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Manatee County among plaintiffs in suit against state officials

Manatee County among plaintiffs in suit against state officials

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Manatee County.

LEON COUNTY – Manatee County is among several municipal plaintiffs filing suit seeking declaratory and injunctive relief from a controversial hurricane recovery-related state law enacted earlier this year.

Signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on June 26, the new law created by the Florida Legislature’s adoption of Senate Bill 180 and its matching bill in the House of Representatives prohibits city and county governments from adopting land development regulations that are more cumbersome or restrictive than the regulations in place as of Aug. 1, 2024.

Fort Lauderdale-based Weiss, Serota, Helfman, Cole and Bierman attorney Jamie Cole filed the lawsuit on Sept. 29 in the Second Judicial Circuit Court in Leon County.

The lawsuit seeks a court order declaring that the enactment of SB 180 violates the Florida Constitution and the Florida Statutes that codify local home rule powers, deems the preemptions in the new state law to be impermissibly vague and invalid and prohibits the state from enforcing the new law.

On Sept. 2, Manatee County com­missioners voted 6-1 in favor of the county joining the lawsuit.

In addition to Manatee County, the named plaintiffs include city of Destin, the city of Lake Alfred, the town of Windermere, the city of Delray Beach, the city of Deltona, the city of Weston, the city of Alachua, the city of Stuart, Orange County, the town of Mulberry, the city of Naples, Miami Shores Village, the town of Lake Park, the city of Fort Lauderdale, the town of Jupiter, the city of Edgewater, the city of Pompano Beach, the town of Dundee, the town of Cutler Bay, the village of North Palm Beach, the village of Pinecrest, the city of Margate, the town of Palm Beach and the city of Homestead.

The lawsuit names as defendants Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly, Executive Director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management Kevin Guthrie, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, Florida Department of Revenue Executive Director Jim Zingale and Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia.

The complaint cites Section 28 of the new Florida Statute that states, “Each county listed in the federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Debby, Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton, and each municipality within one of those counties, may not propose or adopt any moratorium on construction, reconstruction or redevelopment of any property damaged by such hurricanes; propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan or land development regulations; or propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning review, approval or issuance of a site plan, development permit or development order before October 1, 2027, and any such moratorium or restrictive or burdensome comprehensive plan amendment, land development regulation, or procedure shall be null and void ab initio. This subsection applies retroactively to August 1, 2024.”

A case overview provided on page two of the 46-page complaint says, “This is an action by a large number of

Florida municipalities and counties challenging Senate Bill 180, a law that was enacted in the 2025 legislative session that represents the largest incursion into local home rule authority in the history of Florida since the adoption of the Florida Constitution in 1968. SB 180 purports to be ‘an act relating to emergencies’ supposedly designed to assist people rebuild properties that were damaged in hurricanes. But, as the result of a last minute amendment, and in a classic example of log rolling and stealth legislating, SB 180 goes much further, freezing all local land development regulations and comprehensive plans in place on August 1, 2024, declaring that any ‘more restrictive or burdensome’ amendments to such regulations that were enacted by any of the 67 counties or 411 municipalities in Florida between August 1, 2024, and October 1, 2027, are ‘void ab initio.’”

The complaint says, “SB 180 should be declared invalid and the defendants should be enjoined from enforcing it.”

Manatee County referenced

Earlier this year, due to concerns about potentially violating the new state law, Manatee County commissioners delayed voting on reverting back to the county’s previous and more restrictive wetland buffering regulations.

The complaint notes some local governments received letters from Florida Department of Commerce advising them that certain planning and zoning regulations are in direct conflict with Section 28 of the new state law.

The complaint says, “Manatee County received such a letter on April 15 regarding two proposed comprehensive plan amendments, in which Florida Commerce states it previously declared the proposed comprehensive plan amendments ‘null and void’ and that Manatee County, nonetheless, thereafter continued to move toward final adoption. The letter states the proposed ordinances may be violative of Section 28 for being a ‘restrictive or burdensome’ procedure for obtaining a development permit after a disaster – without purporting to identify what it was more restrictive or burdensome than, or to whom it was more restrictive or burdensome. The letter also states the proposed amendments may violate Section 3 of SB 180 regarding impact fees.”

Although the Island cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach are not plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Holmes Beach city attorney Erica Augello recently said the outcome of the SB 180 lawsuit will impact every Florida city and county one way or another.

City officials appreciate county joining SB 180 lawsuit

City officials appreciate county joining SB 180 lawsuit

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The city is not joining the Senate Bill 180 lawsuit but city officials appreciate the Manatee County Commission’s recent decision to do so.

On Sept. 2, county commis­sioners voted 6-1 in favor of paying an initial $10,000 fee to join the lawsuit that will chal­lenge a new state law created earlier this year by the Florida Legislature and supported by Gov. Ron DeSantis with the adoption of Senate Bill 180.

Originally intended to ensure property owners’ ability to repair and rebuild their homes after a hurricane, the far-reaching legislation prohibits city and county governments from adopting and enforcing any new development regula­tions that are more restrictive or cumbersome than those in place on Aug. 1, 2024.

The local regulatory restric­tions imposed by the state law are scheduled to expire on Oct. 1, 2027, but would be extended in any jurisdiction located within 100 miles of a federally declared natural disaster area.

Fort Lauderdale-based at­torney Jamie Cole is leading the legal challenge. When contacted on Sept. 12, he said 20 Florida cities and counties have joined the lawsuit and no decision has been made yet as to where it will be filed.

As a follow up to their Aug. 26 discussion, Holmes Beach officials revisited the lawsuit discussion on Sept. 11.

“My position hasn’t changed,” City Attorney Erica Augello said. “Whatever the determina­tion on this is, it’s going to affect everybody in the state. It’s up to you if you want to join, but they have enough to move it forward. That’s the consensus in my office as well, with all the jurisdictions that we represent.”

Commissioner Dan Diggins said the only reason he’d vote to join the lawsuit would be to show the city’s support for the county commission’s decision.

Commissioner Terry Schaefer said he discussed the pending lawsuit with the city’s con­tracted lobbyist, Andrew Kalel. Schaefer said Kalel also believes an eventual court ruling would impact the city with or without joining the lawsuit and joining the lawsuit could impact the city’s relations with state leaders.

Commissioner Steve Oelfke said he discussed the lawsuit with District 3 County Com­missioner Tal Siddique and expressed the city’s apprecia­tion and support for the county commission’s decision. Oelfke said Siddique understands the city’s position on not joining the lawsuit.

