HOLMES BEACH – The beachfront treehouse built by Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen is the story that just keeps on giving.
While the owners are still appealing a court ruling ordering the destruction of the treehouse, they now have a new issue – they can’t renew their vacation rental certificates.
Code Compliance Officer James Thomas said that he’s been working with the owners of Angelinos Sea Lodge – the home of the controversial treehouse – to get the issues resolved between them and the city so that they can get the VRCs, which allow them to rent the four short-term vacation rental units on their property.
While Angelinos previously had VRCs for the units, Thomas said that city code prevents him or his fellow officers from renewing the certificates due to the outstanding code violations and fines on the property related to the treehouse, which is under a court order to be torn down. He added that the code compliance department has been advised by the attorney handling the treehouse case for the city, Randy Mora, to not issue any VRC renewals on the property until the code issues are cleared up.
Thomas said that Tran and Hazen will have to work with the city’s building department to make the treehouse a legal structure on the property, which is unlikely, since they tried to get after-the-fact permits for the structure a few years ago and were given a long list of reasons why former Building Official Jim McGuinness denied those permits. Some of those issues are that the supporting posts are not buried far enough in the sand to appropriately support the treehouse structure according to code, the treehouse is not accessible to the disabled and it’s located too close to the erosion control line to be legally permitted. Holmes Beach Building Official Neal Schwartz did not return a request for comment from The Sun.
Thomas said their other option is to pay the code compliance fines and remove the treehouse to clear the code issues on the property.
If the treehouse is either made legal under city permits or torn down, he said the VRC renewals for the four vacation rental units can be processed. Until those renewals are granted, Thomas said that the units have to remain closed to visitors.
As of Oct. 15, the daily accrued code fine against the treehouse owners was $95,600. With fines accruing at $50 per day, that adds about another $3,650 through Dec. 27. As of Dec. 22, City Treasurer Lori Hill said the treehouse owners owe the city $184,914 in legal fees.
In response to the city’s Oct. 16 denial of the renewal of the VRCs, Tran and Hazen submitted a letter to the city Oct. 19 stating that they had received a legal opinion on the renewal denials and believe they were issued in error for several reasons. One of those reasons is that there are still three pending appeals in Manatee County Circuit Court, and the owners also are appealing to the United States Supreme Court for a second time to review the case.
Another reason is that the treehouse isn’t a habitable structure on the property and is for the personal use of the owners, not vacationers at the property. The other listed reasons are the loss of income due to lost reservations on the property with the VRCs not renewed on time and the fact that the VRCs were both initially issued and renewed once by the city during the time that the treehouse has been standing on the property. The owners’ legal opinion came from attorney David Levin.
Thomas said that he’s found both Tran and Hazen to be receptive to efforts to resolve the situation but until a resolution is reached, the Angelinos Sea Lodge remains closed to guests.
Tran and Hazen did not return requests for comment from The Sun.
MANATEE COUNTY – Tourist Development Council members received some encouraging news just before Christmas.
During this morning’s meeting, held at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, representatives from Visit Florida and Research Data Services gave TDC members updates, and the news was good – tourism numbers are going up despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Jen Carlisle with Visit Florida said that while the numbers they’re seeing are an overall 37% decrease in tourism from the same time last year and a 57% decrease in tourism from Canada, travel increased in the second and third quarters of the year by 71%. Carlisle attributed the increase in numbers to the Visit Florida-led marketing efforts.
Beginning in September, she said the organization targeted Florida residents, urging them through marketing to take a trip in their own state. In October, the target area of that effort increased to include drivable markets within a 700-mile radius, such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville.
From these rebound advertising campaigns, Carlisle said that Visit Florida has had 300 million impressions and that 70% of people who saw the marketing spots were more likely to visit the state than they were beforehand. And while international travel is still largely on hold due to travel restrictions, she said that Visit Florida is still marketing in other countries to keep the destination at the forefront of potential visitors’ minds when restrictions are lifted. Elliott Falcione, director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that his organization also is making sure that they continue marketing in other countries, particularly in Europe and Canada, to make sure that the Bradenton area is on visitors’ minds when they’re ready to book future travel plans.
Speaking on behalf of the central European market from Germany via Zoom, Dorothea Hohn said that her research has found that people are ready to travel to the United States again, particularly to beach and outdoor destinations like the Bradenton and Gulf Islands area, however, she added that those visitors are pinning their plans on the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine and the lifting of international travel bans and restrictions.
Anne Wittine of Tampa-based Research Data Services, the county’s tourism consultant, gave a presentation on the current state of tourism in the area, noting that the number of visitors is down only 10.3% for the year so far from 2019. The economic impact of tourism, – the amount of money put into the local economy by tourists – is down 13.2% from the previous year. And while occupancy is down 14.3% from the previous year, Wittine said that may largely be due to a lack of reporting from privately-managed vacation rental properties. She said that the majority of the occupancy numbers received come from hotels, motels and professionally-managed vacation rental units, and that it’s hard to get numbers from individual vacation rental owners or those rented through services such as Airbnb.
