Skip to main content

Tag: Bradenton Beach

Castles in the Sand

The fun and not-so-fun of selling a home

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

Last week we talked about the fun and not-so-much fun of buying a home. This week we’ll talk a little about selling your home, choosing the perfect realtor and not necessarily one you’re related to. But before we do that, let’s review the June and July Manatee County sales statistics as reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

In June, Manatee County closed 2.2% fewer homes than last year, not surprising for this time of year. In spite of that the median sale price, half above and half below, increased by 5% from last year to $315,000. The average sale price was $397,987, up 8.8%, and the month’s supply of properties is down to 3.6 months.

June’s condo sales increased for the number of sales by 6.1%, the median sale price was $210,000, up 14.3%, and the average sale price was $246,381, up 5.2%, all impressive numbers. The month’s supply of properties was 4.2%.

July single-family sales were down slightly by 1.8%, but the median sale price broke a record at $325,000 up 5% from last year. This is the highest median price since the housing crisis more than a decade ago and near historic levels. The average single-family home price was $391,049, up 2%, and the month’s supply of properties was down to 3.4%.

Condo sales were up by 8.7% with a median sale price of $191,000, down 4.1%. The average sale price for condos was $216,523, down 6.6% from last year and the month’s supply of properties was 3.7%.

Do these numbers give you incentive to find that perfect realtor and consider selling? Maybe, but remember statistics are only a snapshot in time and, although our sales and appreciation rates continue to go up every month, it could change in a heartbeat.

But just in case you’re ready to cash in, here are a few tips for choosing a realtor:

Although there are many questions you should ask a real estate professional before you turn over what may be your biggest asset to them, the two that are most important to me are how long have you been in residential real estate sales and what is your specific marketing plan?

Much of real estate experience is an on-the-job learning experience but choosing an agent who has accumulated a few designations or certifications shows a commitment to his/her profession. Certainly, you should ask if real estate sales are their full-time job. There are sales agents who get into the field thinking it’s a part-time job they can fit around their children’s school schedule. Trust me you don’t want this person.

As far as a marketing plan, the agent should be prepared to show you a written plan involving print advertising, open houses and digital participation. They may also include a pricing schedule suggesting a step-down pricing recommendation for 30, 60 or 90 days in the event offers are not coming in. As part of this plan, your agent should advise how frequently he/she will be in touch with you regarding showings and feedback.

It is also important for you to know how long homes in your area are taking to sell and the variation between the listing and final sales prices. I frequently note these statistics in my monthly updates for Manatee County because they are so important to the overall picture of the market.

Finally, giving your listing to a relative may look appealing since you already have a relationship and he/she may offer to reduce commission for you. However, it takes away the business aspect of the transaction and gets into the emotional aspect. My advice is don’t do it.

I’m looking forward to receiving the August Manatee County real estate numbers and hope you have a fun selling experience with a qualified broker.

More Castles in the Sand:

The fun and not-so-fun of buying a home

The challenges of inheriting a house

Uncovering a home’s defects

Qualifying determines Bradenton Beach commission winners

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

Incumbent Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie, incumbent Commissioner Jake Spooner and former Commissioner Jan Vosburgh are the only candidates to qualify for the three seats up for election in Bradenton Beach.

Now running unopposed, Chappie will serve another two-year term as mayor and Spooner will serve a two-year term as Bradenton Beach’s Ward 1 commissioner when their current terms expire in November.

Running unopposed, Vosburgh will serve a two-year term as the new Ward 3 commissioner, replacing Randy White. White did not seek reelection and his first term in office expires in November.

Commissioners Ralph Cole and Marilyn Maro are not up for reelection until 2020.

John Chappie

John Chappie

Jake Spooner

Jake Spooner

Jan Vosburgh

Jan Vosburgh

Bradenton Beach readies for Dorian

Bradenton Beach readies for Dorian

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

BRADENTON BEACH – The city of Bradenton Beach declared a local state of emergency on Friday afternoon as part of its precautionary Hurricane Dorian preparations.

The declaration occurred in the form of a city resolution approved by Mayor John Chappie and commissioners Jake Spooner and Marilyn Maro during an emergency meeting that took place at 1 p.m. on Friday.

In addition to his duties with the Bradenton Beach Police Department, Lt. John Cosby serves as the city’s emergency operations coordinator, working closely with Public Works Director Tom Woodard.

Bradenton Beach readies for Dorian
Lt. John Cosby and Public Works Director Tom Woodard lead the city’s hurricane preparedness and recovery efforts. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“It appears the storm is going to take a major right hook as it hits land. The two main models are coming into consensus. That’s awesome for us – the further it comes inland, the worse for us,” Cosby told the commission.

He said it was still possible Bradenton Beach could experience significant rain and wind, depending on the hurricane’s final course.

Cosby said the Public Works Department already cleaned out the city’s storm drains and removed loose articles from the various city properties.

He said construction companies, contractors, local restaurants, resorts and businesses would be notified that afternoon and asked to secure any loose items that could present hazards during high winds. But on Saturday afternoon, Code Enforcement Officer Gail Garneau distributed an email saying those restrictions were lifted due to the hurricane’s latest anticipated course.

Cosby told the commission he spoke to the managers at the Pines Trailer Park and the Sandpiper Resort and was told the mobile home residents planned to either shelter in place or make arrangements to stay off-Island. Cosby said there was no talk of imposing voluntary or mandatory evacuations.

