ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Followers of the “Where is the Market?” Facebook page are anxiously awaiting what appears to be an imminent announcement of a new venue.
“I will be thankful at Thanksgiving that our market family will be together soon. However, because of the holiday I cannot get the needed paperwork until the 29th as people are on vacation,” Nancy Ambrose wrote on the page Nov. 18. “So the Sunday market will not start on Dec. 4 as there would not be enough time to market it. I am planning on Dec. 11. Cannot wait to see everyone.”
Ambrose, who was the director of the Coquina Beach Market for the past decade, was ousted by Manatee County officials who announced in August that the county was taking over operations of the beach market.
The Aug. 2 press release from Manatee County Information Director Bill Logan stated in part, “Artisans and other vendors will be back along the Coquina Beach South promenade, once again, when the 2022-23 season opens in November as oversight for the market shifts to Manatee County.”
Logan declined to give a reason for Ambrose’s termination and said by email on Aug. 5, “I do not have any further information why the contract was terminated.”
In October, county officials announced a delay to the projected Nov. 1 opening of the county-run market due to Hurricane Ian having impacted preparations.
“As crews have been deployed around the county to clean up and repair other parks properties, the site prep and rehab work to get the new site (further south on Coquina Beach) ready have been put on hold temporarily,” according to the county website. “The official opening date has been delayed from the originally planned Nov. 1.”
The county has not estimated its beach market opening date.
Ambrose indicated that her new Sunday market will not be on Anna Maria Island and that she would not be making any further announcements until arrangements are finalized. She also wrote that she is looking in another county for a possible Wednesday market.
Her Facebook page, “Where is the Market?” has over 2,000 members, some of whom are vendors who have worked with her and who are hopeful that they will soon have a new venue to sell their products.
Vendor Venita Clark wrote, “I think Nancy needs to have her own booth set up so everyone could stop by and give her the big hug she deserves for working so hard for all of us!
“A mark, fault or other imperfection that mars a substance or object.” That, my friends, is the definition of a flaw. If you think you can find a house that doesn’t fit this description, you’re probably dreaming.
Every home built or lived in has flaws; it’s up to the buyer and seller to decide
if the flaw is serious enough to repair or serious enough to not buy the home. Here are some things to think about on both sides of the transaction.
Buyers need to be aware of many things when first viewing a home. If you have young children, or are just sensitive to noise, be aware of traffic or boat noise at various times of the day. Sometimes homes on main roads are priced better but may not work for your family.
Naturally, obvious structural issues like sloping floors or cracks in the walls should raise a red flag.
Water is a problem if leaks get out of control in a home. Question water stains, mold, peeling paint or blisters on the paint and an overall musty odor. Look under sinks for water dripping and run faucets to see if they leak.
Check to see if the floors are maintained. Scratches on hardwood, cracks on tile and worn carpeting could be an indication of an overall maintenance issue in the home.
Look carefully at the appliances and see if they’re rusty or have dents and look worn out. It’s perfectly legitimate to ask if the appliances are in working order and ask their age. Any hanging wires or broken fixtures could indicate a worse electrical problem and should be questioned.
Finally, landscaping and the entire exterior of the home will give you an im- mediate negative or positive impression the minute you step out of the car. First impressions do count.
If you’re selling, sometimes rather than take on a major renovation of a kitchen
or bathroom it’s just as productive to use a little elbow grease. Even though there is still a shortage of inventory in most markets, buyers are frequently turned off by little things. Any type of odor, whether it’s musty, pet, gym shorts or baby, needs to be corrected. When you’re putting your house up for sale, the best favor you can do it is investing in a deep cleaning. The second-best thing you can do is enhance your curb appeal. Remove the bikes, toys and half-dead plants. Paint peeling on outdoor trim and dirty windows are a no-no.
If your home needs more than a good clean-up, fresh paint may not be as dramatic as a new bathroom, but it will do that first impression a lot of good. Refinishing hardwood floors or putting down an inexpensive piece of carpeting in the kids’ rooms will more than pay for itself. Other small fixes that buyers love are new doors and custom closets, many of which you can do yourself. Think about what appeals to you when you look at Realtor pictures of homes for sale. It could be as simple as new throw pillows and bed quilts. I once bought a $300 new sofa for my family room after my dog made the old one his home. It worked perfectly. The buyers even wanted to buy it from us.
Homes aren’t the only things that have flaws. Most of us can look in the mirror and see a long list of things that need fixing. Just remember, there are no perfect homes and no perfect people. A good lesson to keep in mind.