Some of the challenges facing the local tourism industry, Wittine said, are that visitors are waiting until the last minute, often one to seven days out from their expected travel time, to book vacations and that visitation from Canada and Europe, where travel restrictions are in place, is too small to count at this time. Another issue is that cancellations of trips are going up as the number of locally-reported COVID-19 cases increases.
And while the number of people feeling more confident and safe about traveling is steadily increasing, Wittine said one key element for the local tourism businesses is to provide good information on what is open and what kind of experience travelers can expect when they arrive at their destination, information that is often difficult to come by online.
HOLMES BEACH – Players at the new city pickleball courts aren’t happy with the geogrid playing surface, and city officials are looking into solutions.
Mayor Judy Titsworth said she’s received complaints that players are slipping on the surface when trying to play and that balls aren’t bouncing as well as they should. Titsworth and Commissioners Terry Schaefer and Jayne Christenson said they’ve all spoken to players who are concerned about the safety of the pickleball courts’ surface, a geogrid that’s supposed to reduce slips and last longer than a typical court surface.
Christenson added that she’s been out to the courts to observe the players firsthand and also walked with them over to the tennis courts, which have a paved surface, to see the difference between playing on the pickleball courts and the tennis courts. She said that she can see why players are concerned about slipping and falling on the new courts.
Titsworth said she understands the concerns and has been speaking to the manufacturer to see what can be done. She added that she believes the issues at the pickleball court are caused by shoes and balls getting wet. When a ball rolls off the court into the surrounding grassy area, Titsworth said that both the ball and the player’s shoes can get wet during retrieval, leading to issues on the geogrid court.
The city’s basketball court is covered with the same material but completely fenced in. Titsworth said that no issues with slipping have been reported there.
In addition to working with the manufacturer to find an answer to players’ concerns, a mat has been laid out for players to dry their shoes on to help reduce slips. Titsworth said that she’s also working with public works employees and Director of Development Services Eran Wasserman to find a different kind of surface to surround the courts with, such as pavers, that wouldn’t retain moisture as grass does.
Titsworth said that the attempts to find a remedy are in the early stages and urged players to be careful in the meantime.
HOLMES BEACH – A new dining experience is set to open on Dec. 20 with the French cuisine of The Chateau Anna Maria.
The new restaurant, helmed by Edward “Buddy” Foy Jr. and his wife, Jennifer, will open at the Waterline Marina Resort and Beach Club, 5325 Marina Drive, taking the space formerly occupied by Eliza Ann’s Coastal Kitchen.
Speaking with The Sun, Foy said that the new restaurant has been a dream of his and his staff’s since starring on the Food Network show, “Summer Rush” last year. After visiting his parents in Holmes Beach earlier in the year and staying for several months due to COVID-19 shutdowns, Foy said he knew that Anna Maria Island is the perfect place for his family’s new venture. If the show is renewed by Food Network for a second season, he said it’s possible that some of it could be shot at The Chateau Anna Maria, though Foy said there’s no guarantee.
After beating out several other applicants for the space, renovations began on the restaurant to help transform the space into the signature European/French countryside-inspired design created by Jennifer Foy that makes dining a special treat at the couple’s flagship restaurant, The Chateau On The Lake in Bolton Landing, New York.
Foy said that the goal for his family and staff is to provide a white tablecloth, five-star dining experience that makes guests feel more like they’re being entertained at someone’s elegant home rather than dining in a restaurant, a goal that he said his wife’s design of the space brings to life.
Plans are also underway to renovate the outdoor dining area in a phase two opening tentatively planned for late spring/summer.
Thanks to Foy’s upbringing in the restaurant business and his wife’s Italian heritage, he said that guests can expect a spin on French cuisine served in Italian-sized portions. The Chateau Anna Maria will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week with more casual dining taking place during the day. In the evening, Foy said the plan is to transform the restaurant into more of a fine dining experience that guests can enjoy on a special occasion or every day. He added that for guests desiring a more casual evening, casual dining favorites such as burgers will be served at the bar.
Foy said that one of his daughters plans to attend IMG Academy this coming fall while he and his wife plan to spend at least half the year on Anna Maria Island, returning to New York to operate their flagship restaurant during the summer months.
Those familiar with the Foy’s show, “Summer Rush,” know that while The Chateau On The Lake is a destination restaurant, the time that guests have to dine there every year is extremely limited. While tourists flock to the area over the summer, Foy said his family, which owns three restaurants in the area, has only 60 days of season to put in the work normally done in an entire year.
The restaurant has received more than 30 Diner’s Choice awards and was named a Top 100 Most Romantic and a Top 100 Most Scenic restaurant in America.
