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Tag: Manatee County

Letter to the Editor: Setting the record straight

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Feature, Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

I’d like to set the record straight.

In the attached TikTok link you will see Dr. Hopes publicly shaming Holmes Beach residents and myself for asking for the water to be left on for our residents who wanted to remain on the island, accusing us of not taking Hurricane Ian seriously—stating that our residents were jeopardizing the water infrastructure for the entire county.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The county administrator is the one person the Island residents, county residents and municipal leaders should be able to look towards for the facts. Especially during a storm event.

I did call Dr. Hopes I asked that he revisit the order to turn off the water to the island on Tuesday at 6 pm for the Safety of First Responders. Dr. Hopes stated he was on the way to a meeting at the EOC and would discuss and call me back.

I did not make the request because I wanted water for our residents who refused to leave, but because our First Responders, the Holmes Beach Police, Manatee Sheriff’s Department,  West Manatee Fire and Bradenton Beach Police would not be leaving the island until the wind was too dangerous, which at the time of the phone call was not expected till mid-morning Wednesday.

Mayor Titsworth had the same conversation with Commissioner VanOstenbridge, telling him of the first responder, police and fire needs, telling him the island looks deserted because people are taking this seriously and evacuating.

When asked about the evacuation by Dr. Hopes, I advised him that we have clearly put out the message of the mandatory evacuation and the dangers of staying and that most of our residents had taken heed to the warnings, but we will always have a few hold outs that don’t leave.

As Island leaders we could not be prouder of our residents, business and property owners as they took Hurricane Ian very seriously, sandbagging, boarding up businesses and residences and coming to the city hall and police department to get over 1,100 re-entry tags for those who were evacuating to be able to return.

 

William L. Tokajer
Chief of Police
Holmes Beach Police Department

Anna Maria Island prepares for Hurricane Ian

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

SEPT. 29, 10:20 A.M. UPDATE: Holmes Beach police have announced that Anna Maria Island is back open for residents.

SEPT. 29, 10 A.M. UPDATE: Manatee County evacuation orders have been lifted and shelters are closing this morning. Utility crews are assessing system damage. Anna Maria Island is still closed to residents with drivers being turned around at the base of the Anna Maria and Cortez bridges while first responders and work crews assess the state of the Island. Residents can access Flamingo Cay and Perico Island on Manatee Avenue. Anyone out driving is asked to be cautious of downed or sagging powerlines, storm debris and standing water.

SEPT. 28, 5 P.M. UPDATE: Manatee County officials have asked that residents who still have water limit what goes down their drains. With lift stations losing power and water treatment facilities at capacity, along with potable water breaks reported, residents are asked to limit toilet flushing, showering, doing dishes and doing laundry.

Hurricane Ian made landfall around 3:10 p.m. near the Captiva Islands and Sanibel as a Category 4 storm. Manatee County is under a flash flood warning until 7 p.m., an extreme wind warning until 6 p.m. and an ongoing storm surge warning for coastal low-lying areas.

SEPT. 28, 10 A.M. UPDATE: Power outages are expected to occur in our area over the next several hours. Hurricane Ian has been upgraded to a Category 4 storm and our area is already experiencing high winds and rain. The storm is expected to make landfall to our south late morning or early afternoon today. The Sun will post updates here and on our Facebook page as we’re able due to internet and power outages. Everyone, stay inside, stay safe and we’ll see you on the other side.

SEPT. 27, 5 P.M. UPDATE: The National Hurricane Center’s latest update is showing that Hurricane Ian is expected to come onshore near Port Charlotte early Wednesday afternoon as a possible major hurricane. If the storm follows the current track, it’s anticipated that it will approach the Manatee County area early Thursday, Sept. 29 around 2 a.m., potentially as a Category 1 storm.

The peak storm surge warning for Anna Maria Island and Cortez has been lowered to an estimated maximum of 4-6 feet. The estimated storm surge for Anna Maria Island and Cortez has been reduced to 1-3 feet above ground level.

Manatee County officials announced that water and sewage lift stations on Anna Maria Island will be turned off at 6 p.m. today, Sept. 27. Water and sewage services will not be restored until after the storm threat has passed. County Administrator Dr. Scott Hopes warned residents that sewage lift stations, needed to operate toilets, will not work if electricity is out.

Westbound traffic on Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road to Anna Maria Island from the mainland became restricted at 4 p.m. today and will be closed by 8 p.m. this evening. Traffic lanes will not reopen to the Island until local law enforcement and first responders determine that it’s safe for residents to return.

SEPT. 27, 11 A.M. UPDATE: Manatee County has issued mandatory evacuation notices for zones A and B with a voluntary evacuation notice in place for zone C. If you’re unsure of your evacuation level, visit the county website for more information.

County officials advise that all residents should be sheltered where they plan to ride out the storm as of 8 p.m. tonight when some of the first effects of Hurricane Ian are expected to be felt in the area. All county shelters are now open. A list of shelters in the area can be found here.

All pet owners are advised to bring their pets inside for the duration of the storm. Manatee County Animal Services will close today and not reopen until safe to do so after Hurricane Ian has passed.

All of Manatee County, including Anna Maria Island, is under a flash flood warning beginning Sept. 28 and continuing through Friday, Sept. 30.

Anna Maria Island, Cortez, Perico Island, Flamingo Cay and parts of coastal unincorporated Manatee County are under a storm surge warning. While most areas can expect storm surge of over 3 feet, some areas of the Island, including in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach, can expect storm surge of over 6 feet during high tide. The National Hurricane Center’s storm surge flood map is consistently being updated online as the storm’s track is updated. Peak storm surge along coastal Manatee County is expected to be between 5-9 feet.