I would like to thank The Sun for placing two articles in their paper for donations of Nylabones for the dogs at the County shelter.
We have gotten some wonderful donations from residents all over Manatee County. Their donations have made it possible to supply every dog with a bone.
I will continue to work with Chewy and some other vendors to get much-needed supplies – beds, bones and high-value training treats. We can never have enough because we keep getting new dogs.
The shelters are full and could use help walking the dogs. If anyone has time and would like to take a pup for a stroll around the facility it would be greatly appreciated. They need to get out to exercise and volunteers are in short supply.
I’ll keep updating everyone on what we are buying and show pictures of the very grateful pups.
So, after the turkey is consumed, the pies are half gone and the dishwasher is running its first load, it’s time to talk turkey. And what’s everyone’s favorite dinner conversation – real estate.
Let’s start with one of the mysteries of the ages, why mortgage rates go up and down. If you think you’re going to get an understandable answer from me, guess again. Some mysteries are never solved.
As of this writing, the average rates are 6.89% for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage and 6.26% for a 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage. Adjustable-rate mortgages are 5.52%, not too much better but could put borderline buyers in the range of qualifying. These rates have actually ticked down a little from 7% a few weeks ago in spite of the Federal Reserve upping their rate by 0.75% again.
Nationally, home sales typically go down when rates go up since fewer potential homeowners qualify for a loan. Despite the sharp decline in sales, home prices are rising on a year-over-year basis, in part be- cause supply remains low. Unfortunately, a slower housing demand affects other goods and services. Furniture, appliances, lumber and plumbing sales declined in September due to less demand for those products, slowing down the overall economy.
Not surprising, the future predictions are all over the place. The Mortgage Bank-
ers Association thinks mortgage rates are expected to end 2022 at 4.8% and to decline gradually to 4.6% by 2024. Good news, if you believe it, for buyers who are trying to decide between an adjustable-rate mortgage and a conventional one.
The National Association of Realtors kind of agrees with the above, saying that all in all, the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage is likely to hit 5.3% by the end of the year, and that 5-year adjustable-rate mortgages will be at 4% by the end of the year.
Finally, a senior economist at Zillow says that competing dynamics suggest that there will be little reason for mortgage rates to decline anytime soon.
As far as pricing is concerned, the National Association of Realtors expects prices to post year-over-year declines starting next year.
Let’s just see what the Manatee County market did for the month of October according to the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.
Single-family homes closed at 22.5% less than last October. The median price was $549,444, up 29.3% from last year and the average price was $711,358, up 25.8% from last year. Median time to contract was 24 days compared to 6 days last October and the month’s supply of properties was 2.8 months versus 0.8 last year.
Condos closed 22.5% less than last October. The median price was $368,700, up 32.6%, and the average price was $388,103, up 17.4%. Median time to contract was
22 days versus 7 days last year and the month’s supply of properties was 2.3 months compared to 0.6 last year.
The trend of fewer sales and raising inventory is continuing. Some real estate analysts feel the market is leveling off with less of a bounce to higher values. A lot of this as it relates to Florida is impacted by hurricanes, interest rates and inflation. And we’re not alone. Just coming over one of my news feeds is a report that home sales nationally fell for a ninth straight month in October, according to the National Association of Realtors.
I hope this gives you some debatable information to discuss at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Just remember that when it comes to talking turkey, you probably know as much as anyone. Happy Thanksgiving.
They call them “Zoom towns” because so many of the new residents are working remotely and have given up their city and suburban lifestyles for a more relaxed environment in smaller communities. It’s no secret that this massive lifestyle change evolved because of COVID-19, but even now, when the danger of serious infection is substantially reduced, Zoom towns are still popular.
A recent National Association of Realtors survey reported that buyers who purchased homes in the year that ended in June moved a median of 50 miles from their previous residences. This is the highest distance on record, going back to 2005 when the median was a consistent 15 miles. This may not seem like a lot of mileage difference, but 15 miles from Boston, for instance, is still part of the city, but when you go 50 miles, you’re in real country. In New York City and other large metropolitan areas, however, you would need to go a little further than 50 miles to really be getting away from it all.
In the same survey, smaller communities were more popular, with buyers purchasing 48% of the homes. Again, this is a record and is up from 32% a year earlier. By comparison, traditional suburban home purchases dropped to 39% from 51% the previous year and only 10% of home purchases were in urban areas, down from 13% the year before. Naturally, the increased cost of homes and now the increased cost of financing has certainly influenced buyers.