With the new restaurant opening in Holmes Beach, Foy brought along 15 of his Bolton Landing employees to help get the new restaurant started, including chefs. Currently, his existing staff is working to help train the new staff members in the restaurant’s policies and procedures. At the New York location, Foy said that during this year’s season, his restaurant staff greeted more than 100,000 guests without a COVID-19 case among his staff or linked back to dining at the restaurant, a streak of safe dining he plans to continue at The Chateau Anna Maria.
While the new restaurant opens for a VIP dining experience on Dec. 19, it officially opens to the public on Dec. 20. Foy said that guests staying on the Island for the holidays also can join them for dining on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
HOLMES BEACH – It’s beginning to look a lot more like Christmas, with the holiday decorations up and the Christmas tree of lights shimmering at the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce.
Despite a rainy night, dozens of people gathered in front of the Chamber in Holmes Beach on Dec. 4 to take part in the annual tree lighting, which featured music and a visit from Santa Claus courtesy of his pirate elves, the Anna Maria Island Privateers. Hot apple cider and individually-wrapped sweet treats were provided by the members of CrossPointe Fellowship Church. The tree, sponsored by Anthony’s Cooling, Heating and Electrical, lit up the night sky right on time at 6 p.m., drawing cheers from the masked crowd in attendance.
In addition to the festivities at the Chamber, local businesses also were welcoming visitors with treats of their own.
At Sun and Surf Beach Shop, visitors were greeted by the shop’s birds and a table full of individually-wrapped treats. A little further down at the Artists’ Guild Gallery, shoppers were invited to shop right from the gallery’s Christmas trees, choosing from a selection of handmade ornaments. At RE/MAX, the ladies of the realty company greeted passersby with sweet treats. Both Irene’s clothing boutique and The Original Sand Dollar were open for business, with children able to make their own Christmas ornaments at the Sand Dollar while parents were serenaded by violinist Danae Tran.
And while this year’s festivities were somewhat more subdued than in years past, it didn’t stop anyone in attendance from enjoying a festive start to the holiday season.
Delighted by the lights, a little child enjoys playing in the Christmas tree. - Kristin Swain | Sun
A game of chase breaks out in the Chamber parking lot before the Dec. 4 tree lighting. - Kristin Swain | Sun
While kids couldn’t climb in the sleigh with Santa this year, they were able to tell him what they wanted and take a socially distanced photo with the big guy. - Kristin Swain | Sun
In lieu of elves, Santa brought along some of his favorite pirates from the Anna Maria Island Privateers. - Kristin Swain | Sun
The ladies of RE/MAX greet passersby with a smile and a selection of sweet treats. - Kristin Swain
Children wanting to add a little sparkle to their family’s tree were invited to make their own ornaments using seashells at The Sand Dollar. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Violinist Danae Tran enchants visitors to The Sand Dollar with a selection of holiday tunes. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Santa greets a bashful little Santa in training. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Volunteers from the Chamber and CrossPointe Fellowship Church hand out cups of hot apple cider and individually-wrapped treats to attendees at the tree lighting ceremony. - Kristin Swain | Sun
HOLMES BEACH – If you’re a driver who violates the parking rules in the city of Holmes Beach, beware. There are new penalties in place for violators.
City commissioners voted unanimously on Nov. 17 to approve increases for parking fines in the city. Here’s what those increases look like:
Increase a general parking violation from $50 to $75;
Establish a $250 fine for using a fraudulent parking permit;
Charge a $15 late penalty for unpaid parking tickets 10 days after the parking fine is due instead of the previous five days;
Increase illegal handicap and Purple Heart parking violations to $250;
Increase the fine to $250 for impeding emergency access to the beach.
Parking fine increases aren’t the only change that drivers can expect.
During the Nov. 17 work session, commissioners heard a proposal from Police Chief Bill Tokajer to allow his officers to have a boot in each police vehicle and use it to prevent drivers with three or more outstanding parking tickets from operating their vehicles until delinquent fines are paid.
Tokajer said that currently there are two people with three unpaid parking violations and one with four unpaid parking violations in the city. Right now, he said the city’s regulations allow drivers to have 10 unpaid violations before the city’s officers can pursue the issue.
Under the proposed new regulations, parking tickets would have to be paid before the wheel locking device would be removed by officers.
The proposed ordinance states that the officer writing the citation would have the discretion to either boot or tow the vehicle once three or more unpaid parking violations have accumulated. He said it would be his officers’ intention to boot the vehicles unless they’re blocking traffic.
Tokajer added that his officers currently use the wheel locking devices on illegally parked golf carts because they’re not required to have a license plate so there’s no way to know who the owner or driver is if they’re not on site when the citation is issued.
Commissioner Carol Soustek said she has “no problem with enforcing adequate, responsible laws whether they’re friendly or not.”