Commissioner Carol Soustek hopes the lawsuit pressures the Florida Legislature into revising the new law during the 2026 legislative session.

“I support the county for doing this,” she added.

“I agree with everyone up here,” Mayor Judy Titsworth said. “I’m so proud of the county for deciding to join that lawsuit. And we are the county; they’re representing us in this lawsuit.”

Referencing the Florida Legislature’s past support for the previous county commission’s now-abandoned efforts to force the construction of a county-funded parking garage at Manatee Beach, Titsworth said, “We know what it feels like when we get trampled on by the state.”

Regarding the county commission’s decision, the mayor said, “I really support their efforts to try to protect home rule and I do feel they’re doing this to protect us.”

Titsworth said she’d support the city joining the lawsuit if the city commissioners wanted to. Augello said the city commission could revisit that decision later if the law firm handling the case needs more parties to join the lawsuit to help fund the legal challenge.

Manatee County joining SB 180 legal challenge

Manatee County joining SB 180 legal challenge

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

MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County is joining a soon to be filed lawsuit that will challenge the new state law created by the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis’s adoption and enactment of Senate Bill 180 earlier this year.

On Sept. 2, county commission­ers voted 6-1 in fav or of joining legal challenge at an initial cost of $10,000, which additional costs anticipated if a judge’s order is issued and then appealed.

Originally intended to prevent city and county governments from making it more difficult for property owners to repair, rehabilitate and rebuild their hurricane-damaged structures, the far-reaching state law prohibits city and county governments from adopt­ing land use regulations that are more restrictive or cumbersome than those that existed on Aug. 1, 2024.

The new law’s potential implica­tions recently caused county commissioners to delay voting on returning the county’s wetland setback requirements to the more stringent requirements that were in place before the previous county commission weakened them in a manner more favorable to developers.

A memo included in the Sept. 2 county commission meeting packet says, “SB180 is overbroad and over­reaching. It has been used by develop­ers to put a choke hold on Manatee County and on home rule. Manatee County looks to challenge SB180 in the court of law in order to remove the section that prevents Manatee County from taking necessary steps to mitigate flooding and damage. The section should only apply to property damaged in an emergency caused by the emergency.”

When providing public input before the commissioners discussed joining the lawsuit, county resident Dalton Nelson said the new law undermines home rule authority and strips local gov ernments of the flexibility needed to respond to overdevelopment, flooding, infra­structure planning, environmental protections and other challenges.

“To the make matters worse, Mr. DeSantis has gone so far as to threaten removing commissioners who do not fall in line with these laws. That is not democracy. That is intimidation. When commissioners govern out of fear of removal instead of in the best interests of the residents the entire system of local government is weakened,” Nelson said.

County resident Anthony Shulo said the new law fails to make distinctions between disaster recovery and future land use decisions, which he said are two very different scenarios: “Without official clarification, the door is already open misapplication and misinterpretation – something that should concern every resident of this county.”

County resident Glen Gibellina noted every state legislator in the Manatee County Legislative Delega­tion voted in favor of the new law, including Sen. Jim Boyd and state representatives Will Robinson Jr. and Bill Conerly.

District 3 commissioner Tal Siddique doesn’t oppose all the provisions set forth in SB 180 but he said it contains some “bad language” and some developers are already actively looking to litigate in court the definitions of “more restrictive” and “burdensome.”

“That’s operating in bad faith,” Siddique said.

“This notion that we’re restricting homeowners from rebuilding is just ridiculous. It’s false. I welcome us joining this lawsuit. I think it’s the only way to make our voices heard,” Siddique said. “I’ve yet to receive one call from any builder about how we can make it easier to let property owners rebuild their homes – and I represent the most hurricane-damaged part of the county (Anna Maria Island).”

Commissioner Carol Ann Felts said, “It’s not easy to convince someone that they’ve made a mistake by hitting them over the head. This is just part of the American way. We have a law that is made, we abide by that law and then we legally find ways to change that law if they don’t work or us. This is how our democratic republic works. I don’t want the lawsuit being seen as antagonistic. It’s just not a good law.”

Mike Rahn was the only commissioner who opposed joining the lawsuit at this time.

“Why do we need to join now?” he said. “We took a breather on moving forward with the wetland rollback and repealing (land use policy) 2.1.2.8. We’re poking a pretty big bear here. We’ve already felt appropriations get withdrawn or vetoed.”

Rahn said the lawsuit could take 3-4 years to resolve and he prefers to instead work with state legislature in hopes of amending the law during the state legislators’ 2026 legislative session.

“I’d rather build consensus with other counties and say this is what we want, rather than slapping a lawsuit on the state of Florida. There will be retribution, I’m telling you. We’re feeling it now over 2.1.2.8. and the wetlands,” he said.

Related coverage:
Holmes Beach officials discuss SB 180

 

Manatee County joins SB 180 lawsuit

Manatee County joins SB 180 lawsuit

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Environment, Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

If you don’t know about Senate Bill 180 and its implications to anglers who fish Sarasota Bay and Anna Maria Sound, let me explain. The bill prohibits counties and municipalities (including Manatee County and the three Anna Maria Island cities) from adopting new, more restrictive land use or zoning regulations, or imposing development moratoriums, within certain timeframes after a hurricane.

This applies even if the changes aren’t related to recovery from the storm, which is the original intent of the law. It becomes draconian because the new state law allows anyone to sue local governments if they violate this provision – creating a chilling effect on local planning and resilience efforts.

As mentioned, this law was originally conceived to protect homeowners af­fected by the twin hurricanes: Helene and Milton. The law extends the life of existing development permits, streamlines the permitting process for rebuilding, waives or reduces certain fees for like-kind reconstruction and allows temporary accommodations for displaced residents. It would also provide clarity and uniformity throughout the state so property owners and builders have foreseeable rules to rely on after disasters and it will help keep homeown­ers from getting bogged down in permit­ting or zoning delays during recovery.

Unfortunately, as the bill moved through the state legislature, ad­ditional land use restrictions placed on local governments were added. These changes prevent counties and cities from adopting new development regulations or moratoriums after a disaster (unless directly tied to recovery) and give “any person” the right to sue local governments that try to impose stricter restrictions.

The additions went well beyond the original disaster-recovery intent and shifted the law into the realm of limit­ing local control of overgrowth, zoning and environmental protections.

So how might that affect anglers? In the last election, Manatee County resi­dents made it clear that the wetland protections removed by the former commissioners were not popular. That was evidenced by the voters’ removal of the county commissioners seeking reelection who voted to remove the county’s setbacks requirements that were more restrictive than those allowed by state statutes.

