BRADENTON BEACH – Manatee County and Bradenton Beach officials discussed lengthening the eastbound merge lane on Cortez Road to improve traffic flow at the intersection of Cortez Road and Gulf Drive at a June 18 joint meeting.
“The state owns the property and from informal discussions we’ve had with FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation), they don’t have the money for it, but if the city, county, private people could work together to at least acquire the land or easements, the state could allow the city or county to work on improvements in that right of way or accept it for maintenance later,” Manatee County Deputy Director of Public Works Clarke Davis said.
“If the city were receptive to trying to make that right turn lane longer, leading up to that point, it would need a little bit of frontage of all the properties leading up to it on Gulf Drive,” he said. “If all the pieces fell the right way, there should be a way to lengthen that turn lane by at least a couple hundred feet which might provide some relief for traffic at that intersection.”
Davis said such a project would require the city’s support.
“I would like to comment on the intersection of Cortez and Gulf and the idea of possible eminent domain or condemnation,” Mayor John Chappie said. “The city commission discussed this at our last meeting and we’re not commenting with regard to that until the Complete Streets Project is complete and also the Anna Maria Island Barrier Island Study to see what they come up with and we’ll decide our position.”
Chappie added, “I will tell you over the decades I’ve been around, the city commission has always been in opposition to eminent domain on anybody’s property.”
Chappie said growth on the mainland is contributing to traffic congestion on Anna Maria Island.
“I think we need to pay more attention not just what’s happening on the Island, but on the mainland, in particular with what we’re going to be facing pretty quick at the corner of 75th and Cortez Road and the 8,000 units, there’s a lot going in there and a lot of people are going to want to be coming down Cortez Road to go to the beach,” he said. “I’m hopeful that someone will come up with some ideas to reduce some of the traffic and the ability for those people that live there to be able to come out to the Island.”
Bradenton Beach Commissioner Ralph Cole suggested adding slow-speed vehicle lanes to Cortez Road and Manatee Avenue to accommodate those on golf carts and electric bikes.
“Cortez Road is wide enough that you could have a slow-speed vehicle lane going all the way up to 75th Street so that people could come from in town in their low speed vehicles and make it all the way down to the Island,” Cole said. “You could also incorporate pull-over spots if we really thought about it, if you’re driving down Gulf and holding traffic up and the bike lane is perfectly clear you could slide over and let traffic pass you.”
“Everybody is always trying to come up with a traffic solution for the island,” he said. “It’s probably one of the best ones and you could do it on Manatee Avenue too. Electric vehicles are evolving and we need to adapt. We’ve got the opportunity right now. You’re building a bridge and you’re widening the road. Now’s the time.”
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.
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.
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 – Police Chief and Public Works Director John Cosby provided The Sun with an extensive update on Oct. 1 regarding the conditions in the city and when residents, property owners, and business owners might be able to return.
He also addressed the ongoing power restoration efforts, property damage assessments, potential condemnation of damaged structures and mail delivery.
John Cosby stood at the sand-covered Cortez Road/Gulf Drive intersection the morning after Hurricane Helene passed through Bradenton Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Cosby said the damage Hurricane Helene inflicted in Bradenton Beach is much greater than the damage sustained in Holmes Beach and Anna Maria. He also said the recovery efforts in Bradenton Beach are far more daunting and challenging than what the other two Island cities are experiencing.
“We have been declared as ‘catastrophic.’ Gov. DeSantis has been to a lot of disaster sites and he said never seen this much sand moved by a storm,” Cosby said.
“The governor’s visit on Saturday is what got us to the point we’re at now,” Cosby said of the ongoing street-clearing efforts.
“The city of Bradenton Beach greatly appreciates the governor’s visit and assistance. His visit brought to Bradenton Beach the assistance of all the state agencies necessary for the recovery efforts,” Cosby said.
Return access
Cosby said the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has cleared Gulf Drive of sand and debris deposited by Hurricane Helene’s winds and storm surge.
FDOT utilized a small army of trucks and equipment to clear Gulf Drive of sand and debris. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Gulf Drive is a state road and Gov. DeSantis also authorized FDOT to clear all public roads owned by the city of Bradenton Beach. As soon as FDOT is done clearing the secondary roads owned, we will let residents, business owners, insurance adjusters, vacation rental property owners and property management personnel to return. We will also allow the contractors that the property owners and businesses have contacted to come out and do work,” Cosby said.
“If FDOT gives me the green light on Thursday, then we’ll start this on Friday,” Cosby said of the controlled re-entry process that remains subject to change.
