The phrase, “follow the money,” goes back to the Watergate era as a method to shed light on corrupt activities by looking at money transfers. But following the money does not always lead to corruption. It could lead to some really good business advice.
Last week we reported the May real estate sales statistics in both Manatee and Sarasota counties being up substantially to the point of registering the highest numbers post-recession. Manatee County’s median single-family home sale prices were up 4.9% from last year continuing the $300,000 or above median sales price for most of the past year and a half. How much of this increase in selling price is fueled by investors, we have no sure way of knowing. What we do know is investors are totally into the U.S. real estate market.
Based on data released by CoreLogic, Inc., last month more than 11% of U.S. home purchases in 2018 were made by investors. This is a record high of investors, the highest recorded and nearly twice the levels before the 2008 housing crash. Investors are purchasing to flip properties or turn them into single-family rentals. The investor profile is everything from big private-equity firms to real estate speculators and individuals who want to get in on the action.
Investors swooped into the housing market in 2011 and 2012, buying with all cash when prices were low and mortgage credit was difficult to get for the average buyer. Economists gave them credit for helping to stabilize the market but expected the investors to slow down when prices started climbing after everything returned to normal. However, that hasn’t happened, partly because of strong rental demand.
Unfortunately, much of the rental demand is coming from first-time buyers, specifically millennials who are competing with investors that are buying up the low end of the real estate market with all cash transactions. According to the CoreLogic survey, investors purchased one in five homes in the bottom third price range in 2018, exactly where first-time buyers generally start at.
Complicating things further for first-time buyers is technology. The internet has made it easier for smaller investors and foreign buyers to purchase properties sight unseen. A few weeks ago, I talked about iBuyer companies, such as Opendoor, Zillow and Redfin that offer cash to homeowners who want a quick deal, avoiding the stress of putting their homes on the market.
These properties are either flipped or sold to investors for potential rentals. CoreLogic further reported that investors bought about half of the starter homes in Philadelphia last year and about 40% of the lower end of the market in Detroit. Again, first-time buyers are being run over by cash investors and technology.
Investors are also banking on renting vs. buying being a double-edged sword. Owning their home has always been the goal of Americans and many feel that renting is inherently wrong and a waste of money. Now, however, first-time buyers are rethinking that calculation. Mobility for job advancement is important to millennials who understand that about five years is the break-even point between owning and renting and may opt to rent until their careers are stabilized.
Renting instead of buying is a conversation that doesn’t make me happy. I still believe that owning your own home has more benefits than renting and should not be entirely a business decision. My opinion – follow the money straight to your new home.
BRADENTON BEACH – Manatee County has provided the city with a landscape plan that shows where 103 new trees will be planted at Coquina Beach. The new trees will replace 103 Australian pines to be removed from the south end of the Coquina Beach parking lot.
Bradenton Beach Building Official Steve Gilbert met with county staff on Wednesday, June 26 and he now has the county’s 60 percent draft version of the county’s landscape plan.
According to the draft plan prepared by Kimley Horn and Associates, the city-required tree replacements will include 83 green buttonwoods, 10 gumbo limbos and 10 shady lady black olive trees.
“They weren’t quite finished with the plan yet. There may be some revisions still to come. The main goal was to all be on the same page and talking to each other throughout the process,” Gilbert said on Friday.
Gilbert said the receipt of the landscape plan alleviates the threat of a city-issued stop work order that could have temporarily halted the project and the tree removals.
The city’s Land Development Code (LDC) prohibits planting or replanting Australian pines and other non-native nuisance species. If existing Australian pines are removed as part of a development plan, each tree removed must be replaced with an allowed species on a one-to-one basis. City code requires the replacement trees to be at least five feet tall.
The county’s landscape plan does not include a cost estimate for the tree replacements. Gilbert said an irrigation plan is expected this week.
“The requirements of the Land Development Code are being met. Planting will be toward the end of the project after all concrete work is done and the irrigation system is installed and working,” Gilbert said.
The city commission and Gilbert discussed a potential temporary stop-work order on June 20. The commission supported the potential issuance of a stop work order if the county did not submit a landscaping plan in accordance with the LDC. That discussion took place in response to the Manatee County Commission’s 4-2 decision on June 18 to remove 97 Australian pines in addition to the six previously removed.
The approved phase one tree removals are part of the county’s two-phase Coquina Beach stormwater and drainage improvement project. The $3.1 million phase one project includes paving all unpaved access roads and parking areas in the south parking lots with pervious concrete that will allow rainwater to drain down through it.
County Commissioners Vanessa Baugh, Steve Jonsson, Misty Servia and Priscilla Trace approved the removal of the additional 97 trees. Betsy Benac and Carol Whitmore opposed the decision and Commissioner Reggie Bellamy was not present during that discussion.
County commissioners have not yet approved the plans for a second and similar phase of the project that calls for the removal of approximately 130 Australian pines from the center and northern Coquina Beach parking lots. County staff said the phase two plans could be revised to eliminate the removal of 80-90 percent of the phase two trees currently slated for removal.
According to county staff, there were 991 Australian pines on the county-owned Coquina Beach property before the tree removals began and at least 75% of those pines will remain standing after the drainage project is completed.
BRADENTON – Blue-green algae persists in Robinson and Perico Preserves, and has caused its first fish kill.
“Blue-green algae and brown algae have become pervasive in the Lower Manatee River, Perico Bayou and Perico Preserve, resulting in a modest fish kill, primarily mullet, as a result of heavy algae bloom concentrations,” according to the latest report from the Manatee County Environmental Protection Department.
Manatee County crews skimmed and contained floating blue-green algae mats near Robinson Preserve’s waterway connection to the Manatee River and directed it back into the river on an outgoing tide, according to a recent email update to county commissioners from Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources department.