When the current commission recently considered voting to reinstate the more restrictive wetland setback requirements, they were threatened by the implications of Senate Bill 180 – which State Sen. Jim Boyd and State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. both voted for earlier this year.

I’ve heard from a number of sources that Manatee County developer Pat Neal may have been an influential and key figure behind the more restrictive land use provisions included in SB 180. I contacted Neal to give him a chance to respond but he did not reply.

In response to this change, a coalition of local governments that includes Manatee County, Orange County and the cities of Alachua, Deltona, Stuart, Weston, Windermere, Naples, Delray Beach and others are joining in the lawsuit that will challenge the law created by SB 180.

On Sept. 2, county commissioners voted 6-1 in favor of joining the lawsuit, with Commissioner Mike Rahn voting no. I was at the meeting and numerous citizens showed up to support the commission in joining the suit. No one spoke in opposition to joining the suit.

Political maneuvers like this hit at the very heart of the democratic process and threaten to negate the votes of citizens working to protect the environment in their region by encouraging sustainable building practices. Unfortunately, it appears that greed is attempting to prevent citizens from enacting common sense rules and regulations at the expense of future generations.

I would encourage everyone who wants to protect the integrity of our local marine environment to write letters to elected officials demanding common sense laws.

Contact Senator Boyd by email at boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov, by letters sent to his Bradenton district office at 717 Manatee Ave. W., Suite 100, Bradenton, Fl. 34205, or by phone at 941-742-6445.

Contact Representative Robinson by email at will.robinson@flhouse.gov, by regular mail sent to his Bra­denton district office at 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Suite 305, Bradenton, Fl. 34205-7801 or by phone at 6941-242-8430.

I’ll continue to update readers on the progress of the lawsuit as it unfolds.

Florida DOGE auditing Manatee County

Florida DOGE auditing Manatee County

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

MANATEE COUNTY – The Florida Department of Government Ef­ficiency (DOGE) is auditing Manatee County’s finances.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the audit during his July 24 visit to Bra­denton, during which he mentioned the steep property tax increases in Manatee County in recent years.

The same day, Manatee County Commission Chairman George Kruse received a letter from DOGE that began by saying, “The Florida DOGE team, in partnership with Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia and the Office of Policy and Budget, have identified Manatee County for further review and an on-site visit. Although Manatee County has taken steps to reduce the county-wide millage rate in recent years, rising property values have pushed annual property tax col­lections up by over $200 million since 2019, according to your published budgets. This increased burden on property owners has helped Manatee County increase the county’s net an­nual budget by almost $600 million since 2020 – an increase in spending of 80% during that period.”

County Administrator Charlie Bishop was copied as a recipient of the DOGE letters. Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, the city of Orlando and the city of Jacksonville are among the other Florida counties and cities that recently received similar DOGE letters.

In addition to paying county property taxes, Anna Maria, Bra­denton Beach and Holmes Beach property owners also pay annual city property taxes at a much lower millage rate than the county’s millage rate. Property owners in Bradenton, Palmetto and the northern portion of Longboat Key also pay city and county property taxes. Property owners in unincorporated areas, including Cortez, don’t pay city property taxes.

“Having entrusted their governments with the power to tax, the citizens of Florida have a right to expect that their elected officials will spend the collected funds responsibly, not recklessly, and on truly necessary programs,” the DOGE letter says. “Through the DOGE effort, Gov. DeSantis has charged us to identify and report on this type of excessive spending at the county and municipal level.”

The letter also says, “We hereby request access to your county’s physical premises, data systems and responsive personnel on Aug. 5 and Aug. 6, at the county administration building and such other locations that you identify as necessary to comply with these requests. You should note that financial penalties may accrue for your failure to comply with each of the following requests for access on those dates.”

The letter is signed by Ingoglia, DOGE Team Leader Eric Soskin and Office of Policy and Budget Director Leda Kelly.

On July 31, county commissioners voted 5-1 in favor of setting the county’s tentative millage rate at the same 6.0826 mills in effect for the current fiscal year. Subject to revision before final adoption in September, Manatee County’s $2.54 billion 2026 fiscal year budget currently includes $1.38 billion in newly generated revenues, including property tax revenues. The $2.54 billion total also includes debts and other financial obligations being carried over from the 2025 fiscal year that ends on Sept. 30.

DOGE requests

The two-page DOGE letter was accompanied by six pages of specific requests for detailed financial information, including capital expenditures, operating costs and funding sources for the county-contracted Gulf Islands Ferry service that operates between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island, the Riverwalk Day Dock in downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier in Bradenton Beach that cur­rently serve as ferry stops. Because of the hurricane damage that Hurricane Milton inflicted on the City Pier in 2024, ferry service in Anna Maria remains suspended until a new City Pier walkway is built.

The DOGE letter also requests in­formation about the county’s property management efforts and the purchase or sale of any public-owned property, specifically, the county’s recently an­nounced $24 million purchase of an existing building in Lakewood Ranch to be used for expanded county govern­ment operations. The July 24 letter was received before county commissioners’ unanimous July 29 decision to buy the 39-acre Mixon Fruit Farms property and wedding venue in east Bradenton for $13.5 million.

DOGE also seeks detailed informa­tion about:

  • county procurement processes and policies;
  • contracts awarded in excess of $10,000 and the vendors awarded those contracts;
  • compensation paid to county employees;
  • the county utilities system;
  • the county’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs and efforts;
  • county expenditures related to climate change, emissions reduction or carbon reduction, including the purchase of battery-powered electric vehicles;
  • grants and matching grants received by the county;
  • the county’s rules and policies re­garding government vehicle allowances, including a list of all county personnel making use of a take-home vehicle;
  • the county’s Government Relations department, including job descriptions and departmental expenditures to date;
  • project descriptions, budgeted costs, actual costs and cost overruns or savings for county transportation-related capital projects that began, remain ongoing or have been completed since Jan. 1, 2023;
  • the installation, initial costs and maintenance costs and estimated life cycle for all traffic calming devices, included but not limited to speed tables, speed humps, raised intersections, curb extensions and chokers; and
  • homeless services provided by the county, the effectiveness of those efforts and any grant funds provided to other agencies that assist the homeless.
Bradenton Anna Maria Island Longboat Key

Tourist development tax revenues: May 2025

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Business, Tourism.

Manatee County’s 6% tourist development tax (resort tax) is collected from hotel, motel, resort, condo and other short-term vacation accommodations rented for six months or less.

