, near the Cortez Bridge, suffered substantial hurricane damage. – Leslie Lake | Sun

Bradenton Beach participates in the nationwide Community Rating System (CRS). The CRS is a voluntary incentive program that encourages and recog­nizes the community floodplain management practices that exceed the minimum require­ments of the National Flood Insurance Program, according to the FEMA website.

“In CRS communities, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community’s efforts that address the three goals of the program: Reduce and avoid flood damage to insurable property; strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program; and foster compre­hensive floodplain manage­ment,” the FEMA website states.

Cosby outlined an example of why it’s critical for the city to comply with the CRS guidelines.

“Five cities down in Lee County got put basically on probation. They lost 25% of their flood insurance. So, if you had a $100,000 flood insurance policy it just went to $75,000 because they violated the build back (rule),” Cosby said. “That’s why it’s so important that we follow this process on the 50/50 rule.”

“I know a lot of people are upset about it but everything that is put in by the state people as they track what Darin and Steve (former Building Official Steve Gilbert) are doing goes directly to FEMA so they see it,” he said. “So basically, these five cities have been told that if they don’t come within compliance, they will lose all their flood insurance, and nobody will be able to get a flood insurance policy in those municipalities.”

Cosby said homes that were elevated and in compliance with current codes received very little damage in the recent hurricanes.

“There’s absolutely no damage to those buildings at all,” he said. “It does work and unfortu­nately, it’s costly and if you can’t afford it, that’s when the issue comes in. Those people whose houses are up higher and they’re in compliance, why should they lose their insurance because others won’t or can’t make that happen?”

Cosby said it’s up to local governments to follow the appropriate guidelines.

“If you’re not following those guidelines, you’re going to get nailed and we can’t afford that to happen,” he said. “It’s too costly for our homeowners that still have insurance. We don’t want to get in that situation.”

Related coverage:
‘Love Shack’ cottage owner staves off condemnation
Mobile homes likely within repair guidelines
Damage assessments continue in Bradenton Beach
Damage assessments continue in Bradenton Beach

Damage assessments continue in Bradenton Beach

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

BRADENTON BEACH – The team of 20 state inspectors of hurricane-damaged properties is expected to be finished with their assessments this week, and the city’s inspector is asking for help replacing them with at least one inspector.

“It is a slow, arduous process. The inspectors promised both Chief (John Cosby) and I this morning that they would be fin­ished with their work at the end of the first week of December,” Building Official Darin Cushing said at a Nov. 21 city commis­sion meeting. “They’re doing every single building in the city, whether it’s elevated houses that probably got very little damage all the way down to some that are destroyed.”

Cushing asked the city to ap­prove retaining another inspector to assist him when they leave.

“There’s me and one helper,” he said. “I’m going to request the commission to up the contract you have with our company to get an inspector here to help me, because I need somebody to just go do inspections while I can do all the administrative work.”

Cushing will be evaluating properties based on the FEMA 50% rule, which states that the cost to repair hurricane-related damage to a structure must fall below 50% of the structure’s value or it must come into compliance with current FEMA regulations.

“Ultimately if you know and you feel like you’re pretty sure you’re not anywhere near close to 50% of the value of your structure, just give me a call and I will come by,” Cushing said. “I will personally look at it, give you a thumbs up, and either say keep going or we better wait until these numbers come in. I don’t want people to throw good money after bad by doing a bunch of work to the house and then find out you’re over 50% and have to elevate.”

Cushing said every property’s FEMA-appraised value is posted ,on the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s website.

“It’s written in red right in the front. They did this because they know everybody in the county is going through a similar situa­tion,” he said. “That’s the number we use as floodplain managers to make our determination.”

Using the example of a struc­ture with a value of $500,000, he said the repairs can be up to $250,000 without triggering the 50% rule.

“I don’t think it’s going to cost anybody in this entire city $250,000 to fix what they have,” Cushing said. “There’s some that are going to be close, but I feel confident after all the driving around, all the looking, all the going inside and all the climbing over debris that I’ve done over the last month and a half, there’s not going to be a huge number of those.”

Cushing said permits are not required for replacing drywall, flooring and baseboards, but permits are required for electri­cal, plumbing and structural replacement of floors and walls.

“If you have things that need permitting, turn permit applica­tions in and I’ll come take a look,” he said. “I want people to get stuff back together.”

