HOLMES BEACH – A new effort is rising to fight against a Manatee County and state-led effort to build a parking garage at Manatee Beach.
The effort is being led by a group of concerned city and county residents who hope to convince state legislators to abandon House Bill 947, the local bill backed by Rep. Will Robinson Jr. to circumvent the city’s building regulations and land development code to allow a 1,500-plus space parking garage to be built at the county-owned property located in Holmes Beach. The bill passed votes in both the Florida House and Senate without opposition.
As of press time for The Sun it had not been presented to Gov. Ron DeSantis for consideration. Legislators have until June 30 to present the bill. If the bill doesn’t get presented, it dies along with Manatee County commissioners’ immediate plans for the garage. If it is presented and DeSantis signs or ignores it, the bill becomes law upon signing or on July 1, whichever happens first. If he vetoes it, the bill goes back to the House for consideration during the next regular session.
The first part of the effort, spearheaded by Performance Analysis Expert Allan Levy along with a group of residents, is to sign petitions speaking out against the garage and to write DeSantis encouraging him to veto the bill if it comes to him for consideration.
If the bill becomes law, the second part of the effort is to focus on engaging Manatee County commissioners, who eventually would have to approve a budget, construction plans, building permits and a contractor for the project.
Another part, Levy said, is to make sure that all of the studies required for parking garage development are done in accordance with the law. Of particular note is a traffic congestion study which is required for any parking garage construction in Manatee County.
After observing the congestion created in Holmes Beach near Manatee Beach without the assistance of a large, three-story plus roof parking garage, Levy said his professional experience tells him that the structure would greatly increase congestion for beachgoers, not relieve it.
In fact, he said he believes his analysis will show the parking garage would create a condensed wall of traffic that would impede emergency personnel when responding to an emergency situation.
If emergency personnel couldn’t get to the site of an accident, fire, medical emergency or to medical care inland, Levy fears it could lead to dramatic increases in deaths.
He also believes the backup of traffic from the parking garage could cause driver delays of two hours or more to get back to the mainland.
Before retiring to the Anna Maria Island area, Levy used his skills for 30 years working with Fortune 50 companies to help them make sound, rational decisions. He’s using those same skills to analyze the problem of the parking garage to see what impact it will have on the area.
The group is hoping to join forces with Holmes Beach city leaders to fight against the parking garage, though no plans have been confirmed at press time for The Sun.
To sign one of the two petitions against the parking garage or learn more about the Paradise Lost effort, visit https://paradise-lost-109036.weebly.com/.
I am a fan of simple. I think we overanalyze many things. However, there are some things that call for higher-level thinking. The dilemma of transporting more people to AMI beaches is one of them.
The current knee-jerk parking garage solution from state and county leaders is decades old, tired and simple. It is “Boy howdy, let’s just pour us some more concrete.” It is wrong on so many levels.
There is a lesson here for the electorate. There are going to be other ongoing complex issues that call for creative and innovative thinking. The solutions to these issues will impact us all. We would be wise to elect future leaders who understand the whole picture, are forward-thinking and comprehend multiplex relationships. After all, they do have our fate in their hands.
In certain parts of the world, the marketplace is designed for negotiation. Don’t ever offer full price and don’t ever accept the first negotiation are two commonly employed strategies. It’s a culture that was pretty common in this country in generations past. Now it’s rare to purchase a car, an appliance or bike for your child and not pay the asking price.
Even purchasing a home during the past several years has almost lost the art of negotiation with values going crazy and offers being accepted at or well over full price. With the market stabilizing, buyers and sellers are starting to negotiate offers again, but there are other areas in the process of home buying where savings can be achieved. It never hurts to ask.
So, as a buyer or seller, you negotiated the accepted price of a home, but don’t think you’re done. I bet there are a few things you never thought of. They say a good negotiation is when both parties to the transaction come away thinking they left something on the table. Every property comes with stuff. It may be stuff that the buyer wants and the seller can’t take with them, making this a good starting place for negotiations.
Furniture is always negotiable even if the seller was planning on taking it. Furniture is expensive to move and, unless there are some valuable pieces, it may not make sense to hire a mover or shipper to relocate it. This is the time when the buyer can evaluate whether the furnishings have value and negotiate an offer to purchase. Not having to furnish a home can mean really big savings. Many homes in Florida come “turnkey” furnished and this can be a financial asset, especially for a second home purchase.