From left, Will Robinson, for whose family Robinson Preserve is named, Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore and Congressional Rep. Vern Buchanan were among several officials at Robinson Preserve on Monday to see the algae bloom up close. Carol Whitmore | Submitted
“A floating turbidity boom, normally set in place to protect surface waters from turbidity and sedimentation, was deployed under the footbridge at that tidal connection to keep additional floating algae mats from coming back into the preserve on the incoming tides. This will not prevent all algae mats from entering the preserves from other Manatee River or Perico Bayou connection points, however, this will reduce the algae coverage in what the media has photographed to be the worst places where algae build-up has occurred,” according to Hunsicker.
“These efforts will have a positive effect on reducing the build-up of additional algae in the preserve and reduce, but not prevent, the accumulation of additional marine detritus which will continue to degrade at the bottom of many of Robinson’s internal waterways linked by tides to the outside bays and Manatee River,” according to Hunsicker.
Non-toxic algae blooms were detected in 18 water samples along the Manatee River in June, according to a Friday, June 28 Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) report.
Parts of the river, and Robinson Preserve, which borders it to the south, are “experiencing a large bloom of the cyanobacteria species Aphanizomenon flos-aquae,” which so far has tested non-toxic, according to the report. No samples were taken off Anna Maria Island this week.
Red tide did not show up in any water samples in Manatee County last week, according to the Friday, June 28 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) report.
Filamentous cyanobacteria (Lyngbya-like) was first detected in Holmes Beach waters on Thursday, May 9 in Anna Maria Sound at Key Royale and in the Intracoastal Waterway south of Grassy Point, and in Palma Sola Bay near San Remo Shores.
The algae found in Manatee County waters are not the same species that has plagued Lake Okeechobee, the toxic Microcystis aeruginosa, according to DEP.
Blue-green algae can be blue, green, brown or red and emit a foul, rotten egg odor caused by the production of hydrogen sulfide gas, according to DEP, which advises staying out of water where algae are visible as specks, mats or water is discolored pea-green, blue-green or brownish-red. Additionally, pets or livestock should not come into contact with the algal bloom-impacted water, or the algal bloom material or fish on the shoreline.
Even non-toxic blooms can harm the environment by depleting oxygen levels in the water column and reducing the amount of light that reaches submerged plants, according to DEP.
The growth of blue-green algae typically increases in the spring and summer months when water temperatures and daylight hours increase.
To help keep algae growth at bay, Florida law bans the use of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers during the rainy season, June 1 through Sept. 30.
Report algae blooms to DEP at 855-305-3903. Report fish kills to FWC at 800-636-0511.
ANNA MARIA – City officials are grateful for the continued support the city’s receiving from the county and the state for the construction of the new Anna Maria City Pier.
On Monday, June 17, the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) recommended county commission approval of the city’s request for $435,000 in additional pier funding. The funding request still needs county commission approval, which is expected.
Anna Maria Commissioner Doug Copeland is a member of the TDC and he made the motion last week seeking the county commission’s support.
“I’m extremely pleased that the TDC has recommended to the county commission another $435,000. We’re grateful for what they’ve done in the past and this will go a long way toward completing the pier,” Copeland recently said.
“This is a big deal. Our residents will appreciate that this is $435,000 that doesn’t have to come out of the city’s general fund,” he added.
Mayor Dan Murphy is also happy.
“We’re very pleased. This helps us finish the pier project. We had a funding gap and the county helped fill half of that gap. The gap was created by FEMA not giving us the full amount they originally promised us,” Murphy said last week.
“I want to thank Elliott Falcione, County Commissioner Carol Whitmore and all the members of the TDC and the county commission for their support,” Murphy added.
Commissioner Carol Carter agrees.
“I’m thrilled with the additional support. We had to find additional funds after FEMA reduced what they planned to give us. I’m thrilled that the TDC and the county commission are stepping up with this additional assistance,” she said.
“We also appreciate the original funding the county provided. That was really important to us. Thanks to the TDC and Commissioner Carol Whitmore for their support. And hats off to our mayor, who’s pursued all these funding sources for the city – and for Doug’s good work as our TDC representative,” Carter said.
Funding snapshot
In previous budget years, Manatee County Commissioners pledged $1.5 million in TDC-recommended tourist tax revenue funds and $333,000 in surplus beach concession fund revenues for the pier project.
County Commission approval of the city’s latest request would bring the county’s total pier project contribution to more than $2.26 million.
On Friday, city officials learned Gov. Ron DeSantis approved the city’s $285,000 funding request supported by the Florida Legislature earlier this year. Last year, the Florida Legislature approved $750,000 in state funds for the pier.
Murphy and Carter previously expressed gratitude for the support and assistance provided this year by Senate President Bill Galvano, Senator Joe Gruters and State Rep. Will Robinson Jr.
FEMA is providing 810,000 in federal funds and an additional $135,000 in state funds.
According to Murphy, the city anticipates contributing approximately $712,000 to the project – and the contribution of the current and/or future pier tenant has not yet been determined.
Headed by city resident Sissy Quinn, the Anna Maria Island Preservation Trust is contributing $1,100 to the efforts.
According to Murphy, the latest estimated cost of the pier project is $4.97 million. The pier and the new restaurant and bait shop at the pier’s T-end are on track to reopen by year’s end.
BRADENTON BEACH – City Building Official Steve Gilbert has the city commission’s support to issue a stop work order on a county drainage project that would remove at least 103 and possibly up to 232 Australian pines from Coquina Beach.
This comes in response to the Manatee County Commission’s 4-2 decision on Tuesday, June 18 to remove 97 more Australian pines from the south end of the Coquina Beach parking lot as part of the county’s drainage and paving project. Six pines already were removed earlier this month.
