ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The water main that broke on the Manatee Avenue Bridge on June 19 is back in service, Manatee County officials say.
As work ensued on the broken pipe, another pipe continued to supply water to the Island from the south. Residents of the Island were asked to conserve water as repairs were underway on AMI’s main water source. Those requests have been rescinded, according to a July 6 Manatee County press release.
Island customers were told on June 19 that they may experience intermittent drops in water pressure due to the emergency repairs on the broken 16-inch water main.
“Cooperative coordination with Manatee County Utilities staff and local contractors kept construction delays to a minimum and provided maximum access to motorists during the recent holiday weekend,” according to the press release.
More work will be taking place along the drawbridge over Anna Maria Sound and in the area over the next several weeks to permanently reposition the main along the span.
Crews also will be in the area removing the old pipe from the water. Details of that work have yet to be finalized.
In a June 29 press release, Manatee County officials advised that “Construction equipment will remain on site as the contractor will need to remove the old water pipe that fell into Anna Maria Sound. It is not anticipated that this work – which may begin as early as the week of July 10 – will require lane closures on Manatee Avenue.”
Residents and visitors will be notified of any road closures or traffic impacts associated with the ongoing work.
Vehicular and pedestrian traffic across the bridge has returned to normal after being reduced to one lane from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Friday, June 30. Motorists were advised then to use the Cortez Bridge or Longboat Key Bridge to the Island. Boaters were asked to travel only through the channel underneath the bridge to avoid interference with the workers.
For more information, visit mymanatee.org or call 941-748-4501. Follow the county on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ManateeGov.
PALMETTO – A recent study shows the contaminated water from the 2021 Piney Point spill, which contributed to algae blooms and red tide in Tampa Bay waterways, traveled farther than originally thought.
According to the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP), a chemical signature from the spill was found more than 30 miles away, in St. Joseph Sound near Tarpon Springs.
Immediately after the spill in 2021, SBEP partnered with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the University of Florida and the University of South Florida to set up a series of sites to monitor existing conditions and determine the extent of the spill’s impact, according to the SBEP.
Results of that collaboration among agencies showed evidence of algae blooms and high concentrations of red tide in the months following the spill.
“A chemical signature, unique to the Piney Point effluent, was also found at a location in St. Joseph Sound, originally chosen to be a reference site, as it was assumed to be far enough away from the spill to avoid impact,” according to the SBEP website. “This was not the case as evidence of the Piney Point spill was also found at this location.”
In 2021, FDEP authorized the intentional emergency discharge of 215 million gallons of wastewater from the former phosphate plant into Tampa Bay to avoid a potential flood after a leak was discovered in the waste storage system. Surrounding homes and businesses were evacuated.
From March 30 to April 9, 2021, the wastewater poured into the bay, adding an estimated 186 metric tons of nitrogen, exceeding typical annual nitrogen loads in a matter of days, according to a report released by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. The nitrogen worsened toxic cyanobacteria blooms that peaked in June, followed by a bloom of toxic red tide algae that caused fish kills, triggering the cleanup of more than 1,600 metric tons of dead fish, according to the report.
Last March, Manatee County Utilities crews began disposal of those waters into a permitted injection well.
The well, drilled to a depth of 3,300 feet below land surface, was completed by Fort Myers-based Youngquist Brothers Inc., working with consultants ASRus of Tampa and Manatee County Utilities staff. By collaboratively working with the FDEP, crews were able to expedite the well work, which was completed in late 2022.
The well holds Piney Point’s process water in a confined saltwater aquifer over a half mile below the surface under the Floridan aquifer, the state’s drinking water source.
The phosphate process water will continue to be drained from the reservoirs atop nearby phosphogypsum stacks as the plant is permanently closed, and will be pre-treated before injection.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commission are not yet willing to sign a proposed interlocal agreement that would allow Manatee County to use the City Pier as a water taxi stop.
