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Tag: Manatee County

Vote could reduce wetlands protection

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Water Quality.

BRADENTON – In response to a preliminary Manatee County commission vote to reduce wetland buffers on Aug. 17, the environmental community is making it clear that scientific evidence backs up the importance of wetland protection.

In a press release announcing a Sept. 26 Value of Wetlands Science panel discussion sponsored by the environmental advocacy group Suncoast Waterkeeper, its executive director, Dr. Abbey Tyrna, began with a quote from County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, who said at the August meeting, “I’m not being shown any data to back up good intentions.”

Tyrna noted that the Aug. 17 meeting had four hours of public comment and included both passion and logic from scientists, engineers, professionals and residents opposing the change.

“(Van Ostenbridge) is just one of the six Manatee County commissioners

in charge of protecting remaining wetlands and aquatic buffers under the Manatee County Comprehensive Plan who claim there is insufficient science to support current policies,” she wrote. “In the face of outright disapproval from their constituents, the board still voted 6-1 (to reduce local wetland buffers), with the only opposing vote coming from Commissioner (George) Kruse.”

On Thursday, Oct. 5 at 9 a.m., Manatee County commissioners will consider adopting an ordinance to amend the comprehensive plan to “achieve consistency with state standards” for wetlands.

The proposed changes include eliminating the 50-foot wetland buffer requirement along inflowing watercourses and reducing wetland buffers from 50 feet to the state minimum of 15 feet and an average of 25 feet for Outstanding Florida Waters and Aquatic Preserves.

“If it’s true that all the Board of County Commissioners need is scientific data, then we are in luck – there are plenty of scientific studies on wetlands and water quality being conducted across the state,” Tyrna wrote.

“This panel is a continued effort to save our wetlands and follows a public petition which has garnered 2,168 signatures and counting,” she wrote. “Other organizations supporting this fight include ManaSota-88, East Manatee Preservation, Waterline Road Preservation Group, Speak Out Manatee, Florida Kids for Clean Water, Manatee League of Women Voters and Manatee Fish and Game.”

The Sept. 26 science panel at the Bradenton Woman’s Club drew more than 150 people including Kruse, the lone voice of dissent in the 6-1 commission vote.

“All we heard on that board (of county commissioners) was there was no science behind this,” Kruse said. “I knew that wasn’t true. It may be one thing to disagree with the science, but the science is definitely there.”

He said he attended the panel discussion an as audience member to hear speakers with firsthand knowledge of wetland science.

“I know there will be at least one vote against this” at the Oct. 5 meeting, Kruse said, referring to himself. “We just need three more.”

Speakers at the Sept. 26 Value of Wetlands Science Panel at the Bradenton Woman’s Club were Ed Sherwood, executive director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, A.J. Reisinger, assistant professor of Urban Soil and Water Quality at the University of Florida and Jim Bays, president of Stewards of Our Lakes (SoUL.)

Tyrna moderated the discussion. Each speaker spoke for 15 minutes and the presentation was followed by a question and answer period.

“Tampa Bay is one of 28 national estuary programs established by Congress as estuaries of national significance,” Sherwood said. “We’re interested in protecting wetlands because our estuary is continuing to be urbanized. We only have about 32% of the natural lands undeveloped in the watershed.”

Sherwood said habitats that are key to fish and wildlife have been lost as land development is expected to increase.

“There’s not enough space,” Sherwood said. “A lot of it has already been developed and those opportunities don’t exist. So we need to do our best with what we have now to look at our existing native habitats while looking for new and novel ways to expand our opportunities.”

It’s taking more and more effort to find those restoration opportunities, he said.

“In the past 30 years, we’ve lost about 180,000 acres of opportunity,” Sherwood said. “Development that’s going on has outpaced our ability to restore these key habitats. We’ve converted restorable lands to developed lands. We need to continue to make investments in restoring these key habitats.”

In addition to environmental benefits, Sherwood said the watershed has economic benefits.

“In Manatee County alone, there’s about $70 million in flood protection benefits just from the wetlands over a 30-year period,” he said. “There’s both economic and intrinsic value to these habitats.”

Resinger discussed scientific studies showing the role of stormwater systems role in flood control and the enhancement of water quality.

Bays outlined other benefits of wetland buffers.

“It’s not just the wetlands that are important, but the areas around them,” Bays said. “They remove pollutants, provide water storage and preserve habitat for animals that live along the perimeter.”

Other ancillary benefits include opportunities to grow plants that will mitigate the effects of climate change, provide trails for such activities as birdwatching and have an aesthetic value, he said.

“A 30- to 50-foot buffer is needed to achieve nutrient removal and protect wildlife,” he said.

During a question and answer period, Tyrna read a question submitted by an audience member.

“What do you say to people who do not believe in science to guide decision-making?” she read.

All three panelists agreed that conversation is key.

“I think we live, work and play in the Tampa Bay region because of certain aesthetics,” Sherwood said. “At the end of the day, I think we can have common conversations about what makes Tampa Bay special.”

“You need to figure out connections and reach people where they are,” Reisinger said.

“I would first ask them what is guiding your decisions,” Bay said. “I believe it’s a matter of education and outreach for those folks.”

Meeting attendees received cards with information about the upcoming Thursday, Oct. 5 meeting at the Honorable Patricia M. Glass Chambers at the Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton, suggesting that parties meet, call or email their county commissioners to register their opposition and attend the meeting.

Letter to the Editor: Kids want wetlands preserved

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

Dear Manatee County Commissioners,

We are kids who live in Manatee County and the surrounding areas. We love our community and our environment. We are sunset watchers. We are kayakers of mangrove swamps, snorkelers of seagrass beds, and sailors of our beautiful bay. These are the things we love, the experiences that have shaped us.