“I think they knew they were going to have to take trees out, they just didn’t divulge it. They didn’t tell us there might be an impact to the trees.” – Steve Gilbert, Bradenton Beach building official
“This would not be ‘Stop, halt, desist and take everything out.’ It would be ‘Take a break and let’s talk about this,’ ” Gilbert told the commission on Thursday, June 20.
Gilbert, City Attorney Ricinda Perry and the commission agreed to first extend the courtesy of putting the county on notice before issuing a stop work order that would bring the county project to a temporary halt.
The city’s land development code prohibits planting Australian pines and other non-native nuisance species, but the code requires replacing each prohibited tree removed with an allowed species on a one-to-one basis. City code also requires the replacement trees to be at least five feet tall.
Memo issued
On Friday, Gilbert sent a memo to Manatee County Project Manager Michael Sturm.
“The city is hereby placing the applicant on notice that Manatee County must come into compliance with this Land Development Code. Please prepare and submit a plan showing the location of all trees to be removed in the project area, along with a signed/sealed landscaping plan to show the locations of the replacement trees, including a list of the tree species proposed. We will then amend the project application to include the landscaping plan,” Gilbert’s memo said.
“Please be advised that the Land Development Code authorizes the city of Bradenton Beach to stop work on a project when situations such as this arise, until sufficient information is provided to assure compliance with the code. Rather than take this action, my office would prefer that we collaborate on a solution. We ask that you take steps to prevent the removal of any trees until this matter is fully resolved. This is a matter of importance, and time is of the essence. We would like to meet with you as soon as possible to review the situation and the requirements,” Gilbert’s memo concludes.
“If you’re taking out 240 trees you will replace them with 240 trees,” Gilbert told the Sun earlier in the week.
He said county officials never mentioned tree removals when seeking the city-issued approvals and permits.
“I think they knew they were going to have to take trees out, they just didn’t divulge it. They didn’t tell us there might be an impact to the trees,” Gilbert said.
City permitting
The county-owned beach is within the city limits and the county project requires city approvals and permitting.
On March 1, 2018, the city commission unanimously approved the project’s proposed lot coverage that County Engineer Sia Mollanazar said would include 47,437 square yards of pervious concrete and 1,098 square yards of impervious pavement.
On June 13, 2018, Sturm sent City Engineer Lynn Burnett an email that said he and Mollanazar would appreciate the city waiving its permit fees.
The agenda item request that Burnett submitted for the June 21, 2018 commission meeting said the estimated permitting fees would exceed $100,000 and delay the project. The commission unanimously approved the county’s request, except for some minimal administrative costs.
During his two appearances in Bradenton Beach, Mollanazar never mentioned tree removals.
On April 10 of this year, Gilbert issued the county a zoning and land use permit that noted the county paid only $500 of the $48,190 that could have been charged in permitting fees, saving the county $47,690.
Commission discussion
During last week’s meeting, Mayor John Chappie said he talked to Manatee County Commission Chair Steve Jonsson. Chappie suggested the county money would be better spent addressing stormwater issues slightly to the north at Cortez Beach, where Gulf Drive and the adjacent bike lane are frequently flooded.
Vice Mayor Jake Spooner said the county project could have been designed with less impact on the trees had the county obtained a stormwater permit. Instead, county staff chose to place the drainage and paving improvements in the existing footprint of the parking areas and access roads. This alleviated the need for a state-issued stormwater permit.
Commissioners Randy White and Jake Spooner question the county’s proposed tree removal plans. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Spooner questioned the wisdom of completing the project’s first phase when there is now some doubt as to whether county commissioners will approve the project’s proposed second phase.
“The majority of the parking’s still going to be flooded down at the other end,” Spooner said of that potential scenario. “There’s a lot I don’t understand about this.”
Commissioner Ralph Cole said he supports the county efforts to discharge cleaner stormwater into the nearby natural waterways, but he said removing that many trees could negatively impact air quality.
Chappie and Commissioner Randy White said they didn’t recall hearing anything about tree removals when the county project was proposed to the commission.
Mayor John Chappie wishes the county would consider trimming and saving as many Australian pines as possible at Coquina Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When contacted earlier in the week, Chappie and Spooner both said they were very disappointed by the county commission’s decision, but they thanked commissioners Betsy Benac and Carol Whitmore for opposing the project as currently planned.
“I had hoped that at the very least the county would have considered the option of cutting down 50 trees and trimming the others,” Chappie said.
MANATEE COUNTY – The 2019 Tachi Palace World’s Strongest Man Competition began in downtown Bradenton on Thursday, June 13, shifted to Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach on Friday and concluded at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach on Saturday and Sunday.
Martins “The Dragon” Licis competing for the World’s Strongest Man title in Holmes Beach. – Submitted
Twenty-eight-year-old Martins “The Dragon” Licis claimed the 2019 World’s Strongest Man title.
Licis is an American competitor who was born in the European country of Latvia.
Poland’s Mateusz Kieliszkowski finished second and defending champion and former “Game of Thrones” cast member Hafthor “Thor” Bjornsson, from Iceland, finished third.
Iceland’s Hafthor “Thor” Bjornsson finished in third place. – Submitted
Competitors and fans traveled from around the world and the United States for this year’s competition. Sponsored by the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in California and organized by the International Management Group (IMG), this year’s competition took place in Manatee County for the first time since the international event was conceived in 1977.
– Sun correspondent Monica Simpson contributed to this story
Did you know that every day 10,000 baby boomers turn 65? Just to refresh your aging memories, baby boomers are defined as those born between 1946 and 1964, therefore, baby boomers will be impacting our society for a lot longer. So, what do the smart real estate professionals do? They market smart houses and aging in place.