City commission regular and work session meetings in Holmes Beach scheduled for today at 5 p.m. have been canceled. Commissioners will go forward with a final budget hearing and emergency special meeting at 5:01 p.m. today via Zoom. The public is invited to participate online or by telephone.

SEPT. 26, 5 P.M. UPDATE: Manatee County is now under a hurricane warning from the National Weather Service. Anna Maria Island and surrounding low-lying areas in Manatee County also are under a storm surge warning. The storm surge warning is in effect until Friday, Sept. 30 and states that the Island could see waters rise 3 feet or more above sea level. Peak storm surges could exceed 10 feet in some areas if Hurricane Ian arrives in the area at high tide.

SEPT. 26, 2 P.M. UPDATE: Closures have been announced for Manatee County.

Manatee County schools are closed for students and staff beginning tomorrow. Schools will be closed until the threat of Hurricane Ian has passed.

The Center of Anna Maria Island and all Manatee County Libraries will close at end of business today, reopening after the storm threat has passed. The Anna Maria City Pier will close at noon Sept. 27 and remain closed until further notice.

There will be no trash, recycling or yard waste collection on Wednesday until after the storm threat passes. Due to evacuation notices for Anna Maria Island, collection services may end early on Tuesday.

All Manatee County facilities and buildings will close to the public at close of business today with the exception of the county administration building which is scheduled to close to the public after a scheduled county commission meeting the morning of Sept. 27.

Shelters in Manatee County will open tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Manatee County officials ask that no one go to a shelter prior to the 8 a.m. opening on Sept. 27. A list of shelters is available online. Everyone going to a shelter needs to bring their own cot or sleeping bag and personal items.

Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells has announced that emergency services will be very limited once winds hit a sustained 45 mph. He advises that officers will do their best to respond but may not be able to get to all areas of the county while the effects of Hurricane Ian are being felt in the area. Emergency services in Manatee County, including EMS, fire response and law enforcement will all be limited during the storm event.

Storm surges, high winds and heavy rain are expected to begin as early as 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27 and continue through early morning Friday, Sept. 30. A mandatory evacuation is effective beginning at 8 a.m. Sept. 27 for zone A, which includes Anna Maria Island, and a voluntary evacuation for zone B. Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes recommends that everyone be where they intend to ride out Hurricane Ian by tomorrow night at 8 p.m. Hurricane Ian is predicted to have a high probability of spinning off tornadoes.

Anna Maria Island will be closed down at sundown tomorrow afternoon, Sept. 27. Water utility services will be shut off one hour after sundown tomorrow afternoon and Hopes said service will not be restored until it can be safely determined that the system has not sustained any significant damage.

SEPT. 26, 12:10 A.M. UPDATE: A mandatory evacuation of zone A, including Anna Maria Island, Perico Island, Cortez and parts of unincorporated Manatee County, has been issued by Manatee County effective at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Evacuation of zone B is advised but not mandatory.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Residents and city leaders in the three Island cities are preparing for potential impacts this week from Hurricane Ian as the storm is projected to pass by to the west in the Gulf of Mexico as a major hurricane.

As of the National Weather Service’s Sept. 26 11 a.m. briefing, the Tampa Bay area, including Manatee County, is under a hurricane watch with the storm expected to rapidly intensify. Hurricane Ian is currently expected to pass by the area as a category 2 or 3 storm. Early forecasts predict 7-10 inches of rain in our area and storm surges of 5-8 feet. Impacts from Hurricane Ian are expected to begin in Manatee County as early as Wednesday evening and continue through Thursday, Sept. 29.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer and Mayor Judy Titsworth said the Island is anticipated to be under a mandatory evacuation by 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27. While residents will not be forced to leave, it is important to note that emergency services, including police, fire response and EMS, will not be available during a storm. West Manatee Fire Rescue personnel will be required to leave the Island once sustained winds exceed 45 mph.

Anna Maria

A state of emergency has been declared by city officials. Residents are advised to prepare for impending impacts from Hurricane Ian. A sandbagging station has been set up for residents at Bayfront Park, however, supplies of sandbags and sand are limited. Reentry tags are available for residents at city hall with proof of residency.

Bradenton Beach

City officials declared a state of emergency during an 11 a.m. meeting this morning. Manatee County staff have delivered pre-filled sandbags to Coquina Beach for residents over the weekend but those supplies have quickly been depleted. Reentry tags for residents are available at the Bradenton Beach Police Department with proof of residency.

Holmes Beach

Titsworth declared a local state of emergency for the city early Monday morning. Sand and sandbags are available as supplies are replenished at the Manatee Beach and by the pickleball courts at city field. Reentry tags are available for residents with one tag being issued per residence at the Holmes Beach Police Department.

The Holmes Beach Code Compliance Special Magistrate hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. Sept. 27 has been canceled. The city commission meeting and work session scheduled to follow the budget hearing at 5:01 p.m. on Sept. 27 have been canceled. Titsworth said she anticipates that the budget hearing also will be canceled due to the mandatory evacuation.

The Sun will continue to update this post as more information becomes available.

County leaders play blame game over Kingfish funding

County leaders play blame game over Kingfish funding

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

MANATEE COUNTY – A proposed project at Kingfish Boat Ramp won’t be happening and county leaders are placing the blame for it squarely on the shoulders of city officials in Holmes Beach.

County staff members, with County Administrator Scott Hopes adding his voice to the group, said they are prepared to cancel grant funding of $4,500,000 from the Gulf Coast Consortium for planned renovations at the boat ramp, including paving, adding launch lanes, bathrooms, new dock facilities and other changes.