Cosby said the wooden storm shutters would be closed to cover the windows and doors at city hall during the extended Labor Day weekend and Public Works Department employees would be on call and available if needed.

Bradenton Beach readies for Dorian
The wooden storm shutters at Bradenton Beach City Hall were closed Friday afternoon to protect the doors and windows. – David Higgins | Submitted

Cosby said he would confer with the mayor on Monday as to whether city hall would open for business on Tuesday

Chappie then read aloud the emergency declaration that says, “Pursuant to this declaration, the department heads and police Lieutenant John Cosby are hereby ordered to take whatever prudent actions are necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community.”

Cosby said there were city meetings scheduled for Wednesday and the emergency declaration could be canceled then if no longer needed.

High tide

A visit to the Pines Trailer Park seawall and dock a few minutes before Friday’s meeting found park resident Mike Henry standing in shin deep water on the narrow dock that runs along the seawall near the park’s waterfront mobile homes. Henry said he was asked to move his boat to a safer nearby location so it wasn’t docked right in front of the homes closest to the shoreline.

Bradenton Beach readies for Dorian
The Pines Trailer Park dock was underwater Friday afternoon. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Friday’s higher than usual tide was believed to be associated with a lunar-influenced king tide, and Henry said the water was about two feet higher than usual. The high tide was also closer than usual to the bottom of the decking on the nearby Bridge Street Pier.

Related coverage

Dorian’s path veers away from west coast

Holmes Beach holds off on emergency declaration

Counterfeit money being passed around

Counterfeit money being passed around

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Business, Restaurants | Bars, Retail.

MANATEE COUNTY – Several area businesses have been presented with counterfeit $50 and $100 bills in recent weeks.

On Friday, Aug. 23, a counterfeit $50 bill was taken as payment at the Pig Out BBQ and Southern Soul Food restaurant in Bradenton on Manatee Avenue.

Manager Nora Davis reported the counterfeit money to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the following day she posted a photograph of the counterfeit bill on Facebook.

On Thursday, Aug. 22, counterfeit bills were presented for payment at Tide Tables and the Cortez Kitchen in Cortez.

Tide Tables’ bartender Staci Wilkinson said someone called in an inexpensive to-go order and when a man came in to pay for the food the employee on duty determined the money was counterfeit and refused to take it.

“We started messaging everybody at the other restaurants and they tried it again at the Cortez Kitchen,” Wilkinson said.

Counterfeit Cortez Kitchen
This counterfeit $50 bill was received at the Cortez Kitchen. – Submitted

Surveillance photos of the man who tried to pass the counterfeit bill were quickly posted at the Tide Tables’ Facebook page. That post also included photos of the white Chevy pickup truck the man left in, which is believed to have been driven by a female accomplice.

Less than an hour later, the same man entered the Cortez Kitchen to pick up a fudge sundae to go. He presented bartender/manager Ryan Young with a $50 bill. Aware of what happened earlier at Tide Tables, Young took the bill and stepped into the backroom to consult with someone else about the bill’s validity.

The suspect then decided to leave and Young managed to get the truck’s license plate number before it pulled out of the parking lot. The license plate number and the counterfeit bill were given to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. A photograph of the counterfeit bill was also posted on Facebook.

Two weeks ago, a counterfeit $100 bill was received at the FishHole miniature golf course in Bradenton Beach.

FishHole owner Jake Spooner later presented the Bradenton Beach Police Department with surveillance photographs of the man he believes presented the $100 bill to one of his employees. Spooner said the suspect shown on his surveillance camera appears to be a different person than the suspect shown on the Tide Tables’ surveillance camera.

Regarding the counterfeit bill his business received, Spooner said its looked to him like the counterfeiter bleached a $10 bill and then printed a $100 bill on the bleached paper.

“On the far-right side of the front of the bill you can see the watermark is Alexander Hamilton’s face, and the ribbon says U.S.A. 10,” Spooner said.

Castles in the Sand

The challenges of inheriting a house

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

No one wants to see a loved one pass away, but it’s inevitable that we all will have that experience and along with the grief comes the distribution of personal items and property. As emotional as sifting through your family’s papers and clothing is, the real challenge at this time of your life will be selling their property.

The important thing to be clarified before death is if there is a will or trust in place. Dying without a will causes the estate to default to the statutes of the state to determine who the legal heirs are. Needless to say, that will be a time-consuming and possibly costly process involving probate. Even a will needs to go through a probate process, however, living trusts will avoid probate. These are all legal issues which will need a legal opinion.

If there is a home to be sold and there is a legal will or trust, that responsibility will fall to the executor of the estate. The executor has the power to make all decisions but should certainly confer with all other beneficiaries to the sale of the house.

As in all property sales, decisions need to be made starting with a reasonable selling price. More than one estimate of value should be obtained from real estate professionals and a licensed appraiser should also be considered, especially if there are multiple heirs, to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

Whoever is handling the sale of the property should be prepared to spend some money before the home is sold. Property taxes, utility bills, lawn maintenance and unforeseen repairs all have to be considered prior to sale.

In addition, the property needs to be cleaned out of personal items and, based on the recommendation of a real estate professional, the furniture removed. There are companies that take care of this and any furniture not sold at an estate sale is removed by the estate person for a fee. However, the family will still need to decide which items will go into the sale, which will be passed along to other family members and which will get destroyed – not an easy process.