This is becoming such a hot topic that the continuing education course required of real estate licensees every two years contains two entire modules on smart homes and senior living. These are some of the more important points covered and tested in the most recent course.
A smart home is one that provides comfort, security, energy efficiency and convenience. These are all features that not only help seniors but also can improve property values especially for homeowners and prospective homeowners who are baby boomers.
When you’re talking cost to value in real estate, it’s always a balance between what it costs to make an improvement versus what the return will be. Well, based on a Coldwell Banker survey, 54 percent of homeowners said they would add smart home products if it made a house sell for more money. Sixty-five percent of those would pay $1,500 or more to add smart home features, and 40 percent would pay up to $3,000 or more.
In addition, Market Watch reports that the number of smart homes in North America is expected to hit 73 million by 2021 or more than 50 percent of all households. Unfortunately, real estate appraisers are just starting to give value to smart homes.
Smart homes are starting to have a very big impact on baby boomers who apparently prefer the phrase thriving in place as opposed to aging in place. Sixty-one percent of those over 55 are planning to stay in their homes indefinitely and 67 percent of those over 55 believe smart home technology could help them. Whether you’re thriving or aging, there are things that can help you live independently and safely.
Certainly, the most important smart features for seniors is health monitoring devices. There are many devices designed to monitor blood pressure and other vital signs that send alerts to a family member, physician or health care professional. There is a device to alert family members if a senior is not in his/her home or within a specific range and medicine containers that beep if the medicine is not taken. And one very practical device will automatically turn a stove off if it is left unattended for a predetermined length of time.
Next, are all of the convenience and security smart innovations – smart locks to avoid being locked out, smart home security monitors when not at home, smart sensors to track movements within the home and smart devices to let you and a family member know when a door or window is unlocked.
There is smart lighting that can be voice activated, smart thermostats and smart appliances which can create shopping lists and even give you the ability to look inside the refrigerator, monitor oven temperatures and activate your robotic vacuum cleaner.
Lest we forget the all-important remote shopping, ordering anything online, whether it’s clothes, books, your grandchild’s birthday present or food, has become second nature to people. Out of all progress made in smart homes, seniors having the ability to have things delivered is probably the biggest innovation and is growing daily.
If you’re a baby boomer or older, get smart. Don’t fight the technology, embrace it. It will only make your life easier and may also improve the value of your home. Remember – thrive, don’t age.
BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue commissioners held a public hearing May 21 to discuss the 2019-20 residential and commercial assessment rates. No members of the public offered comment, and commissioners approved a modest increase in rates with a four to one vote.
After being presented with five options ranging from a zero percent increase to a 2.5 percent increase, commissioners voted to adopt a 1.65 percent increase for residential properties and a 5 percent increase for commercial properties.
For residential property owners, the 1.65 increase equals a $3.09 increase in the base rate, increasing from $187.48 to $190.57. The rate per square foot, assessed on home square footage over 1,000 square feet, is being raised from $0.1106 to $0.1124. For a 2,000 square foot home, the total assessment is being raised from $298.08 to $303, a difference of $1.92.
Residential homes make up the majority of the properties in WMFR’s district, which stretches from the Gulf of Mexico on the west, Tampa Bay to the north, Longboat Key to the south and city of Bradenton to the east. The district includes unincorporated Manatee County, Palma Sola, Cortez, Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria and Holmes Beach.
For commercial properties, the increase is slightly higher to bring WMFR’s commercial rates closer to those assessed by other Manatee County fire districts. The base rate is increasing from $451.07 to $473.62 for commercial properties, an increase of $22.55. The per square foot rate for buildings over 1,000 square feet is $0.2051, a $0.0098 increase for square footage over 1,000 square feet. The increase equals a $32.32 total increase for 2,000 square foot commercial properties.
With the increase in assessment rates, WMFR’s projected assessment revenue for the 2019-20 fiscal year is $7,285,989, a $144,203 increase over the current fiscal year.
Commissioner Al Robinson, who voted against the rate increase, said, “I think it’s insignificant in a $7.3 million dollar budget. We don’t need a raise.”
Commissioner George Harris said he was comfortable raising the commercial rates to get the district more in line with the surrounding districts but was happy to only give residents a minimal increase. “It’s nice to give the residents a little break,” he said.
With the rate increases, WMFR’s projected total revenue for the 2019-20 fiscal year is $7,618,556. The new fiscal year begins on October 1.
CORTEZ – Fire & Stone Pizza owners Radka Watson and Peter Ross are working to address the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and Manatee County Code Enforcement violations that led to the popular eatery’s recent temporary closure.
On May 14, the restaurant was closed by order of DBPR. According to the DBPR inspection report, raw sewage was observed on the ground of the establishment in a 5-foot by 6-foot by 15-foot hole dug at the east side of the building.
“Per Manatee County Code Enforcement Officer Jorge Martelo, they required the operator to seal off all drains going out of the building, as the operator was pumping the sewage into a drainage ditch,” the DBPR report states.
The drainage ditch near the rear corner of the restaurant property connects to Sarasota Bay about 200 yards or so to the south.
The DBPR report says the situation has “caused a slick in Sarasota Bay,” but Ross disputes this claim.
Also listed in the report as a high priority violation is this: “Grease interceptor/trap removed, with grease and sewage overflowing onto the ground outside, to the east of the building. Rainwater has filled the area where the grease trap was located. Per owner, he is waiting on specifications from Manatee County before the grease trap can be replaced.”
The report also cites as violations dented cans of chickpeas, jalapeño slices and green olive slices, employees eating in a food preparation or other restricted areas, equipment in poor repair, floor tiles cracked, broken or in disrepair, an unused ice machine on premises near the walk-in cooler and sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength.
Ross response
A recent visit to the Fire and Stone property revealed two large, white, plastic containers in the rear parking lot. Ross said he hopes to use these containers as temporary above-ground grease traps if the county will allow it. There are also several trenches dug along the east side of the building.