That’s why we are distressed to see our wetlands disappearing and our waters becoming increasingly dirty. We are concerned that we are losing what we love, that the reckless destruction of our environment being committed today will leave us nothing for tomorrow.

We are shocked and saddened that you are considering removing our already inadequate wetland protections. If our wetlands are destroyed, we stand to lose everything we love about our home forever. Decisions like this will define your legacy. Please, do not eliminate the county’s increased wetland buffer requirements.

 

Brice Claypoole

Manatee County

 

(Editor’s note: 71 other minors signed this letter)

Guest Editorial: Wild AMI depends on us

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Guest column, Opinion.

Anna Maria Island provides more than pristine water and white sand beaches for residents and visitors. As one of Florida’s west coast barrier Islands, it is ecologically diverse and an important habitat for a variety of wildlife.

The Gulf provides abundant fish, mollusks and crustaceans that support a large population of bottlenose dolphins. Manatees, also known as sea cows, graze seagrasses in the Gulf and Sarasota Bay. Manatees have been listed as an imperiled species since 1967 and protected areas have been set aside for them in the Sarasota Bay.

The island is a sanctuary for sea turtles and shorebirds. About 90% of all sea turtle nesting in the United States takes place on Florida beaches. Manatee and Sarasota County host the highest density of loggerhead nests in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2022, there were 453 nests with a record of 35,850 turtle hatchlings and successful crawls to the Gulf. Shorebirds such as black skimmers, least terns and snowy plovers nest on Anna Maria Island from spring through early summer. Research has demonstrated that chronic disturbance from human activity around nesting birds has a negative impact on reproduction according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Shorebirds need space to nest, rest and feed undisturbed.

Like Anna Maria Island wildlife, visitors and residents depend on the water quality of Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and the health of the beaches and they make an effort to maintain the beaches and swimming areas. AMI’s three cities are leading a combined effort to improve local water quality with the Islanders 4 Clean Water campaign. Locals serving with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring coordinate with county, state and federal efforts to conserve sea turtles and shorebirds. The Wildlife Inc. Education and Rehabilitation Center on AMI rescues and rehabilitates wild animals, and Mote Marine Laboratory cares for manatees, sea turtles and dolphins.

As stewards of Anna Maria Island’s resources and biological diversity, we are learning to make use of the earth’s natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable, in a manner that ensures sustainability and equity into the distant reaches of time. This attitude of stewardship requires full consideration of the potential environmental consequences of all development activities. It compels us to temper our actions with moderation and humility, realizing that the true value of nature cannot be expressed in economic terms. It is important for us to understand the natural world and its role in our collective development – both material and spiritual. Therefore, sustainable environmental management must come to be seen not as a discretionary commitment that we can weigh against other competing interests, but rather as a fundamental responsibility that must be shouldered – a prerequisite for spiritual development as well as the individual’s physical survival.

We must carefully evaluate the environmental impact as well as social requirements before deciding to develop a three-story parking garage on Manatee Beach.

– Eileen Jellison

Commissioner Kruse hosts Island talk

Commissioner Kruse hosts Island talk

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

HOLMES BEACH – Only 18 people came out to the Island Branch Library on a stormy Wednesday night to hear what Manatee County Commissioner-at-large George Kruse had to say, but the conversation continued for nearly two hours.

Kruse held his monthly town hall meeting in Holmes Beach and invited anyone who attended to ask him questions. One of the hot topics of the night was the anticipated parking garage at Manatee Beach.

Parking garage

While Kruse said he wasn’t particularly for or against the parking garage, he doesn’t believe that it’s worth the cost to taxpayers or the best use of an estimated $30-50 million.

“We have much more important things to do in this county,” he said. “We do not have the money to do all the important CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) work we need to do. We don’t collect enough in impact fees; we don’t collect enough in FIF (Facility Investment Fees). We need to be focusing on our bridges, we need to be focusing on our major roads, we need to be focusing on Ft. Hamer, so for anyone to tell me this parking garage is even in the top 50 most important things is asinine,” Kruse said, referring to a recent county commission work session where several of his fellow commissioners stated that the Manatee Beach parking garage was a top priority project for the county.

Due to legislation signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and supported by members of the Manatee County legislative delegation, Manatee County commissioners can go against Holmes Beach city ordinances and the city’s land development code to build a three-story parking garage at the county-owned Manatee Beach, located in the Island city. If it’s built, the parking garage is planned to have 900 parking spaces along with restroom, concession and retail facilities. The project would require the removal of the restaurant, restroom, bar and retail store at the beach, along with the existing 400+ parking spaces.

Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, who is leading the charge to build the garage, said he estimates the garage will take at least two years to build. During that time, no parking, facilities or public access would be available at the popular beach.

Infrastructure and utilities

Another topic of conversation was water.

Kruse said that the county is facing a number of infrastructure issues, including a water shortage and water quality.

“We’re running into a water capacity issue,” Kruse said. “Not tomorrow, but I have to look into the future. You can’t build something in a day.”

He said that the long-term growth going on in the county will eventually create a strain on water utilities. As to the issue of water quality, he said he’s looking for any ideas to help increase water quality in the county in order to help increase water capacity for the county.

He also addressed the issue of the water main serving the north end of the Island that is still being repaired.

“That happened because we’re not maintaining it,” he said of the pipe that fell off the bridge this summer and has since been replaced with a temporary pipe taking up the south side of the sidewalk. “We don’t have the money to maintain it because fees and rates have been kept too low for too long. No previous board wanted to be on the hook to increase something even a nickel because then they’re going to have some negative campaign ad against them saying they raised taxes, so we kept the rates artificially low. It covered the water, but it didn’t cover the maintenance.”

Kruse added that the fees paid by developers that are supposed to help increase capacity and expand infrastructure are also too low. He estimated that those fees are about 20-30% of where they need to be.