“At that point, you can start cleaning up and assessing your damage. You can stay until the curfew begins at 7 p.m. If you want to bring a van or truck to load up your belongings, you’ll be allowed to do that. That’s why I want residents to have a few days to try to salvage their lives before the general public starts driving around,” Cosby said.
Cosby said residents can resume living in their homes, if they wish, with or without electrical service. Still, there is a fire risk associated with power returning to damaged electrical systems.
Regarding the initial wave of returnees, Cosby said, “I want to give the residents and the business owners a couple days to come out and collect their bearings because they are not prepared for what they are going to see. Some of these people have lost everything and their care and needs are our top priority. They are not prepared when they walk in their house and see that their house is totally destroyed, or see that their vehicles are totally destroyed and there’s two or three feet of sand in their garage. The business owners who’ve returned to Bridge Street are just overwhelmed. When I began talking to them, they were on the verge of tears,” Cosby said.
Regarding future re-entry for the general public, Cosby said, “When the time is right, I will then consider allowing other traffic into the city.”
Cosby provided no specific timetable as to when that additional traffic will be allowed to return, but if all goes well, he expects it could happen at some point next week.
Cosby said those who have questions or concerns, can stop the police department, at 403 Highland Ave, or speak with an officer patrolling the city.
Re-entry requirements
Re-entry checkpoints remain in effect at the Cortez Bridge, the Bradenton Beach/Holmes Beach border and the Longboat Pass Bridge. Tampa Police Department officers will begin assisting the city with those efforts tonight (Oct. 1).
Barring any unforeseen complications, when the first wave of authorized residents, property owners, business owners, and others begin returning later this week through the Cortez Road checkpoint only, they must present a city-issued re-entry tag or some other documentation that supports their entrance to the city.
Residents can also provide a valid driver’s license or state ID with a Bradenton Beach address, a utility bill, or a tax bill specific to their property.
Valid documentation for business owners includes a current re-entry tag or a city-issued business tax license. Business owners who want their employees to return to their workplace via their own vehicles must provide Cosby with a letter containing the business letterhead, the owner’s name, and the name of each employee authorized to return in their own vehicle.
The authorization letters are to be emailed to Cosby at jcosby@cityofbradnetonbeach.com. Cosby will print the employee authorization letters out and provide them to the law enforcement personnel stationed at the Cortez Bridge checkpoint.
Cosby encourages returning employees to share rides or caravan as much as possible to reduce the number of unnecessary vehicles returning, especially those with trailers and trucks coming out to remove the contents of a business.
Valid documentation for returning vacation rental owners and property managers includes a re-entry tag or a copy of a city-issued transient public lodging license. Arrangements can then be made for contractors to begin their recovery and restoration work. Returning contractors will be asked to provide a work order or some other documentation associated with the pending work.
This elevated residential structure along Gulf Drive South sustained hurricane damage. – Leslie Lake | Sub
Cosby noted that FDOT and Manatee County personnel are not clearing driveways and driveway entrances at this point and, for now, that remains the responsibility of the property owner. Returning vehicles will not be allowed to park alongside Gulf Drive and must be parked in driveways, along residential side streets, in public parking spaces or in business parking lots.
Due to ongoing public safety and law enforcement concerns, Cosby said the general public, “disaster tourists’ and others without a legitimate reason to return will not be granted access to the city.
Trolley service resumes
While awaiting allowed vehicular access to the city, residents, business owners, employees and others can now return to the city using MCAT’s free Island trolley service. According to Cosby, the free Island trolley buses began traveling through Bradenton Beach at approximately noon today after previously resuming service in Holmes Beach and Anna Maria.
Trolley busses entering Bradenton Beach through Holmes Beach will travel south along Gulf Drive to the S-Curve at 13th Street South. Passengers can get off the bus along the route to access their residential and commercial properties that may or may not have electrical service.
The trollies will turn around at the S-curve and will not travel to Coquina Beach or the Coquina boat ramps, which remain closed. The trollies will then travel north on Gulf Drive and take a right turn (east) on the Cortez Bridge to pick up passengers near the bridge where vehicular access remains restricted. There is no designated parking for trolley passengers so you must find a legal parking place on your own. The trollies will turn around at the Cortez Bridge and proceed north and toward Holmes Beach and Anna Maria. Trolley arrival times will likely be approximately every half-hour, with longer wait times possible.
Power restoration
Cosby said electrical service has been restored in some locations and that remains an ongoing, and sometimes challenging, work in progress.
“The FPL assessment team was out here yesterday and today analyzing and assessing the city’s underground electrical system south of Cortez Road. They are diligently analyzing and assessing the damage and formulating a plan to restore power to the south end of the city,” Cosby said.