Home buyers who are getting close to retirement are another influence on the popularity of small communities. Many who have the ability to work remotely chose to relocate now rather than after their retirement date. This gave them an edge before mortgage rates and prices went up further and set them up for easing into retirement.
Confirming further the demand for homes in smaller communities, The Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Emerging Housing Markets Indexes came out at the end of October. It reports that the demand for homes in low-cost cities with strong local economies is, in their opinion, “robust.” This annual survey incorporates economic and lifestyle data, including real estate taxes, home appreciation, unemployment, wages and commute time in their 300 biggest metro area rankings.
This survey places the North Port, Sarasota and Bradenton region at number four in the top 10. Unfortunately, as we all know, North Port has taken a big hit from Hurricane Ian since this survey was completed, so in next year’s survey it will be interesting to see where that area is placed.
The other Emerging Housing Markets were in this order: Johnson City, Tennessee; Visalia-Porterville, California; Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Lafayette-West Lafayette, Indiana; Columbia, South Carolina; Columbia, Missouri; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Yuma, Arizona.
Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, said, “These more affordable markets continue to offer some opportunity. It doesn’t mean that they’re not seeing a slowdown in their housing markets, but they’re better positioned generally.” In other words, they had faster home sales and lower unemployment rates than the market as a whole, which is attracting buyers in an otherwise difficult housing market. Further, according to an economist at Nationwide Insurance, the trend toward less expensive housing markets looks like it will continue even if home prices start trending down.
I guess all of Florida needs to be considered a Zoom town based on the number of people who have relocated to our state in the past two years. We’re still a state with a lot of smaller, cozy communities, access to waterfront amenities and a friendly business environment. I believe our new diverse residents will only enhance those attributes. Time to pack your laptops and zoom your way to the Sunshine State!
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Manatees are on the move this time of year, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding boaters to keep an eye out for the slow-moving marine mammals, especially during November – Manatee Awareness Month.
As water temperatures cool, manatees are migrating to warmer waters. Manatees depend on water warmer than 68 degrees Fahrenheit to survive the winter, so in the fall they travel to springs, power plant discharges and other warm-water sites.
FWC urges boaters to follow all posted manatee protection zones, look out while boating, wear polarized glasses and always give them space. Manatee protection zones are marked by waterway signs. Maps of manatee protection zones are available online at MyFWC.org by clicking on “Data and Maps.”
Collisions with boats remain the leading cause of human-related death for manatees, according to oceanconservancy.org.
“Manatees live in coastal waters, estuaries and rivers, which happens to be where there is a lot of boat traffic. They also feed on seagrasses that grow in sunny, shallow waters, meaning they spend a lot of time close to the surface, putting them more at risk for boat strikes,” according to the Ocean Conservancy website.
Disturbing manatees at warm-water sites can cause them to swim out of those protected areas and into potentially life-threatening cold water.
Manatees are sometimes difficult to see on the water and you may see a swirl on the surface caused by the manatee when it dives, or see an animal’s back, snout, tail or flipper break the surface of the water. You may only hear the manatee when it surfaces to breathe. In any instance, keep your distance and observe passively, according to the FWC.
FWC law enforcement officers are on patrol in state waters to inform boaters of the seasonal manatee speed zones and take appropriate enforcement actions, according to the FWC website. The manatee is protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which makes it illegal to harass, hunt, capture or kill any marine mammal. The manatee is also protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978, which states: “It is unlawful for any person, at any time, intentionally or negligently, to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb any manatee.”
Do not attempt to handle manatees but instead report injured, distressed, sick or dead manatees to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or by dialing #FWC or *FWC on a cellphone so responders can assist.
Resources for boaters, educators and other interested members of the public are available online.
In 1871, from October 8th through the 10th the city of Chicago was ravaged by a fire that destroyed 3.3 square miles. For perspective, the whole of Anna Maria Island is 3.96 square miles. When the great conflagration was finally extinguished, 300 lives perished, the fire burned nearly 18,000 structures, left approximately 100,000 people homeless and cost $200 million in losses (adjusted for inflation, that is $5.4 billion by today’s standards). In 1922, In remembrance of this tragic event, the United States government declared the week surrounding October 9th National Fire Prevention Week. This year, on the centennial of its declaration, National Fire Prevention Week remains the longest uninterrupted national observance.