Regarding infrastructure, he said that the county was keeping up with maintaining and creating new infrastructure, including roads, until 2008, when the housing market crashed. After that, he said it took the county years to begin collecting impact fees from builders again and by that time it was too late to catch up with all of the work that needed to be done.

“We’ve never caught up from then,” Kruse said, adding that some of his fellow commissioners have delayed a vote on increasing impact fees. Currently, he said the county is charging based on a 2015 impact study that used 2013 data. A new impact fee study has been done, though he said bringing impact fees to a vote has been delayed multiple times. Though it’s now currently slated for discussion by the commission in November, Kruse noted that if the vote is delayed again until December, an argument could be made that the study is now stale and would need to be redone, delaying the vote another six to eight months.

Bridges

On the topic of bridges, Holmes Beach Commissioner Terry Schaefer said that the Cortez Bridge is currently scheduled to be replaced in 2026, pending litigation, with the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue tentatively scheduled for 2029. On both bridges, he said, the Florida Department of Transportation is looking at adding a third lane that would be designated for transit and emergency personnel.

Kruse said the county is considering adding another trolley for the Island trolley’s free transit system. He also said he’s pushing for the county to open libraries at least part of the day on Sundays and run Manatee County Area Transit buses on Sundays, when he said people are off work and can take advantage of the free amenities.

See more of what Kruse had to say on The Sun’s YouTube channel.

County takes no action against dog owner after multiple attacks

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

MANATEE COUNTY – A 140-pound mastiff that has killed one dog and injured at least three people and three other dogs remains at home with his owner.

Rudy, owned by Anthony Santamauro, of Bradenton, attacked a small dog owned by Deanna McCollian, of Illinois, on Aug. 9 at Island Time Bar and Grill in Bradenton Beach, leading to the small dog’s death, according to police reports. During the attack, the unleashed mastiff bit McCollian and Island Time employee Sean Hamrick.

Manatee County Animal Welfare (MCAW) served quarantine paperwork to Santamauro following the incident and began an investigation on Aug. 10.

According to a report from MCAW officer Kevin Mitchell submitted on Aug. 17, the behavior appears to be a longstanding pattern.

“I was advised that Rudy is highly aggressive and killed multiple puppies in the past. I was then advised that they attempted to take Rudy to a trainer and the trainer advised that the dog should not be in public unless it’s leashed and muzzled, or both,” Mitchell wrote in a report after speaking to Santamauro’s estranged wife.

Reports obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by one of the dog’s victims show more incidents.

The FOIA request yielded two previous attacks, one in 2020 and one in 2021, in addition to the most recent attack which left Holmes Beach resident Evalena Leedy injured with six puncture wounds to her arm on Aug. 21.

MCAW has continued to decline requests to comment on any of them.

According to a report on June 8, 2020, Bradenton resident Dorgas Skein stated that while walking her leashed dog, an off-leash dog from a neighboring house ran towards her dog, causing injuries to her dog that required surgery. The dog was confirmed to be Rudy, owned by Santamauro, who was issued a citation for an animal causing injury.

The second confirmed attack took place on April 12, 2021 on Columbia Drive in West Bradenton. According to the MCAW report on the incident, Alberto Seda, of Bradenton, was walking his dog on a leash along the road when Rudy ran into the road and attacked the much smaller dog.

“Anthony Santamauro was very apologetic and said he offered to pay the vet bill. Anthony said he had given them $300 for the vet visit, and they said it might be another $1,300,” MCAW Officer R. Duckworth wrote in his 2021 report. “Anthony had asked if he signs the dog over, would it get put down? I said most likely not. I said to sleep on it and I will call him tomorrow. I advised him if he is worried about the liability issues, he should put up two fences with gates in them to contain the dogs from getting out to the street and this shouldn’t happen again. I educated him on the laws, told him with prior history, he might receive a ticket.”

The fourth confirmed, and most recent, attack took place on Aug. 21, 2023, reported by The Sun in its Aug. 30 edition. Evalena Leedy was taking her 9-pound toy poodle, Alonzo, for a walk about 8:30 p.m. when unleashed Rudy approached rapidly from nearby bushes. In an effort to protect Alonzo from the animal that was more than 14 times its size, she grabbed him and put him on the roof of a nearby car. Alonzo was unharmed, but Leedy wasn’t as fortunate.

“The dog repeatedly lunged at me and bit my right arm causing me to bleed,” Leedy said. “The dog kept coming, I was trying to protect myself and Alonzo and was unsuccessfully attempting to kick the dog away.”

Leedy said after she had been bitten, the dog’s owner, later identified as Santamauro, arrived and pulled the mastiff off of her.

Leedy has remained frustrated with MCAW and their handling of the situation. According to the FOIA reports she requested, and later provided to The Sun, Rudy was only ordered to quarantine after the Island Time incident. In the most recent report, involving Leedy’s case, no quarantine was issued and Rudy remains free.

According to Florida Statutes, if an investigation finds a dog to be dangerous, and it further attacks humans or other domestic animals, the owner is guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor and the dog is confiscated by animal control and humanely destroyed after a 10-day period (Florida Statute 767.13 (1) ). If a dog deemed dangerous attacks, causing serious injury or death to a human, the owner is guilty of a third-degree felony and the dog is humanely destroyed after a 10-day period (Florida Statute 767.13 (2) ).

MCAW has refused to comment on any of these cases and has offered Leedy little information on what actions are being taken beyond what is contained in the reports she obtained from the FOIA request. She wants answers, but isn’t holding out a great deal of hope based on past actions by MCAW.

“It seems that from reports, Animal Control does little or nothing to follow up after attacks,” Leedy said in a Sept. 13 email to the Sun. “Where is Santamauro and Rudy? Why was the quarantine not required after my bite? Why is there only one dangerous dog listed on Manatee County’s website? What will it take for Manatee County to act? Another dog dying, or God forbid a person?”