Everyone reading this lives on or near the water. What floats on the water? Boats. If the seller owns a boat and is moving to Colorado, it’s possible to take it off their hands, especially if the buyer was planning on buying one. This is a win-win for all parties. It’s the same with cars. Shipping a car that might be a few years old may not be cost-effective for a seller and buyers may be looking for another vehicle for their second home or their upcoming teenager’s driver’s license.
There are other ways to reduce expenses when purchasing a property, including negotiating with moving companies that are starting to see a reduction in activity. Try three different moving companies and see what the spread is. Moving companies also have other services like packing and unpacking which, if you ask, you can sometimes get a nice upgrade for not much more money.
As we know, mortgage rates have been fluctuating. Don’t be shy about negotiating origination fees, underwriting and loan application fees. Even the rate can be negotiated, just make sure the lender isn’t adding fees in the form of points to a negotiated interest rate. According to Freddie Mac, between 2010 and 2021, borrowers who applied with two different lenders reduced their mortgage rate by an average of 0.10%.
Sellers generally pay the broker commission on the sale of a property. Remember that realtor commissions are not regulated and can be negotiated as well. That said, I generally don’t like sellers negotiating realtor commissions since I think it can hurt the marketability of the property.
Good negotiating is an art. If you develop the skill to think creatively, you’ll be surprised how much money you can save. My mother grew up in the never pay full-price generation. Sometimes this was embarrassing, but most of the time she was right.
HOLMES BEACH – The driver of a truck who struck two women pedestrians at Gulf Drive and Marine Drive on May 12 while they crossed the street is contesting the traffic citation with a plea of not guilty.
The crash led to the May 17 death of Miriam Trotter, 86, of Maryland. She was crossing Gulf Drive northbound in the marked crosswalk with her daughter, Deborah Trotter, 65, of Holmes Beach when Michael Ritchie, 43, of Bradenton, made a left turn on a green light from southbound Marina Drive onto southbound Gulf Drive in a 2018 GMC truck and struck both women, according to a Holmes Beach Police Department report.
Both pedestrians were transported to HCA Florida Blake Hospital with injuries. Deborah Trotter was released from the hospital the same day.
Holmes Beach police cited Ritchie for failure to yield the right of way to a pedestrian at an intersection with a traffic control device under Florida Statute 316.130(7)(A). Ritchie was not charged with a criminal offense because the police investigation determined he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and he did not leave the scene of the accident.
According to documents obtained in public records, Ritchie obtained the services of Sarasota-based attorney David Haenel. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, June 7 at 8:30 a.m. in Manatee County’s 12th Judicial Circuit Court. Ritchie has requested a trial by judge.
The accident led to changes in the traffic light pattern at the three-way intersection. Now, when the signal for pedestrians to cross says “walk,” the lights are red in all three directions.
Police remind drivers that even if they have a green light, they must yield to pedestrians.
HOLMES BEACH – Plans for a new restaurant received unanimous approval from city commissioners despite criticism from a city resident and local business owner.
The new, ultra-modern Bohemian restaurant is slated to take the place of the closed Island Grill at 5910 Marina Drive. A concept by five-time James Beard semifinalist and Anna Maria Island native Chef Jeannie Pierola, the new restaurant will feature both indoor and outdoor dining with the outdoor bar and seating area covered. The restaurant will undergo extensive renovations to feature about 100 seats when it’s complete.
A new outdoor seating area addition is planned to have 50 seats along with a bar under a covered space. – Submitted | Halflants and Pichette
Presenting the site plan to city commissioners for approval during a May 23 meeting, representatives from Halflants and Pichette said the plan with the new restaurant is to provide a fine dining experience for guests while also bringing the indoors outside with the new exterior seating area.
While commissioners were fully in support of the new restaurant plans, not everyone was as happy about the concept.