Then, of course, as in any property sale, decide whether renovations and/or cosmetic fixes should be made. Most professionals will tell you that this is not the time for major renovations. If necessary, cosmetic fixes would be a better choice. Cleaning, painting, yard and garage clean up is probably the most practical and least expensive way to go. Here again, the advice of a competent and experienced real estate professional is essential to understanding the local market.

Heirs who are in a tight financial position and need to sell quickly could consider one of the quick-sale companies as long as they are willing to take a discounted price. The heir’s tax consequences should also be considered before any money is spent and sale offers are considered, especially if the property has been in the deceased’s name for a long time.

Here in Florida it’s very common for parents to pass away and leave property in their estate to be sold by their heirs. This is a little more of a problem if the beneficiaries are out of state, but again because it’s common in Florida, there are several companies to assist heirs in the disposal of personal property and furniture.

Selling a family home is always emotional and more so on the heels of a loved one’s death. Ask for help during this time; it’s out there.

More Castles in the Sand:

Uncovering a home’s defects

How to determine the truth about home flooding

It’s all about the kitchen

New evidence in Morris case may point to murder

New evidence in Morris case may point to murder

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Beach Beat, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – More than 10 years after Sheena Morris’ death was determined to be a suicide, her mother says she has new evidence that her daughter was murdered.

Morris was found dead by police, hanging in a shower by her dog’s leash in room 525 of the BridgeWalk Resort on New Year’s Day 2009 after staff reported hearing dogs barking inside. Bradenton Beach police determined that her death was a suicide.

But Kelly Osborn has never given up the fight to prove her belief that her daughter was murdered at age 22 by her then-fiancé, 45-year-old Joseph Genoese, after an argument that prompted a call to Bradenton Beach police. Two officers spoke to Morris shortly after 1 a.m., after Genoese had left, according to Bradenton Beach Police Department (BBPD) records. Later that day, around 2 p.m., BBPD responded again, this time to assist staff with an eviction due to the barking dogs. Instead, they and discovered Morris’ body. Genoese was not charged. Bradenton Beach police did not return calls Monday.

After asking the BBPD, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to revisit the case, the official manner of death remained “suicide.” Osborn said the FDLE investigation unfairly focused on her daughter’s character, publishing information such as her previous employment as an exotic dancer, and concluding there was no evidence of a homicide.

Osborn staged a “March for Justice” in Pinellas County, where she lives, criticizing law enforcement for their conclusions.

She took the case to the Dr. Phil show, where Genoese failed a lie detector test on national television.

Joseph Genoese and Sheena Morris
Joseph Genoese and Sheena Morris – Submitted

Now she’s taking new evidence to the press.

Osborne hired Pensacola-based private investigator Jan Johnson, of Forensic Pieces, a certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst who spent her career with the FBI, FDLE and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, according to the company’s website.

Johnson asked Osborn to look at photos from the scene again last year.

“I didn’t want to go there again,” Osborn said. So Johnson narrowed it down to one photo, taken at the scene, showing marks in a geometric pattern on Sheena’s lower back that she says match the wicker pattern in a chair pictured in the hotel room.

New evidence in Morris case may point to murder
The wicker hotel chair pattern compared to marks on Sheena Morris’ lower back, in a photo taken after her death. – Jan Johnson | Submitted

“I looked at it and I’m like, ‘Oh my God. Now I know.’ But I‘ve known all along,” Osborn said.

When the hotel redecorated, Osborn said she was able to obtain one of the chairs so that investigators could take measurements and better compare them to the photo of the marks on her daughter’s back.

What they found, according to Johnson, is that Morris must have been seated in the wicker chair after her death, indicating that she was moved to the shower and hung by someone else.

Forensic Pieces investigators say that the marks were caused by a process called “lividity,” in which blood pools in the body after the heart stops pumping at death. The marks were not detected in the autopsy because Morris’ body was moved to a horizontal position on a gurney before the lividity became fixed, or permanent, according to investigators.

The marks show that the hanging was staged, according to Forensic Pieces, which has used the case to teach law enforcement investigators about how murders can be staged as suicides.

“We’re trying to get them to take a second look at the new evidence,” Johnson said. “We would like somebody to reopen the case. FDLE has a lab; they could submit this to their lab.”

Meanwhile, Osborn, who lives about six miles from the man she suspects of murdering her daughter, is not planning any more marches for justice.

“I know that my daughter was murdered. I could only hope that justice could be served. But right now, sometimes there’s justice, and sometimes there’s just us.”

Paid parking may be coming to county boat ramps

Paid parking may be coming to county boat ramps

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

MANATEE COUNTY – A user fee is being proposed for boaters using any of the Manatee County managed boat ramps.

There are 10 county-managed boat ramps in Manatee County with three on Anna Maria Island, Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach and the Coquina North and South Boat Ramps in Bradenton Beach, and one, the Palma Sola Boat Ramp, on the Palma Sola Causeway near Flamingo Cay. With renovations needed at Kingfish, Coquina South and Palma Sola, along with a planned parking expansion at the Highland Shores Boat Ramp, county leaders are looking for a way to help pay for repairs, management and ongoing maintenance. During an Aug. 15 work session, Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker presented a plan – charge the boat ramp users a fee.