Commissioner Kim Rash said he would be happy backdating the ordinance to an effective date of Jan. 1, 2020, and asked if the chief could look into determining a fee for unlocking a boot when it’s used on a vehicle.
Though Commissioner Jim Kihm expressed some concern about backdating the ordinance to the first of the calendar year, commissioners agreed to move the proposed regulations forward to a first reading at an upcoming meeting with an effective date of Jan. 1.
Beach renourishment parking requirement met
During a regular meeting held the same evening, Mayor Judy Titsworth and commissioners addressed comments from Manatee County commissioners made at their Nov. 17 meeting concerning the lack of beach parking in the city and possible withholding of funding if city leaders don’t meet the county leaders’ demands.
Soustek said that she would like to have one commissioner or the mayor attend the county commission meetings on a rotating schedule to have representation in case something like the Nov. 17 discussion, which wasn’t on the meeting’s agenda, happens again. She said that there’s a lack of communication between the city’s elected officials and Manatee County commissioners that she would like to see repaired, as evidenced by incorrect information cited by county commissioners during their meeting. During the Nov. 23 organizational meeting, Soustek applauded Titsworth for her quick reaction in sending two informational letters to county commissioners concerning parking in the city.
After COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and a permit parking program for residents was enacted, city officials eliminated 497 on-street parking spaces; 1,261 non-permit spots remain available to the public within a quarter-mile of the beach, as well as 642 resident permit-only until 5 p.m. spots. Chief Bill Tokajer said the city has well over the approximately 500 parking spots needed to be granted beach renourishment funds.
During the city commission meeting, Titsworth addressed the comments brought up by county commissioners during their meeting.
Titsworth said that she was not given notice by county commissioners that parking in Holmes Beach would be discussed during their meeting and didn’t have a chance to speak on the city’s behalf to correct the statements made during their meeting. During her city’s meeting, she reiterated that she’d spoken with county officials when parking restrictions were being discussed and that they were comfortable with the 500 spaces offered for beach renourishment. She said the 500 spaces required per an interlocal agreement between Holmes Beach and Manatee County was approved by Florida state officials. The city is legally required to have 378 spaces to receive beach renourishment funds.
Tokajer thanked Titsworth for her quick response and clarification of the issue of parking spaces, adding “the way that county commissioners and county employees treated this city in their meeting today is just shocking and appalling at the least. I’ll leave it at that.”
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue district commissioners had their hands full at their final meeting of the calendar year.
Commissioners welcomed Commissioner Larry Jennis back to the dais for another four-year term along with new Commissioner Robert Bennett. Both were sworn in during the district’s Nov. 17 meeting.
Board officers for 2021 also were selected during the meeting, with Jennis receiving a unanimous vote to serve as chair. Commissioner George Harris was unanimously selected to serve as vice-chair and Bennett received the support of his fellow commissioners to serve as secretary/treasurer.
The first shovels are in the ground at the site of the new West Manatee Fire Rescue administration building. – Submitted | WMFR
In other business, Chief Ben Rigney told commissioners that a small groundbreaking ceremony had been held at the site of the district’s new administration building at 701 63rd St. W. in Bradenton. With permits in hand, he said that footer construction had begun and the building is projected to be completed by April or May 2021.
Jennis volunteered to be the new board liaison on the project, a position previously held by former Commissioner Randy Cooper.
Commissioner Al Robinson took the opportunity during commissioner comments to again express his displeasure that his fellow commissioners voted to construct a new administration building rather than stay in the district’s temporary administrative offices at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, located just across the street from the district’s previous administration building.
With the December meeting canceled due to the holidays, WMFR commissioners will next meet in January 2021.
BRADENTON – The West Manatee Fire Rescue District has a new commissioner who will take the dais later this month.
Joining Commissioner Larry Jennis, who had no challengers for his seat, will be Robert Bennett, taking the place of Commissioner Randy Cooper. After 12 years on the dais, Cooper decided not to run for re-election this year.
With no challengers, Jennis was automatically re-elected for an additional four-year term on the fire district’s board of commissioners. He currently serves as the board’s vice-chair.
Three candidates qualified to fill Cooper’s vacant seat – Bennett, Steven Pontious and Derrick Warner. Bennett received the most votes and won the seat in a landslide with 9,689 ballots cast in his favor across 11 precincts, or 64.47% of the total number of votes. Pontious came in second with 2,681 votes, or 17.84%, with Warner ending the night with 2,659 votes, 17.69% of the total votes cast.
Pending election certification, Bennett will be sworn in along with Jennis during the Nov. 17 commission meeting planned to be held at the district’s temporary administration offices at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, 6510 Third Ave. W. in Bradenton. The meeting also will be available to attend via Zoom.
WMFR commissioners serve four-year terms and work with the fire chief to help create policy and manage the fire district. The West Manatee district includes all of Anna Maria Island, Cortez and unincorporated Manatee County on the west side of the county.
