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Tag: Hurricane Helene

1930 Bradenton Beach bungalow demolished due to damage from hurricane Helene

1930 Bradenton Beach home demolished due to storm damage

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Bev Liddle watched her Gulf Drive family vacation home containing decades of memories being demolished on Oct. 23.

Due to the storm surge from Hurricane Helene, the 739 square foot bungalow at 1201 Gulf Drive S. was lifted off the concrete foundation blocks it had stood on since 1930 and floated to the end of 12th Street South before coming to a stop, sustaining substantial damage along the way.

“We came down after Helene to see it, but we couldn’t do anything. We retrieved the flag and I washed it,” she said.

1930 Bradenton Beach bungalow demolished due to storm damage
Bev Liddle’s 1930 bungalow floated down 12th Street during storm surge from Hurricane Helene. – Leslie Lake | Sun

Liddle and her son, Bob, made the trip down from their homes in North Carolina to retrieve some personal items before the demolition of the home.

“I just had to come say goodbye,” Bev said. “I started coming here in about fourth grade and I’m 87.”

Bob Liddle remembered visiting as a child and walking to the beach and fishing off the back pier.

“This was my great-great grandparents’ house,” he said.

After the front wall of the home was taken down, demolition crews were able to enter and carry out some of the Liddle’s personal items.

1930 Bradenton Beach bungalow demolished due to damage from Hurricane Helene
Demolition begins on a 1930 bungalow damaged by storm surge from Hurricane Helene – Leslie Lake | Sun

Bob noted that the house had stood since 1930, and homes such as theirs represented the charm of the Island.

“I think it’s important that we preserve the history and the beauty of Anna Maria Island and do whatever we can to keep it the way it was,” Bob Liddle said.

County starts Cortez damage assessments

County starts Cortez damage assessments

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ — Manatee County inspectors will conduct individual damage assessments of properties in the Cortez zip code, including mobile home parks, beginning Friday, Oct. 25, and continuing through Sunday, Oct. 27.

The inspections were announced at an Oct. 24 town hall meeting at Sara Bay RV Park by Manatee County Floodplain Management Coordinator Cheryl Bagby.

In addition to Bagby, who outlined FEMA and county guidelines for storm-related damage to mobile homes, Manatee County Building Official Bill Palmer, Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, and Director of Development Services Nicole Knapp answered residents’ questions.

One resident asked, “Are you going to do an inspection of each individual mobile home in the park and record the damage each unit has?”

“We do have a substantial damage assessment team that will be out in this zip code, starting tomorrow over the next few days,” Bagby said. “They are going around and they have a checklist. They are looking at your foundation, they look at your electrical, they look at different components and just basically collect data on how much everything is damaged. We do have teams out over the next few days doing that.”

If no one is at the residence, inspectors will leave a door hanger with contact information, she said.

She said the damage assessment teams will not assess the value of the damage or the structure.

One resident asked the panel to address rumors that the county has condemned both Cortez Park and Sunny Shores.

“This is not Bradenton Beach, this is Manatee County,” Van Ostenbridge said.

Two mobile home parks in Bradenton Beach, The Pines and Sandpiper Resort Co-Op, were recently deemed uninhabitable based on FEMA guidelines for substantial flood damage, triggering a city ordinance requiring 10-12 foot elevation.

“We have not condemned anyone, correct?” Van Ostenbridge asked.

“That is correct, we have not condemned anyone. Every structure in the park will be individually assessed,” Palmer said. “It will be assessed for either substantial improvement or if it’s an unsafe structure, but as far as condemnation, no, we’re not going in and just across the park, that’s not going to happen.”

Mobile home parks in Cortez are Sunny Shores, Cortez Park Co-Op, Sara Bay RV Park and Paradise Bay Estates.

FEMA 50/50 rule and county guidelines

Bagby outlined FEMA and county guidelines for storm-related damage to mobile homes.

“There is a federal regulation of substantial improvement and substantial damage, it is commonly known as the FEMA 50/50 rule,” Bagby said. “If there is damage or improvements that exceed 50% of the value of your structure, the entire thing has to be brought up to current flood plain compliance, which for most of the older mobile homes means elevating.”

She said FEMA options would be either to elevate or replace.

“The replacement would also be elevated as well. So, we’re not saying that you can’t build back, you can, but if you exceed the 50% you have to build back compliant with the regulations,” Bagby said. “On top of that, Manatee County also has a one-year cumulative so if you’ve done any work on your mobile home in the last year, that can count toward your 50% already.”

She said that damaged components such as drywall and insulation can be removed.

“But before you put it back you need to check with us,” she said. “The important thing is don’t build back before you check with us. I would hate for anyone to start putting money into a repair only to find out you now have to elevate your structure.”

One resident asked, “If you are repairing damage and you are repairing it for less than 50% are you still required to elevate, or is that only for someone who’s 50% or more?”

“The requirement is if it is 50% or more you have to elevate. If you’re under that 50% threshold – and this is why it’s so important – the community gets audited by FEMA. We have to have records of your billbacks. If you’re under your 50%, please follow up with us because we have to have records,” Bagby said. “If it’s under 50% we have to prove that to FEMA when we get audited. You do not have to elevate if you’re under 50% but it’s recommended.”