The Great Chicago Fire. – Submitted
In the past, in observation of National Fire Prevention Week, West Manatee Fire Rescue District visited public schools and pre-schools within our district and educated children about the power of fire and the many ways in which we, as individuals, and as a community can prevent a repeat of The Great Chicago Fire.
Our observance of National Fire Prevention Week has always culminated in our annual Open house event. Our annual open house is and has always been a free event, hailed by many as “the hottest event of the day” throughout Manatee County, and features fun-filled activities designed to entertain and educate the public regarding fire and life safety. Tragically, the emergence of COVID-19 in early 2020 disrupted this tradition, making 2019’s Open House the last of these occasions before the pandemic forced communities into a long period of quarantining and social distancing. Recently, our community and extended communities to the south of us were battered ferociously by Hurricane Ian.
Throughout various epochs of history, communities have rallied during times like these under a simple, yet powerful, Latin phrase – Post Tenebras Lux, (After darkness, light).
With our community returning to a greater semblance of normalcy in this post-COVID era and with the ongoing and overwhelming outpouring of community cohesion in the name of recovery, we believe it is not only important but necessary, to resume the West Manatee Fire Rescue District Annual Open House tradition and come together as a community. To that end, we are thrilled to announce WMFR will be hosting the return of our Annual Open House on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 11 am until 2 pm at West Manatee Fire Rescue District Station 1, located at 407 67th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34209. Come out, meet your local first responders and enjoy free food, drinks, games, tours of a fire truck and much more. We hope to see you there!
As a descendant of the Holmes family who built Holmes Beach, Mayor Judy Holmes Titsworth exudes the same passion and love for this city as her father, mother and grandparents. Her family’s aim was to offer a true paradise for every resident and visitor, evidenced by all streets ending with public access to our city’s treasured sandy beaches. Mayor Titsworth is currently working diligently to ensure that her family’s vision is carried on, respecting the delicate balance between residents’ quality of life and our visitors’ recreational pleasure.
Sadly, Manatee County commissioners, especially those strongly tied to developers, are fighting Mayor Titsworth at every perceived opportunity. In deference to developers, county commissioners proposed the construction of a multi-level garage in our city, hoping to lure in as many visitors as possible. Knowing our city’s infrastructure limits as well as our city charter code, the idea was denied unanimously by the entire Holmes Beach city commission. This set off a petty stalemate by county commissioners to shun or refuse this city’s requests at every opportunity. Funds and grants are now denied by the county, and the necessary collaboration between city and county commissioners (such as the emergency actions taken during the recent hurricane) is misreported by county commissioners to imply poor city leadership. There is nothing further from the truth; such behavior by the county commissioners is sheer destructive pettiness.
Our mayor, Judy Titsworth, dedicates over 60 hours of her weekly life analyzing how our city optimally operates and implements programs to ensure that it does. She has a dedicated interest in our environment, its land, waters and wildlife, and is currently focused on restoring our island’s pristine water quality. And, as an enormous bonus to all of us, she just happens to be a kind, honest person and a genuine good soul. Our heartfelt thanks to Mayor Titsworth for caring so deeply for our island, its residents, and its tourists. Aided by the united support and cooperation among our city commissioners and our police force, Holmes Beach is very fortunate to have an entire group of dedicated, good people directing our city. Thank you, Mayor, city commissioners, and our entire police and code enforcement team. We very much appreciate all you do for our little paradise.
Please, Manatee County commissioners, start giving our city your support and assistance, not your back.
“Boo!” all you ghosts and goblins. If you’re afraid of what’s lurking behind those Halloween masks, I’ll give you something to really be scared of – the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate has cracked 7%. I bet I have your attention now.
According to Realtor.com, as higher mortgage rates have thinned out the competition for homes, properties are now sitting on the market longer. That has led to a 26.9% national increase in inventory in September. However, that doesn’t mean buyers will have an easier time finding a property.
The housing shortage, which caused home prices to spike, isn’t even close to being filled. The nation still has 42.6% fewer homes for sale than in 2019 and it doesn’t look like the situation will get much better anytime soon. Even builders are spooked during the month of Halloween and are slowing down construction.
However, not much of this applies to Florida where real estate prices are holding their own. The state emerged as a housing hot spot during the pandemic, attracting retirees, remote workers, as well as those looking to leave more expensive parts of the country. Home prices in Miami increased the most among the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas in September, jumping 28.3% year over year. Home prices also were up 18.2% in Orlando and 17.2% in Tampa.