Updated Nov. 8, 2020 – HOLMES BEACH – The city has two commissioners to swear in on Monday, Nov. 16.
With four candidates – Commissioner Pat Morton, Commissioner Kim Rash, candidate Jayne Christenson and former commissioner Rick Hurst – and two seats on the dais available, the top two vote-getters took home the win – Christenson and Rash.
Rash was the top pick of voters, bringing in 991 votes, or 28.73% of the total votes. Christenson came in second with 874 votes at 25.34%, with Hurst coming in third with 856 votes and Morton coming in last with 728 votes, ending Morton’s more than a decade on the city commission dais.
Commission candidate Jayne Christenson and Commissioner Kim Rash wave to voters as they enter and leave the polls Nov. 3 with some of their supporters. – Kristin Swain | Sun
This will be Rash’s second term on the city commission.
Christenson will be serving her first term as a city commissioner, having previously served the city on the planning commission and the parking/congestion committee.
The city of Holmes Beach had one polling place for both of the city’s precincts, St. Bernard Catholic Church. The tallies for voters showed that out of the 2,823 registered voters in Holmes Beach, 1,183 voted by mail, 420 took advantage of early voting and 756 came to the polls on election day. The total voter turnout for the city was 2,359, or 83.75% of eligible voters casting their ballots.
Early in the day on Nov. 3, there were lines outside St. Bernard’s to vote. Much of the wait time was attributed to COVID-19 precautions but the lines didn’t dissuade voters from casting their ballots in person.
Outside of the polling location, candidates Christenson, Morton and Rash were camped out with signs, supporters and snacks for voters.
Commissioner Pat Morton greets voters as they enter the parking lot at St. Bernard Catholic Church. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Also up for re-election this year was Mayor Judy Titsworth. Once the candidate qualifying period ended, Titsworth was the only candidate who emerged, earning her another two years on the dais as mayor.
Pending the certification of the election results, the city of Holmes Beach has an organizational meeting and swearing-in ceremony planned for Monday, Nov. 16 at 9 a.m. at city hall. The public is welcome to attend but everyone is required to wear a mask when inside city hall and practice social distancing.
HOLMES BEACH – Officials here are working towards putting some restrictions on autocycle operations and rentals in the city.
The moratorium, which is scheduled to begin as soon as the ordinance passes a final reading and continue until Feb. 1, 2021, blocks businesses from renting the three-wheeled autocycles in the city. The moratorium allows commissioners time to work on proposed legislation governing the operation and rental of the miniaturized vehicles in the city.
The autocycles look like tiny cars and two different versions are rented on the Island. One version comes from Robinhood Rentals in Anna Maria and the other from The Toy Barn in Holmes Beach. If the moratorium passes, it won’t affect any existing rental businesses in the city which would be grandfathered in.
Commissioners agreed there needs to be some type of regulation for the vehicles, which can pose a safety hazard due to their low profile in comparison to standard vehicles on the road. Some of the vehicles also do not have the ability to travel in reverse and have to be manually pushed. Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said he feels the vehicles need some regulation to be operated in the city for safety reasons. Some commissioners had stronger feelings.
Commissioner Pat Morton said he feels some of the drivers of the vehicles are not trained properly by the rental company and drive recklessly, potentially causing harm to themselves and other people.
“People use this city like a playground,” Morton said, adding that he’s seen the vehicles traveling along two-lane streets side-by-side, appearing to race while also being driven too close to pedestrians.
“I think they see it as a beach toy,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said of the autocycle vehicles. “We have enough congestion. I’d like to see some of the toys off the road.”
While the moratorium moves to a first reading at an upcoming regular commission meeting, commissioners also are moving forward with regulation of the autocycles. The draft currently being considered would grandfather in the current businesses renting the vehicles but block any new businesses from coming to the city. It also would prohibit the use of the vehicles on city sidewalks and bicycle lanes.
HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners agreed unanimously to move a draft ordinance raising parking fine violations to a first reading.
During an Oct. 13 work session, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer presented commissioners with a plan to increase parking violations in the city. After Tokajer made his case for the increase in fine amounts, Commissioner Jim Kihm suggested a few changes, namely increasing the proposed violation amount for permit fraud to a maximum of $250 and increasing the fine amount for impeding emergency vehicle access to the beach to $250.
Here are all of the proposed fine amount increases:
Increase a general parking violation from $50 to $75,
Establish a $250 fine for using a fraudulent parking permit,
Charge a $15 late penalty to be charged 10 days after the parking fine is due instead of the current five days,
Increase illegal handicap and Purple Heart parking violations to $250.
Tokajer said that out of the 2,920 parking tickets Holmes Beach police officers have written year to date through September, about 100 of those, or 4.5%, were written to residents with 41 of those voided as a one-time resident education opportunity.