FPL is analyzing the damage done to the electrical system at the south end of the city. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Cosby said power has been restored to the police station, city hall and other locations throughout the city.
“FPL has already charged the overhead lines on Gulf Drive and sporadically some people are getting power back. The city’s planning department is working with FPL to ensure that every individual home or building is inspected and certified before receiving electrical services. If the home or building is not certified, the power meter will be removed and the building will not have electricity when the power line is charged,” Cosby said.
Property damage
“People don’t realize how bad it is,” Cosby said. “A picture only shows a certain angle, but not the entire degree of the damage. When talking to the Bridge Street merchants when we first brought them out, I told them before we went over the bridge to be prepared for shock and awe. You are not going to believe what you’re going to see because we’ve never had anything like this. A lot of buildings are going to have to be torn down,” Cosby said.
The storm surge left its mark on this elevated Bradenton Beach home. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Cosby said the storm surge was three or four feet high on Bridge Street and over six feet high in other places, with reported wave heights of eight to 11 feet.
Water erosion threatens the foundation at this home along Gulf Drive South. – Joe Hendricks | SunHurricane Helene demolished this home and deposited it at the end of the street. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“Our building official has already determined that several structures have been condemned and the building department will continue to evaluate structures to determine whether or not they can be occupied,” Cosby said.
Mail service
Today, the city issued a press release regarding mail service that states Bradenton Beach mail service is being temporarily re-routed to the Longboat Key post office at 560 Bay Isles Road for approximately one month. Cosby said the Bradenton Beach post office may have sustained storm damage and many residential mailboxes are buried or missing.
“Starting Thursday (Oct. 3), mail can start being picked up at the Longboat Key post office. There will be no mail delivery until further notice,” he said.
Final thoughts
“The city of Bradenton Beach appreciates the efforts of FDOT, Gov. DeSantis, the state of Florida, Manatee County and the Manatee County Emergency Operations Center, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the West Manatee Fire District, and the other Island municipalities for their response and assisting us with our ongoing recovery efforts,” Cosby said.
Real-time updates and information are being posted daily at the Bradenton Beach Police Department’s Facebook page.
(Sun reporter Leslie Lake contributed photos to this story)
(Editor’s note: As conditions and circumstances continue to evolve, the information provided in this story is subject to change at any time.)
BRADENTON BEACH – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, along with federal and state officials, was in Bradenton Beach on Saturday to provide an update on Hurricane Helene recovery efforts locally and statewide.
DeSantis addressed the need for reopening Gulf Drive, which suffered extensive damage that included several feet of sand over the road, buckling and sinkholes following the storm surge from the Category 4 storm.
“Here in Bradenton Beach one of the things we wanted to do is get this road fixed as soon as possible,” DeSantis said. “People were talking about many weeks, we don’t have that kind of time.”
Gulf Drive (SR-789) falls under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). As of Sunday, Bradenton Beach is the only Anna Maria Island city that was not allowing residents to return except on foot due largely to the conditions along Gulf Drive.
DeSantis said FDOT has a temporary fix started on Gulf Drive under an emergency contract.
“It could be finished in five days, but we’re hoping they’ll do better than that,” DeSantis said. “There’s part of the road where you have structural damage. And they’ll do temporary repairs. People will be able to use the road. It’s not going to be a permanent solution, but I’d rather get the road back open so people can use it, then we’ll address it on a permanent basis.”
He said the goal is to get everything functioning so people can get back to their homes and businesses as soon as possible.
At 3 p.m. on Sunday, FDOT was authorized by DeSantis to begin immediate sand removal and clearing of all City of Bradenton Beach local roads, according to a Bradenton Beach city press release.
“Please stay out of their way,” the release states. “The city remains open to foot traffic only.”
DeSantis called the amount of sand on the road in Bradenton Beach “significant” and said he has not seen that amount of sand following the storm in any other part of the state he’s visited.
“I think what we’re going to do, we’re going to store the sand and then if folks here need it for beach renourishment they can use it for beach renourishment,” DeSantis said. “In some areas the sand was 5 feet. That’s pretty incredible.”
Much of Anna Maria Island remains without power. The governor said that sand inhibits the ability to deal with some of the underground transmission lines.
“For folks here, there’s a lot of damage, but there’s no question you’ll be able to bounce back,” he said.
DeSantis was joined by FDOT Secretary Jared Purdue, FEMA Executive Director Kevin Guthrie, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Major General John Haas from the Florida National Guard.
Purdue said FDOT solicited bids and got under contract quickly to repair Gulf Drive.