The owners of Isola Bella Italian Eatery object to plans to create an outdoor seating area for the planned Bohemian restaurant, which would have a host stand for the new restaurant occupying a common area walkway connecting the restaurant locations to a shared parking lot. – Submitted | Halflants and Pichette
Speaking on behalf of her restaurant, Isola Bella Italian Eatery, owner Alessandra Salafia said that while she supports the addition of the new restaurant in the long-vacant space, she doesn’t like what it could do to her business. The building that Bohemian is planned to occupy is also shared with Isola Bella and an office space with the majority of parking for the tenants located in front of the planned Bohemian restaurant and accessed by Isola Bella patrons along a shared walkway. Plans for Bohemian show that the walkway will be partially used by a seating host for that restaurant with entrances to the outdoor and indoor seating located on either side of the concrete path. Salafia said she doesn’t like the idea that Isola Bella’s guests would have to essentially walk through another restaurant to get to her eatery. She also said she feels that the outdoor seating area, which is planned to occupy an area that is now grass, and its accompanying 6-foot tall landscaping barriers would block the visibility of her restaurant.
“Our address is on Marina Drive, not 59th Street,” she said.
Holmes Beach resident Margie Motzer questioned the viability of adding a more intense use to the area. She said that while she’s pleased with the prestige Pierola would bring to the Island along with the aesthetic facelift to the aging building, she’s concerned that adding another 100-plus-seat restaurant to the area will create a greater strain on local resources including water, drainage and other infrastructure.
Seating at Bohemian is planned to be a 53% increase over the seating that was allowed at the Island Grill.
Commissioners considered both women’s comments but proceeded to give the new restaurant their stamp of approval with a unanimous vote in favor of the presented design.
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.
HOLMES BEACH – Florida House Bill 947 has just one more stoplight to pass before it becomes law, being signed into law – or not – by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
If the bill is signed, Manatee County has the green light to build a three-story, 1500-plus space parking garage spanning the width and breadth of the county-owned parking lot at Manatee Beach. All existing facilities at the beach, including the concession stand, retail and restrooms, would be demolished, with new facilities located in the parking garage.
Some locals and visitors are not happy about what would be the end of an era on Anna Maria Island.
The concession building has been at the public beach for decades, with the roof once functioning as a community dance floor. And while some people don’t mind the potential changes, others don’t want to see the current parking area and concession building demolished.
Carolyn Brown shares a vintage postcard photo of the concession building at Manatee Beach along with a plea for lawmakers, “Please don’t destroy this gem.” – Submitted | Carolyn Brown
The place is important to former Holmes Beach mayor, former county commissioner and long-time Holmes Beach resident Carol Whitmore.
“I have fond memories of the concession area since 1969,” she said. “That was the beach of choice for the islanders to gather. I used to go in the cold months and lay where the patio is currently behind the wall so I was protected from the cold weather. When they had steps leading to the rest, but it was cut off, my daughter and I used to sit at the top being protected by the cold weather to get sun. At one point I lived on top of West Coast Surf Shop with my daughter and I will never forget the public beach and the concession stand area.”
“I have a lot of memories of the public beach,” Holmes Beach resident and charter fishing Capt. Scott Moore said. “Years ago, we actually used to be able to dance on top of the concession building. There were stairs going up to the top and you could see all over and see the sunsets. My biggest memories are of the fishing pier that was in front of the public beach. We miss that. It also made for great surfing. A lot of people would like to have it back so they could fish off it. I know people don’t like changes, but I don’t care about the parking garage. Give my pier back.”
The owners of the West Coast Surf Shop, Florida’s oldest surf shop at the edge of the parking lot where the proposed parking garage would be built, are not happy about the prospect of a three-story structure at the beach.
Ronee and Jim Brady have owned the surf shop at 3902 Gulf Drive for 59 years.
“We don’t need any more concrete,” Ronee said, adding, “We have miles of parking at Coquina Beach that’s been under construction for two years. What about that parking?”
Jim expressed concern about the additional traffic and infrastructure.
“We don’t have the infrastructure for more cars,” he said. “The beach holds 500 cars, at the intersection going to the beach there are 35,000 to 40,000 cars a day and it’s congested. At another 1,000 cars with three people per car, there just isn’t enough room.”
Ronee recalls the dances on the concession roof in the 1960s and 70s.
“They used to have steps going up to the top and they had dances up there,” she said. “That building has a lot of history and that’s a shame to lose it.”
A crowd gathers well before sunset on May 11 to listen to live music, eat dinner and enjoy the view at the Anna Maria Island Beach Café at Manatee Beach. The beach café building, along with restrooms and a retail shop, is planned to be demolished as part of a plan to build a parking garage at the site. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Tanner Enoch, whose family has owned the Manatee Beach concession for the past 12 years, is taking a wait-and-see approach.