The Fire & Stone owners hope to use these storage tanks as temporary above-ground grease traps. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“We were working with Manatee County and the Manatee County Building Department to resolve a structural issue with our grease trap. During that repair process, unfortunately, our grease trap collapsed,” Ross said when contacted Friday by phone.
“No sewage whatsoever was disposed into Sarasota Bay two weeks ago when they showed up. Manatee County had a complaint that raw sewage was being dumped into Sarasota Bay and it was causing a slick. A certified letter arrived from the Manatee County Environmental Department and that letter said there was a light sheen, which would indicate maybe a slight bit of oil on top of the water in the first 50 feet from our property and we had 10 days to fix it,” Ross said.
“Manatee County would not leave until we blocked all pipes that exited our building. I already voluntarily shut the business down and the cleanup was already happening. Being the diligent person she was, the inspector was told this had to be done according to Manatee County Code Enforcement Department,” Ross said.
When asked when he hopes to be open again, Ross said, “As soon as the Manatee County Building Official can give us a special exemption to use a temporary system – which is already located onsite – until a final system and long-term resolution can be installed underground or above-ground, whatever needs to be done to satisfy the county’s requirements.”
BRADENTON – Next year, Anna Maria Island’s registered voters will help determine the new location for the Confederate memorial erected in front of the Manatee County courthouse in 1924 and removed and placed in storage in 2017.
Rye family legacy lives on at Rye Preserve
PARRISH – The Rye Preserve in Parrish has been mentioned as a possible location for the Confederate memorial.
When discussing the relocation of the Confederate memorial last week, Manatee County Commissioner Priscilla Trace and Deputy County Administrator John Osborne both mentioned that former Confederate soldier and Civil War veteran Erasmus Rye is buried at Rye Preserve, in what is now known as the Rye Cemetery.
Erasmus Rye fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. – Submitted
The small family cemetery is open to the public and located along the Settlement Trail at the east end of the preserve. A white picket fence surrounds the burial grounds and a gate provides access to the gravestones and markers.
Erasmus Rye’s grave is marked by a tombstone at his head and a footstone at his feet. He is buried next to his wife, Mary Lucebia Rye. The Rye’s children are also buried there.
Erasmus Rye was born on April 23, 1834. According to a historical timeline provided by Manatee County Historical Resources Director Cathy Slusser, Rye moved to the newly-formed Manatee County in 1855 and fought in the Billy Bowlegs War.
Rye met his future wife, Mary Lucebia Williams, when she accidentally threw dishwater on him while he stood at the back door.
In 1861, Rye acquired 39.8 acres on Gilley Creek (Oak Knoll) from the Florida Internal Improvement Fund. On Nov. 24 of that year, Rye and Williams got married. He was 27 and she was 17.
On March 10, 1862, Rye and his father-in-law, James Green Williams, joined the Confederate Army as members of the 7th Regiment of the Florida Infantry.
Mary stayed behind alone on the Gilley Creek homestead until she became frightened one day when a stranger came to the door asking for food. She then moved in with her mother and abandoned the Gilly Creek homestead.
On June 27, 1862, James Green Williams returned home from the war after being severely wounded in the chest. Four months later, Erasmus and Mary’s first child, Molly, was born.
On Nov. 25, 1863, Rye was captured by Union Forces and taken prisoner at Missionary Ridge near Chattanooga. He was sent to a Union military prison in Louisville and his name also appears on the roll of prisoners of war at the Rock Island Barracks in Illinois.
The Civil War ended when General Robert E. Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865. On May 3, Rye was released for transfer from New Orleans. Having no money for transportation, he walked back to Manatee County.
The Rye Preserve features a picnic shelter, a playground and a nature center. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
In 1865, James Green Williams’ 18-year-old daughter, Martha, died and was the first to be buried in what later became Rye Cemetery. Later that year, Williams became ill, transferred his land grant to Rye and moved to Frog Creek.
The Rye’s second daughter, Josephine, lived for only 10 days in December of 1868. Born in 1869, their son Joseph died in 1875.
In 1879, Rye hired Levi Thomas to build a new home because the family had outgrown Williams’ log cabin. That same year, Rye, Henry Craig and W.J. Gidding marked out the road from Oak Hill (Parrish) to Palmetto and the first Rye Bridge was constructed.
In 1884, the Rye Post Office was established.
Erasmus Rye was laid to rest in what is now known as the Rye Cemetery. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Erasmus Rye died on July 31, 1889.
The Rye Post Office closed in 1929 and Mary Lucebia Rye died on Sept. 15, 1930.
The Rye Homestead caught fire and burned on Nov. 11, 1988.
Acting on a motion that County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh made at the Tuesday, May 7 meeting, the commission unanimously agreed to appoint a nine-member committee to recommend at least three proposed locations for the Confederate memorial, to be placed on the 2020 ballot.
At the suggestion of Commissioner Reggie Bellamy – the commission’s only African American – the committee will include at least four black members.
Deputy County Administrator John Osborne will serve as the committee moderator and commission liaison.
Commissioner Priscilla Trace initiated last week’s discussion.
“I promised a lot of folks I would make sure this memorial was not forgotten,” she said.
Trace said the county learned in February that the state would not allow the memorial to be placed at the previously discussed, state-owned Gamble Plantation Historic State Park in Ellenton. Her goal is to now find a location owned and controlled by the county.
At Trace’s request, Osborne presented several potential locations that included Bunker Hill Community Park, a county-owned utility property next to the Gamble Mansion, Emerson Point Preserve, Fort Hamer Park, Myakka Community Park, Riverview Pointe, Robinson Preserve and Rye Preserve.