He said the city is turning permits around every day.

“We’ve already done a second run of those folks who were on an early part of those inspections and we’re trying to do more and more every day,” Cushing said.

“Darin asked for another inspector,” Cosby said. “Let’s get that on the agenda for next Wednesday’s emergency meeting so we can get this moving along.”

The following guidelines pertaining to residential homes, but not condos or commercial buildings, were posted on the City of Bradenton Beach Building Department Facebook page:

“You can replace your drywall if it did NOT go over your electrical outlets. (You do NOT need a per­mit for this). If it went over the electrical outlets then you need an electrician to do an inspection, to see if you need electrical work performed. If you need electrical work completed, you will need a permit for the electrical work. If the electrician says your electrical outlets are safe, you can then put your drywall back in (You do NOT need a permit for this).”

Condemnation notice rescinded for Gulf Drive home

Condemnation notice rescinded for Gulf Drive home

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

BRADENTON BEACH – You can fight city hall, and win.

The red condemnation notice on Gash Caudill’s Gulf Drive home has been removed by the city following his appeals for a comprehensive inspection.

Caudill, a building contractor who shares the duplex at 1107 Gulf Drive N. with his 84-year-old mother, Betty Cole, saw the notice on Nov. 7 on the front door.

“I was here working, and I found that at 4 o’clock,” Caudill said on Nov. 22. “The red tag stated ‘Your home is damaged beyond repair and must be demolished.’ At 6 o’clock I was down at city hall for the commission meeting.”

He spoke at that meeting and said his home remained structurally sound following the hurricanes and questioned why it had been condemned without an interior inspection.

He then attended the next city commission meeting and spoke to city leaders on Nov. 21.

“Two weeks ago I attended my first ever city hall meeting because before that, city hall had never interfered in my life,” Caudill said. “Now you’re interfering in my life in a big way. I have a condemnation letter that was placed on my house by a building official who’s never been in my home. I never had an inspection or an evaluation and a drive-by declared my home damaged beyond repair and must be demolished. Why?”

Prior to the recent arrival of former city Building Official Steve Gilbert and a team of 20 inspectors provided by the state to assist with damage assessments, City Building Official Darin Cushing had been tasked since the hurricanes with evaluating the damage to hundreds of storm-affected homes citywide. Cushing’s initial assessments primarily consisted of “windshield” assessments.

Condemnation notice rescinded on Gulf Drive home
The home at 1107 Gulf Drive N. is no longer under a city condemnation order following an interior inspection by the Bradenton Beach building official. – Leslie Lake | Sun

“At the last meeting, the city attorney and many others have stated here many times you don’t want to kick us from our homes, and you’re just following FEMA guidelines,” Caudill said. “At the last meeting, I provided the city attorney with a copy of the letter from FEMA stating that my home is safe to live in. FEMA did come to my home on two separate occasions and did an inspection. They determined our home is safe to live in, but you did a drive-by and determined the house needs to be demolished.”

Caudill said he doesn’t want to have to hire structural engineers and attorneys to fight the condemnation, but instead asked for a comprehensive inspection before the home is condemned.

“I don’t qualify for FEMA assistance, that’s how good my home is, but you guys are trying to make me demolish a perfectly good home? That’s home to my 84-year-old mother?” he said. “We’ve been here for 25 years. This is our home; this is our future.”

He said his home is structurally sound and repairs can be done well within the guidelines of the FEMA 50/50 rule.

“It’s just not right. I’m pushing for my case and for a change in the policy. This should not happen to anyone else,” Caudill said.

Following Caudill’s remarks, Cushing responded.

“In individual cases, I have said give me a call, I’ll come down, take a look at it, and see if it’s something you need to be concerned with or you can continue to keep working,” Cushing said. “That’s really what we want everybody ultimately to do.”

Cushing said he would come by Caudill’s home the following day.

“I did go to your house, and I walked around it. I couldn’t get inside of it, as you know, there was sand piled around and debris everywhere,” Cushing said. “I did a walk-by windshield assessment. I did see some cracks in your foundation.”

“Our top priority is for our building department to get on these things as quickly as possible,” Mayor John Chappie said. “We understand there are a lot of people in the city that are in a similar situation.”