“We have a good partnership with Manatee County. We work with the county and we appreciate their ongoing effort to make improvements,” Enoch said. “Right now, my understanding is they’re seeing if they’re able to do this. I’m not super concerned.”
Enoch said his family’s beach concessions at Manatee and Coquina Beaches employ around 70 people.
“We’re happy with what we have here and we hope it doesn’t change anytime soon,” he said.
While too young to see it personally, Enoch said he has seen old pictures of the beach concession building when it had a rooftop dance floor.
More than 200 people took to The Sun’s Facebook page to have their voices heard.
“We’ve been vacationing there for years and plan to buy a home eventually,” Kensy Carter said. “If the parking garage happens, we will have to find a new spot. I can’t imagine how crowded the beaches would be. The quaint vibe we love so much would be ruined.”
“Ever since moving to the Island in 1999, we have enjoyed eating at the Manatee Beach café,” Suzanne Lansing Moderhak said. “Our kids/grands call it ‘pancakes on the beach.’ We have met our Canadian friends every Wednesday night for years during season for dinner to eat and listen to the music. We are very disappointed in the decision to tear it down for 2 years while an unnecessary parking garage is built.”
“This cafe and beach area is an iconic part of AMI, with decades of memories for so many!” Laura Lynch said, adding that she feels having a concrete parking garage as the first impression of Anna Maria Island for visitors is “a travesty,” a sentiment echoed by many others, including Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth, who led opposition to the garage.
Multi-level parking garages are not an allowable use within the city of Holmes Beach, where Manatee Beach is located, unless commissioners approve a special exception.
Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge took his plan to build a parking garage at the county-owned beach to the local state legislative delegation when he concluded that Holmes Beach commissioners would not approve the use. Legislators gave his plan their unanimous approval, translating the request into a bill that passed both the state House and Senate. DeSantis can choose to sign, veto or ignore the bill, which would put it into law automatically.
If the bill becomes law, Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse said he estimates it would take about a year to get shovels in the ground to start construction of the parking garage if it’s approved by a majority of county commissioners.
Estimated to cost around $45 million with at least a two-year construction time, the garage would have to have paid parking to pay for construction and upkeep, estimated at $2 per hour per vehicle, Van Ostenbridge said.
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.”
According to Lawrence Yen, whom I quote frequently, “It’s a unique market condition.”
Coming from the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, this is saying something considering all of the other unique markets we’ve lived through. This particular unique market is the continuation of a lack of inventory even though sales are down in most areas of the country including many parts of Florida, as well as ours.
The problem is that a large portion of homeowners in the country don’t want to sell. This group may actually want to sell and move on to a larger family home or retire to a smaller home, but they feel they are locked into very low-rate mortgages. The “golden handcuffs” homeowners find themselves locked into are keeping the supply of homes for sale unusually low.
The lack of properties is not the first time this has happened. The sub-prime mortgage crisis slowed things down, as did COVID-19 when buyers rushed to snap up larger homes when remote work and school necessitated more family space.
So, what happens when supplies go down or at least don’t go significantly up? Supply and demand kicks in and prices go up. A healthy housing market is traditionally described as having four to six months’ supply of homes. Right now, Manatee County is at 2.7 months for single-family homes.
However, builders are getting a boost from the lack of resales and are starting to build again now that the supply chain is improving. And home improvement contractors are also benefiting since those homeowners who are staying put are expanding and remodeling.
According to the mortgage data firm Black Knight, as of March 31, nearly two-thirds of primary mortgages had an interest rate below 4%. In addition, about 73% of primary mortgages have fixed rates for 30 years; these mortgages are “golden” and something homeowners won’t easily give up. Current mortgage rates are approximately in the mid-6% range and have fortunately been steady for a while.
The April sales statistics for Manatee County were released at the end of last week so it’s time to report what the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee published.
Single-family homes in Manatee County hit a record median sale price of $570,000, 10.7% more than in April last year. This surpasses the previous record for median home prices, meaning so far, our local market continues to be strong relative to the country as a whole. Here’s the rest of the story.
Single-family homes closed with 4.3% fewer properties from April of last year. The median sales price was $570,000, up 10.7% from last April, and the average sale price was $735,779, up 0.9%. The median time to contract was 28 days versus five days last year. New pending sales were up 30.2% and the month’s supply of properties was 2.7 months.