Osborne said many of those properties pose challenges due to ownership, location, grant funding, deed restrictions and other concerns.
Trace said she prefers the Rye Preserve in Parrish.
“We could put it right on Rye Wilderness road. We could have proper signage which tells why they went to battle and what the conditions in Manatee County were. It’s probably 300 yards down to the cemetery. Mr. (Erasmus) Rye, a Confederate veteran, is buried there,” Trace said.
Monument history
The Confederate memorial was removed as a result of the 4-3 commission vote taken in August 2017.
Citing public safety concerns, commissioners Trace, Betsy Benac, Charles Smith and Carol Whitmore voted to remove and relocate the memorial. Commissioners Vanessa Baugh, Robin DiSabatino and Steve Jonsson opposed the removal.
The Confederate memorial was the scene of a large but peaceful protest in 2017. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
That decision was reached after a large but peaceful protest occurred near the memorial in downtown Bradenton. The contractor hired to remove the granite monument dropped it and fractured it into three pieces. Officials say it will be repaired at its new location.
The memorial was erected in 1924 by the Judah P. Benjamin Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The monument inscriptions reference Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson.
One side says, “In memory of our Confederate soldiers.” Another says, “1861-1865, Lest We Forget.”
Engraved in capital letters with the word ‘chivalrous’ misspelled, one side of the monument says, “Calm and noble in peace. Courageous and chilvalrous in war. True to the best traditions of the south. The Confederate soldier lives enshrined in the hearts of his grateful countrymen.”
Public input
During the public comment period, Carol Driscoll said the memorial’s location should be decided by county voters and not the seven commissioners.
Joe Kennedy recommended placing it in the privately-owned Fogartyville Cemetery in Bradenton. He said there are more than 100 Confederate veterans buried in Manatee County and the memorial should be in or near one of those cemeteries.
Regarding the Rye Preserve’s remote location, Kennedy said, “That would be like taking the Iwo Jima Memorial and sticking it in the middle of the Rocky Mountains.”
David Dean lives near the preserve. He said he could support that location if it includes factual signs providing historical context.
“Being a veteran myself, I have no problem with the one side of the monument that is dedicated to the soldiers who fought. The other three are objectionable to me. Jefferson Davis and Judah Benjamin were not brave soldiers. They both ran away when it looked like their cause was lost. And to call it a noble cause in the first place I also object to. That statue was put up during the heyday of Jim Crow and the KKK,” Dean said.
Deborah Clark attended the 2017 protest.
“I want it put back where it was. Slavery was the worst evil that ever happened in this country. The racism that’s been borne of that is wrong, but it is part of history. The liberal left wants to erase history,” she said.
Commission discussion
Commissioners Betsy Benac and Carol Whitmore liked the Fogartyville Cemetery location but noted it would require approval by the cemetery’s board.
Jonsson said the previous location outside the Manatee County Historic Courthouse should be one of those included on the ballot.
The Confederate memorial used to stand in the courtyard square near the Manatee County Historic Courthouse. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Baugh proposed the committee, saying the memorial debate is probably the most difficult issue the commission has faced during her time as a commissioner.
“I didn’t vote to move the monument. I think it should go back where it was. But I also think the people deserve the right to make this decision, not this board,” Baugh said. “It is a war memorial. It is our history and we can’t change it.”
Commissioner Misty Servia was not in office when the memorial was removed. She said the most important thing to her is that it includes an educational component that tells both sides of the story.
“We need to have a plaque that explains why this memorial is so important to Confederate history and we need a plaque that explains why this memorial is viewed by many people as a symbol of hate,” Servia said.
Bellamy was not in office when the memorial was removed.
“The challenge for us is to take both sides in consideration,” he said. “I do want to make sure you all understand the interpretation on what has taken place and the impact that has had on the African American community. It’s been devasting. This particular issue does not lie amongst the seven of us.”
It doesn’t take long for a get together with friends and neighbors to morph into a conversation about real estate. One of the preferred topics among the dozens of available real estate topics is second homes, so here’s something that you can float during your next real estate conversation.
Government-backed mortgages obtained through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac frequently set higher standards for second home buyers. Second home mortgages are different from investment mortgages, which allow renting and always come with higher mortgage rates. But what if you want to rent out your second home but not classify it as an investment property?
Second Home Riders, which have been in force since 2001, are generally attached to the financing of a second home. The rider has always been interpreted by lenders as prohibiting second home owners with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac backed mortgages from renting the property. This has recently been clarified making the rental of a second home more broadly accepted by lenders. The new wording for the rider allows homeowners to rent a second home after one year of ownership and it allows short-term renting in the first year.
The language was amended at the request of lenders looking for a clarification related to Airbnb rentals and other short-term rental services. Of course, short-term rentals still must meet state and local vacation rental laws. As we know, currently in the Florida legislature there are two vacation rental bills, which as of this writing are going nowhere. If the state Senate and House can agree prior to the end of the legislative session and the bill passes, it would preempt the regulation of short-term vacation rentals to the state and take the rental authority away from local municipalities.
For now, let’s take a look at all sold properties for the month of March reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:
Single-family homes closed 8.4 percent more this March compared to last year. The median sale price (half above and half below) was $312,000, 9.5 percent higher than last March. You may recall that February’s median sale price took a dip below the $300,000 mark and was $298,500. The average sale price was $392,616, a 6.9 percent increase. The median days to sell were 58 days, an increase of 23.4 percent, and the month’s supply of available properties was 4.2 months, down 8.7 percent.
Condos closed 2.8 percent less this March compared to last March. The median sale price was $203,450, up 1 percent. February’s median sale price was $189,000. The average sale price was $240,995, down 1.9 percent, median days to sell were 74 days minus 14.9 percent, and the month’s supply of properties was 4.8 months, down 5.9 percent.