The amounts shown were collected for May and paid to the Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office in June. A third of the tax revenues are spent on marketing the county as a tourist destination and almost 17% is spent on beach renourishment.

In Anna Maria, May tourist tax revenues increased from $318,188 in 2024 to $406,297 in 2025 – an $88,109 (27.6%) increase.

In Bradenton Beach, May tourist tax revenues decreased from $112,803 in 2024 to $93,365 in 2025 – a $19,438 (17.23%) decrease.

In Holmes Beach, May tourist tax revenues increased from $660,167 in 2024 to $620,641 in 2025 – a $20,474 (3.41%) increase.

In unincorporated Manatee County (the areas located outside of the six chartered municipalities), May tourist tax revenues increased from $770,194 in 2024 to $917,906 in 2025 – a $147,712 (19.17%) increase.

In Manatee County as a whole, May tourist tax revenues increased from $2,520,318 in 2024 to $2,520,318 in 2025 – a $349,445 (16.09%) increase.

Tourist development taxes are also collected in Bradenton, Palmetto and the Manatee County portion of Longboat Key. The revenues are controlled by the Manatee County Commission and can be shared with local municipalities to help fund tourism-related projects and enhancements.

To anonymously report a rental owner who may not be paying the tourist tax, call 941-741-4809 or visit the county’s tourist tax evader webpage at www.taxcollector.com/contact-tourist-tax-evader.cfm.

County, city officials discuss traffic management

County, city officials discuss traffic management

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

BRADENTON BEACH – Manatee County and Bradenton Beach officials discussed lengthening the eastbound merge lane on Cortez Road to improve traffic flow at the intersection of Cortez Road and Gulf Drive at a June 18 joint meeting.

“The state owns the property and from informal discussions we’ve had with FDOT (Florida Department of Trans­portation), they don’t have the money for it, but if the city, county, private people could work together to at least acquire the land or easements, the state could allow the city or county to work on improvements in that right of way or accept it for maintenance later,” Manatee County Deputy Director of Public Works Clarke Davis said.

“If the city were receptive to trying to make that right turn lane longer, leading up to that point, it would need a little bit of frontage of all the proper­ties leading up to it on Gulf Drive,” he said. “If all the pieces fell the right way, there should be a way to lengthen that turn lane by at least a couple hundred feet which might provide some relief for traffic at that intersection.”

Davis said such a project would require the city’s support.

“I would like to comment on the intersection of Cortez and Gulf and the idea of possible eminent domain or condemnation,” Mayor John Chappie said. “The city commission discussed this at our last meeting and we’re not commenting with regard to that until the Complete Streets Project is complete and also the Anna Maria Island Barrier Island Study to see what they come up with and we’ll decide our position.”

Chappie added, “I will tell you over the decades I’ve been around, the city com­mission has always been in opposition to eminent domain on anybody’s property.”

Chappie said growth on the mainland is contributing to traffic congestion on Anna Maria Island.

“I think we need to pay more attention not just what’s happening on the Island, but on the mainland, in particular with what we’re going to be facing pretty quick at the corner of 75th and Cortez Road and the 8,000 units, there’s a lot going in there and a lot of people are going to want to be coming down Cortez Road to go to the beach,” he said. “I’m hopeful that someone will come up with some ideas to reduce some of the traffic and the ability for those people that live there to be able to come out to the Island.”

Bradenton Beach Commissioner Ralph Cole suggested adding slow-speed vehicle lanes to Cortez Road and Manatee Avenue to accommodate those on golf carts and electric bikes.

“Cortez Road is wide enough that you could have a slow-speed vehicle lane going all the way up to 75th Street so that people could come from in town in their low speed vehicles and make it all the way down to the Island,” Cole said. “You could also incorporate pull-over spots if we really thought about it, if you’re driving down Gulf and holding traffic up and the bike lane is perfectly clear you could slide over and let traffic pass you.”

“Everybody is always trying to come up with a traffic solution for the island,” he said. “It’s probably one of the best ones and you could do it on Manatee Avenue too. Electric vehicles are evolving and we need to adapt. We’ve got the opportunity right now. You’re building a bridge and you’re widening the road. Now’s the time.”

Hurricane shelters

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Uncategorized.

The following hurricane shelters in Manatee County may be open depending on the direction and size of the storm. There are no assigned shelters, and few are furnished, so bring lawn chairs, cots, bedding and folding tables.

BRADEN RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL

6215 River Club Boulevard, Bradenton

BRADEN RIVER HIGH SCHOOL

6545 S.R. 70 E., Bradenton

BUFFALO CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL

7320 69th St. E., Palmetto

DAUGHTREY ELEMENTARY

515 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

1306 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

FREEDOM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

9515 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton

GULLETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

12125 44th Ave. E., Bradenton

HAILE MIDDLE SCHOOL

9501 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton

HARVEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

8610 115th Ave. E., Parrish

JOHNSON SCHOOL

2121 26th Ave. E., Bradenton

KINNAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

3415 Tallevast Road, Sarasota

LEE MIDDLE SCHOOL

4000 53rd Ave. W., Bradenton

MANATEE HIGH SCHOOL

1000 32nd St. W., Bradenton

MCNEAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

6325 Lorraine Road, Bradenton

MILLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

601 43rd St. W., Bradenton

MILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

7200 69th St. E., Palmetto

MONA JAIN MIDDLE SCHOOL

12205 44th Ave. E., Bradenton

MYAKKA CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City

NOLAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

6615 Greenbrook Blvd., Bradenton

ONECO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

5214 22nd St. Court E., Bradenton

PRINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

3801 Southern Parkway, Bradenton

ROGERS GARDEN ELEMENTARY

515 13th Ave. W., Bradenton

SEABREEZE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

3601 71st St. W., Bradenton

TILLMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

1415 29th St. E., Palmetto

WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY

3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish

WILLIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

14705 The Masters Ave., Bradenton

WITT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

200 Rye Road, Bradenton.

County exploring Anna Maria ferry landing options

County exploring Anna Maria ferry landing options

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured.

ANNA MARIA – Manatee County officials are developing scenarios to install a permanent, county-funded landing between the Anna Maria City Pier and the Lake La Vista jetty for the Gulf Islands Ferry.

On Feb. 27, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short informed city commissioners of the county’s efforts to develop and install a new stand-alone ferry landing to accom­modate the new, larger and partially enclosed ferry boat the county plans to put in service later this summer.

The new ferry boat will have nearly twice the capacity of the two 49-foot pontoon boats that currently operate between the Riverwalk Day Dock in downtown Bradenton and the Bradenton Beach Pier three to four days per week.