“It’s not in stone yet because you haven’t gotten a letter in the mail, so I’ll come take another look at it to get some clarification,” Cushing said.

Commissioner Ralph Cole (no relation to Betty Cole) asked Cushing to make the inspection of Caudill’s home a priority.

“Please put his mind at ease,” Cole said.

RED TAG LIFTED ON NOV. 22

“Darin (Cushing) came by earlier and did an inspection and decided to lift the order of condemnation and give me the go-ahead to proceed with my project,” Caudill said on Nov. 22. “People need to know they can step up and fight city hall on this one because they were premature in placing those red tags, in my opinion.”

Cushing responded to The Sun by text stating, “I was able to see more of the foundation a little better now that more sand is out of the way, and he gave me a verbal estimate of his repairs so I felt it would be ‘savable.’ ”

“I’m very happy today that I can continue to move forward,” Caudill said. “I’ve been in a holding pattern with the stress of wondering am I going to have to tear down a perfectly good home and give up our dreams?”

He said the 1947 home received about 8 inches of water inside during Hurricane Helene.

“This is the first insurance claim it’s ever had,” Caudill said. “There’s never been water in this home before this. This house is built very strong.”

He said the sand surrounding the house was about 3 feet deep.

Condemnation notice rescinded for Gulf Drive home
Gash Caudill will now continue repairs on his Gulf Drive home after the city rescinded a condemnation notice. –
Leslie Lake | Sun

He will be replacing drywall, cabinets and two air conditioning units. According to the Manatee County website, the FEMA value of the structure is $237,956. Caudill estimates repairs will cost around $65,000, well under the FEMA 50/50 guidelines.

“This is a cinder block home, and we’re elevated. There’s a crawlspace under this so there is no foundation to crack,” Caudill said. “What he did see on the outside was some cracks in my stucco, but not structural. He acknowledged that today as we walked around the house together that all my damage is minor and nothing worse than anyone on my block.”

Caudill said his mother had a medical issue about a week before the September storm and has been in the hospital and nursing facilities since.

“She doesn’t even know about any of this that’s going on, we kind of shielded her from it,” Caudill said.

He said he’s looking forward to having her come home once the work is completed in about 30 days.

“Our plan was always for her to age in place and live here for the rest of her life. That’s why I’m fighting so hard. This isn’t just a house, it’s not a vacation rental, this is my mother’s home that she worked 25 years for,” he said.

Bradenton Beach logo

Cosby offers update on sand, debris, road repairs

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

BRADENTON BEACH – Police Chief and Public Works Director John Cosby gave an update on sand removal, debris pickup and road repairs at an emergency city commission meeting on Nov. 13.

The weekly emergency meeting was called to continue the declaration of a tropical event for Hurricane Helene.

“We’re working on mitigating the sand at the end of 25th, 26th and 27th Streets,” Cosby said.

With some homeowners having repairs being done to their properties, construction debris has been piling up after the city completed its hurricane-related debris removal.

Effective Nov. 19, all debris and yard waste become the responsibility of homeowners and businesses. Waste Pro will only collect properly bagged debris and yard waste.

Code enforcement actions will begin on Dec. 20 for leftover debris.

He praised debris removal company Ashbritt and debris-monitoring company Debris Tech.

“I can’t say enough about them,” Cosby said. “We got a lot of equipment for a city our size and we’re very happy with that. Everything is going very smoothly.”

He said concrete chunks remain in piles of sand that were pushed aside. Those will be difficult for Ashbritt to process and will need to be removed in a different way.

Cosby said there are some roads damaged during and after the storms that will need repairs.

“We’re going to be meeting with Woodruff next week and we’re going to utilize them for road repairs,” he said. “We’re going to have to put some road base back down. They’ll also be doing the stormwater (drainage) cleanout. We have a good working relationship with Woodruff so they’re going to step up to the plate and help us out.”

Cosby said he will be meeting with FEMA next week, following the state announcement that the agency will be issuing low-cost loans for governments.

“Hopefully we can secure some money at a better rate to get us through until FEMA starts pushing money down,” he said.

Pines homeowners meet with officials

Pines homeowners meet with officials

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Pines Trailer Park homeowners attended a Nov. 7 city commission meeting seeking answers about the continued existence of the 86-unit park following hurricane-related flooding.