Overall, we had a great month. Not only are sale prices up, but properties are selling faster. The flip side is the number of available properties, which is down for both single family and condos. It’s never good to have low inventory. I can’t wait to see the April numbers.
It’s quite a different story on a national level. According to the National Association of Realtors, March existing home sales declined by 4.9 percent from February and 5.4 percent from last March. Nationally, the month’s supply of properties is down to 3.9 months.
Next week we’ll have a little more about Anna Maria’s favorite cocktail party conversation. In the meantime, enjoy your first home and your second home if you’re lucky enough to have one and be happy you live in Manatee County, Florida.
The poet W. H. Auden said, “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” Surely, he meant both freshwater and the ocean water since both feed the body and soul, but both can have their challenges and both are subject to flooding.
Let’s start with the waters that surround our Island. This is the saltwater that feeds our souls. Those of us who choose to live on the Island or near the surrounding waters would never think of living in a landlocked state, it’s just who we are. But we do pay a price for it and that price may be increasing soon.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has published new Flood Insurance Rate Maps which will change the base flood elevation for many Manatee County property owners. The last time these maps were updated were 30 to 40 years ago and since then there has been much new technology to better analyze data. In addition, the new maps will consider wave action as well as the height of flood waters.
The result of this will be more accurate maps and could result in flood zone ratings going up for some properties, down for others or no change at all. You can determine how your property is affected by checking the Manatee County website, www.manatee.org and keyword search “flood zone.”
The flood zones are assigned a letter and are also color-coded on the maps. Here is a quick review: A (blue), AE (lavender), Floodway (pink), VE (green), X (shaded) and X (no color). A, AE, Floodway and VE are all high-risk for flood and typically require flood insurance. X (shaded) is moderate risk and does not typically require flood insurance and X (no color) is low risk and does not typically require flood insurance.
As most homeowners who have a federally backed mortgage know, you are required to have flood insurance as one of the terms of the mortgage. However, all homeowners in flood zone areas should carry flood insurance. Also, the Manatee County website has lots of good information specific to your property so it’s worth taking a look at for a variety of reasons, including flood zone information.
But what about the other water essential to our lives, freshwater. It may come as a surprise that flooding in the home is the number one risk that everyday consumers make insurance claims on. One in 50 homeowners filed a water damage claim each year between 2013 and 2017.
Part of the reason there are so many more claims compared to previous years is the increase of water-using appliances like wet bars and water filtration systems as well as the popularity of second story laundry rooms. Old pipes in aging homes, worn out valves and worn out hoses contribute to interior floods.
Some of this can be mitigated by inspecting the caulking around tubs and shower stalls, watching for drips under sinks in both the kitchen and bathrooms, and changing hoses to dishwashers, washing machines and ice makers. Condo living is especially vulnerable to leaks from upper units and residents of upper units should be especially vigilant. There is some technology available containing water detecting sensors but at this stage, they are not 100 percent dependable.
Water is life but too much of it can be deadly and inconvenient. So, check the new floods zone maps and check the old hoses, then relax and enjoy the view.
BRADENTON BEACH – Manatee County officials remind beachgoers to avoid the south end of the Coquina Beach parking lot during the busy Memorial Day weekend.
The south end of the beach parking lot remains closed during a stormwater drainage and parking upgrade project. The central and north area of the parking lot remain open, as does the free public parking at the adjacent Cortez Beach along Gulf Drive in Bradenton Beach.
Anna Maria Island residents and visitors will begin to see roadside advisory signs reminding drivers of the limited parking on the southern end of Coquina Beach. Drivers are encouraged to carpool to the Island, use the Anna Maria Island trolley or park in designated parking areas away from the construction, especially during busy holiday weekends like the upcoming Memorial Day holiday.
The stormwater and drainage project is a two-phase project designed to reduce flooding at the public beach. Phase 1, now underway, is scheduled for completion by Spring, 2020. Once Phase 1 is complete, Phase 2 will begin with similar work being done on the north end of the parking lot. When complete, stormwater should drain more quickly, helping to address frequent flooding and standing water conditions at Coquina Beach.
If you want to know why you’re starting to analyze traffic patterns so you can plan your trips to the supermarket, doctor’s office and Trader Joe’s, here’s the reason. During 2018, Sarasota and Manatee counties had more closed sales, an increase in overall inventory and a rise in median prices compared to 2017.
Sarasota single-family median home prices increased by 5 percent to $282,500, and Manatee single-family median home prices increased by 1.9 percent to $300,475 from 2017. Sarasota median condo prices increased by 3.2 percent to $232,300, while Manatee median condos increased by 5.8 percent to $190,500.
Meanwhile, the volume of single-family home sales in Manatee increased by 7 percent and in Sarasota, the increase was 0.5 percent. Condo sales in both counties as reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, recorded the highest number of sales over the last 10 years. Sarasota increased by 8.1 percent and Manatee increased by 11.1 percent.
These are great numbers especially when you look at them compared to last year’s sales number as reported by the National Association of Realtors. Nationally, last year was the weakest for home sales since 2015 with buyers pulling back because of rising mortgage interest rates, a shortage of starter homes and a volatile stock market. However, the February home sales of previously owned homes nationally were up 11.8 percent, the largest monthly gain since 2015, obviously due to the lowering of mortgage interest down to 4.28 percent in March from 5 percent at the end of last year.
Let’s take a look at Manatee County’s February closed sales reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:
Closed single-family sales were up 4.8 percent, the median sale price was down slightly by 0.5 percent to $298,500 and the average sale price was up 2.6 percent to $389,119. Median time to sell was 97 days up a little from 93 last year and the month’s supply of available properties was 4.5 months – no real change.