County exploring Anna Maria ferry landing options
In mid-2024, county officials released this illustration that represents what the new ferry boat will look like. – Manatee County | Submitted

Using the now-destroyed boat landing at the T-end of the City Pier, the downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Gulf Islands Ferry service began in January 2024 and a month later was expanded to include Bradenton Beach. Anna Maria ferry service was discontinued after Hurricane Milton wiped out a 75- to 100-yard section of the City Pier walkway in early October. The City Pier remains closed for the foreseeable future and will not reopen until the missing walkway that connects to the T-end of the pier is replaced.

County exploring Anna Maria ferry landing options
Hurricane Milton destroyed a significant portion of the City Pier walkway. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

When the new boat joins the Gulf Islands Ferry fleet, it will be used to make the Manatee River run between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island. The two original pontoon boats will then be used exclusively to shuttle passen­gers between the Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach ferry landings; and maybe someday to the Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach as well.

In late October, the state provided the county with a temporary ferry landing that consisted of a spud barge and a walkway that connected to the Anna Maria shoreline, but the wind, waves, water depth and weather conditions left the ferry captains leery of using the temporary landing even after additional spud barges were installed. In January, the state demobilized the privately-owned spud barges provided as part of the state’s hurricane response.

New scenario

Due to the size of the new ferry boat, the idea of a stand-alone ferry landing in Anna Maria predates the 2024 hurricanes. During the Feb. 27 meeting, Short said when the City Pier is repaired and reopened it will not be able to accommodate the larger ferry boat.

County exploring Anna Maria ferry landing options
This diagram represents one possible scenario for a new ferry landing in Anna Maria. – Manatee County | Submitted

The agenda packet for that day’s meeting contained a single-page diagram of the ferry landing concept being developed by county officials and those assisting them.

“What you see is one sce­nario,” Short said. “They are working on other scenarios. This is not the only thing they’re looking at but this is one scenario they have actually taken to a point of putting on paper. They want to be able to land this boat near the city of Anna Maria.”

Short said the county hired a third-party firm to study the wave action, wave heights, currents and sand movement in that area. He noted the scenario presented includes extending the rock jetty further out into Tampa Bay and installing a wall-like wave attenuator that protects the landing area from the waves and currents that present navigational challenges in those waters.

County exploring Anna Maria ferry landing options
The proposed ferry landing would be located between the Lake La Vista jetty and the City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Short told county officials they must appear at a city meeting and present their proposed plans to the com­mission and the public before the commission will consider approving the county’s request to build a stand-alone ferry landing that connects to the Anna Maria shoreline.

Short said he would share additional details with the commission as they become available.

County exploring Anna Maria ferry landing options
The first Gulf Islands Ferry landing in Anna Maria was in January 2024. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Commissioner Chris Arendt asked Short if the county would assume the city’s current financial responsibil­ity to periodically dredge the channel the connects Lake La Vista and Tampa Bay. Short said the county is studying the dredging needs that might exist in that area and dredging may be needed where the ferry landing would be built.

Short also noted the city previously received a $75,000 resiliency grant and is seeking additional grant funds for a yet-to-be-initiated study that would help identify a long-term solution that eliminates the need to dredge the channel every four years or so.

County commissioner addresses building permit delays

County commissioner addresses building permit delays

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Manatee County.

HOLMES BEACH – The Manatee County Development Services department has received more than 11,000 building permit applications in recent months, many of them hurricane-related.

The ongoing delays in obtaining county-issued building permits were discussed during District 3 Manatee County Commissioner Tal Siddique’s town hall meeting held on Feb. 13 at the Island Branch Library in Holmes Beach. During his opening remarks, Siddique briefly addressed the county’s struggle to keep up with the current permitting demands.

“We are very behind. Permits have been a big topic for me,” he said. “We can’t hire enough people. I keep telling the board (of county commissioners) to find some solu­tions. We need to get people back in their homes, get their roofs fixed, get their houses fixed and get back on track.”

According to the FEMA website, “Every part of a building – from roofs, walls and siding to plumbing, septic systems and heating/air conditioning systems – may require a permit before you start to rebuild. A permit may also be needed for demolition.”

After Siddique’s opening remarks, Flamingo Cay resident Darren Horesh initiated a longer discus­sion about the county’s permitting challenges.

“Those of us who had our homes affected are being tortured by the insurance companies, by the mort­gage companies and then by the county who won’t give us permits. They won’t let us fix our homes,” Horesh said.

County commissioner addresses building permit delays
More than 30 people attended the town hall meeting. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The Flamingo Cay community is located along Manatee Avenue in unincorporated Manatee County, near Anna Maria Island. Unincor­porated areas are those located outside the city limits of one of the six Manatee County municipalities. Hurricane repairs made to proper­ties located in unincorporated areas are permitted and inspected by county staff. The properties in Cortez, Sunny Shores and along Cortez Road west of 75th Street West are all in unincorporated Manatee County.

“We’re all sitting pretending like we’re all fine and we’re building back and we’re not,” Horesh said.

He said the county only has two employees working on permit applications. He later clarified that he was referring specifically to permits needed for hurricane-related repairs, including flood damage – a claim the county later addressed.

“It just goes on day after day. Nothing’s happening. No permits are being issued, so what are we going to do?” Horesh said.

“It’s getting hot out. All these homes you’re not letting us fix are going to fill with mold in the next few months. Is the county go to pay to remediate that? The citizens of the county are suffering and noth­ing’s happened,” he said.

Siddique said he doesn’t get involved in the day-to-day opera­tions of the building department but he has been contacted by a dozen county residents regarding their permitting delays. He said he asked the department directors to submit proposed budget amendments seek­ing funds for additional staffing. He noted Manatee County is currently competing with several other coun­ties, from Sarasota to Naples, in its efforts to hire more staff. Siddique, who was elected in November, said the county lost 1,100 employees during the past four years.

Horesh asked why Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state aren’t providing more assistance.

“This is a national disaster. This is an emergency. We’re not some third-world country. We deserve to get back in our homes. We deserve to not be worried about having our homes red-tagged and us being penalized for fixing our own home. Do something and stop acting like everything’s fine. It’s not,” Horesh said.

After noting that hurricanes are not new to this area, Susanne Arbanas said, “Why weren’t we prepared for something like this? We were not ready. You don’t get ready after it happens, you get ready before it occurs. It wasn’t done appropriately beforehand and now we’re suffering. I’m a renter, but I lost everything I own. Why weren’t people in place to take care of a situation like this? Who was responsible? Who can we talk to about that?”