The proposal from the Parks and Natural Resources staff is to charge $5 per day for boat trailer parking spaces. If the fee is charged, it’s estimated that each parking space would generate $500 in revenue each year, equaling $146,500 in annual revenue for 293 trailer parking spaces. The estimate to install solar-powered parking machines at the boat ramps is $65,000 with $5,400 in annual data costs.

Commissioner Carol Whitmore said that with the amount of money that would be raised with paid parking, she doesn’t feel that it’s worth it.

“I don’t support them, 100%,” she said. “I just don’t support charging to park our boats.” She added that she hopes her fellow commissioners won’t support paid parking at boat ramps either.

Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said she is more in favor of charging for paid parking at the boat ramps due to the use of the ramps for commercial businesses.

“I don’t think it’s right that a commercial fisherman should be able to use our ramps to run their business,” she said.

Commissioner Priscilla Whisenant Trace said that she believes that fishermen would be willing to pay to park if it gave them access to the county’s busy boat ramps. She added that she hopes the county finds a way to expand its boat ramps and maybe a way to provide preferential treatment for boaters who live in Manatee County.

“It only makes sense to charge user fees,” Commissioner Besty Benac said.

Kingfish boat ramp
The Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach is planned to undergo a minimum of a $4.5 million renovation. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

With the number of registered vessels in Manatee County jumping from 17,940 in 2015 to 20,931 in 2018, the county’s boat ramps are operating over capacity on a regular basis, according to Hunsicker. Adding in the approximately 395,000 Manatee County residents, the presentation notes that there should be 52 boat ramp lanes in the county to adequately accommodate everyone according to standards outlined in the county’s comprehensive plan. There are currently 18 boat ramp lanes in use in Manatee County in the nine improved boat ramps, not including the Lake Manatee Boat Ramp. In the nine boat ramps, there are 293 trailer parking spaces, not including those available to other vehicles.

Hunsicker also proposed creating a public-private partnership to create new boat ramps in the area, specifically one with Pen Bay 1 LLC to create a new four-lane boat ramp with access to Palma Sola Bay and 80 parking spaces in Cortez at the site of the proposed Peninsula Bay residential subdivision project. He said that the project as proposed would not change the shoreline of Palma Sola Bay.

He said the developer estimated in 2018 that the construction costs for the project, including cutting a channel to the bay, would be $10-15 million with the costs shared between the county and the developer. If county leaders opt to move forward with the project, Hunsicker said the developer is ready to go into design for the project as early as fiscal year 2020.

Whitmore said she feels “very good” about the possibilities of the project and applauded the developer for wanting to commit land to a public boat ramp that could be developed into more housing.

Currently, funds for boat ramp projects and renovations come from either matching funds with the West Coast Inland Navigation District or the Florida Boating Improvement Program from vessel registration fees. Without finding additional funding sources, Hunsicker said the county won’t meet their goals over the next five years to renovate existing boat ramps.

No decisions were made by commissioners due to the discussion taking place during a work session.

Related coverage

Palma Sola Boat Ramp remains closed

Paid Island parking rejected by local leaders

County fast-tracks Kingfish improvements

Chappie will seek a second term as mayor

Chappie will seek a second term as mayor

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

BRADENTON BEACH – Mayor John Chappie will seek reelection in the 2019 city elections.

“I do plan on running for a second term as mayor. I’ll be filling out my initial paperwork this week and my final paperwork during qualifying week in late August,” Chappie told The Sun on Sunday.

“During the last couple years, our community has been faced with difficult challenges that go to the core of good government and our city has risen to the challenges. We have defended people’s constitutional right to an open and transparent government,” Chappie said.

“In the past two years, we’ve corrected financial issues experienced by past administrations and we received the highest positive comments during our most recent financial audit thanks to our great administrative department led by City Clerk Terri Sanclemente.

“In recent years, we have received over $3.5 million from numerous sources other than our property taxes for capital improvement projects such as stormwater, the floating dock, the boat lift we’ll install for our police boat, seagrass mitigation and storm hardening for our city buildings,” Chappie said.

“Our CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) board is moving forward with major projects using incremental tax dollars the county would have kept had we not had a CRA district,” he added.

“Much has been done in the past two years, there’s much to be done and I want to be a part of it. Hopefully, the people of Bradenton Beach will choose me to continue as the mayor of our city,” Chappie said of his desire to serve another two-year term.

Spooner files paperwork

On Thursday, Aug. 8, Vice Mayor and Ward 1 Commissioner Jake Spooner opened his campaign checking account and deposited $5,000 as a loan from himself to his campaign.

Spooner then drove over to the Supervisor of Elections Office in Bradenton and filed the form stating he will serve as his own campaign treasurer. He also filed the statement of candidate form that acknowledges he understands the campaign finance requirements contained in Chapter 106 of Florida Statutes.

Commissioner White

Incumbent Commissioner Randy White has not indicated whether he will seek a second term in office. White has missed several city meetings in recent months. He has also participated in several meetings by phone during the past six months.

White is a commercial airline pilot based out of New York. In 2018, White told The Sun his wife is a Canadian resident who lives in Toronto and occasionally visits Bradenton Beach.

Related coverage

Cole, Maro retain Bradenton Beach commission seats

Chappie and White win Bradenton Beach elections

We are golden: The 50th anniversary of Woodstock

We are golden: The 50th anniversary of Woodstock

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Entertainment, Music.

By Brian Finelli – I arrived at Woodstock in Bethel, N.Y. from New Jersey – home from the University of Tampa for the summer. I was familiar with music festivals, having made it to the Miami and Atlanta pop festivals in 1968.