Two of the proposed changes that garnered the most public attention were the planned removal of dozens of trees along with the removal of a popular tree-shaded picnic area and the elimination of parking spaces to serve as a stormwater retention area until the Anna Maria Bridge is one day replaced. Though it’s designed, construction on a new bridge is not yet funded through the Florida Department of Transportation.

During a Sept. 13 county commission meeting, Hopes and other members of staff said that the reason the grant funding was being canceled is that a permit for construction from the city could not be obtained in time to complete construction before the November 2023 expiration of a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) permit. As that permit had already been granted multiple extensions by the department, staff members said it couldn’t be extended again. In addition to the outstanding construction permit from the city, other permits also were mentioned as still needed for the project, including one from Manatee County.

Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said he would like to see if there’s some way to recoup the funds that the county has already spent on the project in staff time, engineering fees and other costs. He suggested suing the city, but was cautioned against that action by the county attorney, who stated that the permit application hadn’t been denied by city leaders.

In an Aug. 25 email to Hopes, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said that the permit application was progressing through the city’s approval process for site plan changes. She said she was told by city staff that the changes planned for the boat ramp required site plan approval by the city commission to comply with Manatee County codes under the annexation agreement for the boat ramp. Titsworth said that city staff notified the county’s representative for the project, Michael D’Angelo, of the site plan approval requirement on June 7 and 22. She added that building department staff was notified by the county’s project engineer on July 6 that the Kingfish project was put on hold. With no further communication from county representatives, Titsworth said she instructed city staff to continue with the internal site plan review, which was almost complete as of Aug. 25.

She added that she believes some of the delay with the project was due to county leadership signing a lease for the Kingfish property with the Florida Department of Transportation instead of FDEP.

In a Sept. 15 email to The Sun, Titsworth said that city leaders only had two points
of contention concerning the Kingfish project, the removal of Australian pine trees that provide shade and nesting habitats for birds along with the picnic area and the elimination of parking spaces on the east side of the boat ramp to turn that area into a stormwater retention area.

“This in no way held up any permitting process as Florida statutes do not give us that authority,” she said.

In a Sept. 14 email to city and county commissioners, Titsworth said, “Holmes Beach does not have the authority to withhold permitting. This had nothing to do with additional parking. The hold up was that the planning administrator made the county aware that the annexation agreement required Holmes Beach to administer the permit using the county’s own rules which required site plan approval. I am disheartened by the continued misinformation and deviation from the truth. These improvements also required a new lease between the county and DEP as the original lease was done in error as the ownership of the land was not FDOT. Unfortunately, the county could not complete this in the time constraints of the grant. This is no fault of the city.”

Water taxi plans detailed

Water taxi plans detailed

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

MANATEE COUNTY – The county’s chief tourism official briefed county commissioners on Sept. 13 on plans in the works for a water taxi between Anna Maria Island and Bradenton, including new funding sources.

Revenues generated by the county-controlled Coquina Beach Market will help fund the water taxi, said Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Revenues generated by the 5% tourist development tax levied on vacation rentals, resorts and other lodging establishments in Manatee County could also be used, as could surplus beach concession funds, he said. Falcione is working with Manatee County Public Works Director Chad Butzow and Transit Division Manager Jason Harris to develop the water taxi service under the direction of County Administrator Scott Hopes.

In August, Falcione told the Anna Maria City Commission he hoped to present a formal contract proposal to county commissioners on Sept. 13, but he told county commissioners that day that some final details were still being worked out with the proposed water taxi company.

Falcione said he and Hopes plan to present a formal contract proposal to the county commission on Tuesday, Sept. 27 and he plans to present the tourist development tax funding request to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) in October.

Falcione said the water taxis would travel from the day dock in downtown Bradenton to the Anna Maria City Pier, and then to the floating dock at the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach and then to either the Coquina North or Coquina South boat ramp. The return trip would include stops at the Bridge Street Pier and the Anna Maria City Pier on the way to downtown Bradenton. The inclusion of a Coquina boat ramp destination, located across the street from Coquina Beach, triggers the ability to use tourist development tax proceeds for the water taxis, he said.

More details

Falcione said the water taxi program would feature two 49-passenger pontoon catamaran boats operating simultaneously between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island. He anticipates the service beginning in February or March and initially operating from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Falcione repeatedly referenced a Clearwater-based company that’s operated a water taxi service since 2015. Falcione did not mention the company’s name, but he later confirmed for The Sun that Clearwater Ferry is the company the county is negotiating with.

Clearwater Ferry currently operates a water taxi service three days a week that includes stops in downtown Clearwater, the Clearwater Beach municipal marina, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, North Clearwater Beach and Dunedin, according to its website.

Falcione said water taxi passengers would pay $8 for a one-way ride or $10 for an all-day pass, with discounts given for seniors and children. The no-cash operation will accept electronic payments only.

Falcione mentioned the Anna Maria Commission’s request that the Island’s hospitality and service industry employees be allowed to ride the water taxis for free when commuting to work.

“We’re looking at that. We think it’s palatable. There’s some pros and cons to that,” Falcione told county commissioners.

He then noted the water taxi company already has experience and case study data pertaining to employee ridership. County Commissioner Misty Servia said business owners should provide water taxi passes to their employees as an employee benefit.

Citing weather concerns and travel on the Intracoastal Waterway, Commissioner Carol Whitmore expressed concerns about using pontoon boats as water taxis.

Hopes said county funds would be used to subsidize the upfront capital equipment costs
that include the two boats. He said liens would be placed on the boats and the liens would later be removed after enough revenues have been generated to cover those initial costs.

“It’s not as simple as us going out and buying boats,” Hopes said.

Falcione said the county may have to make some county-funded improvements to the proposed water taxi landing locations in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Bradenton.