Siddique said the blame ultimately falls on himself and the other county commissioners.

“I’m putting real public pressure on staff to get after that problem,” Siddique said, noting he’s also reached out to State Sen. Jim Boyd and State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. for assistance.

County response

On Feb. 14, The Sun emailed Information Outreach Manager Bill Logan, County Administrator Charlie Bishop and County Com­mission Chair George Kruse seeking clarification on some of the state­ments and assertions made at the town hall meeting.

In his email response, Logan wrote, “We have approximately 11,000 properties that received sub­stantial damage and this is directly contributing to the increased levels in permit applications we receive. In October and November, we saw a 50% increase in permit applications compared to pre-storms – approxi­mately 6,200 compared to 4,000. In January, we saw another increase with over 6,500 applications.”

According to Logan, the county currently has approximately 12 permitting technicians, ap­proximately four floodplain review specialists, 20 additional permitting employees contracted from the Florida Department of Emergency Management, approximately five plan review officers and the contractual services of two private companies assisting the county with plan reviews and floodplain reviews and approximately 29 building inspection officers.

According to state law, only one person per county or city can be designated as the building official. Logan said Matthew Rush is currently serving as the county’s interim building official.

When asked when and why former Manatee County Building Official Bill Palmer recently vacated that position, Logan referred The Sun to the county’s human resource department. Kruse confirmed Palmer’s recent departure, but he didn’t know Palmer’s departure date or the reason for his departure.

On Feb. 14, Bradenton Beach Commissioners approved hiring Palmer to serve as the city’s new city-employed building official and former county employee Sandy Tudor to serve as the city’s flood­plain manager.

Palmer will replace former third-party-contracted building official Darin Cushing, who was suspended in late January and later terminated.

The town hall meeting video can be viewed on YouTube at “Tal Siddique Town Hall @ Island Branch Library.” The county permitting discussion began early in the meeting.

Island mayors receive OPPAGA consolidation report

Island mayors receive OPPAGA consolidation report

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The consolidation of the three Anna Maria Island cities appears unlikely according to a consolidation study-related letter sent to the three Island mayors last week from State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and Sen. Jim Boyd.

“The OPPAGA study confirms what we have discussed over the past year,” the letter says. “Merging or eliminating cities could negatively impact the unique and special character of the Island and could have a detrimental impact on issues like building height. The lower height of buildings on the Island must be valued and maintained at all costs. Anna Maria Island must never become a high-rise community and anything that would cause that to happen would be a nonstarter to us.”

Dated Jan. 9, the letter accompanied the completed OPPAGA (Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability) consolidation study report emailed to Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie on Jan. 8. The mayors then shared the report and the letter with their respective city commissioners.

OPPAGA is a research arm of the Florida Legislature.

The issuance of Boyd and Robinson’s letter and the sharing of the completed 25-page OPPAGA study coincided with the Manatee County Legislative Delegation meeting held in Bradenton on Jan. 9. Robinson, Boyd and the other state legislators who comprise the Manatee County Legislative Delegation announced their desire for a consolidation study in 2023.

The consolidation study was requested at a time when Robinson, Boyd and former Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge were at odds with Holmes Beach officials regarding public parking for beachgoers and the county’s desire to construct a parking garage at the county-owned Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach.

In 2023, Robinson filed legislation that resulted in the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis authorizing the county to construct a three-story parking garage at Manatee Beach despite the city’s existing prohibition on multi-level parking garages and substantial public opposition. In August, the county commission reversed course and terminated the parking garage design process.

While pursuing the consolidation study, Robinson and Boyd repeatedly expressed their desire for the three Island cities to reduce operating costs and lower property taxes by consolidating some of the similar services provided by all three cities.

The study

The 25-page OPPAGA report begins with an executive summary that says the Legislature directed OPPAGA to analyze the potential benefits of consolidating the services provided by the three Island cities and present options for the potential restructuring of the Island’s governance.

Island mayors receive OPPAGA consolidation report
The OPPAGA Anna Maria Island consolidation study report has been made public. – OPPAGA | Submitted

The study notes the Island’s permanent resident population declined 42% between 2007 and 2023, from 8,449 residents to 4,915. It also notes that 66% of the new vacation rental properties developed in Manatee County between 2000 to 2023 were developed on Anna Maria Island.

“There are some municipal services on the Island that could be streamlined through interlocal agreements, contracts or government reorganization. This streamlining of services could result in savings for Island residents,” the report says.

The report notes all three cities provide administrative, building and planning, public works, code enforcement and emergency management services; and Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach have their own police departments. Anna Maria contracts with the Manatee County Sherrif’s Office for law enforcement services. Using data provided by the cities, the report summarizes each city’s revenues, expenditures, outstanding debt and reserve funds.

The report references four government restructuring options:

  • Leaving the Anna Maria Island governmental structure as is;
  • Combining the three Island cities into one new city;
  • Including the three cities as part of unincorporated Manatee County; and
  • Including the three cities as part of the city of Bradenton.

The analytical report does not include a recommendation of any of the consolidation options, but provides considerations and potential impacts for each consolidation option.

In regard to maintaining the status quo, the report states the duplicated services and the financial impacts created by those duplications would continue and each city’s property tax rates would remain the same. Maintaining the status quo would also avoid the expense, time, effort and disruption of city governance, and Island residents would not have to change their addresses.

Regarding the one city, county and Bradenton consolidation options, the report notes each of those options may produce economies of scale and cost savings but would also result in the elimination of each city’s charter, code ordinances, land development codes and comprehensive plan. Consolidation would also eliminate the current city commissions and advisory boards and require the restructuring of existing municipal contracts.

Robinson and Boyd’s letter notes that Manatee County government and the school district have also been encouraged to become more efficient and lower their taxes and millage rates.
“We know that cutting taxes and finding efficiencies is challenging, but we believe it is possible to accomplish this with hard work and now with this OPPAGA study as a roadmap,” the letter says.

“As we head into the 2025 Legislative Session, we would like to hear from you prior to Feb. 13 on ways you all believe services can be streamlined and better coordinated,” the letter concludes.

Mayors respond

In her Jan. 9 email to The Sun, Mayor Titsworth wrote, “I appreciate the time and effort that the team put into this study. I also look forward to working with the Island mayors, the new county board members and our state leaders in identifying efficiencies to decrease taxes for our citizens. I am pleased that the threats of consolidation and or elimination of our cities has passed and I appreciate the respect our Legislature has for home rule.”