“We’re standing here on State Road 789 which sustained significant damage from Helene and with mounds and mounds of sand, and as soon as the water receded our FDOT team here in District 1 jumped in and immediately started doing damage assessments,” Purdue said. “There’s a schedule of five days, but you heard the governor – there’s a full anticipation we’re going to work around the clock to get this done as quickly as possible.”
“We’ve reopened the Florida Disaster Fund, this is a private fund, this is a tax-deductible charitable contribution you can make. It’s a partnership with our partners in the private sector, other non-government groups who work to help people when things like this happen. It can help fund meals and help displaced people get essential items,” DeSantis said.
He gave the telephone number for the state’s non-emergency information line, which is 800-342-3557 and the Hope Florida line for assistance with food and shelter at 1-833-GET-HOPE.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The city commission will decide whether the Anna Maria-owned portion of Gulf Drive will be included in a $1.5 million Island-wide Gulf Drive corridor study.
The commission is expected to make its decision on Thursday, May 25.
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Engineer/Design Manager Craig Fox presented the proposed study during the May 8 Island Transportation Planning Organization (ITPO) meeting held at Anna Maria City Hall.
FDOT will fund the Gulf Drive corridor study, which is expected to begin in November and take a maximum of two years to complete. Fox said the study area will extend along the entire portion of Gulf Drive/State Road 789 in Bradenton Beach, from the Longboat Pass Bridge to the Bradenton Beach/Holmes Beach border.
In Holmes Beach, the study will continue along East Bay Drive to the Manatee Avenue intersection. The study area continues from the Manatee Avenue/Gulf Drive intersection and along Gulf Drive through Holmes Beach to the Gulf Drive/Palm Drive intersection. The study then continues along Gulf Drive to the Holmes Beach/Anna Maria border. The study area in Holmes Beach will not include Marina Drive or the portion of Gulf Drive between Walgreens and the West Coast Surf Shop. The Anna Maria commission is to decide if the study continues along Gulf Drive to Pine Avenue.
Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Executive Director David Hutchinson said the cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach requested the study and FDOT decided to include the Anna Maria portion of Gulf Drive as well.
Fox said the cities can use the study results to pursue state and federal funds to implement the potential street and right-of-way improvements identified in the study.
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy reminded Cox that the city, not the state, owns the portion of Gulf Drive located in Anna Maria and has owned it since the state turned over ownership and maintenance of that road in the early 1970s. Murphy said the city has already studied and improved the city’s portion of the road.
Murphy asked Cox if the city can opt out of the study. Cox said the city can.
Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said the goal is to come up with a consistent design that meets FDOT’s basic complete street standards which include sidewalks, multi-use trails, crosswalks and more.
“This complete streets study is clearly about safety and mobility, and having this information so funding can hopefully follow to move forward and do something,” Chappie said.
Holmes Beach Commissioner Dan Diggins asked why Marina Drive is not included in the study area. He was told safety and drainage improvements have already been made there.
Commission briefed
During the May 15 city commission meeting, Murphy briefed the commissioners about the proposed study. He said he received the latest version of FDOT’s 46-page scope of services document the previous evening and would send it to them. Murphy asked the commissioners to review the proposed study for further discussion and decision-making on Thursday, May 25.
The FDOT document is titled “Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Studies Barrier Island Complete Streets Improvements.” It lists two main project objectives – implementing recommendations made in the previously completed Barrier Island Traffic Study and reducing flooding along the Gulf Drive/SR 789 corridor.
Murphy told the commission he’s not a big fan of these types of studies and he’s seen three or four studies done on the Island in the past that have not yet resulted in any significant follow-up action.
In 2014-15, the three Island cities and Manatee County partnered on a $125,000 Island-wide Urban Land Institute study which to date has not produced any significant study-related actions.
Murphy referenced the Sarasota-Manatee Barrier Island Traffic Study initiated in 2016 and completed in 2020 that recommends extending the Manatee Avenue right turn lane near the Manatee Avenue/Gulf Drive intersection, which has not happened yet.
According to the traffic study-related phase 2 report dated 2018 and posted at the MPO website, FDOT plans to include the Manatee Avenue right turn lane extension as part of the future Anna Maria Bridge replacement project that currently has no announced start date.
When contacted after he reviewed the FDOT plans, Murphy said, “It’s up to our city commission to decide if the city wants this to go forward. I have thought all along that it was odd for FDOT to come into a city and do a study without first at least discussing what is being studied and why. I am comfortable that we now have it under control and the commission will make that decision Thursday night.”
BRADENTON BEACH – The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recently installed dozens of signs along various sections of Gulf Drive that say, “No parking on right of way.”