HELENE DAMAGE ‘MAJOR’

On Sept. 27, storm surge from Hurricane Helene caused water intrusion into the mobile homes at the Pines Trailer Park. On Oct. 17, Building Official Darin Cushing said that FEMA guidelines related to water intrusion from flooding deem the properties as having major damage.

Federal, state and local regulations state if a home is damaged 50% or more of the market value of the structure, or if it is improved 50% or more of the value of the structure, then the entire structure must be brought to current floodplain compliance, which is an elevation to 12 feet.

On Oct. 29, fire code and setback regulations became part of the discussion. West Manatee Fire Rescue District (WMFR) Fire Marshall Rodney Kwiatkowski outlined fire safety and regulatory standards to be followed for all new mobile home installations at the Pines.

Regulations state that no portion of a mobile home, excluding the tongue, shall be located closer than 10 feet side-to-side, 8 feet end-to-side, or 6 feet end-to-end horizontally from any other mobile home or community building.

PUBLIC COMMENT

During a public comment segment of the meeting, several Pines residents and park owner Shawn Kaleta spoke to commissioners.

Kaleta, manager of Pines Park Investors LLC, was the first speaker.

“Obviously, we’ve been hit with a couple hurricanes. We’re all trying to dig out of the sand as a community and try to restore our homes, our businesses, our lives back to normal as quick as possible,” Kaleta said.

He said he has spoken to Pines residents.

“The units obviously took on water. There are fire separation issues, there’s mold, there’s structural stability, there’s elevation of the buildings, there’s all these questions,” he said. “I’ve made a commitment to the residents from our side to keep the park there whatever it can be inside the code. I think that’s a vital part of the community, having residents and having everybody in that community as it exists.”

Following Kaleta, Pines Trailer Park residents stepped up to the podium, seeking answers about the city’s final determination.

Brett Williams owns seven mobile homes at the Pines.

“I know you have legal stuff to go through, but if your intent is to say we don’t want trailers anymore, we want to replace them with new stuff, I get it,” Williams said. “I don’t want to put all the money out if we’re going to do that. I’d like to speed this up so we can move on. Right now everything is in limbo.”

Ryan Pfahler, who has lived there five years and owns two rental mobile homes there asked, “While we are fixing trailers can we be living there? How long to do we have to make improvements? Are we allowed to pull in a travel trailer in the meantime while we’re repairing or rebuilding? What happens if most of the trailers do not meet the 50% rule?”

Jim Entwistle purchased a mobile home at the Pines as an investment in April for $200,000 and has rental reservations there from January through April.

CITY’S INTENT

City Attorney Ricinda Perry addressed questions about the city’s intent.

“The intent is to save you, to save the community,” she said.” I went to Shawn and said what can you do to try to save this? Shawn asked if he could elevate the structures, and I said they’re not structurally sound. He said, ‘What else can I do?’ We could talk about a rezone, but the densities are tough to get there. Is there another product you can make that meets the definition of a mobile home park, install that and get to the densities and the setback? Possibly.”

“Shawn has asked us to explore that option – if the park can’t exist with the existing structures can he put another product in there at that density, that’s elevated as a replacement?”

Perry said those changes would require a hearing with Planning and Zoning, at least two commission meetings and would require a Planned Unit Development.

“It is our intent, our goal and our desire to keep that kind of community there, whatever that looks like,” Perry said.

CITY RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS

“You have FEMA policies, guidance and regulations. On top of that you have the Florida Building Code, the fire code, and they all have different pieces and roles in this entire situation,” Perry said. “One of the things that’s really important for the city is to come up with a consistent, uniform approach in administering the flood plain ordinance.”

The process applies to every structure in Bradenton Beach.

“After we work our way through that, that’s what gives you the decision about moving forward,” she said.

“You’re frustrated and you want quick answers. We understand that. I will tell you this – most communities when they’ve been hit by one disaster, not two, they adopt a moratorium and shut everything down,” Perry said.

Many homeowners have received letters of substantial damage based on initial assessments. Those will be followed by in-person inspections. The state is in the procurement stage of having 10 teams of two people each assist the city with those inspections.

Perry cited the city floodplain ordinance as it pertains to manufactured homes that are substantially damaged as a result of a flood.