During the Jan. 10 city commission meeting, Mayor Short read aloud some key points contained in Robinson and Boyd’s letter.

“I have reviewed the report,” he said. “I don’t necessarily agree with some of the data that’s in there, but it’s there. I need to digest this some more. I’d like the commission to do the same.”

Short said the report contains some inaccuracies, including some inaccurate financial figures, and he intends to issue a formal response to the report.

Commission Chair Charlie Salem thanked Short, city staff and former mayor Dan Murphy for ensuring the OPPAGA team received the data and information they requested. He also credited the citizens who sent emails and letters of opposition to the state legislators opposing consolidation and reinforcing the importance for the Island cities to maintain their home rule rights.

In conclusion, Short said, “This was an Island-wide effort. This wasn’t just us. It was all three cities, as well as support from others off-Island. I take comfort in this letter, but I’m not 100% convinced that it’s completely done.”

When contacted on Jan. 10, Mayor Chappie said he was glad the state legislators shared the report with the Island mayors, which is not a legal requirement.

Chappie also questions some of the figures and facts stated in the study, but he feels the study reinforces the unique characteristics of the three Island cites and the need to maintain local governance.

Chappie feels the three cities can use the OPPAGA report to help address Boyd and Robinson’s ongoing cost-cutting and tax reduction concerns.

“This is going to be a tool to help us look at ourselves as a community and how we can better our community,” he said.

Commission receives Seafood Shack purchase update

Commission receives Seafood Shack purchase update

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Business, Featured, Real estate | Development.

CORTEZ – The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will receive an update at its Jan. 8 meeting on the stalled Seafood Shack and Marina acquisition.

Property Acquisition Division Manager Charles Meador and Senior Real Property Specialist Tim Cristello are scheduled to update the commission at the regular meeting.

TIMELINE

On Sept. 5, 2024, the then-members of the BCC executed a contract for the purchase of the property for $13 million with seller Vandyk 1st Gulf Coast-Marina, LLC.

The anticipated use of the property is as a public boating access facility with a boat ramp, dry storage and marina.

The property consists of seven upland parcels of approximately 5.9 acres and two submerged land leases of 2.9 acres. It was appraised at $12.55 million, assuming the two expired submerged land leases will be renewed.

According to the sales contract, the closing of this transaction was to occur on or before Oct. 7, 2024.

“Property Acquisition and American Government Services, the county’s closing agent, worked on closing this transaction per terms and conditions of the contract,” according to the Jan. 8 BCC meeting agenda. “Property Acquisition completed a site visit on Sept. 10, 2024, to walk the property and talk with seller’s representatives in charge of all operations as part of the due diligence of the contract.”

At the time of the site visit the Seafood Shack property was occupied with businesses and boat slip tenants. On behalf of the seller, a Notice of Termination of Tenancy letters were sent to the tenants ordering the premises to be vacated by Sept. 30.

Hurricane Helene struck on Sept. 26 and on Sept. 30, representatives from county administration, construction services, property management, property acquisition, and sports and leisure departments, conducted a walk-thru and confirmed the Seafood Shack had sustained major hurricane damage.

“Administration directed property acquisition to move forward and close this transaction on or before Oct. 7 per the contract,” the agenda states. “On Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton made landfall and caused more damage to the Seafood Shack property.”

A closing was then rescheduled for Dec. 23, but also did not take place. According to the BCC agenda, the seller and lender were unable to close due to a financial/internal dispute.

“The seller and lender cannot mutually agree on a settlement statement amount owed to close this real estate transaction. As is, the county is not able to obtain clear title,” the BCC agenda states.

The BCC meeting begins at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at the Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Avenue W., Bradenton.

The meeting can be viewed live on www.mymanatee.org/mga and on Manatee Government Access (MGA) Spectrum Channel 644, Frontier Channel 30 and Comcast Channel 20 (within Manatee County).

Hurricane sand cleaned, returned to beaches

Hurricane sand cleaned, returned to beaches

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Beach, Outdoors.

BRADENTON BEACH – In a large-scale beach restoration project to put back sand pushed across Gulf Drive during recent hurricanes, tons of sand are being cleaned and returned to the beaches at the Coquina Beach processing site.

Sand is picked up daily along Gulf Drive and carried to the site by dump trucks. There, it is put through sifters to remove debris before being placed back on local beaches.

“Clean sand is being delivered to both Cortez and Coquina public beaches and shaped to mimic low-level dune formations along the landward side of the beaches there,” Charlie Hunsicker, Manatee County Director of Natural Resources, wrote in a Nov.18 email.

Sand recovered from roadways is sorted, sifted, tested, and returned to the beach under Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Florida Department of Health requirements.

Sand removal from private property is the owner’s responsibility. Sand deposited on private property cannot be returned to the beach due to concerns about nails, debris, or household contaminants like oil, bleach, fertilizers, etc.

“Any dumping of sand from private properties on the beach is a direct violation of FDEP regulations. It is very important that the sand from private property not be mixed with the sand currently piled up on the roadsides. Residents with any remaining sandbags are encouraged to keep them through the end of storm season (Nov. 30),” according to the Manatee County website.

The sand being processed at the screening site is separated into two grades: beach-quality sand and construction-grade darker sand such as is found in parking lots.

As of Nov. 15, 19,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand has been sifted and returned to Anna Maria Island beaches. The county website estimates that amount to be enough to fill six Olympic-size swimming pools.

Construction-grade sand is being processed differently.

“Last week’s figures showed 27,000 cubic yards was transported to the Hidden Harbor staging site along Ft. Hamer Road in the eastern part of the county for future use in road building and infrastructure projects,” Manatee County spokesperson Bill Logan wrote in a Nov. 18 email to The Sun.

According to Logan, “With fill dirt costing between $5 to 15 per cubic yard, the county has already realized average savings of over a quarter million dollars. By the time all the debris sand is repurposed, the county will save well over a million dollars. That does not even calculate the cost of taking sand that could be repurposed to a landfill – which would be substantial.”

Piles of sand remain to be processed. Logan said it is difficult to pinpoint exactly how much remains as FDOT and the three Island cities are still bringing sand to the processing site.

He said the cost of the project has not yet been determined, but Manatee County will be reimbursed from FEMA debris funds.

“The FEMA deadline for total reimbursement is Jan. 11 (2025). Every effort is being made to wrap up sand screening operations by this date,” Logan stated.

Logan stated that each day tons of sand is screened and re-applied or shipped to the staging site at Hidden Harbor.

“While the sand screening is only a part of the overall debris effort, you can always follow along on the overall progress at mymanatee.org/debris. As of today, there has been more than 1.5 million cubic yards of debris collected county-wide,” Logan wrote.