She said FEMA has a base flood elevation requirement ranging from 8-10 feet. The state of Florida and Manatee County require it to be one foot higher than that.

“Unfortunately, based on your location, you’re very low-lying,” Bagby said.

She said the value of an individual structure can be found on the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s website, www.manateepao.gov

“Go to property card, on the second page. It’ll have two columns and it’ll say development value. That is the value we use to assess the value of your structure. We do add an additional 15% to that value,” Bagby said. “If you exceed 50% you have to bring the entire structure up to current regulations.”

Land is not included in the assessment of value.

“Whatever the structure value is, and we do take private appraisals. It should be reproduction minus deterioration and it must be the pre-damage condition,” Bagby said.

Annie's Bait and Tackle

Annie’s Bait and Tackle working to rebuild

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ – Back-to-back hurricanes may have left Annie’s Bait and Tackle badly battered, but its ownership expects to be back up and running soon.

“I’m hoping we can be back open by Thanksgiving,” Annie’s co-owner Bruce Shearer said.

Annie’s, a waterfront landmark just north of the Cortez Bridge, first sustained water damage from Hurricane Helene followed by wind damage from Hurricane Milton.

The docks are gone and a blue tarp covers an opening on the west wall where part of the docks came through.

A red tag on the building from the Manatee County Building Department posted on a window states in part: “It is unsafe and its use or occupancy has been prohibited until all required repairs and inspections are complete.”

“I’m working on getting any permits we need,” Shearer said. “We are definitely going to reopen.”

Annie’s, which has been in existence since the 1950s, has been owned by Shearer and Kim Shepherd for more than 20 years. The shop sells bait and tackle, beer, ice, gas, and food.

“Our motto is ‘if we don’t have it, you don’t need it,’” Shearer told The Sun in May. “There really is nothing else like this. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Annie’s is part of the Seafood Shack parcel that Manatee County is in the process of purchasing for $13 million.

The property consists of seven upland parcels totaling approximately 5.9 acres along with two submerged land leases of 2.9 acres.

The Manatee County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the purchase at a Sept. 5 land use meeting. The property is anticipated to be used as a public boating access facility with a boat ramp, dry storage facility, and marina.

“I assume the board will act as a landlord and essentially create a revenue source by leasing slips and continue to lease space to those businesses that are already there,” Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said at the Sept. 5 meeting.

Prior to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the scheduled closing date for the sale was Oct. 7.

“That closing had to get pushed back because of the hurricanes,” Shearer said.

Manatee County spokesperson Bil Logan stated in an Oct. 23 email to The Sun he could not confirm a closing date for the Seafood Shack sale.

Eviction notices from current owner Vandyk Properties advised business owners that the properties, including Annie’s, must be vacated by Sept. 30. Hurricane Helene, however, struck the local area on Sept. 27.

“The current landlord (owner Vandyk Properties) would not agree to a sale date extension to allow the buyers (Manatee County) an opportunity to evaluate the current leases prior to closing, so the current tenants must vacate their locations per the current landlord’s requirements,” Logan wrote in a Sept. 20 email to The Sun.

WMFR staff recounts hurricane response

WMFR staff recounts hurricane response

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

MANATEE COUNTY – After Hurricane Milton passed by the area on Oct. 9, some of the first people stepping out to assess damage and see what could be done to help were the crews from West Manatee Fire Rescue.

During the storm, Chief Ben Rigney said district staff operated their own version of an emergency operations center, answering more than 400 calls.

Once weather conditions deteriorated to the point that first responders couldn’t respond to emergency calls, staff said they had to triage calls, trying to talk people through things like evacuating. After the storm passed, a team of two people began calling everyone back who had called the district during the storm to make sure they were safe and see if they still needed emergency attention now that crews were able to resume service.

During Hurricane Helene, which passed just days prior to Hurricane Milton, Rigney and Deputy Chief Jay Johnson worked in the Manatee County Emergency Operations Center.

As water flooded homes during Hurricane Helene, WMFR responded to 252 calls, Rigney said. The primary issues as a result of that storm, he said, were fires caused by water getting into electrical outlets and large batteries, such as those on golf carts. Even though some people put batteries in higher places, such as on top of refrigerators, Rigney said they still became inundated with salt water when the refrigerators toppled from the storm surge, causing fires to spark.

Johnson said during Hurricane Helene, the district was able to evacuate 120 people from Cortez using boats and high water vehicles.

Though WMFR staff elected to stay for Hurricane Helene in each of the district’s three stations, Rigney said they evacuated Stations 2 and 3 in Cortez and Holmes Beach, respectively. Though each station received some roof damage from Milton, he said no firefighters or first responders were injured and the district didn’t lose any equipment except for a few tires.

Rigney thanked not just the district’s staff but also the community for their response and resilience during and after both hurricanes.

Sheetrock rocks

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

There are a lot of things about Hurricane Milton and its aftermath that are new to me and, unfortunately, so many people. I never thought much about sheetrock except what color to paint it, but I’ve learned in the last almost two weeks that it is the bloodline of a home.