The county hopes to start its Friday, Saturday and Sunday water taxi service using two covered pontoon boats shuttling between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island this summer. The proposed route for the county-funded service includes multiple stops per service day at the City Pier, the floating dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier and the Coquina South boat ramp in Bradenton Beach.
During the June 8 city commission meeting, Murphy said he recently received the county’s latest draft of the interlocal agreement, which City Attorney Becky Vose had already briefly analyzed. Murphy said he was sending the proposed agreement to the city commissioners for them to review before accepting, rejecting or revising the agreement at a future meeting.
The original draft agreement the county introduced earlier this year stated the county would pay for any Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other water taxi-related improvements made to the City Pier.
Murphy and the city commission responded with a revised agreement that proposed the county also be responsible for the ongoing maintenance of any water taxi-related improvements made to the pier.
The agreement Murphy recently received strikes out the city’s recommended revisions and again proposes the city pay for the ongoing maintenance of any water taxi-related pier improvements. The county’s proposed agreement also stipulates the city must reimburse the county for any such improvements if the city signs and later opts out of the water taxi agreement.
Murphy noted the county agreement, as currently written, is supported by the Bradenton Beach and Bradenton city commissions.
The new finger docks alongside the Bradenton Beach Pier will accommodate the county water taxis. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“I’m disappointed with what I received. They basically threw our agreement out and now they want us to hurry up and approve this. There’s some things in this agreement that need serious consideration. It doesn’t bear any resemblance to what we sent out,” Murphy told the commission.
“I hate to be obstinate. I’m not trying to be. I want to be cooperative, but this can’t become carte blanche. The pier is the center of our universe here. There’s things in here that don’t make business sense. I’ve got to have a complete understanding of exactly what they have in mind,” Murphy said.
Murphy said he and Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione have had many discussions about the proposed water taxi agreement, but no one else from the county staff contacted him or Vose when crafting the proposed agreement.
Murphy plans to meet with county staff within the next week or so. He asked the city commissioners to review the agreement on their own and provide him with any feedback they want shared with county staff.
Murphy said he’s not trying to “poison the well” but he doesn’t believe it’s in the city’s best interest to act quickly and enter into the proposed agreement as currently written.
Throughout the ongoing water taxi discussions that the county initiated in February 2022, the mayor and commission have insisted the water taxi service provide transportation for Island employees for free or at a discounted rate. The county agreement does not specify any fare rates for water taxi passengers.
“If we refuse to sign their onerous agreement, we could still get some workers coming up to the city by way of Bradenton Beach and then the trolley,” Commissioner Jon Crane said.
During Thursday’s meeting, the commission took no formal action on the county’s proposed agreement.
Manatee County has not yet provided the city with a plan that details exactly how the City Pier would function as a water taxi stop. – Joe Hendricks | SunDuring past discussions, Murphy noted the City Pier cannot be used as a water taxi stop without a city commission-approved interlocal agreement. He also noted the county must provide the city with a detailed plan that shows exactly where and how the City Pier would be used as a water taxi stop. To date, that plan has not been provided.
HOLMES BEACH – A new effort is rising to fight against a Manatee County and state-led effort to build a parking garage at Manatee Beach.
The effort is being led by a group of concerned city and county residents who hope to convince state legislators to abandon House Bill 947, the local bill backed by Rep. Will Robinson Jr. to circumvent the city’s building regulations and land development code to allow a 1,500-plus space parking garage to be built at the county-owned property located in Holmes Beach. The bill passed votes in both the Florida House and Senate without opposition.
As of press time for The Sun it had not been presented to Gov. Ron DeSantis for consideration. Legislators have until June 30 to present the bill. If the bill doesn’t get presented, it dies along with Manatee County commissioners’ immediate plans for the garage. If it is presented and DeSantis signs or ignores it, the bill becomes law upon signing or on July 1, whichever happens first. If he vetoes it, the bill goes back to the House for consideration during the next regular session.