“That’s 12 feet,” Perry said. “If we’re all being honest, none of these structures will make it to that height. Your engineering costs alone are probably going to exceed your 50% just to figure out if you can elevate it.”

Perry said that most of the Pines mobile homes are more than 50 years old.

“I have researched the life span of a mobile home and it is said 30-50 years max if they are well maintained and not in a marine environment,” she said.

“Engineering estimates are about $25,000 and I’ve heard everything from $115,000 to $150,000 to raise,” Perry said.

She said there have been meetings with city officials, Kaleta, Sam Negrin, Cushing and former city Building Official Steve Gilbert.

“Unless you do not have substantial damage, we don’t see a way to save it,” she said. “Once you elevate, you also have to come into compliance with the fire codes, meaning they have to have proper setbacks and fire rated walls for their own safety. So, you’ll have to come into compliance with that by repositioning the units somehow or shrinking it down to fit into the setbacks.”

She said units must be habitable for those who want to live in them. A travel trailer cannot be pulled in; they are not allowed.

If 50% of units are damaged does the park go away?

“That’s a private issue with your landowner, not a city issue,” Perry said.

Debris pickup complete in Bradenton Beach

Debris pickup complete in Bradenton Beach

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

BRADENTON BEACH—The city’s hurricane-related debris and vegetation pickup is complete, and homeowners are responsible for any further post-storm debris removal. The city’s focus is now on sand removal.

“All debris is done, no more C&D, no more vegetation, no more white goods, everything has been picked up,” Police Chief and Public Works Director John Cosby updated city commissioners at a Nov. 4 emergency commission meeting. “We did two passes, we do have a few down on the south end that we’re finishing up today and the only thing we have left is the sand removal and that is starting today.”

Cosby said the debris removal timeline exceeded his expectations.

“Ashbritt (Debris Removal Company) did an awesome job for us,” Cosby said. ”We thought it would be mid-January before we were done and they did it in five weeks.”

Cosby said FEMA provided guidance regarding debris removal on private and small commercial property.

“Basically, what they have said now is we can get right of entry to go into the trailer parks and clear the debris from the private roads,” he said. “We are allowed to pick the debris for small commercial, such as the Moose Lodge and Bridge Street vendors. Under their guidance, we still cannot remove any debris from Runaway Bay. That’s considered large commercial and they will not allow us to go in there and do debris removal.”

The city right of entry ordinance pertains to city workers entering private property to remove storm-related debris in an emergency situation. Under that ordinance, the city must have written consent from the property owner before entering the property. The owner must also sign an affidavit stating they do not have insurance that covers debris removal.

“We’ve gotten the go-ahead to do right of entry for the structures that have collapsed or have been marked as unsafe,” Cosby said. ”We’ll need the property owner to give us the right to go on the property. Ricinda (City Attorney Ricinda Perry) is working on that, and trying to get as many as we can.”

Cosby said that once the sand is removed from city streets, public works will begin sweeping the streets.

“The crew is taking the loader and scraping some of the sand off, because there’s still quite a bit of sand on the road, and the street sweeper is going in behind them and will take a few passes,” he said. “Now that I know there’s going to be rain coming potentially Wednesday and Thursday we’re going to do one pass and get as much as we can before things get wet.”

Cosby said the city is in the process of getting contractor bids for stormwater drain clearing.

“There is no sense in doing that until we get all the sand because the sand is going to wash right back in,” he said. “When the sand goes this week, then we’ll be in a position to start that.”

Cosby said the Florida Department of Transportation will begin sand removal on Gulf Drive, which is a state road, in Bradenton Beach around mid-November.

“They started north and did their first push going south to the end of Longboat, now they’re turning around and headed back this way,” he said. “They’re estimating the week of Thanksgiving they’ll be in the city and starting that.”

Cosby said storm debris remains on the rocks by the city pier.

“We don’t have the equipment to get that close,” he said. “I’m going to reach out to Duncan (Duncan Seawall) because they have the correct equipment to get close in shallow water and see if they can help us clear that stuff out of there.”

Mayor John Chappie said Cosby and the public works department have done an amazing job in post-storm cleanup.

Chief gives hurricane recovery update

Chief gives hurricane recovery update

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

BRADENTON BEACH – At an Oct. 28 emergency city commission meeting, Police Chief and Public Works Director John Cosby updated commissioners on post-storm progress.