If you were in Milton’s path, you were hit with hurricane-force winds in excess of 100 mph and driving rain. If a home or condo didn’t have secure window and door coverings, it was penetrated, with the rain being driven by the wind, decimating walls constructed with sheetrock.

I have unhappily learned when the sheetrock gets wet, you have to get it out of your home soon, before mold sets in. Forget about your brand-new high-end chef’s stove and the stressless chairs you have and get right to the sheetrock. If you ride around Anna Maria Island and coastal Manatee County, you will see piles and piles of discarded sheetrock, reminding you just how important this simple building material is.

Homeowners all over our region are filing insurance claims, putting furniture in storage and looking for temporary housing. This is something that no one alive has ever seen and coping with it is unimaginable. There are, however, some homeowners who may have an even worse problem.

I wrote part of this a few weeks ago, but now in retrospect, it needs to be said again. So, if you’ve already read this, thank you, and if this is your first time, I hope it helps.

Properties that cannot be restored could be facing condemnation. According to my research on FEMA’s website, FEMA does not have the legal authority to condemn or demolish houses or buildings. They can provide contractors to inspect disaster-related damage to homes and property, but they do not condemn property. Local jurisdictions have the legal authority to condemn your property, which is a complicated process. Check FEMA’s website on Condemning Property to get more detailed information.

In Florida, if your property is condemned and you have an outstanding mortgage, you will still need to repay your mortgage. If your property is condemned, you will likely receive a condemnation payment to help pay off the loan or you can work with your lender for a loan modification or forbearance. I can’t emphasize enough that if you find yourself in this horrible position, you need to consult an attorney. As I said, it’s a complicated procedure and legal assistance is essential.

My heart goes out to anyone whose home is totally gone and to those who are working harder than they have ever worked to restore their properties. We will come back from this and rebuild our paradise. Most of us have lost valuable and personal items that can’t be replaced. We may have also lost value in our homes, but I firmly believe that, too, will come back. The lure of the water keeps us all drawn to the coast.

The day I wrote this, I saw the first white pelican of the season; it lifted my heart knowing that eventually everyone and everything returns.

Debris pick-up impeded in Bradenton Beach

Debris pickup impeded in Bradenton Beach

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH — Police Chief and Public Works Director John Cosby outlined what he said would be a long process to remove all debris from the city at an Oct. 21 emergency commission meeting.

Cosby said the mounds of sand and the lack of a temporary debris site in Bradenton Beach have impeded the city’s ability to remove debris.

“The latest issue we’re dealing with is the debris removal,” he said. “We have asked everybody that we can ask for assistance with the sand and it’s crickets in the field.  Nobody is willing to help, we’re going to have to take care of it ourselves. I’m hoping to hear back from the DOT (Florida Department of Transportation) lead supervisor this week.”

He said debris pick-up is going slowly.

“We have a serious issue. We have nowhere in the city to set up a temporary debris site,” Cosby said. “We’re direct hauling to its final resting space which is over on the east side of the county 13 miles away and to complete the round trip it’s taking 2-21/2 hours with traffic.”

He said that many private residents and businesses are getting dumpsters to remove debris and that’s been a big help to the city.

“I don’t know if we can finish debris cleanup in 90 days which means we lose our 100% FEMA reimbursement,” Cosby said. “It is definitely going to be a long road.”

He said he asked FEMA for an extension because of the mitigating circumstances related to the sand after Hurricane Helene.

“When everybody else was starting debris cleanup the next day or two after the storm we could not get anybody out here because we had to get the sand out of the roadways,” Cosby said. “We allowed FPL (Florida Power and Light) to come in and we spent most of the day pulling FPL trucks out of the sand they were sinking in.”

He said the sand put the city a week and a half behind in starting cleanup, and then Hurricane Milton came in.

“As we were ready to bring the equipment in to do cleanup the next storm appeared so we had to stop,” Cosby said. “The second storm hit, our public works cleaned the roadways a second time, and got it again back open and debris cleanup is underway, but because of the sand it’s hard to get people to come in and they’re really trying to price gouge. And FEMA will not pay for that.”

He said some contractors want to charge 10 times the normal amount for debris removal.

“We can’t do that. Pinellas County tried it and FEMA came down and shut down their debris operation for two weeks,” Cosby said.

He said the 90-day deadline for FEMA brings the city to about Christmas.

“We’ll have to get creative and come up with grants or maybe have to do a bond,” he said.

“We have eight trucks now removing C and D items, which is furniture, and five trucks are hauling sand,” Cosby said. “They’re doing an awesome job; the problem is it took us two weeks to do one street. It’s tough to overcome and we haven’t even gotten to the south side where the sand is worse.”

The second debris pickup pass will be to get appliances and the third pass will pick up vegetation.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do about sand on commercial property,” Cosby said. “We’re going to have to make some decisions. And again, no one has had this amount of sand. Everybody that comes here is in awe, including the governor. We’re doing the best we can, I just don’t know what the end result’s going to be.”