Time to see what Manatee County’s sales statistics are for the month of September as recorded by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:
Single-family closed sales are down 37.5% from last September. The median sale price is $517,193, up 20.3% from last year, and the average sale price is $624,142, up 7.6% from last year. The median time to sale is 62 days. Last year it was 48 days. The month’s supply of inventory is 2.7 months.
Condos closed 35.9% fewer properties when compared to last year. The median sale price was $337,000, up 18.2%, and the average sale price was $401,183, up 24.7%. The median time to sale was 57 days compared to 41 last year, and the month’s supply of inventory is 1.9 months.
The trend of fewer sales is continuing, and prices are leveling off somewhat every month. However, prices continue to be strong compared to last year and inventory has not significantly increased. We’re still in a sellers’ market, although it appears that everyone is having a wait-and-see attitude regarding the economy.
Gone are the days of bidding wars and multiple offers on a property as soon as it comes on the market. Realtor.com reported that nationally 19.5% of sellers cut the price of their home in September. As previously stated, some buyers can no longer qualify for loans and others have thrown up their hands and given up or are switching to adjustable-rate mortgages.
As of Oct. 20, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage was 7.25% per Forbes, the average 15-year fixed rate mortgage was 6.47% and the average 5/1 ARM was 5.42%. A 5/1ARM means the rate is fixed for 5 years and then can adjust each year after that. With a lower rate offered for an ARM, buyers have a better chance of qualifying for a loan but have to worry about the rate readjusting in 5 years to one they may not be able to afford. There are no good choices for the average buyer.
Hoping you have a fun Halloween in spite of soaring interest rates. Relax, some things you can’t control, so drink the witches’ brew and steal the kids’ candy. I guarantee you’ll feel better.
BRADENTON BEACH – The City Commission has adopted city resolution 22-961, which formalizes the city’s pursuit of $105,000 in Manatee County Commission-controlled surplus beach concession funds.
The city seeks the funds to make improvements to public beach and bay access points located throughout the city.
According to the exhibit that accompanied the resolution in the Oct. 20 meeting packet, the city’s proposal may include, but is not limited to vegetation removal to utilize city rights of way for additional beach parking, installing Geocell grid pavers for parking surfaces, adding ADA-compliant parking spaces, installing additional parking and beach access identification signs, installing trash containers, benches and bike racks, creating a bay overlook at the end of Bridge Street and making pedestrian and bikeway improvements. As required by the county, the city will provide $105,000 in matching funds and/or in-kind services for the project.
The city of Anna Maria seeks $105,000 in surplus beach concession funds for a study of the Lake La Vista inlet. The city of Holmes Beach seeks $105,000 to rebuild or replace trolley stops and to install low-level LED lights in 26 trolley shelters.
According to Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie, the county commission will decide whether to approve or deny any or all of the proposed city projects after the reconfigured county commission is seated following the general election that concludes on Nov. 8.
Chappie noted the county also plans to use surplus beach concession funds to help fund a water taxi service between Anna Maria Island and downtown Bradenton.
In early 1933, United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) gave the first of many of his uplifting Fireside Chats. FDR used the growing medium of radio as a direct conduit to have “conversations” with the American people regarding the many challenges we were facing at the time. Topics included the ongoing banking crisis, recovery from the Great Depression, the New Deal, record home foreclosures and more.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt – Submitted | The History Channel
The purpose of our series of Fireside Chats is similar in that it is our hope to initiate open communication directly with the people of West Manatee Fire Rescue District about the issues we face as a community regarding fire and life safety. In this column, we will discuss all things fire and life safety related, both from an operational and prevention-based perspective. We’ll even discuss the differences between the two. We will also talk about fire codes, which are broad in breadth and scope, along with codes more narrowly related to specific types of occupancies, a term used to indicate the intended use of a space.
Other chats will feature talks about general everyday threats, such as drowning, and heat-related emergencies including exhaustion and stroke, among others. There also will be discussions on specific seasonal threats during holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Independence Day, hurricane season and more.
WMFR responded in Fort Myers during the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. – Submitted | Chief Ben Rigney
Fireside Chats is also an opportunity to learn about what goes on at your local fire station. Here we’ll talk about fire department call types, call volume, trends, demographics and a multitude of other topics. Along the way, much like FDR during his Fireside Chats, we hope to educate, be educated, spread a message that prevents loss to property and life and, most importantly, help our community members to be as safe as possible.