“Residents don’t get a lot of parking tickets in Holmes Beach,” he said.
Commissioner Carol Soustek said that she hopes that the larger parking fine amounts will discourage people from parking illegally to go to the beach, shrugging off the current $50 fine as a parking fee.
The draft ordinance goes before commissioners for a first reading at an upcoming city commission meeting.
HOLMES BEACH – With the Nov. 3 election nearly upon us, mail-in voting already begun and early in-person voting beginning Oct. 19, voters have a limited amount of time to finish making their selections for local and federal offices before casting their ballots.
In Holmes Beach, there are four candidates vying for two commission seats – Jayne Christenson, former commissioner Rick Hurst, Commissioner Pat Morton and Commissioner Kim Rash. Voters can select two candidates when casting their ballots. Whoever the top two vote-getters are will get the two-year commission terms.
With the final weeks of the campaign looming, The Sun has given each candidate the opportunity to address the public one final time to give their message to voters in their own words.
Jayne Christenson
Christenson
When I moved to Holmes Beach with my family in 1989, I knew this was the community where we belonged. In 2007, my husband and I became permanent residents of Holmes Beach and still live in the same home my parents bought in 1989. It has been a wonderful community to raise our family in.
If I am elected as your city commissioner, I will work to be more proactive at positive engagement with residents and businesses. Citizens expect transparency, accountability and better communication from city government and I am willing to deliver.
Suggestion: I would love to see our police officers get to know our community residents and businesses by being more engaged with those who live in Holmes Beach. Roll down the Ford Expedition window and say hello when you are driving by.
I am concerned when I hear of residents leaving Holmes Beach due in part from the growth of short-term vacation rental homes continuing to pop up in our neighborhoods, primarily in the R-2 zone near the beach. The weekly turnover of renters every seven days has brought increased traffic, noise, and affected the peaceful enjoyment and quality of life for residents. Aligning our priorities of balance between residential properties and vacation rentals in our neighborhoods is critical to maintaining our Island character.
Anna Maria Island can benefit from better collaboration and partnership between the three Island cities. I will work together with all city representatives as one voice when interacting with state and county officials. This is especially important when trying to communicate the negative impact that the Tourist Development Council (TDC) advertising is having on Anna Maria Island and Holmes Beach. On average, 10,000 people annually are moving to Manatee County. Holmes Beach cannot support the parking requirements for all the people who want to go to the beach. I will look for opportunities to include county officials in these discussions especially since they are the recipient of the 5% tourism tax.
With my career experience in corporate business, I will provide budget oversight to
achieve smart financial decisions. Holmes Beach is not a traditional city with traditional expenses. If elected, I will be watchful of the spending and when asked to approve a project or an expense outside of the normal operating budget, I will question, “Is this good for residents and our Island character?”.
In closing, I am asking for your vote for Holmes Beach City Commissioner. I would be honored to represent the residents and businesses of Holmes Beach. Please visit my website and/or follow my Facebook page.
Rick Hurst
Hurst
I earned an engineering degree from the University of Michigan. I accepted a doctorate fellowship at Northwestern University, however, I changed my path and decided to pursue a career in software development. I developed a software product that, to this day, is the leading product in its industry. I later was part of a start-up automation company in the automotive industry which grew quickly. The company’s success and subsequent sale provided me the opportunity to serve as the president of a multi-national corporation. I believe I am well-qualified for the job of commissioner.
My family and I moved to Holmes Beach because it appeared to be a wonderful and a welcoming beach community. We attended many events at city field. We loved it. We were living in paradise with a great community.
Soon after our arrival, these events dwindled away as did the welcoming beach community. We learned there was a small group of residents who were affecting this. This group felt the increase in visitors had ruined their private paradise. They were well-organized and started the process of getting candidates elected. I give them credit for the things they achieved early on. They stopped the excessive building and created the initial regulations for vacation rentals. However, their continued resentment and unrealistic zero-tolerance for visitors has resulted in an endless cycle of more laws, more fines, more code enforcement and higher budgets.
I’ve had many conversations with people, including residents seeking to make simple improvements to their property, regarding their interactions with our city and our policies. Too often I hear the phrase, “Holmes Beach is the worst.” I take tremendous pride in our community; however, I understand their frustration.
We can change this by taking a hard look at how we do things and why we do them. I believe we can achieve harmony between residents and visitors by developing smarter solutions that are more positive in nature, benefit a broad range of residents/stakeholders, work better and will be more cost-effective. These solutions will not come from a group of commissioners who emanate from the same inner circle, who want to perpetuate this endless cycle of more laws, fines and code enforcement. The development of new ideas and great solutions to complex problems will require input and brainstorming of ideas from more residents and stakeholders. This will only happen if we elect city officials who can think outside the box, who believe we need fresh ideas to solve our complex issues. I am that commissioner.