Cosby said the debris removal may impede the development of the city.

“It’s sad because we’ve done so much,” he said. “This is going to be a long process; it’s going to be months and I know people want to get going.”

Cosby said they had considered a deal with developer Shawn Kaleta to use his parking lot at 101 Bridge Street as a temporary debris site, but the idea was rejected.

“That just really impedes the whole idea of cleaning up the city. Bridge Street looks good. Nobody wants to look at a big pile of debris, we’re just not going to do that,” Cosby said.

“Everybody is exhausted, some of this we’re going to miss, you can only handle people yelling at you every day for so long and that’s all we’re getting is yelled at,” he said.

Cosby said the massive amounts of sand on Bradenton Beach roadways following storm surges from hurricanes created an unusual situation.

“The other cities will probably be done by the end of November. We wanted to be close but now with the sand we’re dealing with, it looks like a desert and nobody wants to take responsibility for the sand,” he said.

Commissioner Debbie Scaccianoce asked if the sand could possibly be placed back on the beaches.

“The sand has to be sifted, it has to be tested for toxins and oil. I don’t think there’s any plan of putting this sand back on the beach,” Cosby said. “It’s going to another site. Once it’s down there the county’s taking responsibility for it.”

He said sinkholes are another issue.

“The problem is sinkholes are right up against the properties, but I can’t fill a right of way in without filling private property and that’s not allowed,” he said. “We are in a serious bind.”

The city commission renewed its storm emergency declaration for an additional seven days.

“We’ll do this every Monday until we can get some kind of a foothold,” Cosby said.

Related coverage:
Anna Maria debris removal nearly complete

 

Elections Office adapting to hurricane impacts; AMI polling locations changed

Elections Office adapting to hurricane impacts; AMI polling locations changed

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Manatee County.

MANATEE COUNTY – The Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office is taking steps to minimize the impacts back-to-back hurricanes have on the general election that concludes Nov. 5, with vote-by-mail ballots already being cast and in-person early voting beginning Monday.

On Friday, the elections office issued a press release on behalf of acting Supervisor of Elections James Satcher.

“Despite these challenging times, we know that Manatee County is a resilient community. Our priority is to make sure you can exercise your right to vote in this important upcoming election,” Satcher said in the press release.

“For those committed to voting in person, we encourage you to take advantage of our eight early voting locations that were not impacted and remain the same. You can find these locations at www.VoteManatee.gov. Early voting begins on Monday, Oct. 21, and runs through Saturday, Nov. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.,” the press release says.

The press release notes five polling locations were directly impacted by the hurricanes and the following changes have been made for in-person voting on Nov. 5.

  • Precinct 301 voters in Anna Maria and Precinct 305 voters in Holmes Beach will vote at the Island Branch Library in Holmes Beach, 5701 Marina Dr.
  • Precinct 307 voters in Bradenton Beach will now vote in Longboat Key at the Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive.
  • Precinct 409 voters in Bradenton will vote at the State College of Florida in Bradenton, 5840 26th St. W.
  • Precinct 421 voters in Bradenton will now vote at the Trailer Estates Recreation Hall in Bradenton, 6814 Canada Blvd.

Voters can visit the supervisor of elections website to verify their polling location.

Oct. 24 is the final day to request a mail ballot to be mailed to you and Nov. 5 is the final day to request a mail ballot for in-person pickup at the elections office, 600 301 Blvd. W. in Bradenton. If picking up a mail ballot in person, the elections office asks that you call in your ballot request ahead of time, if possible, at 941-741-3823, to expedite the process.

Elections Office provides hurricane update
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his election-related executive order during a press conference held in Anna Maria in front of the Hurricane Helene-damaged Rod & Reel Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Elections Office provides hurricane update
When the governor appeared in Anna Maria after Hurricane Helene, the hurricane-damaged Rod & Reel Pier remained partially intact. It was later destroyed by Hurricane Milton.
– Joe Hendricks | Sun

An executive order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Oct. 3 allows vote-by-mail ballots to be mailed to an address that is different than the address currently on file with the elections office. These types of vote-by-mail address changes can be done by e-mail or phone. In addition to maintaining a vote-by-mail request on file, you must provide your driver’s license number or social security number to verify the identity of the voter making the address change.

Completed mail ballots can also be dropped off at any early voting location or at the Supervisor of Elections Office.

Additional information

Regarding voters displaced by the hurricanes and voters unable to receive mail at their residence, the supervisor of elections website says the United States Post Office is delivering vote-by-mail ballots where possible and vote-by-mail ballots that cannot be delivered are being held at the voter’s local post office for pick up. Manatee voters affected in this manner can contact the elections office 941-741-3823 for assistance.

Regarding postage requirements, the elections website says, “The postage required to return a vote-by-mail ballot is $1.01. It is the voter’s responsibility to apply accurate postage on all mail, including vote-by-mail ballots. However, vote-by-mail are coded by USPS as special mail and will be delivered to the elections office without delay, no matter the postage applied.”