Commissioners Vanessa Baugh and Reggie Bellamy asked whether the water taxis would accommodate bikes, coolers, beach chairs and other items used by beachgoers.

“We’ll look at all that. The amenities the families want to bring out are really important,” Falcione said.

According to the Clearwater Ferry website, U.S. Coast Guard regulations do not allow bikes on board their vessels. The Clearwater Ferry website also notes their vessels do not have restrooms.

To better serve county residents, Commissioner James Satcher suggested including water taxi stops along SR 64 and US Highway 301.

Regarding future expansion, Falcione said, “This is just the basic infrastructure to get it going. This is what we and the third-party operator feel would give our best chance for short-term success.”

Falcione said future expansion would likely include service to the new hotel being built next to the convention center in Palmetto.

“We see it going to Longboat Key at some point. We see it going to Sarasota. We’re going to focus on Manatee County and get it started. As we learn, we’ll branch out and add partners,” Falcione said.

County, vendors face off on takeover of beach market

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured, Manatee County.

BRADENTON BEACH – Manatee County commissioners debated the county’s takeover of the Coquina Beach Market last week as vendors defended ousted organizer Nancy Ambrose.

The beach market saga began publicly on Aug. 2 when, in a press release, Manatee County Information Director Bill Logan announced that the county would take over the market from Ambrose.

At an Aug. 18 county commission land use meeting, Commissioner Carol Whitmore voiced her opposition.

“I think this needs to be decided by the board if we’re going to do this,” Whitmore said. “I don’t believe in the board interfering with the private sector in this. I don’t want to run a market.” The issue arose again on Sept. 13 when Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) gave an update to the board.

“For many months, the county administrator has been going through an optimization process organizationally allowing certain positions to gain more responsibility bandwidth,” Falcione said. “This additional bandwidth gives an expertise and oversight ability to operate the beach market at the county-owned park, allowing the proceeds to go to the community.”

Falcione said one market objective is to provide tourists and residents what he called a unique beach market experience that complements the current assets on Anna Maria Island. He also characterized the county-run market as a source of revenue for the proposed water taxi initiative.

Falcione said the county-run market will begin on Nov. 1 and run through July 27, 2023 on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays from 3-8 p.m. He said there will be about 100 vendors, with a different set of vendors each of the two days.

“We stand ready to move this forward,” he said. “We’re ready to roll.”

Commission opposition

Whitmore voiced her opposition to the idea of a county-run market.

“I can’t believe this board would actually want to run a business and take it away from the private sector,” she said, adding, “We’re not in the world here to have a business.”

Whitmore added, “This is probably going to get passed – it has been rammed through already.”

Commission Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge voiced his support for the county-run market.

“This is a taxpayer asset being monetized by someone else and the taxpayer is receiving very little in return,” Van Ostenbridge said. “We’re now using that asset to fund a water taxi to lower the number of cars by moving the same number of people hopefully out to the Island.”

Commenting on the water taxis, Whitmore said, “We couldn’t get anybody to bid on it so I hear we’re buying the water taxis and we’ll pay ourselves back. Who gave that authority to do that?”

Commissioner Misty Servia said she could have supported the county-run market, but the proper process was not followed.

“This should have come to the board to ask the board what they wanted to do before the administrator made all of these plans to run the market in a different way,” Servia said.

Vendors weigh in

Van Ostenbridge then opened the floor to citizen comments.

Several Coquina Beach Market vendors who worked under Ambrose’s oversight of the market spoke about her in glowing terms.

“Nancy worked around the clock to provide us a beautiful work environment,” said Amanda Champ, characterizing Ambrose as the vendors’ biggest advocate.

“Nancy was the matriarch of this beach market,” Champ said. “There are many people that love her.”

Vendor Victoria Dargan said, “I have been honored to have been part of the market for the last six years. It’s been run as the best market I’ve ever seen and to have it taken away from Nancy and this shift is very difficult for us to accept.”

Dargan said that changing the days of the market and losing Sundays will negatively impact her livelihood, along with many others.

“We don’t even know right now who’s going to be accepted (in the new market),” she said.

Jean McDonald, a self-described small family business vendor, called the market a consistent safe space in which she generated income.

“That woman has the highest integrity,” McDonald said of Ambrose. “The market is a community of hardworking individuals from all walks of life. Nancy played a huge role in the success of our business.”

Ambrose is currently looking at other market venue options.

A Facebook page, “Where is the Market?” has garnered 1,200 members – many of whom are vendors who have worked with Ambrose and are expressing loyalty and a willingness to follow her to a new venue.

Who’s Anna Marie?

Who’s Anna Marie?

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – It’s been 100 years since the first bridge linking Anna Maria Island to the mainland was opened to the public.

During that time, the Island has gone through a lot of changes, but a name change hasn’t been one of them.

Knowing this, local veterinarian Denise Vondrasek was surprised when she was driving on Manatee Avenue toward the Island and noticed a crew putting up a sign letting drivers know that they are five miles from “Anna Marie Is.” Realizing the sign was misspelled, she stopped to tell the workers, but none of them spoke English, so she reached out to The Anna Maria Island Sun.

The Sun called the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, which spends millions of tourist tax dollars advertising Anna Maria Island around the world. Executive Director Elliott Falcione was not available for comment and office staff members were unaware of the sign.

A subsequent call to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) resulted in the typical transfers to multiple departments, but a spokesperson for District 1 – which covers Manatee County – said she would immediately put in a work order to replace the sign.

With refreshingly little government red tape, The Sun was assured the error would be corrected.

Editor’s note: Having restored the integrity of The Sun’s namesake, Dr. Denise is honorary copy editor for the day.