Castles in the Sand

Property owners with equity may tend to overpay

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

Feeling pretty flush, are you? Most of us who have owned property for several years are pretty happy with the equity we have accumulated. But if you are selling and purchasing another property, be careful. That equity can slip through your fingers at lightning speed.

A recent study by UCLA Anderson School of Management discovered that for every dollar of equity gain that a seller receives, he or she overpays by 7.9 cents on the next home purchase.

There are a few theories about why this is happening, one of which is that with higher equity comes lower capital constraints, allowing buyers to consider larger homes they are willing to pay more for. Also, a buyer with a nice equity cushion can offer more and sometimes will pay more to avoid a time-consuming search for a new home or to place themselves at an advantage above other buyers. Either way, these actions are driving offers higher than they should be.

Naturally, overpaying contributes to escalating housing costs, compounding the effect of fewer homes on the market and pushing up selling prices. This is more bad news for buyers who are competing with high equity buyers who are cornering the market with a lot of equity and cash bidding up prices.

Buyers who overpay for a property are risking that the property values will stay high when the time comes to resell. If a buyer is in the property for the long haul, it might be a smart risk to take for a property you want. However, if a buyer is looking at a short-term purchase they could get caught in an unexpected downturn of the market.

With residential mortgage interest rates approaching 7.5%, not only are buyers caught in the vice, but banks are also starting to see their profit margin caught in the same vice. Applications for home purchase mortgages dropped to their lowest levels since 1995 a few weeks ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Buyers aren’t buying because of low inventory and high rates and potential sellers aren’t selling and giving up their ultra-low mortgages – a perfect storm in a not-so-perfect real estate market.

But there are still high-end buyers who are jumping into the real estate market. The only difference is the jumbo loans these buyers typically are looking for are not as available as they once were. A jumbo loan is a non-conforming loan that exceeds the conventional loan limit set by the government housing authorities. The limit is currently set at $726,200 or higher in some high-cost areas in the country. For instance, Hawaii would be considered a high-cost area. These loans typically were considered low-risk loans the banks kept on their books that attracted wealthy customers, many of whom used the same bank for additional business transactions.

These loans usually carried lower rates than regular mortgages. However, the lower preferential rates for jumbo loans have reversed in recent months and now the jumbos are also approaching 7.5%, forcing home buyers to reconsider their financial options or even whether it’s a good time to buy. Since we’re living in an area with many high-end properties for sale, these higher rates could influence our market.

Whether you’re buying a car or a pair of shoes, it’s the same. If you have more, you pay more and if you pay more, you borrow more. Americans love the best of the best. Be careful that the money doesn’t slip through your fingers.

Suncoast Waterkeeper to host ‘Value of Wetlands’ panel

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

Development and the environment can be compatible. While I know that might seem like an antithetical statement, when greed and power don’t cloud the big picture, it becomes obvious that sustainable growth and a healthy ecosystem must co-exist. In coastal communities like Manatee County, wetlands have never been more important to the health and economy of the region. Rising sea levels, more powerful storms and mushrooming harmful algae blooms like red tide and lyngbya make the point. The time for quick action has never been more urgent and, if you’re not on the water like local anglers, the collapse of the Indian River Lagoon on the east coast and images of starving manatees serve as the proverbial “canary in the coal mine.” Unfortunately, at a time screaming for enlightened leadership, the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted 6-1 to roll back wetland protection, with Commissioner George Kruse dissenting. The move is a not-so-veiled attempt at payback to developers that financed their campaigns. The BOCC members claim there is no science supporting buffers and state minimum standards will protect the local environment.

Suncoast Waterkeeper (SCWK), reacting to the attempt, convened a panel of experts to explain the detrimental effects on coastal water quality, drinking water quality, habitat and coastal resiliency within Manatee County. In a statement posted to their website, social media and mailed to local news outlets and members, they encourage citizens to get involved in an issue that is sure to impact the lives of countless generations of Manatee County citizens.

Join the discussion on Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Bradenton Woman’s Club and learn the facts from scientists who study wetlands and water quality in our region. The BOCC claims insufficient science to support the language currently in the comprehensive plan, so SCWK is asking researchers who study these issues to give the public facts. Go to www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org/save_our_welands to learn how you can get involved and protect our vital coastal resources. You can also sign their petition and sign up to volunteer. Volunteers will be given scientific information presented by panelists to read into the record at the Oct. 5 county commission meeting. In the words of Abbey Tyrna, SCWK’s executive director, let’s flood them with facts!

Oil spill investigation, cleanup continues at SeaPort Manatee

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

PALMETTO – The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) continues to investigate the source of an Aug. 31 oil spill at SeaPort Manatee.

As of Sept. 8, the Coast Guard reported about 19,000 gallons of an oil/water mixture had been removed and 6.4 tons of oily debris was disposed of from the port’s inner basin.

USCG Sector St. Petersburg’s Response Department was notified on Aug. 31 through the National Response Center that there was a visible discoloration of the water at the Manatee County-owned seaport located on Tampa Bay.

“A commercial oil response company has been hired,” USCG Sector Commander Capt. Mike Kahle said on Sept. 1. “They’re applying a boom around the oil. It appears to be contained.” To date, 97% of the oil has been removed from the surface of the water, according to Kahle, who said he expected cleanup efforts to be completed by Sept. 10.

On Sept. 8, Congressman Vern Buchanan toured SeaPort Manatee. He was joined by SeaPort Manatee Executive Director Carlos Buqueras and Kahle.