On Oct. 16, with supervisor-elect Scott Farrington observing as an audience member, the Manatee County Canvassing Board tested and certified the vote-by-mail and in-person ballot scanners to be used during the election and the new Clear Ballot audit system to be used to conduct a post-election audit of every ballot cast.

Elections Office adapting to hurricane impacts; AMI polling locations changed
Elections office staff helped test the ballot scanners. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Elections Office adapting to hurricane impacts; AMI polling locations changed
Supervisor-elect Scott Farrington attended the canvassing board meeting. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

For more election-related information, visit www.VoteManatee.gov , the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Facebook Page, call 941-741-3823 or email info@votemanatee.gov.

Sandpiper Resort evaluating mobile home ruling

Sandpiper Resort evaluating FEMA guidelines, damage assessments

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Residents of Sandpiper Resort Co-Op are questioning FEMA guidelines that deem some mobile homes with flood damage uninhabitable. City Building Official Darin Cushing said during an Oct. 17 city commission meeting that those FEMA guidelines identify the hurricane-related damage as substantial damage, making the homes uninhabitable.

“We assumed this would be on a case-by-case basis, by the 50/50 rule,” Tracy Moon, Sandpiper manager said on Oct. 18. “Some of the units only got a couple inches of water, some got maybe 15-16 inches, but people can live in them. It’s a matter of replacing floors and some drywall, not a blanket condemnation of the whole co-op.”

Moon said the co-op is receiving legal advice and an attorney representing Sandpiper will be reaching out to the city for clarification of the FEMA rules.

Sandpiper Resort evaluating mobile home ruling
Debris lined the streets of the Sandpiper mobile home park after Hurricane Helene. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“We were completely caught off guard by the city’s interpretation of the FEMA ruling of substantial damage,” Moon said.

Cushing had read the following at the Oct. 17 meeting, “In accordance with FEMA’s damage assessment guide, there are different degrees of damage when it comes to mobile homes, or as they call them manufactured homes, and those different degrees of damage are affected, minor, major and destroyed. By these degrees of damage, all of the mobile homes in the Pines and many in the Sandpiper, but not all, have major damage by that guideline.”

He said that major damage is determined when water covers the floor system and enters the living space of the residence but is below the ceiling.

Sandpiper Resort evaluating mobile home ruling
Hurricane Helene debris was placed alongside this elevated mobile home in the Sandpiper mobile home park. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“There was some question whether major damage is the same as substantial damage. In speaking with FEMA representatives yesterday in person, that’s what they considered,” Cushing said at the Oct. 17 meeting. “By this description, according to FEMA, the structure is considered to be substantially damaged and in accordance with the city of Bradenton Beach flood ordinance it says if an existing manufactured home has incurred substantial damage as the result of a flood it shall be elevated such that the bottom of the frame is at the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) plus three feet.”

According to Cushing, the BFE at Sandpiper is seven or eight feet depending on the section of the park.

The 50/50 rule says if damages to a structure are to a level such that it would cost 50% or more of the value of the structure to bring it back to its original condition, it has to be elevated to flood compliance and Florida Building Code, according to Cushing at the Oct. 17 meeting.

Moon said there are 166 mobile homes at the co-op. Of those, 120 are shareholders and own the land in its entirety. The other 46 mobile homes are rented.

Cushing said approximately 150 of those mobile homes were impacted by flooding.

 

Sun reporter Joe Hendricks contributed to this story

Related coverage:

 

Pines, Sandpiper homes deemed uninhabitable

Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild

Rod and Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild

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

ANNA MARIA – Rod & Reel Pier owner Oliver “Oli” Lemke hopes to rebuild the iconic pier and restaurant building that was badly damaged by Hurricane Helene and then destroyed by Hurricane Milton.

Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild
This is what remains of the Rod & Reel Pier after Hurricane Milton. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

On the evening of Sept. 26 and the morning of Sept. 27, Hurricane Helene pounded the privately-owned wooden pier and restaurant building with high surf and powerful waves leaving the pier walkway in tatters but the restaurant building at the end of the pier still standing.

Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild
Hurricane Helene badly damaged the Rod & Reel Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild
Hurricane Helene took out most of the pier walkway. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

On Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton’s high winds smashed to pieces what remained of the Rod & Reel Pier and scattered its remains in the waterfront yards of several houses northwest of the pier. All that remains now is the famous Rod and Reel Pier sign, the locked front gate, and the skeletal remains of some pilings and deck supports.

Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild
Hurricane Milton turned the Rod & Reel Pier into several piles of rubble. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild
The destruction of the Rod & Reel Pier left behind a large debris field. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

At one point during Hurricane Milton, the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport measured a 120-mph wind gust and some locals suspect a tornado or waterspout may have inflicted the fatal blows upon the Rod & Reel Pier while also wiping out a significant chunk of the nearby Anna Maria City Pier walkway.

Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild
German brewer and restauranteur Oliver Lemke bought the Rod & Reel Pier in 2023. – Oliver Lemke | Submitted

Lemke, a Germany-based brewmaster, brewery owner and restaurant owner, bought the Rod & Reel Pier from fellow German and longtime Rod & Reel Pier owner Mario Schoenfelder last November. He now faces the monumental task of rebuilding his investment.