New COVID-19 vaccine available on the Island

New COVID-19 vaccine available on the Island

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The new COVID-19 booster vaccines aimed at fighting the omicron subvariants hit local pharmacies late last week after final approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Pharmacists at both Walgreens and CVS in Holmes Beach confirmed the updated vaccine is in stock and available.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the new booster is an updated formulation that targets both the original strain and the omicron subvariants, similar to how the flu vaccine is reformulated every year to best defend against the current strains in circulation.

The CDC is recommending that everyone 12 and older get the vaccine, as long as it’s been at least two months since their last vaccine or three months since they have tested positive for COVID-19. Those who have not received any vaccine must get vaccinated with the primary series first – two doses of the original Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two doses of Novavax or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

The CDC recommends asking your doctor if or when you should get the vaccine, or what the possible side effects are.

While the new COVID-19 subvariants don’t pack the punch of the original, Manatee County COVID community transmission levels have been at medium or high for more than 20 consecutive weeks, with some contracting COVID more than once in a matter of two or three months. While the effects can be deadly, more commonly people miss work and feel generally miserable for a week, longer in some cases.

Reel Time: Celebrate the bay

Reel Time: Celebrate the bay

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

The communities that line Sarasota Bay are fortunate to have an active National Estuary Program centered right here in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

First named in the newly-minted Water Quality Act of 1987, the Sarasota Bay National Estuary Program (SBEP) officially began in June 1989 as one of 28 estuaries in the United States that were named by the U.S. Congress as “estuaries of national significance.”

The SBEP is celebrating National Estuaries Week 2022 from Sept. 17-24. During the month of September, the public is welcome and encouraged to attend various events and opportunities to experience and learn more about the area’s critical local bays and waterways!

National Estuaries Week is celebrated every year to showcase the value of bays and estuaries in providing for local communities. An estuary is defined as an area where freshwater and saltwater meet. On the Gulf coast of Florida, estuaries provide habitat for over 70% of key recreational and commercial fish species including snook, redfish, snapper, grouper and mullet. Estuaries also support a host of birds, dolphins and manatees. They are the main driver of the local economy, elevating property values and underpinning local economies. Habitats like mangroves and seagrasses help reduce erosion and storm damage, and add to the overall quality of life here in Florida.

Here are a few of the activities the public can enjoy as they experience and learn about the Sarasota Bay Estuary.

Join SBEP and Oscar Scherer State Park on Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Enjoy a free guided hike to Big Lake and learn about the efforts that go into protecting, restoring, creating and maintaining habitat for water quality and wildlife.

Check out Vertical Oyster Gardens (VOGs) on Tuesday, Sept. 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Bayfront Park in Sarasota. VOGs are oyster shells strung with lengths of rope that hang below docks. VOGs help add more habitat to our bays for sessile organisms – oysters, sea squirts and other marine organisms that grow attached to surfaces.

These VOGs have become more important as most shorelines in the greater Sarasota Bay area are “armored,” meaning that they have been engineered with seawalls, bulkheads, and riprap. This armoring reduces the habitat that is available for marine life. While oysters might settle on older concrete seawalls and wooden pilings, vinyl and other newer construction materials and coatings can prevent oysters and other sessile organisms from settling. These materials might extend the life of the seawall, but they severely reduce the amount of habitat available to oysters.

You have the opportunity at this event to learn about and build your own VOGs. Efforts by citizens help create habitat and contribute to our understanding of oyster distribution in Sarasota and Tampa bays.

These are just a few of the opportunities. For a full list and to sign up, visit the Sarasota Bay National Estuaries Week page.

Castles in the Sand

Crashing real estate waves

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

We don’t have a lot of serious wave activity here on the Gulf coast; most of the big rollers are on the Atlantic Ocean side, especially north of Florida. However, if you’re talking real estate wave activity, we certainly have those, but not nearly as erratic as other states are experiencing.

According to the Core-Logic Case-Shiller National Home Price index for the year ending in June, prices rose 18%, down from 19.9% for the prior month. Most economists are saying the housing market has cooled in recent months and nationally, existing home sales have fallen for six straight months through July.

The blame here rests with higher mortgage interest rates, which is adding additional pressure on buyers when they attempt to qualify for mortgage loans. As of this writing, the fixed-rate mortgage average was 5.99%, looking like it will likely go over 6%. This is pushing 3% more than it was a year earlier, accounting for many buyers to be hitting the pause button on home purchases.

Keep in mind that 6% is not a terrible interest rate and should not in and of itself keep buyers from purchasing a home if they can qualify. Nevertheless, sellers are starting to think they may have missed their best opportunity to sell by waiting too long. The reality is that there is a slight downward movement in sale prices and the days of bidding wars and sellers getting over asking price are likely over. This doesn’t mean that sellers are still not making a lot of profit on homes they have owned for even three years, it’s just a little more competitive and adjustments to their marketing plan need to be addressed.

All of this said, Florida so far seems to be inoculated from any serious price reductions. There is a slight downturn in median selling price, but not as much as other areas of the country. Tampa was ranked ninth overall in July based on data received from Florida Atlantic University. The average home selling in Tampa was 58.5% more than the expected price. Fort Myers came in third and Lakeland was seventh. In addition, every city in Florida increased slightly from June to July.

However, Lei Wedge, a professor of finance at the University of South Florida College of Business, said she believes Tampa real estate prices have already peaked. She points out that statistical models often lag behind what is actually happening in the market. Not every financial guru agrees with this, and points to the large influx of buyers from out of state who will prevent prices from dropping as radically as we’re seeing in other parts of the country.

