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Tag: HB 947

Letter to the Editor: DeSantis should veto HB 947

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

There is a smarter, less costly approach to increase parking capacity in Holmes Beach.

Anna Maria Island (AMI) is a treasure. We must protect it from the current misguided construction plan of a four-story, $45M garage at Holmes Beach. This project will create a bottleneck at the T intersection of Manatee Avenue and Gulf Drive, creating traffic delays of two hours or more at peak times. Queueing models prove that congestion on the island will become explosively worse than it already is.

More visitors are welcome on AMI, as they bring additional business to the restaurants and shopping outlets. But there are smarter, more cost-effective alternatives than building a massive garage at a choke point.

An alternative is to distribute the traffic load across multiple points. For example, Manatee County can contract with numerous parking lots off-island, including east on Manatee Avenue, to use their idle spaces. And shuttles can carry beachgoers to and from Holmes Beach. This is a smarter approach that is less costly, reduces current traffic congestion on the island, and mitigates the problems that will be otherwise imposed by the original misguided design. It also better serves the economic interests of the area.

 

Allan Levy

Perico Island

Parking garage bill remains stalled

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

TALLAHASSEE – Florida House Bill 947, sponsored by Manatee County Rep. Will Robinson Jr. to build a parking garage at Manatee Beach, still hasn’t hit Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk.

The bill would allow Manatee County commissioners to approve and issue permits for the planned three-story, 1,500-plus parking space structure at the county-owned beach against local regulations in Holmes Beach, where the beach is located.

The bill passed both the state House and Senate, but as of press time for The Sun, it had not yet been presented to the governor.

Once the bill goes to the governor’s desk, he can choose to veto, sign or ignore it. If DeSantis signs the bill, it becomes law upon gaining his signature. If he chooses to ignore it, it automatically becomes law on July 1. If he vetoes it, the bill dies, and so do Manatee County commissioners’ immediate plans for the parking garage.

A veto from the governor would send the bill back to the House where it would be up for reconsideration in the next regular legislative session. It would require a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate to overturn a veto from DeSantis.

The bill must be presented to DeSantis for consideration, otherwise, it dies despite earning approvals from state legislators. Once presented with the bill, the governor has 15 days to take action, according to the Florida constitution.