I have a five-point plan for a stronger Holmes Beach that can be summed up by “Seek input, ask hard questions and build a sense of community.” This plan is outlined in my ad in this edition of The Sun.
Please vote for Rick Hurst on Nov 3rd and start the process of challenging the status quo.
Pat Morton
Morton
I would like to once again ask for your continued support as your city commissioner. In my years as a commissioner, I have been able to listen to the concerns of our citizens, the business owners and our Island guests. It became very apparent that we were at risk of losing the quaint charm of our Island city.
Residential homes were being replaced by big party houses. The peaceful quality of life replaced by noise, trash and congestion. Our own tourism industry changed as the snowbirds that we embraced were being replaced by a completely different clientele.
As a commissioner, I took action. Legislation was passed to bring balance back to these neighborhoods. I am very pleased to say that people are once again moving back to our community. I supported improving the city park which will continue to play a role in bringing young families back. As a member of this community, I would like to thank all who contributed generously to this park as it is something we can all be proud of.
We have many great things planned for the coming years in our city. We will continue to sponsor stakeholder meetings and town halls for the benefit of our businesses and residents. Resiliency and clean water are very important to me and I will fully support the mayor in addressing these concerns.
I promise to continue to be the voice of the residents and of our business owners. Please continue to reach out and share any and all of your concerns. I work for you and, as a veteran, it is my honor to continue to serve you.
Kim Rash
Rash
I would like to thank all of the people who voted for me in my first election in 2018. I would also like to thank those of you who did not vote for me but gave me the opportunity to gain your vote during the last two years.
I have been the voice for many residents and businesses when needing assistance from city hall. Throughout my time on the commission, I believe I have made a difference with my common-sense approach. Some of my accomplishments over the last two years include:
I worked to strengthen the noise ordinance to give residents back the peaceful enjoyment of their homes. Now, we are working with Code Compliance and the Holmes Beach Police to ensure our ordinances are being enforced. I continue to advocate for the police officers to be more visible in our neighborhoods and get to know our residents.
I fought wasteful spending of taxpayer money by helping to steer the city from single-source contracting bids to pricing multiple bids for projects to ensure competitive prices.
I opposed the 300% stormwater tax increase. Through my efforts of teamwork and negotiation, the commission compromised on a stormwater increase at half the proposed rate.
I advocated and successfully worked with the commission to not increase the millage rate on our property taxes.
I tried to work with the other commissioners to get every residential household one free parking permit only to get defeated in a 3/2 vote.
I advocated to keep benches at the rear of the beach for all to have a spot to watch sunsets.
Many residents refer to me as a “boots-on-the-ground” commissioner. I may not have the traditional hobbies like golfing or fishing, but I get great satisfaction from helping people. I am a voice for the residents. I listen and advocate passionately. I am a team player and dedicated to effectively collaborating and negotiating for practical, efficient solutions for our residents. I bring common sense and a successful business background to the commission. If re-elected, I strongly believe I can do even more because there is so much more to do. I have a proven track record that demonstrates I lead with the best interest of our residents and our city in mind. I can’t do this without your vote! Help me represent you by voting Kim Rash on Tuesday, November 3rd! Thank you for your support.
Holmes Beach voters go to the polls Nov. 3 at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 South Harbor Drive. Early voting takes place at several different locations across Manatee County Oct. 19 thru Nov. 1. Mail-in ballots have already been mailed and can be returned by mail with 70 cents postage by Oct. 24, dropped off at any early voting location or at the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office. For more information, visit the supervisor of elections website.
HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners may have extended the city’s mandatory mask ordinance until their first meeting in January, but Gov. Ron DeSantis has other plans.
DeSantis announced Sept. 25 that the state is immediately moving into “Phase 3” of COVID-19 pandemic recovery. The guidelines for that phase include making wearing masks and practicing social distancing voluntarily rather than mandatory. The announcement removed local municipalities’ ability to penalize anyone not wearing a mask when indoors in a public space or when unable to social distance in public, rendering the Holmes Beach mask ordinance unenforceable.
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said that city leaders are still recommending the use of masks and facial coverings when unable to social distance and while indoors.
“We will continue to ask and keep it on our signs,” Titsworth said in a message to The Sun.
She added that the governor’s move to enact Phase 3, specifically the removal of mask and social distancing guidelines, will negatively impact Anna Maria Island’s COVID-19 infection numbers, which have so far remained low. The Island has had 55 total reported cases of the novel coronavirus as of Sept. 27, according to the Florida Department of Health.
“This concerns me as I feel the mask and social distancing mandates made people feel comfortable to leave their homes and shop again,” Titsworth said.
The governor’s Phase 3 order not only did away with municipalities’ ability to penalize for not wearing masks, but it also allows businesses – including restaurants, bars, salons, gyms, theme parks, retail stores and others – to return to normal operations at full capacity with no restrictions.