We set up our camp with tents and sleeping bags and awakened the next morning to a sea of people. The Woodstock Generation was born. Woodstock might be the most famous rock concert and festival ever held. In an era of cultural and political shifts, activism and war, one weekend 50 years ago defined an entire generation.

Woodstock
Bradenton Beach resident and Holmes Beach barber Brian Finelli still has his ticket from the Woodstock music festival in 1969. – Pam Lee | Submitted

The age of peace, love and rock-n-roll celebrates its golden anniversary at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Aug. 15-18, marking 50 years since the Woodstock festival. Think about it – half-a-million people living together under poor conditions for three days and not the least bit of trouble. Instead, people went out of their way to be good to you.

“Milestoning,” as we’ll call it, might offer a chance to escape the current troubling reality of ecological emergency and mass shootings. The frenzy of collective remembering supplies an excuse to briefly forget everything else. I want to be reminded of the power of love, and I hope current and future generations use the lessons of Woodstock to fix these modern problems.

Looking back on that experience, and uncovering our words from so long ago, I never expected Woodstock’s impact to carry through for half a century. If there’s a lesson to be learned from the Woodstock Generation, it’s to live in the present and be there now. It’s funny how today I feel like I’m returning the spirit of that glorious event. Peace on earth.

Castles in the Sand

How to determine the truth about home flooding

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

Home inspections and seller property disclosures are an intricate part of home buying. You would think a seller’s disclosure is pretty clear cut, but it’s far from that, especially when it comes to flooding.

Flooding is the one thing potential property owners on bodies of water want to know the most about but, in fact, know the least. In Florida, there is a seller’s property disclosure form provided by the Florida Realtors Association. Although this form is provided to sellers when they list their property for sale with a real estate professional in Florida, they have no legal obligation to fill it out and sign it. Sellers and their realtors do, however, have a legal obligation to disclose to the buyer all facts that can materially affect the value of the property. It just doesn’t have to be in writing.

When it comes to the disclosure on previous or present flooding, sellers are only required to disclose what they know. If the house was flooded five years before they purchased and they were not aware of it, there’s nothing to pass on to a new buyer. Essentially sellers are required to disclose material defects to buyers that they know about.

Since most home inspectors cannot determine if a home has been flooded in the past, where do buyers go for a history of the property’s flooding? It’s a good question and one that U.S. lawmakers are just starting to look at. The House Financial Services Committee advanced legislation in June that would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to share information about a property’s flood history. This would be a least a step in the right direction for buyers, but when and how this information is provided could be a long way off.

FEMA has recently released data on all 2.4 million flood damage claims processed since the 1970s. Unfortunately, it’s not a practical reference for individuals because of size and lack of address referencing. FEMA does update federal flood zone maps but again that is geared more for insurance companies and gives no information specific to individual properties.

There are some organizations that are trying to improve flood disclosure information. One of them is First Street which collaborates with Columbia University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology among others. It is building a comprehensive database of homes that have flooded or are at risk of future flooding. It uses satellite imagery, high watermark data and other information, including FEMA data on flood claims, to determine if homes may have been flooded.

This information is not new; it has been available to large real estate owners but was financially out of reach for individuals. First Street claims it will launch its database within a year and it will be free for individuals to access. Sounds great, but there is a big margin of error within some of this information. It goes without saying that the impact on property values could be enormous. Will buyers’ willingness to purchase a property be influenced based on this new, possibly subjective information?

Next week we’ll talk about all the other disclosure requirements in Florida and there are plenty. Purchasing property on or near bodies of water, oceans, rivers and lakes are all susceptible to flooding and are inherently risky. There are no guarantees in life and certainly none in homeownership. Do your due diligence with the information available and hope for the best. Look on the bright side, at least we don’t live with the threat of earthquakes.

More Castles in the Sand:

It’s all about the kitchen

Calming waters

The condo dance

Anchorage enforcement remains a work in progress

Anchorage enforcement remains a work in progress

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

BRADENTON BEACH – City officials continue their quest for more effective anchorage enforcement of the unmanaged navigable waters near the Bridge Street Pier.

Those unmanaged waters and the liveaboard boaters were discussed at the Wednesday, July 31, city commission work meeting.

The discussion began with public comment from neighboring resident Mary Bell.

“The anchorage and the mooring area is a big part of our community. I’ve lived here four years and I’d have to say it is a deteriorating part of our community. That particular area is the sore thumb in the midst of very positive progress going on all around it,” Bell said.

Her concerns include vessels being rented to other liveaboards, raw sewage being discharged into the bay, anchored boats serving as floating billboards, noise and more.

“You can get some really rowdy behavior out there, especially at night – lots of fighting, lots of drug traffic too,” Bell said.

Lt. John Cosby and Officer Eric Hill lead the Bradenton Beach Police Department’s marine enforcement efforts. A special act of the Florida Legislature in 2006 gives the city jurisdiction of the bay waters within 1,500 feet of the shoreline from Eighth Street South to the south side of the Cortez Bridge.

Bradenton Beach Anchorage Enforcement
Officer Eric Hill and Lt. John Cosby lead the city’s efforts to bring liveaboard boaters into compliance with boating laws and regulations. The unmanaged waters near the Bridge Street Pier are home to compliant and non-compliant boaters alike. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Cosby, Police Chief Sam Speciale and City Attorney Ricinda Perry have been discussing possible tweaks to the city’s marine anchorage and mooring ordinance and they were further discussed at last week’s meeting.