HOLMES BEACH – A request for funding to the city’s police department to help cover the expense of beach patrols was approved by Manatee County leaders, but the approved amount wasn’t as much as city leaders hoped for.
During an Oct. 11 commission meeting, Holmes Beach Police Department (HBPD) Chief Bill Tokajer said that $46,412 had been offered to the city as compensation for officers patrolling the county-owned Manatee Beach and Kingfish Boat Ramp. While the amount is the same as was given to the department the previous year, it didn’t include the increase that city leaders were hoping for.
Tokajer said that the funding doesn’t come close to covering the more than $250,000
per year in manpower and other costs officers have documented and presented to county commissioners in the past. He said he’d spoken to Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes and was told that despite delays to the project, city leaders were being blamed for the loss of grant funding for renovations at Kingfish Boat Ramp and, as a result, no increases in police funding were being considered.
Mayor Judy Titsworth said with increases in costs over the past year, the county offering the same amount of money as in the previous fiscal year was actually defunding the patrols.
The issue of funding for HBPD patrols of county properties is the latest chapter in a list of ongoing problems between the city and county.
Utilities turnoff questioned
As Manatee County prepared for impacts from Hurricane Ian and evacuations were called for on Anna Maria Island, county leaders announced that water would be turned off to the Island the afternoon prior to the anticipated arrival of the storm. Tokajer said in a statement that he had called county officials to ask them to delay the turn off of water and sewer utilities to allow those services to continue for first responders who would not yet be evacuating.
During a Sept. 27 press conference about the storm and evacuation process, Hopes claimed that Tokajer had contacted him to request utility services remain on for residents who weren’t evacuating. Hopes went on to state that he would not be extending the time for the utility turnoff because he didn’t want to risk damage to the county’s utility infrastructure. Hopes also urged residents to take the storm and evacuation orders seriously.
A week after the storm passed, Titsworth issued a statement on Oct. 5 through the HBPD’s social media page stating how proud she was of city staff for their assistance to residents and property owners before and after the hurricane. She also publicly commend- ed the city’s residents for heeding the evacuation orders and leaving prior to the storm. During a Sept. 27 commission meeting, city leaders had even joked that the storm had fixed the traffic problems on the Island due to so many people evacuating.
Kingfish defunding questioned
The battle over utility turn-offs prior to Hurricane Ian was preceded by disagreements over why county officials were forced to return grant funds for planned Kingfish renovations. Hopes and county commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge both stated during public meetings that the renovation plans had to be abandoned because permits were being held up in the city’s building department. Hopes said the permits Department of Environmental Protection couldn’t be extended another time. County staff members also noted during a commission meeting that the grant funds couldn’t be extended either.
Titsworth said in a city commission meeting that the city doesn’t have the power to hold up permits, nor had that happened in the case of Kingfish. She added that the city’s building department staff had been working with county members for months to get the permits approved and continued working on the permit applications after being told by county leaders that the project would be put on hold.
Issues between the city and county stem back to when Van Ostenbridge first took
the dais and demanded that Titsworth and city commissioners end their resident-only permit parking program near the beach and allow public on-street parking for beachgoers throughout the city. City leaders refused to change their stance on public parking on residential streets, stating that Holmes Beach has more public parking spaces than the other two Island cities and that they won’t sacrifice residents’ quality of life.
ANNA MARIA – City officials are seeking $105,000 in county commission-controlled surplus beach concession funds for a study of the Lake La Vista inlet.
Mayor Dan Murphy presented the funding request to the Anna Maria City Commission on Thursday, Oct. 13.
Murphy said the study would assist the city in its efforts to find a permanent solution that would alleviate the need for the city to pay $250,000-$300,000 every few years to dredge the jetty area that extends into Tampa Bay and connects with the channel that provides access to and from the inland Lake La Vista.
The Lake La Vista area includes the channel that passes under the humpback bridge on North Bay Boulevard. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The funding request will be made in the form of the city commission-approved resolution to now be forwarded to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) advisory board and then the Manatee County Commission will ultimately approve or deny the funding request.
Murphy said the city would contribute $105,000 in matching funds for the Lake La Vista inlet study which he estimated would cost approximately $210,000.
Murphy said the study would also require input from the Army Corps of Engineers and the West Coast Inland Navigation District.
Additional state and county funds would be sought later for the actual construction or implementation of the long-term solution or solutions identified by the study.