When communicating with The Sun via email on Oct. 15, Lemke said, “There’s no definite plan on how to proceed yet. Right now, we are gathering information trying to assess our situation. We will do everything within our means to rebuild the pier, but there are many issues to conquer.”

Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild
The Rod & Reel Pier in November 2023. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

When asked if the Rod & Reel Pier was insured, Lemke said, “There is no insurance whatsoever. The former owner never had the pier insured for hurricane or flood. I really tried hard to change that. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to get insurance on a building like this, over water.

“This is by far the worst blow I’ve had to take in my 25 years of business life. There’s not only a lot of money lost that we’ll have to pay off for many years to come, but it’s also terrible because I waited for many years to get the opportunity to invest in a U.S. restaurant that fit me so well, personally and business-wise,” Lemke said in his email.

No cost estimate has been provided yet for the potential Rod & Reel Pier replacement. In 2017, Hurricane Irma badly damaged the nearby city-owned Anna Maria City Pier. That pier replacement project completed in 2020 cost $7.3 million.

Help needed

After Hurricane Helene, Lemke organized the “Help Us Rebuild Rod and Reel Pier” GoFundMe online fundraising page. As of Oct. 17, there were 497 donations totaling $45,275.

Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild
Not much is left of the Rod & Reel Pier walkway. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The updated post-Milton GoFundMe page now says, “The pier has been an iconic part of this community for over 75 years – a place where locals and visitors alike come to enjoy fresh seafood, stunning Gulf views, great fishing and a taste of ‘Old Florida.’ But recently, our Island faced a devastating blow. Hurricane Helene hit hard, followed by Hurricane Milton which finished what Helene had started. On a Thursday morning, I got the heartbreaking call from our manager, Adina. The pier was gone. Seeing the photo of the destruction was one of the most difficult moments of my life. I know so many of you here understand what that loss feels like. It’s not just a building, it’s a place filled with memories, history and the spirit of Anna Maria Island.”

Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild
The birds now have the Rod & Reel Pier to themselves. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“We’re determined to rebuild the Rod & Reel Pier but we can’t do it alone. There’s no insurance to cover the damage, no big investor to back us up. It’s just us – the community, the visitors, the people who love this place – and we need your help to bring it back. This isn’t just about rebuilding a restaurant. It’s about restoring a piece of the Island’s soul and helping our team of over 40 employees get back on their feet. The pier is more than wood and nails: it’s a gathering place for generations of families, a spot where memories are made, and we want to ensure it continues to be that special place for generations to come,” the GoFundMe page says.

Rod & Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild
Some of the Rod & Reel Pier rubble came to rest in front of this waterfront home. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“To show our appreciation, we will engrave the names of those who donate $100 or more on a new wall of honor at the pier as an everlasting reminder of the community spirit that made this possible. Your support, whether financial or through spreading the word, will help us make the Rod & Reel Pier stronger than ever. Together, we can bring this beloved part of Anna Maria Island back to life,” the GoFundMe page says.

Related coverage:

Parents reunited with Rod & Reel Pier memorial plaque

 

Recovery process continues in Anna Maria

Cortez offers food, supplies after hurricanes

Cortez offers food, supplies after hurricanes

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Cortez, Featured.

CORTEZ – A distribution center of donated food and supplies has been set up in Cortez in front of the Star Fish Co.

According to Star Fish employees Dana and Nicole, supplies will continue to be distributed at least until Friday, and possibly longer. The two women helped distribute supplies to community members on Oct. 15.

For the time being, hours are noon to 4 p.m. at the supply distribution point.

“We’ve had people from all over bringing food and all kinds of supplies,” Dana said. “People have really come together to help.”

Beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 15, another distribution center will be set up at the Sunny Shores Clubhouse for Cortez residents.

“We will have supplies, snacks, water, etc.,” according to a What’s Happening Cortez Facebook post by Betsy Halliwell Plante. “We will open on Wednesday, Oct. 16 and daily hours will be from 11:30-2 only. Lunch will be provided from 11:30-1.”

Donations of cases of water and Gatorade are needed at both distribution points.

Canadian power crews work to restore electrical infrastructure in Sunny Shores

Sunny Shores receives electrical help from Canada

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ – Multiple crews from Hydro One, an Ontario Canada-based electricity transmission and distribution service provider, navigated their way through debris-filled streets in Sunny Shores to restore electrical infrastructure damaged by the recent hurricanes.

Working as part of Florida Power and Light’s Emergency Response Team the crews installed utility poles, lines and electrical equipment on Tuesday.

The Sunny Shores community was first flooded by Hurricane Helene’s storm surge and then many homes were further damaged by Hurricane Milton’s winds. Piles of household debris that was discarded after Hurricane Helene remains along the streets there.