Approximately 55 signs are located along Gulf Drive South near Coquina Beach and the Coquina boat ramps.
Approximately 30 new “no parking” signs are located along the west of Gulf Drive South, near Coquina Beach and the Coquina Boat Ramps. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
In groups of two or three, more signs are located along Gulf Drive North at 11th Street North, along the 1900 block of Gulf Drive North by the La Costa condominiums, between 22nd Street North and 23rd Street North near Katie Pierola Park and between 25th Street South and 26th Street South.
Police Chief John Cosby told The Sun that he requested the new signs from FDOT last year and they were installed last week.
Smaller groups of “no parking” signs have been installed at the north end of the city. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When contacted by The Sun, FDOT Operations Center Engineer Trisha Hartzell said, “The District Traffic Operations office initiated this action to prohibit vehicles parking on Florida Department of Transportation right of way along State Road 789/Gulf Drive South at the request of the city of Bradenton Beach.”
In the past, temporary barricades with “no parking” signs affixed to them were placed along the Gulf Drive South right of way near Coquina Beach to help prevent people from parking in the state-owned rights of way where parking is prohibited.
When contacted Monday, Cosby said those temporary signs were previously removed at the request of the city’s Scenic WAVES Committee due to concerns about sign pollution along a scenic highway. The Scenic WAVES Committee also serves as the city’s scenic highway board.
According to FDOT’s www.FloridaScenicHighways.com website, the entire 3-mile stretch of Gulf Drive/SR 789 in Bradenton Beach is a state-designated scenic highway.
Leaders in the adjacent city of Holmes Beach, meanwhile, have ordered the removal of several no parking signs from its streets, citing sign pollution as the reason.
Cosby said it’s the state that prohibits parking along the Gulf Drive rights of way and that longstanding parking prohibition has not changed.
“To have proper enforcement, the signs have to be there. It’s hard to enforce the law if you don’t have the proper signs telling people they can’t park there. We need them year-around,” Cosby said.
When asked about the signs being placed along a scenic highway, Cosby said, “There’s already speed limit signs, crosswalk signs, directional signs and other signs along the scenic highway and this is in the areas where we have to have enforcement.”
It’s a scary location and those of us in Anna Maria city and the north side of Holmes Beach who pass through the intersection often should understand. With the City Center road closure on Marina Drive and the still ongoing work on Holmes Boulevard, all traffic (each car) must come to a stop at this intersection. Action to date by Holmes Beach authorities amounts to a fourth stop sign be- ing strapped to a telephone pole.
As drivers go through the intersection, the game of whose turn is it is interesting – while also frightening – to experience as unkind gestures and words are exchanged. Add pedestrians navigating the intersection on the single crosswalk across Gulf Drive. My wife and I have survived a near miss while I have witnessed more as drivers are now faced with five decisions.
In the morning, several delivery trucks stop on Holmes Boulevard servicing the many businesses in the area. Gridlock occurs, drivers are out of cars arguing with delivery truck operators, again exchanging gestures and salty language. One would think you were in Manhattan, not our island paradise.
It’s October, a “quieter” time on the island, less traffic and people. This situation will only get worse.
A few suggestions:
1. A cop to direct traffic during the busiest hours;
2. A temporary street light system intelligently programmed to reduce backups and flow traffic;
3. Transition the parallel parking on the west side of Holmes Boulevard by the Freckled Fin to a Deliveries Only space to assure two travels lanes remain open;
4. Add a much-needed crosswalk across Holmes Boulevard to Vinny’s Kitchen to connect the many shops on both sides of the street.
BRADENTON BEACH – The city’s Gulf Drive utilities undergrounding project is facing an unanticipated potential funding shortfall of about $365,000.
On Thursday, June 3, City Attorney Ricinda Perry discussed the matter with city commission members, some of whom were already aware of the potential financial crisis.
As she did on the previous Bridge Street undergrounding project, Perry is serving as the city liaison for the current Gulf Drive undergrounding project that extends from the south end of the city, near Longboat Pass, to Sixth Street South. The project also includes the utility lines being undergrounded along those connecting side streets. As he did on the Bridge Street project, Mark Porter is again providing consulting services for the Gulf Drive project.
The city’s undergrounding project is being funded by a $2 million state appropriation and the state-imposed deadline to complete the project is June 30.
During the preliminary stages of the Gulf Drive project, the city requested a non-binding cost estimate from Florida Power & Light (FPL) for that company’s portion of the project costs, which include removing the existing power lines and power poles.