The other potential problem for buyers looking for mortgages in a changing market are where the appraisals will come in. The appraisers and the lenders who hire them are very careful with their final appraisal, which the mortgage amount may be based on. In an escalating market, it is sometimes hard for appraisers to project what the value of the house is without sales comps to support their numbers. In a declining market, it could work to the buyer’s advantage, depending on how the appraisers view and project the market. Either way, appraising is an art, not a science, and appraisers almost always stand by their appraisal numbers, particularly for buyers who are putting down the minimum amount of cash.

Missing the wave isn’t always a bad thing. It gives you a chance to reposition yourself and get ready for the next one. It’s impossible to predict mother nature or the real estate waves.

Hurricane season’s second half could be unusually active

Hurricane season’s second half could be unusually active

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

CORTEZ – Halfway through a quiet hurricane season, it’s too soon to relax, as experts are still predicting above-normal 2022 Atlantic hurricane activity.

Atmospheric and oceanic conditions still favor an above-normal 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) annual mid-season update, issued this month by the Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service. The hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

A timely rotating exhibit currently at the Florida Maritime Museum (FMM) titled “Caught in the Storm: 100 Years of Florida Hurricanes” revisits some of the worst coastal storms to impact the state – several of which hit locally.

An unnamed hurricane in October 1921 covered the Gulf coast in water from Fort Myers to Tarpon Springs, causing devastation to the Cortez waterfront.

“In Cortez, fishermen watched their industry be nearly swept away. The storm’s waves left behind mounds of debris tangled in nets where fish camps and docks once stood,” according to the FMM exhibit. “Left without markets to sell to, the fishermen created their own, some of which still remain on Cortez’s waterfront.”

The Cortez Public School, which still stands at 119th Street West and Cortez Road and is now the Florida Maritime Museum, is the highest point in Cortez and was used as a shelter during that storm, which had an 11-foot storm surge.

In October 1944, a major unnamed hurricane known unofficially as the Cuba-Florida Hurricane “struck the Bradenton/Sarasota area causing trees to fall across the road taking out power lines and disrupting all communications between the Keys and the mainland.”

Hurricane Alma in June 1966 was another storm highlighted in the exhibit, with the following recollection from Cortez resident August Antilla, “…by nightfall Ellen and I had purchased $12 worth of cheeses, cold cuts and candy, and we were looking forward to our cozy hurricane party, just the two of us. The radio was blaring continually… ‘Evacuate, Anna Maria Island. The tide will be 7 to 11 feet above normal.’ ”

The largest hurricane evacuation in U.S. history happened just five years ago in September, 2017 with 6.5 million people fleeing their homes in anticipation of Hurricane Irma. Hurricane track predictions included a “cone of uncertainty” with Irma; that cone covered the entire Florida peninsula. In an abundance of caution, many counties issued mandatory evacuation orders.

So far this year, the season has seen three named storms – Alex, Bonnie and Colin – and no hurricanes in the Atlantic. An average hurricane season produces 14 named storms, of which seven become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.

NOAA forecasters have slightly decreased the likelihood of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season to 60% from the May prediction of 65%, but more than 60% of hurricanes that make landfall do so after the peak of the season in September.

“We’re just getting into the peak months of August through October for hurricane development, and we anticipate that more storms are on the way,” NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said.

“I urge everyone to remain vigilant as we enter the peak months of hurricane season,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said.

For more information, check out The Sun’s Hurricane Guide.

Castles in the Sand

Is Florida the new New York?

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

What’s happened in the last two years with the rise of COVID-19 has changed our culture, our housing and our geography so much that it’s hard to wrap your brain around it.

Everything we do has the cloud of the pandemic over it in small and big ways. But eventually, those changes will fade and some of the cultural changes will also start to fade. What then?

The way I view it through my real estate-soaked brain is that remote work has been the number one factor in the shifting real estate market. The fortunate people who had jobs that could be performed remotely were encouraged, and in some cases mandated, by their employers to leave the office. Many of these white-collar workers moved out of major metropolitan hubs and into small towns or small cities, increasing the population substantially. According to an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank, people migrating from high-cost, large metro areas to small cities, towns and rural areas was about 15% higher during the four quarters ending in March compared with the average for the three-year period preceding the pandemic.

All of this increase in population based on remote work also reshuffled the housing markets. Home values went up, new businesses were started, school enrollments increased and workers who said they would never leave major cities suddenly found themselves filling the bird feeders in the morning instead of waiting in line for their coffee.

We all know that Florida has been one of the major beneficiaries of this reshuffling, with real estate values increasing to unprecedented levels. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Florida increased by over 200,000 new residents between July 2020 to July 2021 and, of course, this does not include what the increase has been since July of last year.

Unincorporated Manatee County, Bradenton and the three towns on Anna Maria Island were always considered small towns. There is no doubt that right in our own backyards we can see the benefit of remote work and how it has impacted our real estate market.

Now it’s time to look at the July Manatee County real estate statistics recorded by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee. I’m sorry I’m a little late with this report, which came out while I was away.

The median sale price for single-family homes was $521,000, up 21.2% from last year. The average sale price was $689,490, up 21.7%. New listings were up 49.8% and closed sales were down 22.2%.

The condo median sale price was $354,500, up 41.8% from last year, and the average sale price was $409,848, up 32.3%. New listings were up 11.3% and closed sales were down 20.9%

Both single-family and condos had a median time to contract of nine days.

We’re still seeing double-digit increases in sale prices with condos jumping ahead of single-family homes. But the real story is the increase in inventory and the decrease in sales. The supply and demand ratios are shifting, so watch those sale prices eventually take a hit.

Being someone who was born and worked most of my adult life in New York City, I can’t believe that the major cities are dead. Cities offer culture and energy that is hard to find outside of that environment. They don’t, however, offer beaches, mountains or small-town life.