The first part of the effort, spearheaded by Performance Analysis Expert Allan Levy along with a group of residents, is to sign petitions speaking out against the garage and to write DeSantis encouraging him to veto the bill if it comes to him for consideration.
If the bill becomes law, the second part of the effort is to focus on engaging Manatee County commissioners, who eventually would have to approve a budget, construction plans, building permits and a contractor for the project.
Another part, Levy said, is to make sure that all of the studies required for parking garage development are done in accordance with the law. Of particular note is a traffic congestion study which is required for any parking garage construction in Manatee County.
After observing the congestion created in Holmes Beach near Manatee Beach without the assistance of a large, three-story plus roof parking garage, Levy said his professional experience tells him that the structure would greatly increase congestion for beachgoers, not relieve it.
In fact, he said he believes his analysis will show the parking garage would create a condensed wall of traffic that would impede emergency personnel when responding to an emergency situation.
If emergency personnel couldn’t get to the site of an accident, fire, medical emergency or to medical care inland, Levy fears it could lead to dramatic increases in deaths.
He also believes the backup of traffic from the parking garage could cause driver delays of two hours or more to get back to the mainland.
Before retiring to the Anna Maria Island area, Levy used his skills for 30 years working with Fortune 50 companies to help them make sound, rational decisions. He’s using those same skills to analyze the problem of the parking garage to see what impact it will have on the area.
The group is hoping to join forces with Holmes Beach city leaders to fight against the parking garage, though no plans have been confirmed at press time for The Sun.
To sign one of the two petitions against the parking garage or learn more about the Paradise Lost effort, visit https://paradise-lost-109036.weebly.com/.
Summer is here and while you’re sitting on the beach you might not want to think about real estate fraud, but fraudsters may be thinking about you. Over the past few weeks, we’ve gone over different kinds of real estate fraud, but there’s more – lots more.
Deed fraud is something most people don’t even think about. How can someone get a lender to give them money against the equity of your home or indeed take over your identity? It might be easier than you think.
There are many identity theft monitoring subscriptions you can purchase that will alert you if there is a new credit check on your credit report or a new loan or credit card. I have one of these and it is very effective, if occasionally annoying, especially if your credit card has an unusual charge which you know about. Nevertheless, I, for one, think it’s a good investment.
The one thing that may be more difficult to be alerted about is deed fraud, another form of identity theft. Deed fraud occurs when someone steals your identity, forges your name on a deed and takes title to your home. This can be more difficult than it sounds to sort out even if you know about it quickly.
Every state has different regulations on executing a deed of sale, but a sure way to check to see if your deed has been tampered with, especially if you have reason to believe this is the case, is to search Manatee County property records. This is a simple and quick process that involves just entering your name and finding your property records. You will see immediately if the deed has been transferred to someone else just like when you sell or buy a property. It’s a nice little habit to get into once a month considering that identity theft is on the rise.
Another popular fraud is wire fraud starting with scammers checking online multiple listings. They wait for a pending sale then profile as many parties to the transaction as they can and research email addresses. When you purchase or sell a property these days, most of the transaction is done online. With so many people involved in the transaction, there is sensitive paperwork flying around the internet. It’s easy for even the most trusted person to make a mistake or not check details, leaving that up to you as the buyer or seller. Look over everything carefully, don’t just do your online signature and move on to the next page.
There are red flags to look for before you sign off and these are just a few of a long list: deletions, corrections or other alterations; someone other than the seller is shown on the sales contract; purchase price is substantially higher or lower than current market value; date and amount of existing encumbrances appear suspicious; real estate commission is excessive; chain of title includes an unknown interested party or the buyer and seller have similar names but haven’t disclosed a relationship.
Finally, you can keep up with scams by logging on to the FBI or the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force websites if you are suspicious of something related to your transaction or by emails you received online. Don’t open any emails that look official unless you’re positive it’s legitimate.