Debris removal

“Debris removal is moving very quickly I’m still very confident that the debris operation will be over before Thanksgiving,” Cosby said. “They’re finishing up the first push today.”

Cosby said a service announcement will be posted on the Bradenton Beach Police Department Facebook page.

“Thursday (Oct. 31) we’re going to start the second push from C and D (construction and demolition),” Cosby said. “This is your last opportunity to get whatever it is you want out there, to put it out there. We are only allowed to do two passes by FEMA regulations so, once we make the second pass, after that, you’re on your own. “

After that is complete, the city will make a second pass for sand.

“In the midst of that we’ll be picking up vegetation and white goods,” he said. “We’re only going to do one pass on vegetation and white goods because there’s not a lot out there.”

Cosby said that the Florida Department of Transportation is in the process of clearing sand and debris from Gulf Drive which he expects will cause some traffic issues for motorists.

“Overall we are really moving quick. We are really way ahead of schedule,” Cosby said.

He estimated the cost of post-storm debris removal in the city would be about $5 million.

“We’re looking at sources to get money,” Cosby said. “We’re sending a letter today to the state requesting immediate pay-down for the cost of the debris, or most of it.”

Condemned properties

City Building Official Darin Cushing has deemed a number of properties unfit for occupancy due to storm damage and is continuing the assessment of properties throughout the city.

“The two things that we’re dealing with is getting all these buildings assessed. We did bring in Steve Gilbert, our old building official, and Darin (Cushing) has another assistant we’re going to meet today to hopefully speed that up a little bit,” Cosby said.

The next step is to compile a list of condemned buildings.

“And then we need to get a list of the buildings that are condemned so we can get letters out to them reminding the property owner that they are responsible for getting rid of that debris on the property,” he said. “If they don’t, then the city will be placing a lien on that property. In the event that we have to take that responsibility on, then we would do whatever is necessary to get that property in order to sell it and cover our losses.”

He said city attorney Ricinda Perry is currently working on that.

“We need a list and we’re going to give them approximately 45 days,” Cosby said. “The letters will go out by certified mail or hand-delivered and see what their intention is with the property. Once the letter goes out, I’m almost sure, but I haven’t talked to Ricinda yet today, we will be placing liens on those properties, because if we have to clean it up, obviously we need to be reimbursed.”

Mayor John Chappie asked about properties that are over the 50% FEMA restoration guideline.

“There’s no reason to pay somebody to clean the place out. If you’re over the 50%, you need to concentrate more on demolition,” Cosby said.

Pool draining

“People want to drain their pools but the storm drains are clogged, so we’re going to be in contact with the company that we use to see what kind of timeline we can get from them to at least do the north drains, that’s where the majority of the pools are,” Cosby said.

Cosby said that property owners on Gulf Drive are allowed to drain into the Gulf of Mexico and the ones on the city’s bayside are allowed to drain into Anna Maria Sound.

“Some of the drains are still under sand,” Cosby said. “ I’m confident that they will be taken care of, we’ll get this company to get those cleaned out and we’ll move forward from there.”

Bridge Street

“Businesses on Bridge Street are either opened or getting ready to open or have decided to make some substantial improvements,” Cosby said. “So that is going well.”

He said some Airbnb properties have been rented.

“They just want to make sure the restaurants are open and we have quite a variety to pick from,” Cosby said.

Trailer Parks

With regard to the Pines Trailer Park Cosby said, “I don’t believe Mr. Kaleta has sent out any letters to his renters of what his intention is.”

“Ricinda and I have called other communities to see how they’re handling the 50% rule and it is by the letter of the law. It is causing some serious heartache. It’s not just our two trailer parks, the three right over the bridge are in the same situation,” he said.

Ferry update

The Gulf Island Ferry is expected to be operational this week.

“We’re shooting for the end of this week,” Cosby said. “I was out there this weekend and it looks good. If we operate this weekend, we’re good to go.”

The state of Florida is handling marine hurricane debris removal, he said.

“We will probably go out this week in our boat,” Cosby said. “We see a couple of obstructions where the ferry comes in and where people have their personal boats. We’re going to see what’s in there and at least flag it or move it out.”

Emergency declaration

Commissioners unanimously approved an extension of the city’s state of emergency declaration for Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The declaration must be renewed every seven days while recovery is ongoing.