“Our local waterways, environment and marine life are incredibly important to area residents and Florida’s tourism-based economy,” Buchanan said. “With no evidence pointing to any infrastructure failures or pipeline leaks so far, it looks increasingly likely that someone may have dumped this oil and is failing to come forward. Whether an accident or purposeful, any potential bad actors must be held accountable for putting our waterways at risk.”

According to Kahle, about 19,000 gallons of contaminated water were cleaned up from the port. Of that, approximately 3,500 gallons were heavy, unrefined oil.

“It’s still too early to define where exactly that heavy fuel came from, because we don’t handle a lot of heavy fuel,” Buqueras said.

“Since Aug. 31, SeaPort Manatee’s team has been proactively collaborating with the Coast Guard to assist in response activities,” Buqueras wrote in a Sept. 7 statement. “The Coast Guard has inspected every area of the port, yet to date has been unable to identify the origin of the material.

Oil spill investigation, cleanupcontinues at SeaPort Manatee
A boom is put in place to contain an oil spill at SeaPort Manatee. The U.S. Coast Guard continues to investigate the source of the spill. – Submitted

“Preserving the environment is among our top priorities, which is why we have fully continued partnering with the Coast Guard,” Buqueras wrote. “We have also encouraged tenant businesses at the port to cooperate with the Coast Guard.”

“NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) experts conducted an endangered species analysis of the impacted area and reported no fish or wildlife is affected at this time,” according to a Sept. 6 USCG report.

Due to its location in SeaPort Manatee, the U.S. Coast Guard assumed jurisdiction for the incident, according to Department of Environmental Protection Press Secretary Brian Miller.

According to the Coast Guard’s Facebook page, on Sept. 1, 4,500 gallons of oil/water were removed overnight and an additional 3,000 gallons removed the following day. On Sept. 2, the following was posted: “7,200 gallons of oil/water mixture was removed from the spill Sunday, including a large amount of oil debris. The source and responsible party are under investigation. Clean up operations will continue until we are sure the oil is removed.”

The following day, the Coast Guard reported 4,400 gallons of the oil/water mixture were removed, and stated, “Investigators are sending oil samples to be type-tested to assist in the investigation into the source and responsible party.”

According to that Sept. 3 post, 90-95% of the surface oil had been removed, ship’s hulls were 39-43% cleaned from the oil, and 6.4 tons of oily debris had been removed.

The Coast Guard reported on Sept. 6 that additional samples were taken from three vessels and two pipeline companies for analysis to try to find a match to the spilled oil.

Letter to the Editor: Garage would ruin appeal of Manatee Beach

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

This is in response to the Aug. 23 edition of the Anna Maria Island Sun, “Beach parking garage fight continues.”

I just want to add my voice in support of the comments made by Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer. My family has been coming to Holmes Beach since the early 1980s when my in-laws lived across the street from Manatee Beach. Our three children have such great memories of being on the beach and “jumping in the waves.” We celebrated my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday at the Beach Café, where my wife’s parents danced together to the background music that always seemed to be playing at the Beach Café every night. Sunday mornings we’d take the kids over to have breakfast with The Pancake Kings. When we were back in Chicago, and then in Minnesota, I’d often see the AMI sticker on cars while out driving, and it’d make me wish I were there. Thousands upon thousands of people all over the country can probably tell you of the great times they’ve had at Manatee Beach and the Café.

It’s part of what Anna Maria Island is all about. It’s the City Pier, where the people responsible resisted putting up railings along it when it was recently rebuilt because railings weren’t in the original design. It’s going to the restaurants that seem to have been there forever, like Hurricane Hanks, Skinny’s and the Sandbar, and coming back to them year after year. But what attracted me right away to Anna Maria Island, and especially Holmes Beach, was that Holmes Beach has somehow managed to hold on to having the look and feel of being a town. It’s not what most of the other islands along the Sun Coast have become. That’s what draws people to come here and to want to live here. Manatee Beach, the Beach Café, the Pancake Kings, they’ve all been an integral part of the Island for as far back as most people can remember.

Take that away by putting in a three-story concrete structure right where people have been parking for years, well, it’s paving paradise to put up a parking lot. Once you lose paradise, you can’t get it back.

 

Jeff Forsythe

Bradenton

Castles in the Sand

Some homeowners ‘going bare’

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

Florida homeowner’s insurance is one of our favorite cocktail party conversations here on the coast. People who don’t live on the coast think we’re nuts to risk all just for great views and beach access. But we’re not the only homeowners who are being charged more for getting less coverage; it’s the new norm.

If you notice a drone over your roof, don’t be surprised, insurance companies are checking roofs for condition before renewing homeowner’s policies. In an effort to recoup some of their losses in recent years, insurance companies are raising deductibles, requiring new roofs and denying coverage on older homes without strong wind mitigation. With the Gulf waters overheated, we can expect more storms and higher premiums.

The national average for home insurance has gone up 20% from 2022, according to Bankrate.com. As unbelievable as it may seem, 12% of homeowners in the country don’t purchase homeowner’s insurance. About half of them have annual household incomes of less than $40,000, according to a survey by the Insurance Information Institute.

Florida is not alone in experiencing double-digit insurance increases. Companies are raising rates or completely leaving Louisiana and California in addition to Florida. There is, however, a solution for some homeowners who have the funds and nerve.

The insurance industry has a phrase for homeowners who choose not to buy homeowners insurance – it’s called “going bare.” If you own a home with a mortgage, you can stop reading right now, you don’t have the option of going bare since your mortgage lender will require you to carry sufficient coverage to repair or replace your property in the event of a major disaster.

Your lender may also require you to escrow for insurance as part of your monthly payment and then they pay the annual premium. This is, of course, to ensure that the premium is paid and their asset – your home – is insured. If this is an arrangement you have with your lender, it’s possible to ask them to allow you to pay your insurance without having to escrow for it monthly. Usually, you have to have owned your home for several years and have demonstrated a good credit score and your ability to pay your mortgage payment consistently on time.