The move to Phase 3 also allows for government meetings to resume in person. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdowns, the city of Holmes Beach has held all of its commission meetings via teleconference. City planning commissioners held their first meeting since March on Sept. 9 in commission chambers with social distancing guidelines implemented during the meeting.
Titsworth said that it will be up to the city commission chair, Commissioner Jim Kihm, to determine when the city commission will return to in-person meetings. Government meetings are currently allowed to be held in Florida by teleconference under the governor’s declared state of emergency. Currently, the state of emergency is scheduled to expire Nov. 3.
I would like to thank the residents, city staff and the city commissioners for all of your support during my first term as mayor. The commission has worked hard this year given the challenges of COVID-19 and their adjustments to Zoom meetings. Although we didn’t always agree on issues, they always treated each other with respect and dignity. I also would like to thank all who have contributed generously to our community park as it will be enjoyed for many years to come. I have to admit that even with the many challenges facing our city and country each day, these two years have truly been a labor of love. I know I have said it before, but if it wasn’t for Commissioner Pat Morton and his unrelenting effort to convince me to run for office and to help him get the city back in balance, I wouldn’t be sitting here today experiencing the joy in city leadership as a steward of this fine city. Although I was able to run unopposed this year, I promise to continue to work hard for not only our residents, but for our visitors and our business owners. Stay safe and stay kind.
MANATEE COUNTY – Work is finally done on the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) long-range transportation plan and it lists some big changes for Anna Maria Island.
New roundabouts, replacement bridges and a sea-level rise study are components of the plan that MPO representative Leigh Holt presented to Island Transportation Planning Organization (ITPO) members during a Monday, Sept. 14 meeting held via Zoom.
The plan, titled Transform 2045, extends to the 2045 fiscal year and is scheduled to be updated every five years. The plan is a draft scheduled for presentation to the MPO board during a Monday, Sept. 21 meeting, with a final draft to be presented on Thursday, Sept. 24 for a 30-day public comment period before going for final approval during the Monday, Oct. 26 MPO meeting.
Holt said that all three Island bridges are on the plan – the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue, the Cortez Bridge and the Longboat Key Bridge. With a new 65-foot-high design already completed for the Anna Maria Island Bridge, funding is needed for construction. The Cortez Bridge, connecting the historic Cortez fishing village to Bradenton Beach, is set to enter the design phase with funds for right-of-way acquisitions proposed for fiscal years 2021, 2024 and 2025. Holt said that studies are planned for the Longboat Key Bridge before any decisions about repair or replacement are made.
The “complete streets” projects proposed by Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach city leaders, allowing for multi-modal transportation on main thoroughfares on the Island, are fully funded in the plan, according to Holt.
She added that plans to create a trail system for bicyclists and pedestrians from downtown Bradenton to 75th Street on Manatee Avenue and across Longboat Key and St. Armands Key to the Ringling Bridge in Sarasota also are in the plan. Holt said that $25 million has been set aside for the projects.
Other fully-funded projects in the plan include enhancing the Island’s gateways and installing roundabouts at the intersection of East Bay Drive and Manatee Avenue and at Manatee Avenue and Gulf Drive at the entrance to Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach. While Holt said that the roundabouts were previously planned for construction when the replacement bridge on Manatee Avenue is built, she said now they could be constructed before the bridge goes in. Additionally, the intersection of Cortez Road and Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach also is being looked at as a potential location for a roundabout although there are space concerns, and due to the size of the 65-foot planned replacement bridge for the Cortez Bridge, the two projects might have to be constructed at the same time.
Resiliency projects also are on the plan with a sea-level rise risk assessment to be conducted over the next 18 to 24 months. Holt said the purpose of the risk assessment is to study the effects of potential storm surge on the barrier islands and allow local municipalities to apply for some of the $75 million in funding set aside in the plan over the next 20 years for projects to mitigate risk.
Congestion management projects include extending the northbound turn lane to Gulf Drive on westbound Manatee Avenue in Holmes Beach back to the intersection with East Bay Drive to allow for easier traffic flow around motorists traveling to Manatee Beach. Holt said there’s also a project on the plan to do work at the intersection of Cortez Road and 75th Street in Bradenton to help facilitate the flow of traffic to the Island.
She said that the MPO is looking at restarting the Beach Express bus service from 75th Street and Manatee Avenue to the Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach as well as allowing buses to move past slow or stopped motorist traffic on the bridges using the shoulder and the possibility of adding a dedicated bus lane on land along the two Island access corridors.
Holt added that the MPO also is looking at creating on-demand transportation services for travel from the mainland to the Island’s beaches where travelers can make a reservation on their schedule. She said they’re also trying to encourage employers to use vanpools to get employees to Island businesses.
To view the entire plan or submit public comments on the plan elements, visit the MPO website.
