MANATEE COUNTY – Commissioner George Kruse received unanimous support from his fellow commissioners on Aug. 27 to cease spending funding on pursuing three parking garages, including one planned for Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach.
Previously, the county initiative, led by Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, sought the approval of state legislators on a bill to allow a three-story parking garage to be constructed on the site despite the city’s regulations against multi-level parking structures and the Holmes Beach land development code’s prohibition of multi-story parking garages.
County commissioners had dedicated more than $1 million for design services for the Manatee Beach garage earlier in the year. After the Aug. 20 primary election, which saw Van Ostenbridge, the largest supporter of the garage, being defeated by Kruse for an at-large seat on the dais, Kruse said he thought it was time to revisit the issue and placed it on the Aug. 27 commission agenda, saying that his motivation was to save taxpayer money.
Van Ostenbridge made the motion to indefinitely table the parking garage conversation with no further money to be spent at this time on garage plans in Holmes Beach, Bradenton and Palmetto. The motion received full support from the board of commissioners.
HOLMES BEACH – Beachgoers beware. Right of way, street and beach access parking are still closed in Holmes Beach with most parking spaces planned to remain closed to drivers once the COVID-19 threat is over.
During a May 12 commission meeting, Police Chief Bill Tokajer updated commissioners on a plan to eliminate right of way and street parking on all streets in the city west of the Gulf, East Bay, Marina and Palm Drive main thoroughfare. Tokajer said that “no parking” signs and poles had been ordered and were expected to arrive within the next few weeks with additional time needed for sign installation. With the current plan, he said it would be the end of the month before any street parking spaces are open to the public, including visitors and residents.
Until those signs are installed, all street, right of way and beach access parking remains closed to the public. Violators may receive parking tickets or have their car towed at their own expense. Banners proclaiming the parking regulations are on display throughout the city.
Once the new “no parking” signs are installed, only the beach access parking spaces and street parking on the east side of the city will reopen, eliminating about 2,000 parking spaces. If beach parking becomes a problem on the east side of the city, Tokajer said he would review the situation and come back to the mayor and city commission with a new plan.
Church, business lot issues
One problem that’s already made itself apparent now that Manatee Beach is reopened at full capacity to visitors is local churches lending their parking lots to beachgoers. Because the parking lots are privately owned, the city can’t regulate parking in them, however, Mayor Judy Titsworth expressed concern that not only are the lots being used for beach parking, pushing beachgoers through neighborhoods to beach access points, there’s also no way to enforce social distancing. With the public beach parking lot also now opened to full capacity, Tokajer said enforcing social distancing in that lot is also a problem.
For owners of private lots, including parking lots at commercial businesses and shopping plazas, if no parking signs are present, business owners can call HBPD officers to ticket violators who are parking in the lots to go to the beach. However, while HBPD officers will have cars towed if they are parked at beach access points, on city streets and in the right of way, it’s up to the parking lot owners to have vehicles towed out of their spaces.
Titsworth said she would reach out to the churches and other private lot owners to follow up on how the lots are being used and let them know what services HBPD officers can offer for parking violators.
Currently, Tokajer said there are no plans to up the city’s parking violation fine from $50 though he added that the issue would be revisited if necessary in the future.
HBPD officers are taking over the enforcement of parking at the Manatee Beach lot, along with social distancing and monitoring of beachgoers. If police enforcement at the beach becomes an issue, Tokajer said he’d ask Manatee County leaders to step in and bring staff back to the beach to deal with issues. On the weekends, Friday through Monday when beach traffic is typically at its highest, Tokajer said his officers would have reinforcements from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
MANATEE COUNTY – In reaction and response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, Manatee County’s public beaches will be closed as of Friday, March 20 at 6 a.m.
Manatee County Public Safety Director Jacob Saur made this announcement with Sarasota County officials on Thursday afternoon at a 3 p.m. press conference at the Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center.
Sarasota County’s public beaches will close at 6 a.m. on Saturday morning, March 21.
Manatee County issued a beach closure-related press release at 3 p.m. Thursday.
Regarding the public beaches in Manatee County, the press release said, “Parking lots will be closed and signs placed to alert drivers, and we expect that most people will heed that advice.”
The Coquina Beach parking lot in Bradenton Beach will be closed as of Friday morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The parking lots referred to are at the three county beaches on Anna Maria Island – Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach and Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach.
What it means
On Thursday afternoon, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer issued a press release regarding the county’s announcement.
“The Holmes Beach Police Department and Code Compliance Department are enforcing this policy by eliminating public parking. We will continue to proactively patrol the beach to be sure our residents and guests are following the guidance of social distancing. The gates at the public beach located at 4000 Gulf Drive will be locked. Many additional parking areas will be changed to no parking zones. This reduces Holmes Beach’s right of way parking by 70 to 80%. The enforcement guidelines will change based on the daily observations,” Tokajer said in his press release.
When contacted, Tokajer also said the Island’s vacation rental companies are being updated on the closures and any developments that occur.
Folks enjoyed the last few hours of normal beach operations at Manatee Beach Thursday afternoon. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Lt. John Cosby from the Bradenton Beach Police Department said, “Resort guests, those who live on the Island and those who can find a legal public parking space outside of those areas that are closed will still have access to the beach at this time. We still want you to keep the six-foot distance and no groups larger than 10.”
Cosby said the city of Bradenton Beach currently has no plans to close the public beach access points, some of which are located at city street ends and provide limited or no public parking.
On Thursday afternoon, beachgoers enjoyed the final hours of Coquina Beach being open. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
A one-sentence message posted at the city of Anna Maria website Thursday says, “All beaches in the city of Anna Maria will be closed effective 6 a.m. Friday 3/20/20 until further notice.”
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy was not available for comment after the announcement was made Thursday afternoon.
County statements
In Thursday’s press release, County Administrator Cheri Coryea said, “Each day as our local situation has changed and new advisories have been sent, Manatee County residents have heeded warnings and taken official advice seriously. We’re hoping for more of the same with our beach announcement.”
The press release notes Manatee County lifeguards will remain on duty from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily to ensure the safety of those who disregard the closure. A double red flag, indicating no swimming, will fly from lifeguard stands.
“Manatee County Code Enforcement Officers will assist the Island communities enforcing the beach closure. The Anna Maria Island Trolley will continue to operate,” the press release says.
While the Coquina Beach Cafe will be closing, for now, the Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe at Manatee Beach will remain open.
The concession at Manatee Beach will remain open during the beach closures. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Coryea said the decision was made to close beaches with careful input from the mayors on Anna Maria Island, and after speaking with Sarasota County officials in order to continue the close coordination of the two counties during the coronavirus outbreak.
“This is not a step we take lightly to close our beaches, but together with the advice of the public health officials we believe it is a step that’s in the public’s best interest,” Coryea said in the press release.
“Our primary concern is the health and safety of our residents and visitors and the people they return home to. The leadership of the Island cities of Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria and the Town of Longboat Key collectively brainstormed this decision and will have the authority to manage the impacts in their community,” Coryea said in the press release.
Coryea, Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells, Manatee County Department of Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Bencie and Saur will provide more details on the local COVID-19 response during a press conference Friday afternoon at 2 p.m.
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