Condos closed 15.8% fewer properties from April of last year. The median sales price was $380,795, up 8.8%, and the average sale price was $452,160, up 12.9%. The median time to contract was 27 days versus five days last year. New pending sales were up 4% and the month’s supply of properties was 3.5 months.
One of the advantageous side effects of this unique market is the fact that in spite of inflation and job layoffs, the housing market and housing prices may stay strong nationally. Not great news for marginal buyers or first-time buyers, but buyers with equity from a previous home and income to cover the additional mortgage rates will keep things afloat.
Unique can be a good or a bad thing; either way, we’re still struggling with a lack of inventory.
Manatee County citizens can take action by signing a petition to request that Gov. Ron DeSantis veto CS/HB 947 allowing Manatee County to permit a parking garage without meeting the Land Development Codes and Comprehensive Plans approved by the City of Holmes Beach. Sign the petition here.
HOLMES BEACH – The intersection of Gulf Drive and Marina Drive in Holmes Beach was temporarily closed May 12 after two female pedestrians were struck by a truck while crossing the street in a marked crosswalk. The driver, Michael Ritchie of Bradenton, told police he had the green light and did not see the women as he was turning left from southbound Marina Drive onto southbound Gulf Drive.
“It’s important for motorists to understand that they must yield to pedestrians even if the light is green, as it was in this case,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “The only time a person turning left has the right of way over pedestrians is when they have a green left-turn arrow. There is no arrow at this intersection, so drivers always need to be alert when turning.”
The two women, identified as Miriam and Deborah Trotter, both sustained injuries. While D. Trotter was released from HCA Blake Medical Center the same day, M. Trotter suffered critical injuries and remains on life support at press time for The Sun.
Ritchie was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian.
HOLMES BEACH – The Florida House of Representatives and Senate may have passed House Bill 947 on to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk, but that doesn’t mean that city leaders are done fighting against the construction of a parking garage at Manatee Beach.
During a May 9 commission meeting, Mayor Judy Titsworth and City Attorney Erica Augello said they’re exploring every available legal strategy to combat the parking garage bill which would see a three-story garage built over the current parking, concession stand, retail space and restroom facilities at the Manatee County-owned beach property. Estimated to cost $45 million to build over a minimum of two years, the garage is planned to hold 1,500-1,700 paid parking spaces, a new concession stand, retail space, restrooms and a bar. While the garage is under construction, parking at the beach, located at 4000 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach, would be unavailable.
Currently, city leaders are asking residents and other Anna Maria Island stakeholders to write to DeSantis to encourage him to veto the bill. DeSantis can veto the bill, sign it into law, or take no action and allow it to become law. As of press time for The Sun, DeSantis had taken no action on the bill.
If the bill becomes law, Augello said she thinks there are a few ways for the city to fight it in court, however, she didn’t want to give away any available strategies during a public meeting.
Plans for a parking garage were first discussed between county and city elected officials as far back as 2021. Multi-level parking structures were never an approved land use in the city but are allowed by special exception, granted by city commissioners at a public hearing. When commissioners moved to pass an ordinance clarifying the land use restriction, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge took the matter to county state legislative representatives, where the plan to construct the garage received unanimous support. The bill to bypass city regulations and allow the county to issue its own permits for the construction of a parking garage at the Manatee Beach property is sponsored by Rep. Will Robinson Jr., a Manatee County native.
Pity the poor governors of some of the large metropolitan areas in the Northeast, West and Mid-west. Specifically, New York and Illinois, where their mostly wealthy and upper-middle-class residents are packing their bags and their money and heading to other states where they think they will be more appreciated.
The IRS’s adjusted gross income statistics show a startling pattern of migration within the United States; two of the most astounding states are Illinois and New York. The IRS data shows a net 105,000 people left Illinois in 2021, costing the state approximately $10.9 billion in adjusted gross income. That’s up from $8.5 billion in 2020 and $6 billion in 2019. New York’s income loss increased to $24.5 billion in 2021 from $19.5 billion in 2020, and $9 billion in 2019. In addition, California lost $29.1 billion in 2021, more than triple what it did in 2019.
By comparison, the lowest tax states kept adding income even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Florida, a state with zero income tax, gained $39.2 billion, up from $23.7 billion in 2020, and $17.1 billion in 2019. The states that contributed the most to Florida’s billion-dollar bonuses were New York, Illinois, New Jersey and California. Florida certainly isn’t alone – many other low-tax states like Texas, Arizona and Nevada have also benefited from this wealth migration. In addition, Florida and other low-tax states led the country in job growth. Florida’s employment grew 4.5% over the past year and Illinois’ gain was 2.2%.