However, if you’re a gambler, you can “self-insure,” assuming your bottom-line savings will outweigh any repairs you might have to undertake in the event of a storm or fire. Wealthy people say they have enough money saved to rebuild or move even if their house is destroyed, but for the average homeowner, it’s a bit more of a challenge.

A standard insurance policy typically covers the cost of replacement of the home and some of its contents in the event of damage or theft. Some average homeowners who have satisfied their mortgage choose to drop their insurance and bank the annual premium. Sometimes they come out ahead, especially if they have the ability to invest the money not paid for premiums at a good return, but it’s a risk not everyone can or should take. In addition, some homeowners who live in vulnerable waterfront locations are pushed into going bare when their policies are dropped and/or are renewed at a very high rate.

The increased cost of homeowner’s policies is hitting the real estate market heavily. Potential buyers can’t afford the double whammy of higher interest rates and higher insurance premiums, freezing the real estate market further. Pay the price or go bare – no good options.

Reel Time: Opposition mounts against wetlands reduction

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

When the Manatee County Board of Commissioners voted 6-1 (Commissioner George Kruse voted no) to reduce wetland buffers in the county, the audience at the meeting reacted with an audible burst of anger. I was at that meeting and, after speaking in opposition to the measure and listening to a stream of three dozen citizens do the same, it was stunning and sad to experience the government overreach and lack of concern the commission displayed for the voters who elected them. It was clear that the passage of the ill-conceived building industry measure was a foregone conclusion as little to no discussion except Commissioner Kruse’s well-reasoned objection was held. It was apparent that the six commissioners were waiting for the public comment to end so they could advance the measure.

Coming in on the heels of the decision, Hurricane Idalia’s inundation of low-lying areas of the county and barrier islands highlights the importance of wetlands and buffers not only for water quality but also for storm protection. The EPA’s document, “Wetlands: Protecting Life and Property from Flooding,” makes it clear that our coastal areas are particularly prone to flooding and storm damage and are in need of buffers.

“Wetlands in many locations play an important role in flood protection. Nowhere is this function more important than along coastal areas. Coastal areas are vulnerable to hurricanes and other powerful storms, and the flat coastal terrain means that land and property can be exposed to the full power of these storms,” the document says. “Preserving and reconstructing coastal marshes can help reduce storm damage. Coastal wetlands serve as storm surge protectors when hurricanes or tropical storms come ashore. In the Gulf Coast area, barrier islands, shoals, marshes, forested wetlands and other features of the coastal landscape can provide a significant and potentially sustainable buffer from wind wave action and storm surge generated by tropical storms and hurricanes.”

As the date for the final decision, Oct. 5, draws closer, a groundswell of resistance is coming from some expected and unexpected groups. In just the last three weeks, Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Abbey Tyrna has reported requests for presentations to address these concerns from homeowners’ associations, civic groups and even religious organizations. The Save Our Wetlands petition has garnered over 2,000 signatures. The children’s group, Kids for Clean Water, has conducted Zoom meetings to find ways to effectively address what they rightly consider a taking of their future and are organizing to get that message out to the public. There are also moves underway to address this egregious overreach at the ballot box, so expect to see challenges to the commissioners, who take their orders from developers who financed their campaigns instead of the citizens they swore to represent.

What makes this move so deceitful is the fact that prominent developers, who were unable to reduce buffers in lawsuits brought against the county, financed commissioners who are now doing their bidding. While they might win this battle, I’m 100% sure they will lose the war. If the citizens of Manatee County don’t wake up to this threat, generations of Manatee County citizens will suffer the consequences.

Make sure you are part of the solution and not part of the problem. Write letters, call your commissioners, attend meetings and make sure you engage in enlightened self-interest at the ballot box.

Castles in the Sand

Higher rates here to stay

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

On Aug. 17, mortgage interest rates spiked to 7.09%, the highest in years per Freddie Mac. A lot of this has to do with the 10-year treasury yield, which hit its highest level since 2008 on the same day. Since mortgage rates tend to move somewhat with the 10-year treasury, rates went up combined with the Fed’s ongoing attempt to tame inflation.

Last year when rates started going up, except with a brief decline at the end of 2022, the consensus was that the higher cost to borrow would be temporary. Now, however, eight months later, all players in the real estate market are adjusting to the idea that higher rates are either here to stay or at least will be around for a long time.

So, what does that mean to the average home buyer? Essentially it means it’s time to get off the bench and make a commitment since things aren’t changing any time soon. That, of course, is easy for me to say but the truth is buyers are finding it is the hardest thing to accomplish even after they adjust to higher rates.

The lack of inventory all across the country is pushing prices up to a level many buyers can’t afford. After all, if you had a 3% or 4% mortgage, would you sell your home and move on to something else unless you absolutely had to? Probably not, and that is the log jam in the real estate market. About 60% of the country has mortgages below 4% and even homeowners who missed the absolute bottom are still ahead of the curve by at least 2 percentage points.

Buyers need to understand there is no crystal ball and even the real estate gurus called it wrong with their temporary thinking. Now is the time buyers have to bite the bullet by downsizing their expectations and being flexible. Not all of your children need their own bathroom or even their own bedroom, and you can prepare dinner in a kitchen without a quartz island; millions of people do.

Look at the additional expense of a higher mortgage from a monthly payment perspective. When you break it down into financial pieces, it may not be as intimidating, kind of like upgrading your iPhone. Don’t ask what it costs, just what it will cost monthly.

Let’s look at Manatee County’s July sales statistics reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota & Manatee:

Single-family homes closed 10.1% more properties this July compared to last July. However, the median sale price of $515,000 was down by 1.2% and the average sale price of $641,991 was also down by 6.9%. The median time to contract was 29 days this July compared to 9 days last year and the month’s supply of properties was 2.7 months, about the same as last year.