Condo sales were down, closed sales were down 14.9 percent, the median sale price was down 11.4 percent to $189,000 and the average sale price was also down by 10.9 percent to $227,849. Median time to sell was up to 101 days from 94 and the number of months supply of available properties was up to five months.
Keep in mind these types of statistics are a snapshot in time and there are a variety of things that can influence sale prices and sale numbers in any given month. It’s the overall picture for a sustained period of time that really tells the story, and the year over year story for Manatee and Sarasota Counties is spectacular.
The months of March and April traditionally experience the most closed sales, so I look forward to when those numbers are compiled before we head into our slower summer season. That said I may have to revise that statement down the road since there doesn’t ever seem to be a slow season anymore.
It goes without saying that Florida’s Gulf Coast is one of the most beautiful areas in the country.
We have beaches, sun, culture, low taxes and great choices when it comes to purchasing a home. And what comes along with all that is more people, more cars and overbooked restaurants, even Sarasota Airport is reporting a 35 percent increase in traffic during February this year, but would you change anything?
BRADENTON BEACH – Bradenton Beach’s long-delayed $119,980 floating dock project may now cost an additional $45,302 to $69,456 to complete.
On Wednesday, April 3, Police Chief and pier team facilitator Sam Speciale presented Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) members with two dock installation estimates he received from Hecker Construction Company Operations Manager Eric Shaffer on March 25.
Hecker estimates $81,600 to install the previously-purchased floating dock components using yet-to-be-purchased wooden pilings, or $105,754 to complete the project using yet-to-be-purchased composite pilings.
These estimates took CRA members by surprise and they requested a special follow-up meeting on Wednesday, April 10. The members asked Speciale to bring back a second opinion from another engineer regarding the number of pilings needed. Speciale was also asked to bring back a second opinion from Duncan Seawall, Dock & Boat Lift regarding Hecker’s cost estimates. In 2015-16, Duncan built the Bridge Street Pier; the floating dock will be installed next to the pier.
The original $119,980 contract the CRA and Technomarine agreed to in early 2017 included $27,000 for dock installation, pilings included. Earlier this year, the CRA released Technomarine of its remaining contractual obligations due to the lengthy delays incurred.
Technomarine had already contacted Hecker Construction about serving as a dock installation subcontractor.
Until Wednesday’s meeting, CRA members assumed Hecker would install the floating dock for the $27,000 cited in the now-invalid Technomarine contract. The CRA does not currently have a new contract with Hecker or any other firm to finish the dock project.
The premanufactured dock sections are being stored at the Hecker Construction Company yard in Gibsonton. – City of Bradenton Beach | Submitted
The aluminum-framed, composite dock decking sections have been sitting at Hecker’s construction yard in Gibsonton since being delivered there in September. Technomarine then delivered the dock floats to Hecker on March 4. The float delivery fulfilled the contractual release agreement City Attorney Ricinda Perry and Technomarine attorney Julianne Frank negotiated in December.
A few hours after the April 3 CRA meeting ended, Speciale received an email from Shaffer that said, “Per our phone conversation, the price of $27,000 that Techno gave the city was for us just to assemble floats and deliver them to the job site. Technomarine never spoke to us about the pilings or anything else to do with the project.”
More money
Hecker’s $81,600 estimate includes $37,000 to provide and install 36 PVC-wrapped wooden pilings and an additional $17,800 to provide and install the additional hoop brackets and rollers needed to attach the dock sections to the wood pilings.
Hecker’s $105,754 estimate includes $67,704 to provide and install 25 composite pilings and an additional $11,250 for the hoop brackets and rollers.
Both Hecker estimates include $20,000 to attach the floats to the decking, $2,800 to remove the existing pilings, $2,000 for mobilization and demobilization and $2,000 to transport the floats to the pier job site.
Police Chief Sam Speciale, Chad Kelly and Eric Shaffer from the Hecker Construction Company and Community Redevelopment Agency chairman Ralph Cole visited the pier on March 14. – Sherman Baldwin | Submitted
During the April 3 meeting, Speciale cited financial figures provided by City Treasurer Shayne Thompson. According to Thompson, the CRA paid Technomarine $83,682 of the $119,980 agreed to in 2017. This leaves $36,298 in remaining budgeted project funds.
As part of its 50 percent cost-sharing agreement with Manatee County, the CRA has received $41,841 in county reimbursements. In March, the CRA and the county extended that interlocal funding agreement until year’s end.
Speciale told CRA members the county originally agreed to contribute up to $125,000 for a project not to exceed $250,000. Perry questioned whether the county is willing to reimburse the CRA for the additional costs now being discussed. She suggested asking the county’s engineer to review the engineering work Clarsen Consulting Engineering did on Hecker’s behalf.
On Feb. 6, CRA members discussed but never formally approved a $9,200 estimate from Hecker Construction for engineering and permitting services. According to Thompson, the CRA has not yet been invoiced for those services.
Speciale said if wood pilings are used, Hecker’s engineer calls for a piling every five feet. Speciale said Building Official Steve Gilbert questions whether Hecker’s engineer is “over-engineering” the number of pilings needed.
Speciale said he was told the piling requirements increased after Hurricane Irma hit in September 2017, but he did not specify which agency or building code now requires more pilings than would have been required when the project was contracted in 2017.
On Friday, Gilbert said he’s not aware of any changes to the Florida Building Code that would require more pilings. On Friday, Perry said she was not aware of any new engineering requirements imposed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
“This issue concerns me,” Perry said.
The packet for the April 10 CRA meeting includes two proposed budget amendment requests. If approved, the proposed $45,302 CRA budget amendment would cover the additional cost to complete the dock project using wooden pilings. The proposed $69,456 budget amendment would cover the additional cost to complete the project using composite pilings.
What remained of the previous storm-damaged floating dock was removed in August 2017. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
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