As great as Florida’s wealth gain is, we have dropped out of the Emerging Housing Markets Index compiled by Realtor.com. Although Florida regions have typically been in the top 10, in some of our smaller and growing areas they are not within the top 10 on this most recent index. This is the good and the bad of being a very popular state. Everything becomes more expensive and housing costs, as we all know, are not nearly as affordable in Florida as they once were.
The first quarter index indicates that buyers demand affordable homes and most of these are in the small Midwest cities. The top-ranking area is Lafayette, Indiana and the 10th ranking is the Manchester-Nashua, New Hampshire region. The index ranks the 300 biggest metro areas in the United States. In addition to housing market indicators, the index incorporates economic and lifestyle data. Real estate taxes, unemployment, wages, commute time and small business loans are all factored in.
Finally, I would be remiss not to point out that as of May 1, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the quasi-government agency that controls and insures most of the residential mortgage financing in the country, has changed some of the agency’s mortgage pricing.
The new rules add fees for many borrowers with high credit ratings and large down payments and use them to reduce the cost of borrowing for those with lesser credit ratings and smaller down payments. There is a formula that factors in the borrower’s credit rating and the down payment, but the spirit of the change is to support lower-income homebuyers who, in the opinion of the Federal Housing Finance Agency that regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have the “financial capacity to sustain a mortgage.” Congress is naturally taking a look at this new fee schedule and comparing it to the subprime debacle prior to the 2006-07 financial meltdown.
Next time one of the high-tax states evacuees move in next door, greet them and their bags of money. Florida has indisputably changed from when my parents moved here in the 70s and I’m pretty sure they would think it’s a good thing. My father always said Florida has the best roads in the country. He should see the traffic now.
The treehouse saga has gone on for 10 years. The Trans certainly are deserving of a perseverance award for what many consider their insane struggle against the government. Personally, I thought the treehouse added to the Holmes Beach landscape and Old Florida charm that used to exist on Anna Maria Island, and why my wife and I moved here in 1991.
While I’m on the topic of perseverance, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a personal award. That would have to go to Kim Rash and his dedicated group who have fought a tireless fight to improve Holmes Beach residents’ quality of life. It was a continuous struggle, but they persevered, with Kim ultimately getting elected to the Holmes Beach commission in landslide elections. Along the way they were constantly subjected to deep undeserved (I might add) antagonism, scorn and even ridicule. Yet, they persevered at great expense to their family life and well-being. Keep up the good fight, Kim.
HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are considering a proposal to allow property owners in Seaside Garden to raise their homes above the FEMA base flood elevation height to help save the homes from rising sea levels, and they want input from the neighborhood’s residents.
City Planner Chad Minor presented the proposition to commissioners during an April 25 work session. He said one property owner had approached the city about raising the level of one unit of a three-unit structure in Seaside Gardens. Minor said that raising the neighborhood’s 110 units above the base flood elevation would bring the structures into compliance with FEMA standards without needing to rezone all of the properties from their current R-4 zoning.
To raise the buildings, Minor said the bottom floors would have to become non-habitable areas, such as a parking garage, and the upstairs would have to be built within the current building footprint. No additional bedrooms would be able to be added and the construction would not be allowed to affect neighboring units.
“I like the idea,” Commissioner Carol Soustek said. “People can improve the condition of or rebuild their homes without abandoning the neighborhood.” She said that further discussion on how to limit the impacts to neighbors was needed along with input from neighborhood residents.
Building Official Neal Schwartz said that a firewall will need to be maintained between adjoined units and that the new units constructed above the base flood elevation level wouldn’t be subject to FEMA’s 50% rule. The rule allows for a ground-level property to be renovated only up to 50% of the value of the property.
Commissioner Pat Morton, who lives in a triplex in the neighborhood, said he’s concerned about the impact to neighbors with all of the units attached.
“To me, this is a disaster for the area,” Morton said, adding that he doesn’t believe neighborhood residents would be in favor of allowing property owners to move their units up.
Mayor Judy Titsworth said the real issues for the neighborhood are king tides and saltwater intrusion.
“It’s good to get people off the ground because the ground’s getting soggy,” she said.