Canadian power crews work to restore electrical infrastructure in Sunny Shores Tuesday- Leslie Lake | Sun

Canadian power crews work to restore electrical infrastructure in Sunny Shores Tuesday- Leslie Lake | Sun

Canadian power crews work to restore electrical infrastructure in Sunny Shores Tuesday- Leslie Lake

Canadian power crews work to restore electrical infrastructure in Sunny Shores Tuesday- Leslie Lake

Utility poles lined up for installation by Canadian Hydro One utility crews in Sunny Shores Tuesday- Leslie Lake | Sun

Utility poles lined up for installation by Canadian Hydro One utility crews in Sunny Shores Tuesday- Leslie Lake | Sun

Crews from Canadian power company Hydro One work on restoring electrical infrastructure to Sunny Shores- Leslie Lake | Sun

Crews from Canadian power company Hydro One work on restoring electrical infrastructure to Sunny Shores- Leslie Lake | Sun

Crews from Canada-based Hydro One work to restore electrical infrastructure in Sunny Shores Tuesday- Leslie Lake | Sun

Crews from Canada-based Hydro One work to restore electrical infrastructure in Sunny Shores Tuesday- Leslie Lake | Sun

Cortez Stone Crab and Music Festival canceled

Cortez Stone Crab and Music Festival canceled

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Entertainment, Featured, Festivals.

CORTEZ – The 12th annual Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival is canceled this year due to the impacts of recent hurricanes.

The festival was scheduled for Nov. 9 and 10. It’s a Cortez tradition that celebrates the start of the stone crab harvest season. It typically draws more than 5,000 attendees to the Swordfish Grill and Tiki Bar parking area and features live music, crafts and local seafood.

The cancelation was announced in an Oct. 14 post on The Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival Facebook page.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Stone Crab & Music Festival due to the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. After assessing the damage and prioritizing the safety and recovery of our community, we realized this was the best course of action.”

Cortez homes flooded during the storm surge from Hurricane Helene and many suffered further damage from the high winds of Hurricane Milton.

The organizers said the decision was not made lightly.

“We appreciate the understanding and support of our loyal attendees, vendors and sponsors during this challenging time,” the post stated.

Emails have been sent to art, food and beverage vendors.

“Thank you for your continued support of the Cortez community. We look forward to bringing back the festival better and stronger next year,” according to the Facebook post.

Anna Maria checkpoint, curfew suspended

Anna Maria checkpoint, curfew suspended; emergency declarations extended

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA – Sunday morning, Mayor Dan Murphy renewed for seven additional days two previously issued hurricane-related emergency orders.

Monday morning, he discontinued the nightly curfew and the re-entry checkpoint at the entrance to the city. The Holmes Beach nightly re-entry checkpoint remains in place on Manatee Avenue.

Emergency orders

Dated Oct. 13, Emergency Order 1 extends the city’s declaration of a state of local emergency due to the effects of Hurricane Milton. Emergency Order 3 extends the city’s declaration of a state of local emergency due to the effects of Hurricane Helene. The emergency declarations allow the mayor to take certain emergency measures, such as enacting and lifting curfews and re-entry checkpoints. The emergency declarations also allow Murphy to make recovery-related emergency expenditures without city commission authorization.

Anna Maria checkpoint, curfew suspended
The city of Anna Maria continues to operate under a local state of emergency. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Murphy usually calls an emergency city commission meeting and seeks commission authorization before issuing or extending emergency orders, but due to the circumstances and conditions created by back-to-back hurricanes, he extended the emergency orders without an emergency meeting.

On Saturday, Murphy informed each Anna Maria commissioner of his intentions via email: “I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow afternoon we will renew the two emergency orders. As you recall, the emergency orders allow us to get funding from the state and federal government. I would like to have had a public meeting to discuss this and take a vote, but I cannot. As it stands now, the general public wouldn’t be able to attend the meeting because they can’t get into the city. Only residents and business owners are allowed in. So, I wanted to let you know I’m going to sign off on it, and if you have any concerns or questions call me.”

Curfew & checkpoint

On Saturday, Anna Maria residents, business owners and property owners were allowed to return to the city after passing through law enforcement checkpoints at the entrance to Holmes Beach on Manatee Avenue and at the entrance to Anna Maria, with a city-wide curfew in effect from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Monday morning, Murphy discontinued the checkpoint and curfew. The following message was posted on the city of Anna Maria’s Facebook page: “Since the beginning of the storm, the city of Anna Maria has had an average of 6 to 8 deputies patrolling our streets. We have now taken down the checkpoint to the entrance of our city and the curfew has also been lifted. Residents and workers are free to move about the city, please exercise caution in doing so. A checkpoint remains at the entrance to the Island.”

Anna Maria checkpoint, curfew suspended
The Holmes Beach re-entry checkpoint remains in place on Manatee Avenue during curfew hours. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

As of Monday, the Holmes Beach checkpoint on Manatee Avenue continues to operate from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. According to Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria residents will be the only people allowed to pass through the Manatee Avenue checkpoint between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Business owners, contractors, vacation rental owners and managers, and rental guests will not be allowed through the nightly Holmes Beach checkpoint.

Short-term vacation rental lodging remains suspended in Holmes Beach due to a previously adopted 45-day vacation rental moratorium. Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach remain open to vacation rental guests and normal vacation rental business operations.