How long will this new lifestyle last – who knows? I can’t help thinking that eventually, you start thinking there’s more to life than filling the bird feeder.

Coquina Beach Market on county commission agenda

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

BRADENTON BEACH – County officials announced earlier this month that they would take control of the Coquina Beach Market, but some commissioners are saying, “Not so fast.”

Commissioner Carol Whitmore brought up the topic of the county running the beach market at a commission land use meeting on Aug. 18.

“I think this needs to be decided by the board if we’re going to do this,” Whitmore said. “I don’t believe in the board interfering with the private sector in this. I don’t want to run a flea market.”

Manatee County Information Director Bill Logan announced in a press release that oversight for the market would shift to Manatee County and that the county would take over the beach market from Nancy Ambrose, its director for the past decade.

Whitmore asked for the board to put the issue on the agenda for a future work session.

“This shouldn’t be going out for bids without our board talking about this,” Whitmore said. “I think we need to have public comment.”

Commissioner Misty Servia supported Whitmore’s request to put the topic on a future session.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to go to a work session because this is a policy matter that should have been brought to this board to discuss but we find ourselves in a situation where we’re backpedaling trying to correct a situation,” Servia said.

Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge said he would place the discussion on the agenda for the regular meeting to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 13.

“I don’t believe government should compete with private business,” Whitmore told The Sun on Aug. 19. “This (county running the market) sets up all kinds of liability issues. There’s a lot of risk involved.”

Whitmore said the county does not have the authority to take over the market and the commission is the only entity that can make decisions in that regard.

“Her (Ambrose’s) contract was approved by the board and only the board has the right to terminate it,” Whitmore said.

County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said since Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes was not present at the land use meeting, a discussion about the market would be in poor taste due to his absence.

“I don’t think the administrator understands his role,” Whitmore said. “His role is to follow board policy – it is not to set policy.”

In the meantime, Ambrose has said she is looking for new venues for the market. She has garnered support through the “Where’s the Market?” Facebook page.

COVID-19 level remains high, new vaccine coming

COVID-19 level remains high, new vaccine coming

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Health.

MANATEE COUNTY – For the tenth consecutive week, the COVID-19 Community Level remains high countywide.

COVID-19 Community Levels help individuals and communities decide which prevention actions to take based on the latest information. When the Community Level is high, health officials recommend that anyone at high risk of getting very sick wear a high-quality mask or respirator when indoors in public. Anyone having household or social contact with someone at high risk for getting very sick is urged to consider self-testing to detect infection before contact and consider wearing a high-quality mask when indoors with them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many people in the United States have some protection, or immunity, against COVID-19 due to vaccination, previous infection, or both. This immunity, combined with the availability of tests and treatments, has greatly reduced the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 for many people.

However, health officials warn that vaccines and previous infections may not provide adequate protection against newer strains of the virus, BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants.

At least 73.1% of Manatee County residents have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 62.9% of county residents vaccinated twice; 46.3% have chosen to get at least one booster shot.

Despite being fully vaccinated, many are still testing positive.

“My wife and I have both had all four shots, but we both tested positive in July,” said Jim Haas, who is visiting Bradenton Beach from Virginia. “We wore masks on the plane, but I wouldn’t need both hands to count how many people besides us had them on.”

Currently, masks are not required for air travel in the United States, and there are no mask mandates in the state of Florida, including schools. Recommendations by the CDC and Florida health officials should be taken seriously, but are not law.

To combat the new subvariants, the U.S. is planning a fall booster campaign with new shots amid concerns about another wave of infection. Public health officials hope the new shots will provide more durable protection against infection and mild illness.

Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, have asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize new booster shots that target the subvariants for people 12 and older. The current vaccines are FDA approved for anyone six months of age or older.

The new shots must be approved by the FDA before they can be released to the public, and currently it is unclear whether the FDA’s independent vaccine advisory committee will meet to review more data on the shots before the agency authorizes them. As of yet, no date has been given for exactly when they will be available, but officials say when they are, they should be at local pharmacies and the process will be the same as it was for the original vaccines.

Reel Time: Mangroves – Critical habitats

Reel Time: Mangroves – Critical habitats

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

To local fishers, the importance of mangroves is evident. Intertwined with the twisted roots, there’s a web of life that’s inextricably bound to the snook, redfish, trout, flounder, grouper and a plethora of other gamefish that they seek. What can be less apparent to those that make a living elsewhere is the importance of mangroves as a critical source of food and protection for fish and people.

These ancient coastal forests provide an abundance of food for manatees, dolphins and sea turtles as well as sustenance and nesting areas for critically endangered seabirds. All these links in the chain of life provide the ineffable sense of beauty and wonder that continue to attract people to this region. They also protect and sustain a vibrant economy in ways that might not be as apparent.

What’s less well understood, and just beginning to be appreciated, is the protection mangroves provide against powerful hurricanes and rising waters that longtime residents have seen firsthand. With all that mangroves provide for us and our quality of life, it would seem they would be revered and protected at all costs.

Unfortunately, just the opposite seems to be the case.

When local fishing guides began to question me about what they considered extensive mangrove trimming along the Sarasota Bay shoreline, I went to investigate. What
I observed shocked and angered me. That was April 4 of this year, and I flew a drone and walked the shoreline to document what I witnessed. There were numerous large mature mangroves that had been cut, were denuded of leaves and appeared dead. There also was a large amount of cut debris in the water, including branches that were of greater diameter and longer than allowed under Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) guidelines.

When I reached out to FDEP in April to file a complaint, I was informed that Karen Willey, a local environmental advocate and business owner, had filed a protest two months earlier in February 2022. When I questioned Willey, she said she had been reading the Washington Post and had seen an ad for Aqua by the Bay that featured an image looking west with an unobstructed view of Sarasota Bay she had never seen before.