Limited capabilities

Cosby addressed Bell’s concerns and provided the commission with an honest assessment of the city’s enforcement capabilities and limitations.

Cosby said sewage discharge is governed by state and federal agencies and enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard. He said the Coast Guard recently inspected three boats anchored near the pier. Citations were issued and the judge levied fines, but the court does not order boat owners to correct problems they’re cited for.

Cosby said this creates a repetitive enforcement scenario that often results in new citations being issued for the same offenses after 30 days have passed.

Cosby said only five empty or abandoned boats remain in those city-patrolled waters. He said three of those were tagged for potential removal last week and two more will be tagged this week. Cosby expects at least one of the tagged boats to be temporarily relocated to Palmetto.

“Once they’re out of our jurisdiction, I can’t do anything to them. If they come back, I have to start this process all over again,” Cosby said.

“Everybody else is liveaboard. I have no way to remove these people off the boat in order to take the boat. All I can do is continue to cite them and go through the court system. We’re putting as much pressure as we can put on. I don’t know what else we can do. Our hands are really tied.” Cosby said.

Cosby said the enforcement challenges are partially the result of state legislators’ reluctance to take on Florida’s powerful boating lobby and enact stronger laws and regulations regarding non-compliant vessels.

Cosby said 38 derelict vessels have been removed in the past three years while working within the current limitations.

“We have some good boaters out there; they’re not all bad,” Cosby noted.

But he said one couple owns six of the more-problematic boats, and they live on one and rent out the others.

Cosby later identified the couple as Jeremy Thomas and May Galloway. Cosby said Thomas and Galloway been cited on multiple occasions for non-criminal boating infractions, and Manatee County court records support that statement. According to Manatee County court records, Thomas and Galloway were also both adjudicated guilty to second-degree felony charges for the sale of a controlled substance, Oxycodone, in 2012.

Requested changes

During last week’s meeting, Cosby requested an amendment to the city ordinance that would follow current state law and reduce from 45 days to 21 days the time the owner of a boat tagged as abandoned or derelict is given to request a hearing or bring the boat into compliance to prevent it from being removed.

Cosby and the commission requested ordinance language that prohibits more than three powered or non-powered vessels being tethered together.

Cosby and the commission requested language that prohibits attaching or tethering floating platforms to a vessel. They also requested language would allow for the removal of dinghies beached on public rights of way.

Mayor John Chappie said the city of Palmetto is dealing with similar issues. He suggested working with the city’s lobbyist, the ManaSota League of Cities and the Florida League of Cities to encourage state legislators to enact laws that better address derelict vessels.

Related coverage

Bradenton Beach’s new floating dock now in use

Force main replacement comes to Bradenton Beach

Bradenton Beach to receive $3 million in state funds

Bradenton Beach's new floating dock now in use

Bradenton Beach’s new floating dock now in use

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

BRADENTON BEACH – The new floating public dock next to the historic Bridge Street Pier is now open and being used by boaters.

The Hecker Construction Company completed the dock installation last week and City Commissioner and Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) chairman Ralph Cole led a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Aug. 2. Cole thanked Manatee County officials for partnering with the CRA on the dock project.

Bradenton Beach's new floating dock now in use
Community Redevelopment Agency chairman Ralph Cole, center, cut the ceremonial ribbon Friday morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Friday morning’s attendees included CRA and city commission members John Chappie and Jake Spooner, Manatee County Commissioners Betsy Benac, Steve Jonsson and Carol Whitmore, Deputy County Administrator John Osborne, Manatee County Tourist Development Council member Eric Cairns, congressional aide Gary Tibbetts, Anna Maria Oyster Bar president and pier tenant John Horne, Anna Maria Oyster Bar managing partner Lynn Horne, Bridge Street Merchants Vice President and Paradise Boat Tours’ General Manager and pier sub-tenant Sherman Baldwin, City Attorney Ricinda Perry, City Treasurer Shayne Thompson and several others.

Before Cole cut the ribbon, John Horne produced a tray of Bloody Marys and proposed a toast.

Bradenton Beach's new floating dock now in use
Anna Maria Oyster Bar president John Horne, right, serves up Bloody Marys and proposes a toast. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The new dock replaces the storm-damaged floating dock removed from that location in 2016. The new floating dock is 10 feet wide, approximately 256 feet long and once again provides recreational boaters with free short-term dockage.

It also provides limited short-term dockage for tour boats, water taxis and other commercial vessels to load and unload passengers. Fishing and overnight docking are prohibited on the new dock.

After the ribbon cutting, attendees walked down the gangplank and onto the new dock.

Bradenton Beach's new floating dock now in use
Former Mayor Jack Clarke, right, was among those who visited the new dock Friday morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“It took a while, but it looks awesome. This was a team effort that included all our department heads and especially our police chief, Sam Speciale,” Cole said.

Cole also mentioned the public discussions and strategic efforts CRA members and city staff engaged in during the past two and a half years that ultimately resulted in the long-delayed dock project being completed without any lawsuits filed.

Bradenton Beach's new floating dock now in use
These boats were among the first to use the new dock on Friday. –
Lynn Horne/Anna Maria Oyster Bar | Submitted

“The process was frustrating at times, but thanks to our CRA board, our city attorney and our city staff we now have one of the best publicly-owned docking sites on the west coast of Florida,” Spooner said.