Debris removal

Monday morning, the following debris removal message was posted on the city of Anna Maria’s Facebook page: “The majority of household debris has been picked up and removed from the right-of-way in the city of Anna Maria. Landscaping debris remains and should be placed in the right-of-way for pickup. Any remaining household debris needs to be placed in the city right-of-way ASAP – not on private property – if you wish to have this removed by the city. Pickups will continue through the next several days. Please remember to separate all household debris from landscaping debris in two separate piles in the city right-of-way.”

Anna Maria checkpoint, curfew suspended
Hurricane Helene debris sat partially submerged along a flooded street in Anna Maria the day after Hurricane Milton struck. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Commission meeting

The next regular Anna Maria City Commission meeting will take place on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m. During that meeting, Murphy and General Manager Dean Jones will provide a status update on the hurricane damage and the ongoing recovery efforts.

The city commission will also engage in regular city business that includes the second and final reading of a city ordinance that will provide a $25,000 additional property tax-related homestead exemption for low-income homeowners who are 65 and older who meet the state’s income limit threshold which is currently $31,100.

The city commission will also be presented with the first reading of an ordinance prohibiting overnight camping and sleeping and the first reading of an ordinance pertaining to the city’s special event permitting process.

Mounds of debris remain as hurricane approaches

Mounds of debris remain as hurricane approaches

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Cortez, Featured.

CORTEZ — Hurricane Milton is expected to bring high winds and a storm surge to the area late Wednesday night, and time was running short on Tuesday to remove household debris left out following Hurricane Helene.

On Monday, a Manatee County clean-up crew was in Cortez using a claw lift to put roadside household debris into the back of a dump truck.

Some of the roads there were cleared of debris, but others were not and, as of Tuesday afternoon, multiple piles of discarded items remained on side streets in Cortez and along the roads in Sunny Shores.

Manatee County spokesperson Bill Logan responded to an email from The Sun Tuesday afternoon, saying county clean-up crews will attend to Cortez Village and Sunny Shores.

“All haulers (including those who would normally be on trash/recycling routes) are working to clear the debris as they are able to get to it,” he wrote.

Homes in Cortez and Sunny Shores were inundated with more than three feet of water from Hurricane Helene’s storm surge and residents fear that floating debris during the storm surge from Hurricane Milton may cause further damage to their homes.

One Sunny Shores resident Tuesday said she hopes to see county cleanup crews.

“That would really help us if they did,” she said.

The epic storm that crept up on us

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

Hurricane Helene was the second deadliest storm in 55 years, Katrina being the first. Did we expect it? I didn’t, and I think most Florida coastal residents did not fully understand the danger of such a large storm and the biblical storm surge it brought.

There are so many moving parts involved in a real estate transaction that can go wrong, but the ultimate is when severe damage occurs when the property is under contract to sell. So who’s responsible for damaged property prior to a closing? The short answer is the seller.

Most contracts contain a “risk of loss” provision that almost always places the risk on the seller and could kill the deal. That doesn’t mean all buyers will walk away from a contract of sale, which they have the legal right to do. That said, some of the damage to properties on the Island is so severe there may not be any way back for buyers. It will be interesting to see if Manatee County proceeds with the purchase of the Seafood Shack property that was scheduled to close on Oct. 7. The building is standing, and I have not been inside, but the two very large dumpsters that are filled to the brim tells the story.

Since Anna Maria is a vacation paradise, what happens to the funds vacationers have already paid or have pending for a future booked date? All of this depends on the rental contract the renters signed, but on a small island dependent on renting vacation properties, I would be surprised if the owners and their realtors didn’t make these people whole.

As always, an attorney should be consulted to review your sale contract or your rental agreement if you find yourself in one of these two situations after the storm.

By now hopefully everyone with property damage has contacted their insurer and got the ball rolling for compensation. It will be a long, arduous process in addition to the emotional aspect of the storm not to mention the clean-up.

However, there will be properties that cannot be restored, and the danger of properties being condemned is certainly possible. My FEMA research tells me that FEMA does not have the legal authority to condemn or demolish houses or buildings. They can provide contractors to inspect disaster-related damage to homes and property, but they do not condemn property. Local jurisdictions have the legal authority to condemn your property, which is a complicated process. FEMA’s website on condemning property will give you more detailed information.

Unfortunately, in Florida, if your property is condemned, you will still need to repay your mortgage. If your property is condemned, you likely will receive a condemnation payment to help pay off the loan or you can work with your lender for a loan modification or forbearance.

Finally, as fate will have it, a new Florida law was enacted on May 30 this year requiring sellers to disclose if a property has filed insurance claims for flood damage and whether federal assistance has been granted due to flooding.

My husband and I live on the Intracoastal Waterway in Cortez and have never in 25 years seen water under our building – this time there was 4 feet. We didn’t evacuate and considered not even moving our car since with Idalia last year there was no water intrusion. Thankfully we were safe, our car was moved to higher ground and survived but it does give you pause when you see the destruction surrounding you.

We’ll talk more next week about how this phenomenon affects property values if at all and the overwhelming desire of humans to live near the water.