Murphy noted the city submitted a jetty/inlet study-related appropriation request to the state earlier this year. That $207,450 request for state funds was supported by the Florida Legislature but later vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Murphy noted the surplus beach concession revenues are generated by the concessionaires that lease space from the county at the county-owned Manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach and the county-owned Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach.
Murphy also noted a project funded by surplus beach concession funds is supposed to benefit the entire Island and a city’s request for the use of those county commission-controlled funds requires the support of all three Anna Maria Island cities.
The cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach have or will adopt similar city resolutions for their cities’ individual $105,000 funding requests. Murphy said the county commission can approve or reject any or all of the funding requests sought by the three Island cities.
BRADENTON BEACH – The Coquina Beach Market has hit a hurricane-sized snag and its projected Nov. 1 opening will be delayed, according to Manatee County officials.
“As crews have been deployed around the county to clean up and repair other parks properties, the site prep and rehab work to get the new site (further south on Coquina Beach) ready have been put on hold temporarily,” according to a Manatee County press release. “The official opening date has been delayed from the originally planned Nov. 1.”
Elliott Falcione, executive director of Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, had previously said the county-run market would begin on Nov. 1 and run through July 27, 2023 and would be open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Thursdays from 3 to 8 p.m. He said there will be about 100 vendors, with a different set of vendors each of the two days.
The discussion about the market began when on Aug. 2, the county announced in a press release that it would take over the beach market from Nancy Ambrose, its director for the past decade. The release stated in part: “Artisans and other vendors will be back along the Coquina Beach South promenade, once again, when the 2022-23 seasons opens in November as oversight for the market shifts to Manatee County.”
Ambrose has been moving forward on her plans for a new market in a yet- unannounced venue according to comments on her “Where’s the Market?” Facebook page: “Update on markets – it looks like we will have a Wednesday market – every Wed. from Dec. – May. I will be able to send apps on Nov. 15. I am still working on other things – hopefully, some November dates included.”
Since the county-run market has not been formally approved by county commissioners, it was once again a topic for debate at a recent commission land use meeting.
“I still don’t have any information whatsoever,” said Commissioner George Kruse at the Oct. 6 meeting. “We’re getting half information and saying please vote on this based on half information and trust… (We’re being told) the estimated annual revenue is $225,000. That’s not showing net income or expenses.”
The wheels to change hands for the market began in June when County Administrator Dr. Scott Hopes said that he had been invited to take a tour of the beach area by the director of public safety.
“There was an access barrier to Coquina Beach because of the layout of the beach market,” he said. “Number two, according to the mayor of Braden- ton Beach, the parking for the vendors was interfering with the parking for the beachgoers. Number three, the concessions had expanded the area beyond their contract and they wanted me to see the conditions of the beach firsthand.”
Hopes said the beach market was clearly interfering with access to the public beach.
He said after pulling financials, “Then I discussed with staff what we were investing into the beach market, with maintenance and staff and security. Then I realized this individual (Ambrose) was pulling in $270,000 to $325,000 a year net on public property and was not engaging with staff to ensure that the operations of the market did not interfere with our tourism.”
Hopes told the commission that with their approval, there could be a beach market in November as there has been for the past 10 years.
Now on the sidelines, Ambrose commented on the meeting via the Facebook page:
“Man, I wish the market made that much – the numbers are all wrong. I never even paid myself until the last two years. Even though the numbers are not truthful – that doesn’t even matter as I feel the market will probably gross $150,000 a year max for the county this year. Net may not be much less as Elliott (Falcione) said that there would be about $20k in expenses since they would be using staff,” she wrote.
County Commissioner Carol Whitmore, who is on record as being opposed to the county taking over the market, was the lone “no” vote on a motion by Commissioner James Satcher to table the discussion and vote on the county running the market until a later date, well into November.
Whitmore, who lost her primary seat to Jason Beardon, will not be on the board for the vote.
MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County commissioners have authorized County Administrator Scott Hopes to spend up to $700,000 to design and build two pontoon boats for use as water taxis to serve Anna Maria Island and Bradenton.
Manatee County will own the boats and place liens on the vessels to be managed and operated by the Clearwater-based Clearwater Ferry company.
Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Executive Director Elliott Falcione presented the funding request to county commissioners during the commission’s Oct. 6 land use meeting.
Elliott Falcione is leading the county’s efforts to provide water taxi service between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island. – YouTube | Submitted
The county commission has not yet been presented with a formal contract agreement with Clearwater Ferry. Nor have commissioners been presented with the interlocal agreements pertaining to the public day dock in downtown Bradenton, the City Pier in Anna Maria and the floating dock next to the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach, all contemplated as water taxi stops. The taxis will also stop at the county-owned Coquina South boat ramp in Bradenton Beach.