Condo sales were down 8.0%, the median sale price was $389,500, down 0.4% from last year and the average sale price was $523,922, down 2.5%. The median time to contract was 36 days this year compared to 10 days last year, and the month’s supply of properties was 3.4 months compared to 1.6 months last year.

The Association of Realtors states, “Despite higher interest rates, the housing market in Sarasota and Manatee counties stays strong due to low supply and continued demand with relatively stable prices.”

A lot of what’s going on in other parts of the country does not aways apply to Florida, which tends to march to its own drummer. All real estate markets are local, and all states have different economic challenges. Sales are taking longer to book, but overall, Manatee County is hanging in there.

County sewer project enters second phase

County sewer project enters second phase

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

BRADENTON BEACH – The Woodruff & Sons construction company is now working along 12th Street South as Manatee County’s extensive sewer improvement project in Bradenton Beach continues.

On Aug. 23, Community Outreach Representative Tina Allen issued her latest email update.

“The contractor has completed installation and switching over of services to the new sewer system on 11th Street South. The road has been reconstructed and is now open to vehicular traffic. Final paving will be performed simultaneously with other completed side streets,” she stated.

“Installation of the new gravity sewer pipe across Gulf Drive South, and east on 12th Street South, is now complete. 12th Street South will remain closed to traffic through late September 2023 as the contractor works to perform service connections and reconstruction of the road. A reserved parking area has been provided along the west of Gulf Drive South for use by residents and renters impacted by the 12th Street construction,” Allen stated in her update.

In her July 28 update, Allen noted the lateral connection line had been installed down the center of 11th Street South and that work completed phase one of the two-phase project.

In her July 28 update, Allen wrote, “On Thursday, July 27, 2023, the contractor began installing a new gravity sewer pipe across Gulf Drive South to the east side of Gulf Drive South at 12th Street South. To accommodate pipe installation, traffic lane shifts will remain in place through late August 2023 for the northbound and southbound travel lanes of Gulf Drive South.

Allen’s updates are emailed to subscribers and they’re also posted at the project website, https://amiprojects.io/projects/bradenton-beach-sewer-improvements.

Manatee County Public Works Director Chad Butzow provided a project update during the Aug. 1 Council of Governments meeting.

“We’ve learned a lot. Our public outreach consultant has done a very good job. It is very timely and has been well-received,” Butzow said of the project updates that Allen provides.

Butzow said the main gravity sewer line has been installed parallel to and west of Gulf Drive South and that portion of the project is completed. Lateral connection lines are being installed down the center of each connecting side street, from 12th Street South to Sixth Street South, resulting in those side streets being temporarily closed to vehicular traffic one street at a time. Butzow said there will not be any instances when two side streets are closed at the same time.

The project-related street closures will impact residents, vacationers and property owners as that work progresses from street to street in the coming weeks and months. For those unable to access their side streets by automobile, the county is providing free shuttle service between the designated Gulf Drive South parking areas and the impacted side streets. For more information on the shuttle service, please call 941-269-6699.

The county project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2024.

Tracking Hurricane Idalia

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

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 5 p.m. UPDATE:

MANATEE COUNTY – Hurricane Idalia has been upgraded to a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour. The storm is anticipated to continue to impact Anna Maria Island and the surrounding area this evening and overnight. County officials warn that the greatest risk the storm poses to this area is the chance for tornadoes to spawn from the hurricane and storm surge combined with a king tide expected to come in tomorrow morning at 11:30 a.m. Currently, NOAA shows that Anna Maria Island, Cortez and coastal areas of west Bradenton remain in the 4-7 foot peak surge warning zone.

 

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 3 p.m. UPDATE:

MANATEE COUNTY – Hurricane Idalia is classified as a Category 1 storm with sustained winds of 90 mph near its core. The storm is forecast to increase in strength to a Category 3 storm before making landfall. Currently, the hurricane is anticipated to make landfall mid-morning Aug. 30 near Cedar Key.

The outer bands of Idalia are bringing rain to the area. Anyone choosing to stay on the Island are asked to avoid driving through flooded areas and to shelter in place as the storm moves through the area.

A significant storm surge is expected with Hurricane Idalia. Due to a king tide expected Wednesday, Aug. 30 around 11:30 a.m., the highest storm surge is expected tomorrow morning. County officials advise residents and visitors to continue to shelter in place through tomorrow’s high tide. NOAA predicts 4-7 feet of storm surge for Anna Maria Island.

Hurricane Idalia storm surge forecast
Hurricane Idalia is expected to bring 4-7 feet of storm surge to Anna Maria Island. – Submitted

NOAA predicts sustained winds of 35 mph with wind gusts up to 50 mph for coastal Manatee County. County officials note that once winds reach a sustained 35 mph or roads become impassible due to flooding, first responders will not be able to respond to emergency calls.

There will be no trash pickups today or tomorrow. Recycling and yard waste pickups are canceled for the week.

Currently, there are no plans to cut water or other utilities to Anna Maria Island. Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said that water will be shut off if Hurricane Idalia reaches a Category 3 designation or storm surge is expected at 7 feet or higher.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that the drawbridges would not be raised at any time to prevent people from leaving the Island during the hurricane.

There will be no trash pickups today or tomorrow. Recycling and yard waste pickups are canceled for the week.

MANATEE COUNTY – Hurricane Idalia is on a collision course with the west coast of Florida. The Sun is committed to giving you the latest updates as the storm moves closer to Anna Maria Island.

County officials issued a press release at 9:37 a.m. today including newly announced closures. Manatee County Area Transit buses will stop operations at 2 p.m. today or earlier if weather conditions call for an earlier suspension of service. Transportation services will remain suspended until it is safe to restart them.