“It’s been a long time coming and we’re glad the county was able to work with the city to get this floating dock. It’s another example of everybody working together toward the common good of Anna Maria Island,” Whitmore said.

“This is fabulous. It’s going to be phenomenal to see the boats back out here again this weekend. It’s going to bring people to Bridge Street. People enjoy going places by water and this will help get some cars off the road,” John Horne said.

“This is a big day for all of Bridge Street. This is even better than I expected,” Baldwin said.

As a boater, Baldwin said he appreciates the rubber rub rail running along the outer edge of the dock that will help prevent docked boats from getting scuffed up.

Bradenton Beach's new floating dock now in use
The new dock was in use again Saturday morning. – Sherman Baldwin/Paradise Boat Tours | Submitted

“This connects the Island to Tampa, St. Pete., Clearwater and other places you can come from by boat. There’s great shopping and restaurants here and they can even go to the Moose Lodge,” charter fishing Captain Scott Moore said.

“It’s another great day for the city,” Perry said.

“This is a great example of what working as a team can accomplish,” Thompson added.

“I’m glad to see that this project finally came to a long-overdue completion,” Speciale said later in the day.

During the previous night’s city commission meeting, Chappie thanked Cole for his efforts.

“It’s been a long struggle. I know it’s a team effort, but you have to have a leader. Great job,” Chappie said.

Project costs

The CRA and Manatee County co-funded the dock project. According to Thompson, the final cost is $191,524. That is $71,544 more than the $119,980 originally contracted with the North Palm Beach-based Technomarine Group in early 2017.

In 2017, county commissioners agreed to reimburse the CRA for half of a dock project’s total cost, not to exceed $250,000. That agreement, which was later renewed, means the CRA and the county are each contributing $95,762 to the project. The county’s contribution comes from the 5 percent tourist tax levied countywide on hotels, motels and vacation rentals.

Bradenton Beach's new floating dock now in use
The dock cleats bear the name of the Technomarine Group that was dismissed from the dock project earlier this year. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Earlier this year, the CRA discontinued its contractual relationship with Technomarine due to the prolonged and ongoing delays. The CRA then turned to the Gibsonton-based Hecker Construction Group to install the dock decking sections previously premanufactured by Spain-based Ronautica Marinas and shipped to Florida in mid-2018.

As the city’s Pier Team facilitator, Speciale served as the primary project liaison until mid-April. Cole, Perry, Thompson and Building Official Steve Gilbert then guided the project to its completion.

Bradenton Beach's new floating dock now in use
CRA chair Ralph Cole and City Attorney Ricinda Perry helped guide the dock project to completion. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Castles in the Sand

It’s all about the kitchen

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

You may not want to do a kitchen renovation in August, but August is the perfect time to start planning one. Sitting on the patio with your iPad or on the beach with a home decorating magazine is an easy way to start planning that new kitchen. Add a cool coconut drink and you’ll soon forget that it’s 95 degrees.

Kitchen trends change almost as fast as fashion trends. What’s in now will undoubtedly be out in three years. It’s impossible to keep up and most of us don’t even try, but if you’re one of those who must have the latest, here’s where you should be looking:

In spite of the fact that we’re told white kitchen cabinets are out, according to Houzz, it’s still the most popular color at 43% of remodels. Second place is wood cabinets at 25%, followed by gray at 11%.

The trendy colors are now bold – deep blue, red and, ready for this, black. Now over 30 years ago when my sister-in-law was choosing kitchen cabinets for their new home, she picked black. She was always a trendy gal, but at the time I had never seen black kitchen cabinets before and was definitely taken aback. Little did I know she was decades ahead of her time. Today’s black is designed to provide a quiet soulful balance in the kitchen, combining cabinets, matte black appliances and black backsplashes.

Completely the opposite of black, a color that is also new and trending is mint green. Certainly, in my opinion, mint green is a better choice for beach living if you must give up white. Finally, two-tone cabinets, different color uppers and lowers are so in. I expect they’ll be out soon. Nevertheless it is a nice look. If you can’t bear to give up your white cabinets, you can make them trendy with dark lower cabinets.

As far as countertops, stone is and probably always will be the choice of most homeowners. Granite lost its first-place position a long time ago, replaced by quartz, but the trend now is to use concrete counters and natural stone. Backsplashes are also being invaded by natural stone with edges. I wonder how you keep that clean, with it installed right up to the ceiling?

The most popular cabinet style, according to Houzz, is holding with the ubiquitous shaker cabinets chosen by 57% of homeowners. Open shelving instead of all upper cabinets are also trending. They create a more uncluttered feeling, especially with an interesting backsplash. But if you do have upper cabinets, they must go to the ceiling.

And high tech is all over new kitchens – appliances that talk to you and your iPhone and charging stations are a must just as are hoodless ventilation systems. Thankfully rose color hardware and appliances are gone after their 15 minutes of fame.

So is doing an expensive kitchen renovation worth it in dollars? Maybe or maybe not, depending on what you do. Eighty percent of buyers place a nice kitchen in their list of the top three most important spaces in a home. Nationally, the average cost of a kitchen renovation is $35,000 but you could spend three times that.