According to Perry, FPL’s non-binding cost estimates came in between $360,000 and $390,000, but on May 17 she received a binding cost estimate from FPL for $1,187,029.
“There is no way we have funds to pay that price,” Perry said.
Perry said FPL attributed the higher price to the fact that FPL replaced the old wooden power poles with concrete power poles when hardening those lines approximately six years ago. Perry said FPL did not account for the concrete poles when making its binding cost estimate. She said FPL representatives admitted the mistake but said little could be done to lower the costs established by tariffs implemented by the Florida Public Service Commission. According to FPL representative Ray Dowling, the tariffs establish the fixed rates FPL charges for specific tasks such as removing power lines and power poles.
Perry said the Verizon lines are expected to come down in two weeks, the Comcast lines are expected to come down in four to five weeks and FPL will not remove its power lines and poles until the city pays the amount cited in the binding estimate.
Perry told the commission she requested assistance from State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and lobbyist Dave Ramba. Perry said Robinson told her there’s no money in the state budget to further assist the city. Perry said Dowling told her there was nothing more FPL could do and the city or the state would simply have to find the additional funds.
Possible solutions
On May 20, Perry received an adjusted estimate from FPL for $907,038 which included a rebate on materials and an additional discount for doing a total of at least three miles of undergrounding now or in the future. As of May 25, Perry was able to reduce the FPL costs to $856,036.
The Bradenton Beach Commission and City Attorney Ricinda Perry are trying to navigate a significant funding shortfall. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“This is just for their engineering, materials and wrecking lines,” Perry said. “I must complete that $2 million appropriation. If I don’t, the risk is we have to pay it back to the state. That will bankrupt my city.”
Perry said Wilco Electrical is being paid $827,000 for its portion of the project, Spectrum is being paid $100,000, Verizon is being paid $110,000, the underground boring costs are $131,000 and there are additional costs and consulting fees. She said she anticipates receiving additional discounts from the other contractors and companies involved with the project.
Perry said the project calls for the removal of 89 power poles and FPL has given the city the option of not removing 60 of those poles.
“If we cut those out of the project, I will come within the cost estimate they have given to me. The problem I have with that is I’ve used state funds to build those lines. How could I ever pass a budget audit with the state saying I put your money in the ground but I’m not actually going to take out the lines? That’s not a solution. I need to complete the project,” Perry said.
Perry said she’s looking at other options, including the elimination of other projects that were to be funded with excess beach concession funds previously approved by the Manatee County Commission. Perry said the city previously planned to use approximately $294,000 in excess beach concession funds granted by the county to help fund a bike trial, install signage and lighted crosswalks and/or make improvements to the Old Town Tram program.
“If we are allowed to use that funding and cannibalize those projects, I can probably make the shortfall that exists from FPL’s malfeasance. I know we don’t have money in the general reserve and we cannot afford to not complete the project. I need the commission to authorize me to use the concessionaire funds that appear to be available for this type of use,” Perry said, noting that county approval also would be needed.
Perry said City Clerk Terri Sanclemente and City Treasurer Shayne Thompson recently told her there are no additional unallocated funds available in the current fiscal year budget.
Commissioner Jake Spooner asked if the city could take out a bond or arrange a 10-year payment plan with FPL if all else fails.
The commission agreed to let Perry pursue the available options and Chappie said he would schedule an emergency meeting if needed.
BRADENTON BEACH – City officials would like to remove the Australian pines along the west side of the Cortez Road/Gulf Drive intersection.
The pines appear to be primarily located on residential property at 402 Gulf Drive N., owned by Michael and Nadya Kelly. The Kellys live in Canada and are longtime seasonal visitors to Bradenton Beach since purchasing the beachfront property in 1989. Some of the Australian pines in question may be located in the state-owned Gulf Drive right of way.
City Commissioner Jan Vosburgh requested the issue be addressed during the Wednesday, June 2 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting. Vosburgh is concerned the pines could topple during a major storm and block the primary evacuation and re-entry route for the city.
“I think those Australian pine trees, as you come down Cortez Bridge, are a real eyesore. Most importantly, I think it’s very dangerous. I’ve been talking about this for quite a few years. They should be removed,” Vosburgh said.
Vosburgh again suggested seeking state condemnation of the residential structure or invoking eminent domain rights.
“I am familiar with the condemnation of property. I think we should work very hard at getting rid of that house because that is a terrible eyesore and it doesn’t look like it’s getting any better,” Vosburgh said.
Michael and Nadya Kelly own the residential property at 402 Gulf Drive N. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Commissioner Jake Spooner asked if anyone with the city has looked into what could possibly be done regarding the removal of the Australian pines. He also asked whether anyone from the city has researched how far the state right of way extends westward toward the Kellys’ property.