Level A residents and visitors, including everyone living in mobile homes, Anna Maria Island, Perico Island, Flamingo Cay, waterfront areas of west Bradenton, and Cortez, are under a mandatory evacuation with Level B residents and visitors under a voluntary evacuation notice. All residents who evacuate are reminded to take their re-entry tag issued from their city in order to gain access to the Island after the storm passes. Anyone who chooses to shelter in place on the Island is advised that all first responders and emergency personnel will be grounded once winds reach a sustained 45 mph.

County officials warn that while wind and rain are expected as Hurricane Idalia moves closer to the west coast, the major cause for concern is storm surge, which could happen near an already expected king tide on Wednesday. As of a 4 a.m. update, NOAA was projecting a storm surge near Anna Maria Island of 4-7 feet.

Hurricane Idalia surge
The current peak surge forecast for Hurricane Idalia as of 4 a.m. on Aug. 29. – Submitted

Sandbagging stations are open at Bayfront Park in Anna Maria, City Field in Holmes Beach, Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach and GT Bray on 59th Street in Bradenton.

All Manatee County libraries are closed until Thursday, including book drops.

All Manatee County schools are closed until Thursday morning at this time pending assessments after the storm passes.

Emergency shelters are open for those who need them. Shelters should be considered a last resort and anyone who can is asked to shelter in place with friends or family outside of the evacuation zone. A list of open shelters can be found online. If going to a shelter, take bedding, food, water, medications and other supplies to last for at least three days. Note that not all shelters are pet-friendly. If you’re taking a pet, make sure the pet has a crate, food, water, leash, litter box (if needed) and any other supplies necessary for a three-day stay. All pets must be accompanied by their owners and owners must furnish proof of recent vaccinations.

Manatee County officials are scheduled to give a 3 p.m. update from the Emergency Operations Center which can be viewed live on YouTube and Facebook.

While Idalia is not currently forecast to make a direct impact on Anna Maria Island, county officials warn residents and visitors to keep an eye on the weather and watch as models of the path of the storm are updated throughout the day. Keep checking back to this post for the most up-to-date information from The Sun.

Beach parking garage fight continues

Beach parking garage fight continues

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

MANATEE COUNTY – In the aftermath of a Manatee County Commission work session discussing the building of a parking garage at Manatee Beach, city and county officials continue to make their thoughts known on the hotly debated project.

During the Aug. 14 work session, county Commissioner Jason Bearden said that the beach parking garage should be “the top priority for the county.” This would rank the proposed three-story parking structure at the county-owned beach in Holmes

Beach, with an estimated 900 parking spaces at a cost of $30-50 million, higher than parking garages at the downtown Bradenton county administration building, among others.

Manatee County commissioners stated the garage would provide beach access for everyone in the county, which has almost half a million residents. Anna Maria Island is a 7-mile-long barrier island that is 1 mile wide at the widest point. According to Holmes Beach police, who patrol the Manatee Beach parking lot, the lot has more than 400 parking spaces with hundreds more located within a quarter mile of the public beach access, the only one in the city with restroom, shower and concession facilities.

The current downtown garage has an estimated lifespan of less than two years due to structural issues. A presentation on the plans for that garage estimates that it will cost about $100 million to construct and, once complete, would potentially have two stories of office space for county staff and parking for both the administration building and the downtown business and entertainment district at large.

Bearden’s comments were echoed by Commissioners James Satcher and Kevin Van Ostenbridge.

Commissioner George Kruse stated that while he’s not in opposition to putting a garage at the site, he doesn’t feel that it’s the project that’s most needed in the county right now. He was the sole member of the county commission who opted not to move the project forward into the design phase at this time.

After the meeting, Kruse released a statement reiterating his position on the proposed beach parking garage. He said that while the county has heard many reasons from residents why the garage should not be built, personally, he has two reasons why the project should slow down, not speed up. The first reason, Kruse said, is the cost of the parking garage versus other needs in the county that could better serve a larger number of people. Some of his examples include failing infrastructure across the county, the planned Fort Hamer Bridge, which he said would help more than 21,000 people a day in their commutes and cost approximately $60 million, and the planned downtown parking garage, all of which are currently awaiting funding.

Kruse went on to say that these projects could better enhance the quality of life for more county residents than a few hundred parking spaces at the beach.

During the county presentation, staff said there are approximately 300 surface parking spaces at the county beach available. If the garage is built, it will remove those spaces, along with the concession stand, retail stores, restrooms, bar and showers, for a minimum of 18-24 months. The new facilities would be incorporated into the bottom level of the garage, providing about 900 parking spaces on the property for beachgoers.

While the county presentation listed Manatee Beach as having about 300 parking spaces, Holmes Beach officials state that the existing parking area has 406 spaces. When first proposed, Van Ostenbridge said the beach garage would have 1,500 or more parking spaces. County staff said it would have a maximum of 900 spaces, increasing parking at the public beach by 496 spaces according to the city or 600 according to the county.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer, whose officers patrol the beach property, also issued a statement following the county work session. In his statement, Tokajer said that even during heavy beach days, such as over spring break, there were regularly 100-300 parking spaces available in the city for beachgoers that went unused. He also noted that if the garage is approved, lanes need to be installed along the sand for first responders and law enforcement personnel to be able to respond to an emergency situation.

“Approving this garage will truly put you on the wrong side of history,” he said. “You will be ruining the character of the Island, the experience that past guests have had and future guests expect. Destroying a beautiful landmark with open space, a natural environment filled with trees and nature, replacing this historic site with a massive concrete public safety nightmare.”

In addition to concerns about being able to access beachgoers in an emergency, Tokajer has also expressed concerns about patrolling the garage structure itself and traffic and safety concerns due to the congestion caused by a larger number of people trying to get in and out of the garage at the same time.