New information for Cortez mobile home owners

New information for Cortez mobile home owners

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

CORTEZ – Many residents in local mobile home parks received substantial damage assessments from Manatee County following water intrusion from Hurricane Helene’s storm surge. Those residents attended a Nov. 6 meeting with Manatee County, FEMA and Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM) officials for answers about the next steps in the recovery process.

More than 100 Cortez mobile homeowners attended the informational meeting held at the Bridge Church to hear a presentation by officials outlining FEMA guidelines, including the 50% rule; county ordinances and its participation in, and adherence to, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as well as timeframes for inspections and disaster assistance contacts.

“This past month has been difficult for everybody,” Manatee County Building Official and Floodplain Manager Bill Palmer said in opening remarks. “A lot of people lost their homes and a lot of houses were abandoned. Everybody wants to repair their homes and get back as quick as possible and get their lives back as normal as possible.”

Discussion on regulations

“Manatee County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) so, when you rebuild or do repairs to homes, we must have guidelines on how you can rebuild. There are regulations so we want to make sure you have all the knowledge to move forward and be able to rebuild or decide which direction you want to go in,” Palmer said.

Palmer said there has been some misinformation circulated about the process.

“I’ve seen things that say we’re going to go in and condemn all the mobile home parks,” he said. “That’s just not true. We’re not going to do that.”

Manatee County Floodplain Manager Cheryl Bagby explained floodplain regulations.

“There are federal, state and local regulations that state if a home is damaged 50% of the value of the structure, or if it is improved 50% value of the structure, then the entire structure must be brought to current floodplain compliance,” she said. “This is commonly known as the FEMA 50% rule. What that means is if you sustain damage and the cost to bring your home back meets or exceeds 50% of the value of the structure, then the entire structure has to come up to current flood compliance, which includes elevating the structure.”

Bagby said the county’s disaster assessment team has gone out to the communities for an initial damage assessment.

“A lot of times they were unable to get inside. They took a look at the buildings and they did a data collection of how much observed damage there was to the building. They took that data and brought it back to us and we’re going to calculate that to see how substantially damaged that is,” she said.

She said Sunny Shores, Paradise Bay and Cortez Park are all located in a floodplain and all are subject to the 50% rule.

Bagby said the county receives the mobile home’s value from the Manatee County Property Appraiser.

“If you go on the property appraiser website, type in your address, it is currently labeled FEMA market value,” she said. “It’s not a value from FEMA, it’s a value that has been calculated for the structure. If you meet or exceed 50% of that the entire structure has to come into compliance.”

Bagby said homeowners have the right to hire a private appraiser to assess the pre-damage value of the home.

“We will take the higher of the two,” she said.  “It should be reproduction value minus physical deterioration.”

Renovation, permits

Bagby said homeowners may remove damaged building materials but an application is required to make repairs.

“Even if you’re in a mobile home, there’s still an application to build back,” she said. “Take out that drywall, take out those contaminated materials, that’s okay. But before you build back you have to submit an application so we know whether or not you need to elevate your home. Don’t go spending money, because you might have something that ultimately has to be elevated and cost you a lot more.”

Homeowners wishing to do repairs to the mobile home must apply to the county for a storm mobile home review.

“You’ll need to submit paperwork with costs,” Bagby said. “If you’re under the 50% we’re going to sign off, say go ahead, you’re approved for repairs. If you’re over 50% we’ll tell you what your options are from there.”

She noted that because mobile homes are not subject to the Florida Building Code, people may think they don’t need permits to make repairs.

“It is, however, subject to floodplain regulations,” Bagby said. “Therefore that 50% rule still applies.”

For most storm damage repairs, permit fees are being waived.

“When you apply you need a contract or a cost breakdown. If you’re doing it yourself we need the material cost so we can get an accurate assessment of what this is going to cost,” Bagby said. “We need documentation validating the values. Labor is counted. For homeowners, it’s $30 an hour for labor. You have to assign a value to donated materials.”

She said with the 50% rule there is a one-year cumulative value. If any permits were pulled within and closed within the last year, or are older and still open, those values count toward the 50% value of the structure.

“The whole point of elevating is so you don’t have to go through this again, so you are protected against these storms because they are happening stronger and more frequently,” Bagby said.

FEMA and Small Business Administration (SBA) representatives attended the meeting via Zoom.

“Manatee County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program,” Tammy Hanson with FEMA Flood Plain Management said. “When the community joined the program, they agreed to adopt and enforce floodplain management requirements. What that allows is the ability for flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.”

One of the things she said is misunderstood is that FEMA or the state is coming in to do assessments. That is not the case.

“That is not how the program works,” Hanson said. “There are federal, state and local requirements. It’s through the enforcement of local regulations where the determinations of damage assessment are made.”

 Timeframe for inspections

“Our team is very short-staffed right now,” Bagby said. “We have a lot of applications coming in, plus we’re out in the community doing this disaster recovery work. Make sure any application you do submit, have it clearly state hurricane or storm damage so that it gets prioritized. The turnaround time for storm damage is a few days.”

Disaster assistance: FEMA and SBA

“The individual and household programs (IHP) provide assistance to eligible individuals and households who have uninsured, or underinsured necessary expenses that are a result of the disaster,” FEMA representative Millie Diaz said. “The IHP is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate all those losses.”

IHP has two specific provisions, one is for housing assistance and the other is for needs assistance,

“We also have displacement assistance for those who cannot return to their house and childcare assistance,” Diaz said.

Deadlines for assistance applications are Nov. 12 for Hurricane Debby, Nov. 27 for Hurricane Helene and Dec. 11 for Hurricane Milton.

Here are some helpful contact numbers:

FEMA disaster assistance – 800-621-3362

FEMA community services program – 833-514-2940

Disaster unemployment assistance – 800-385-3920 or www.Floridajobs.org

Crisis counseling – 800-985-5990

Small Business Administration – www.lending.sba.gov or 800-659-2955

A second meeting

To assist in answering questions about individual circumstances, a second meeting is being planned for Wednesday, Nov. 13 to include the following break-out areas:

FEMA:

  • DSA: Disaster Survivor Assistance
  • Individual Assistance
  • SBA: Small Business
  • Hazard Mitigation/Floodplain Management
  • NFIP (insurance)

Manatee County:

  • Zoning, 1 person
  • Floodplain Management
  • Building Official
  • Code Enforcement

Details about a time and location for the Nov. 13 meeting are to be determined.

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.