When I called FDEP to inquire why no actions had been taken, the response I received indicated that they had sent a letter to the permit holder about the complaint and had not heard back from them. They also stated that they couldn’t get on the property to inspect without permission from the property owner. After raising the issue with Florida state Rep. Will Robinson, Sen. Jim Boyd and the Manatee County Commission, an inspection was done which claimed that the conditions of the permit had been met.

Astonished, I sent an email challenging the FDEP inspection report with images showing my concerns.

At her request, I sent GPS-tagged images to Hannah Westervelt, FDEP Compliance Assurance Manager, and received a reply indicating that inspectors were being sent back to the site to investigate.

Subsequently, Westervelt contacted me to say that two inspections were conducted that confirmed our concerns. The permit holder was given until Aug. 12 to reply to the letter and we are currently waiting for the response.

It’s unfortunate and ill-advised that state regulators are not performing their duty in a timely manner to protect the citizens and businesses of Florida, present and future. But it wouldn’t be fair to lay the blame only with the FDEP. People I have spoken to who deal with state regulators on a regular basis fault prior Gov. Rick Scott with eviscerating the FDEP and spawning a mass exodus of the brightest and most committed regulators.

The people I spoke to at the agency, including Westervelt, were responsive to my questions and concerns and ultimately addressed the issue. My guess is the agency is struggling with a limited budget and staff. That’s where we the voters come in. It’s incumbent on the citizens of Florida and Manatee County to elect officials with a proven record of protecting our most important and vulnerable resources.

How this is resolved is still to be seen, but rest assured that groups like Suncoast Waterkeeper will make sure it doesn’t become just a cost of doing business for the developer. I don’t have a crystal ball but I’m guessing that future developers, builders and your children and grandchildren will judge us for the decisions we make and actions we take.

Water taxi plan to be presented to county commissioners

Water taxi plan headed to county commissioners

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

ANNA MARIA – Elliott Falcione hopes to present Manatee County Commissioners with a proposed water taxi plan on Tuesday, Sept. 13.

Falcione, the director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, made that announcement when appearing before the Anna Maria City Commission on Aug. 11.

Without naming the water taxi company to potentially be contracted by the county, Falcione said the county has an experienced, Florida-based water taxi company in mind. If county commissioners approve the proposed water taxi plan, service between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island could begin as early as February.

Water taxi proposal headed to county commission in September

Elliott Falcione provided Anna Maria Commissioners with a water taxi update on Aug. 11. – Joe Hendricks | SunFalcione said the county might request additional water taxi service during peak visitation periods and major holidays, and service might eventually be expanded

to five or seven days per week. He also said service might one day be expanded to include Longboat Key, Sarasota and/or Palmetto, where an eight-story hotel is currently being built near the convention center.

Falcione told the Anna Maria Commission the estimated trip from downtown Bradenton to the Anna Maria City Pier would take about 30 minutes, and another 20 minutes to travel from the City Pier to the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach.

Commissioner Mark Short estimated a round trip from downtown Bradenton and back would take about two hours and result in each boat making approximately four round trips per day.

Short said it’s important that the county-run Island trolley system be able
to accommodate the additional ridership created when dozens of water taxi passengers arrive at the City Pier and require additional ground transport to their desired destinations elsewhere on the Island.

Falcione said the water taxi fare might be in the $8-$10 range but those details are still being worked out. Falcione said Manatee County will subsidize some of the costs associated with the privately contracted water taxi service and those financial details are being handled by County Administrator Scott Hopes.

In reference to previous suggestions made by Mayor Dan Murphy and Commissioner Jon Crane, Falcione said restaurant, lodging and other service industry employees would be able to ride the water taxis for free, with some proof of employment needed.

Crane said it’s great that service workers would ride for free, but he’s concerned about the water taxis only running three days a week. He suggested expanding the days of service before expanding service to additional locations.

Falcione acknowledged that a water taxi service that runs three days a week and ends at 9:30 p.m. will not fully meet the transportation needs of the Island’s service industry employees – some of whom work until 11 p.m. or later.

Murphy said he loves the idea of service workers riding for free because they make up a significant percentage of those who travel by car from the mainland to the Island.

“One of the primary concerns of our residents, and our commissioners as
well, is that a water taxi should reduce congestion. It should have a positive impact on what’s coming across that bridge. If you can make it advantageous for them (the employees), I think you’ll really bring a great benefit to this Island,” Murphy said.

Commissioner Robert Kingan said service workers will also need free parking to make the service viable for them.

Falcione said county staff is working on that and there’s a parking garage in downtown Bradenton within walking distance of the Bradenton day dock.

Water taxi proposal headed to county commission in September
The county-contracted water taxis are expected to resemble the boat shown in this photo provided by Elliott Falcione. – Manatee County | Submitted

When acknowledging the water taxis will also be used by tourists to travel between Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach, Falcione said, “There’s going to be people from Iowa or Indiana that just want to do it for entertainment purposes.”

Reiterating a point he’s made during previous discussions, Falcione said past research indicates 60% of the visitors who stayed in three downtown Bradenton hotels took day trips to Anna Maria Island during their visits.

Commission Chair Carol Carter
asked if the water taxi service would be marketed to visitors coming from nearby Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Falcione said that Convention and Visitors Bureau Marketing and Communications Director Kolby Gayson has already been tasked with making visitors and locals aware of the water taxi service and any associated parking accommodations.

Falcione sought and received informal city commission consensus authorizing the mayor to draft an interlocal agreement for the county’s use of the City Pier as a water taxi stop. Murphy said he would provide the city commission with a draft agreement for preliminary discussion on Thursday, Aug. 25.