CRA member Ed Chiles owns the Beach House restaurant property directly south of the Kellys’ property. For his Mar Vista Dockside restaurant in Longboat Key, he previously purchased Australian pine benches designed by Sarasota architect Barron Schimberg and manufactured from fallen Australian pines. Earlier this year, the CRA paid for four Australian pine benches to installed in the pocket park in front of the Bradenton Beach Post Office.
“Australian pines are invasive. They have been designated by the state as invasive – that they shall be taken out, not can be. They have an acid mass that kills all the bio-diversity underneath them. Jan could not be more right. Those trees are a tremendous hazard right at the most important intersection in the city of Bradenton Beach. When the big storm hits, they’re going over and that’s going to be a real impediment when our public service people are the only people out here trying to saw through all of that,” Chiles said.
City officials believe these Australian pines at the Cortez Road/Gulf Drive intersection pose a threat to public safety. – Joe Hendricks
“Conversely, there is tremendous opportunity there. That is the gateway to Bradenton Beach. Whether it’s condemnation, a (traffic) circle there or an icon there, it’s a tremendous opportunity and I thank you for bringing it up,” Chiles said.
“I know somebody that will take those trees, dry them out and make furniture out of them,” he added.
In October 2019, City Engineer Lynn Burnett told the city commission the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) intends to construct a roundabout at the intersection in conjunction with the construction of the new Cortez Bridge that’s expected to begin in 2026.
In April, Burnett presented the commission with her final plans for an FDOT-funded beautification and landscaping project that calls for the future removal of several Australian pines along Gulf Drive North. Those plans do not include the Kelly property.
Wednesday’s discussion concluded with the commission directing Public Works Manager Tom Woodard to get cost estimates for the removal of the Australian pines located on the Kellys’ property and/or the state right of way.
The Sun was unable to reach the Kellys, who have not been able to return to Bradenton Beach from Canada due to the pandemic, according to Mayor John Chappie.
BRADENTON BEACH – Motorists can expect to encounter delays at some point next week if traveling on Gulf Drive near Fifth Street South and Sixth Street South in Bradenton Beach.
The one-day lane closure of one of the two Gulf Drive travel lanes was previously scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 11. Late last week, the lane closure was rescheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 18. On Monday, Feb. 10, Manatee County issued a press release stating the Gulf Drive lane closure is still expected next week, but the exact date was not yet known.
“The date of the work is dependent on the weather and progress of the work crews. An exact date for the lane closure will be announced on the county’s road closure site and on Twitter @manateegov and @PW_Manateegov,” according to the press release.
“The temporary lane closure will begin one morning next week and should be complete later the same day. Motorists traveling both northbound and southbound on Gulf Drive South/SR 789 should allow extra time to get to their destinations.
“Crews working on the wastewater system improvement project are installing a manhole on Gulf Drive just north of Fifth Street South. Due to the narrow nature of the road and limited space available in the work area, the contractor has determined the need for this temporary lane closure to ensure the safety of motorists and workers. Flagmen will be stationed at Fifth Street South and Sixth Street South to manage traffic flow,” according to the release.
Residents with concerns are advised to call Strategic Affairs Manager Ogden Clark at 941-708-7450 ext. 7432 or email him at ogden.clark@mymanatee.org.
When implemented, the temporary lane closure will occur where both Gulf Drive travel lanes are currently shifted to the west to accommodate the work taking place in association with the county’s force main replacement project. Enacted approximately two weeks ago, the temporary lane shifts currently result in southbound traffic being directed onto the unpaved Cortez Beach parking lot.
HOLMES BEACH – City Engineer Lynn Burnett has a plan to help keep pedestrians and motorists safer during pedestrian street crossings. The first phase of that plan, to install an estimated 13 lighted crosswalks in the city, is underway.
The first of the crosswalks was installed near the intersection of Gulf Drive and 58th Street, close to the Harrington House Bed and Breakfast, in December. Now that the first one is in, Burnett plans a second one at Gulf Drive and Guava, located within a dangerous S-curve that has proven deadly for pedestrians in the past.
Burnett said the crosswalk is in the design phase and will undergo construction in the next several weeks. One of the main concerns, she said, with the placement of the crosswalk is to make sure there’s ample signage to warn drivers of the location of the crosswalk without contributing unnecessarily to the city’s sign pollution issue.
With a public beach access located at the planned Guava crossing, Burnett said plans also are underway to add a pedestrian path on the west side of Gulf Drive to allow for safe passage between the two crosswalks.