With an anticipated start date in February or March, the water taxi service is expected to initially operate from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. A memo included in the Oct. 6 meeting packet notes that service could be enhanced based on monthly demand and consumer feedback and the routes could be expanded to include additional stops. There is currently no water taxi stop proposed in Holmes Beach.
According to the route schedule included in the meeting packet, one water taxi would depart from the Bridge Street Pier at 10:30 a.m. and make its first stop in Anna Maria. The other water taxi would depart from the downtown Bradenton dock at 10:30 a.m. en route to the City Pier in Anna Maria.
According to the fee schedule included in the meeting packet, a one-way ride will cost $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 for children 3-11 years old and free for children under three. An all-day hopper pass will cost $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6 for children 3-11 years old, with those under three riding for free.
The memo notes the county will spend up to $700,000 to build two water taxis and spend an additional $350,000 per year to subsidize the operation for at least the first two years. The memo lists Coquina Beach Market revenues, surplus beach concession revenues and tourist development tax revenues as funding sources for the water taxi operations.
The CVB will market and promote the service throughout Manatee County and beyond.
Falcione said coolers, beach chairs and other items will be allowed on the water taxis and the water taxi design team hopes to accommodate bicycles too. The Clearwater Ferry website notes Coast Guard regulations prohibit bicycles on the vessels they operate in the Clearwater area.
“The operator that we’re going to be bringing forth to you has committed to hiring local captains that have local knowledge of the waterways,” Hopes said.
Public input
During public input, county resident Glen Gibellina said of the water taxi service: “It’s going to lose money, but that’s what transit does, and I don’t have a problem with that.”
County resident Glen Gibellina shared his thoughts on the proposed water taxi service. – YouTube | Submitted County resident Glen Gibellina shared his thoughts on the proposed water taxi service.
The Clearwater Ferry website includes images of some vessels that feature protective siding and/or windows and some vessels that do not. After noting that he previously operated a parasailing business in Siesta Key and has a 100-ton captain’s license, Gibellina expressed concerns about water taxi passengers being exposed to inclement weather.
This Clearwater Ferry vessel does not appear to feature protective siding that could be lowered during inclement weather. – ClearwaterFerry.com | Submitted
“You have to protect the inside of that cabin or else it’s going to be a disaster. You need to redesign that shuttle for inclement weather,” he said.
Gibellina also addressed the potential impact the water taxis could have on Anna Maria Island’s service and hospitality industry workforce.
“You can turn this into a great workforce shuttle. The tourists might be your bread and butter, but if you can get the workers onto that Island for a reasonable price and timely manner, I think it would be a home run,” he said.
Gibellina noted that workforce transportation could be disrupted by bad weather and he said some employees who use the water taxis will still need ground transport to their workplaces. He also suggested starting the water taxi service earlier in the morning to better accommodate workforce transportation needs.
Commission comments
In response to Gibellina’s comments, Commissioner Misty Servia said, “I’m sure the design is something that will be carefully considered by the staff.”
She then said, “I would like to see our employers on the Island give passes to their employees – not the county subsidizing it, but the employers on the Island who can do that as a benefit for their employees.”
Commissioner Carol Whitmore noted the City Pier in Anna Maria does not have safety rails in the area proposed for use as a water taxi landing area. The majority of the floating dock in Bradenton Beach does not feature safety rails either. Whitmore asked who would be responsible for any safety improvements needed at the city-owned docking facilities.
“We’ve already gone to all the stopping points. You’re going to have to have ADA compliance,” Falcione said. “You’re going to have to have some floating docks. The Bridge Street Pier is almost there, if not there. The Anna Maria pier’s going to have to get some modifications. The day dock in downtown Bradenton, a little bit.” Falcione previously stated that any water taxi-related improvements made to the city-owned docking facilities would be done at the county’s expense.
The Anna Maria City Pier’s vessel landing area may require modifications to accommodate water taxis. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
During Thursday’s meeting, Falcione acknowledged the potential for weather-related service disruptions.
“Coming out of the Manatee River, that bulkhead gets a little windy sometimes, so there’s going to be times that we’re not going to be able to run the shuttles. That’s why we have an expert with a lot of experience doing business in Florida that can help us,” he said.
“The backup will be our MCAT (bus) service,” Hopes added.
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