Most kitchen renovations do add value to a home but most will also not be fully reimbursed in actual dollars. The benefit of a nice kitchen, however, will be in reduced selling time, which is generally reflected in actual dollar savings. Don’t forget, if you’re renovating before putting your home on the market, minor renovations can make a huge difference in appearance and get you the bigger bang for your buck.

It’s easy to dream about your dream kitchen during a hazy summer afternoon, just don’t let the heat and coconut drink give you delusions of grandeur, especially if you’re thinking black cabinets.

More Castles in the Sand:

Calming waters

The condo dance

The suburbs and the millennials

Reel Time: Cameras – catch and release digitally

Reel Time: Cameras – catch and release digitally

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

The world of digital photography and videography continues to evolve, and anglers have never had more options to explore. Whether you’re capturing a picture or a video clip to remind you of your catch, to share with friends and family or to post on social media, digital cameras allow us to capture images of our catches, making a catch and release all that much more rewarding.

Photography has never been easier and anglers can enjoy this amazing technology no matter what their level of expertise. Most digital cameras and most smartphones also come with software or apps that let you enhance the image, crop the size and share the final product in a number of ways. You can send the images via e-mail or as a text straight from a phone, download them, edit, and print them out to frame and display.

Even though taking a picture may be easy, there are a few basic rules that will help you capture a better image:

  • Before ever leaving the dock, be sure you have fresh batteries, a charged phone, memory cards with enough space to record your images, a clean lens and a cleaning cloth.
  • There is almost always a certain amount of chaos associated with a catching a memorable fish, so get an idea in advance of where you’ll compose your image.
  • Check the background through the viewfinder carefully for distracting and cluttered backgrounds. Make sure you don’t have any unwanted objects, like a rod appearing to stick out of someone’s head.
  • Look to capture photographs that aren’t posed, and remember that the sooner you get your picture the more vibrant the colors of a fish will be. First and foremost, fill the frame with the subject, eliminating anything that doesn’t add to the composition.
  • Since you’re filming on the water, check that the horizon is straight. Most cameras and many phones have the option of putting a grid on the screen.
  • Preset your exposure and check it as lighting conditions change.
  • For most shots, I set my camera to aperture (F8) priority.
  • When trying to catch a jumping fish make sure you stop the action with an ISO of at least 1,000th of a second. Many digital cameras can capture up to 10 frames a second, so set the camera for a rapid burst.
  • Many photographs taken on the water are exposed in bright light. A camera’s light meter averages light over the scene, so an angler’s face, especially if shaded by a cap, will often be dark and lack detail. Make sure you expose your shots with fill flash.
  • Take a number of shots from different angles and get the angler excited and talking to you. One of the really great advantages of digital is that you can take lots of pictures and edit them on the go to make sure you have the shot you want.
  • When possible, use a polarizing filter during the daylight hours. It helps cut the glare on the water and saturate colors.
  • If you have photo editing software, like Lightroom or Photoshop, you can lighten the shadows in post-production. This can sometimes eliminate the need for fill flash, if the contrast isn’t too great, and prevents a flash from creating unwanted reflections on fish. Since lighting is almost always challenging, shoot and then review important shots. If you have a more advanced camera, you can bracket important shots in difficult lighting situations. Expose at least three images: one slightly (one-stop) underexposed, one slightly (one-stop) overexposed and one at the setting suggested by the light meter.

There are a lot of excellent digital cameras on the market today. The new generation of Smart Phones can take amazing images, but they have their limitations (lack of a polarizing filter).

If you’re really interested in photography, I would suggest getting a camera that meets your needs. Most come with a trial version of an image editing software like Adobe Elements. There are many cameras on the market from a few hundred to thousands of dollars.

Taking the time to capture the moments of life pays dividends that you can continue to relive by sharing them through your images.

For more information on the right camera for you, check with a professional at your local camera shop like Johnson Photo Imaging or go to www.bhphoto.com. Software demos (Check out Lightroom CC 2019) can be downloaded online.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: Success – opportunity meets preparedness

Reel Time: Line and leaders

Reel Time: Waterkeeper Alliance holding polluters accountable

A merry Christmas in July

A merry Christmas in July

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Entertainment, Events, Family fun.

BRADENTON BEACH – Kids on Bridge Street got a surprise Saturday night, a visit from Santa Claus at the Anna Maria Island Privateers’ Christmas in July on Bridge Street at the Drift In. The Privateers and Drift In raised $2,500 for next year’s scholarships by holding raffles and serving a potluck dinner inside the bar. In the parking lot, people enjoyed cool refreshments while listening to live music from Dos Max.

Bridge Tender Inn and Dockside Bar employees Dana Coty and Carlee Griffin paired up and purchased the winning ticket for the liquor basket. Bridge Tender employee Denise Hendricks purchased the winning ticket for the Lotto Board that contained $320 in lottery tickets and two $50 bills.

Drift In manager Doreen Flynn said she was happy that some local employees won those raffle prizes. She also noted that Santa Claus took a break from his summer vacation and made an appearance at the annual fundraiser. She also thanked Privateer Shelly “Fireball” Hill and Pines Trailer Park resident Ellen Scott for making this year’s Lotto Board and assisting with the fundraising efforts.

Privateer Tim “Hammer” Thompson said the first $1,000 raised Saturday night will go toward the purchase of Christmas gifts for this year’s adopted Christmas family or families. The remaining $1,500 will be placed in the Privateer’s scholarship fund.

“It all ends up going to kids one way or another,” Thompson said, noting that a similar fundraiser will take place in December.