As more plans develop, each planned crosswalk will go before city commissioners for review and approval.
HOLMES BEACH – The Coalition of Barrier Islands Elected Officials meeting is a time for the mayors of the four neighboring Island cities to get together to discuss common issues. Sometimes those discussions don’t go quite the way they planned.
While discussing the options that Longboat Key city leaders are considering to help improve vehicular traffic and keep pedestrians safe from drivers, Mayor George Spoll said he’d like Bradenton Beach city leaders to remove the roundabout at Bridge Street, which he believes causes traffic jams for drivers traveling north through his city.
“It’s an abomination,” Spoll said of the roundabout.
Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said the roundabout needs to stay in place to help keep pedestrians and motorists safe in his city. He said the roundabout, with its yield signs and four crosswalks, helps to separate pedestrians from motorists, preventing accidents.
“We matter, too, in Bradenton Beach and on Anna Maria Island,” Chappie said. “It’s not just about Longboat Key.”
Chappie added that, as far as he’s concerned, Bradenton Beach city leaders wouldn’t entertain restructuring the intersection with Gulf Drive solely in an attempt to alleviate traffic on Longboat Key.
Spoll said he’d like to push to have the intersection restructured.
Chappie added that he wants his city to be a good neighbor to the one to the south, however, there is more to consider concerning safety at the congested intersection before potential traffic slowdowns are addressed.
“I don’t want to start a conversation by throwing down the gauntlet,” Chappie said.
He took a summary of the conversation with Spoll at the BIEO meeting to a Bradenton Beach commission meeting. Commissioners thanked Chappie for the information but did not discuss the matter further.
Anna Maria Commissioner Amy Tripp made a good point last week when she suggested the $150,000 it would cost to install an automated license plate recognition system might be money better spent on lighted crosswalks.
Automated plate readers may or may not be a good idea, but most folks would agree that safe crosswalks are a great idea.
Tourists love to walk to the beach to enjoy the sunsets, but if they linger long enough they find themselves walking home in darkness, often with children in tow. The growing fear is that someday a large group of visitors is going to get struck by a motorist who doesn’t see them crossing.
City commissioners in all three Island cities spend a great deal of time funding projects. Perhaps the time has come for lighted sidewalks to become a greater funding priority – an endeavor that will require FDOT cooperation for crosswalks located on the state-owned portions of Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach.
Perhaps the finest example of a lighted Gulf Drive crosswalk is in front of the Runaway Bay condominiums in Bradenton Beach. Pedestrians push a button to activate the signal lighting, and it’s nearly impossible for a motorist not to see that a crossing’s imminent. There’s another lighted crosswalk near the Gulf Drive Cafe, but folks tend to cross there in a more willy-nilly fashion rather than using the designated crossing area.
Public safety is a responsibility shared by elected officials, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists alike.
Pedestrians: Walk defensively, be aware of your surroundings and cross at marked crossings when possible. When crossing, look into the eyes of the approaching driver to see if they see you and plan to stop.
Bicyclists: Follow the rules of the road and obey traffic signals – including stop signs that may slow your roll but save your life. And put lights on your bike if riding at night, even if it’s a rented bike.
Motorists: Be constantly alert for pedestrians crossing anywhere at any time and pay close attention to the yellow pedestrian crossing signs at which you are required by law to stop when pedestrians are present.
This isn’t rocket science. We’re all in this together; let’s all do our part so we all get home safe.
HOLMES BEACH — It didn’t take long for the Florida Department of Transportation to respond to Holmes Beach commissioners’ request to return the Holmes Beach speed limit to 35 miles per hour west of the Anna Maria Island Bridge.
Holmes Beach drivers were in an uproar after the FDOT lowered the speed limit across the bridge from 45 to 35 m.p.h. and reduced speed west of the bridge from 35 to 25 m.p.h. without notice.
During a special meeting convened Feb. 16, commissioners unanimously voted to request a reversal of the FDOT decision.
David Gwynn, FDOT Director of Transportation Operations, sent a same-day response Feb. 22 to Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson’s e-mailed request to increase the speed limit west of the bridge to its previous posted limit.
While Gwynn agreed to reverse the change, in his e-mail, he maintained the speed study completed prior to the change and submitted to the city after new signs were posted remains valid. He said another one would not be conducted by the department at this time. The change took effect Feb. 28.
Commissioners also voted 4 to 1, with Commissioner Pat Morton dissenting, to increase the speed limit from 25 to 35 m.p.h. along a stretch of Gulf Drive from 43rd Street to 52nd Street near Anna Maria Elementary School.
The change went into effect Feb. 22.