There are many anti-fraud acts enacted by states and the federal government. The most well-known one is the Dodd-Frank Act enacted in July 2010 as a result of the prior financial crisis. This act places regulation of the financial industry in the hands of the government to limit risk and enhance transparency. However, don’t assume everyone involved in a real estate transaction or an existing deed is competent and honest. As a homeowner and potential homeowner, you need to be proactive.
This may not be your favorite beach reading, but it is important.
HOLMES BEACH – Florida House Bill 947 has just one more stoplight to pass before it becomes law, being signed into law – or not – by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
If the bill is signed, Manatee County has the green light to build a three-story, 1500-plus space parking garage spanning the width and breadth of the county-owned parking lot at Manatee Beach. All existing facilities at the beach, including the concession stand, retail and restrooms, would be demolished, with new facilities located in the parking garage.
Some locals and visitors are not happy about what would be the end of an era on Anna Maria Island.
The concession building has been at the public beach for decades, with the roof once functioning as a community dance floor. And while some people don’t mind the potential changes, others don’t want to see the current parking area and concession building demolished.
Carolyn Brown shares a vintage postcard photo of the concession building at Manatee Beach along with a plea for lawmakers, “Please don’t destroy this gem.” – Submitted | Carolyn Brown
The place is important to former Holmes Beach mayor, former county commissioner and long-time Holmes Beach resident Carol Whitmore.
“I have fond memories of the concession area since 1969,” she said. “That was the beach of choice for the islanders to gather. I used to go in the cold months and lay where the patio is currently behind the wall so I was protected from the cold weather. When they had steps leading to the rest, but it was cut off, my daughter and I used to sit at the top being protected by the cold weather to get sun. At one point I lived on top of West Coast Surf Shop with my daughter and I will never forget the public beach and the concession stand area.”
“I have a lot of memories of the public beach,” Holmes Beach resident and charter fishing Capt. Scott Moore said. “Years ago, we actually used to be able to dance on top of the concession building. There were stairs going up to the top and you could see all over and see the sunsets. My biggest memories are of the fishing pier that was in front of the public beach. We miss that. It also made for great surfing. A lot of people would like to have it back so they could fish off it. I know people don’t like changes, but I don’t care about the parking garage. Give my pier back.”
The owners of the West Coast Surf Shop, Florida’s oldest surf shop at the edge of the parking lot where the proposed parking garage would be built, are not happy about the prospect of a three-story structure at the beach.
Ronee and Jim Brady have owned the surf shop at 3902 Gulf Drive for 59 years.
“We don’t need any more concrete,” Ronee said, adding, “We have miles of parking at Coquina Beach that’s been under construction for two years. What about that parking?”
Jim expressed concern about the additional traffic and infrastructure.
“We don’t have the infrastructure for more cars,” he said. “The beach holds 500 cars, at the intersection going to the beach there are 35,000 to 40,000 cars a day and it’s congested. At another 1,000 cars with three people per car, there just isn’t enough room.”
Ronee recalls the dances on the concession roof in the 1960s and 70s.
“They used to have steps going up to the top and they had dances up there,” she said. “That building has a lot of history and that’s a shame to lose it.”
A crowd gathers well before sunset on May 11 to listen to live music, eat dinner and enjoy the view at the Anna Maria Island Beach Café at Manatee Beach. The beach café building, along with restrooms and a retail shop, is planned to be demolished as part of a plan to build a parking garage at the site. – Kristin Swain | Sun
Tanner Enoch, whose family has owned the Manatee Beach concession for the past 12 years, is taking a wait-and-see approach.
“We have a good partnership with Manatee County. We work with the county and we appreciate their ongoing effort to make improvements,” Enoch said. “Right now, my understanding is they’re seeing if they’re able to do this. I’m not super concerned.”
Enoch said his family’s beach concessions at Manatee and Coquina Beaches employ around 70 people.
“We’re happy with what we have here and we hope it doesn’t change anytime soon,” he said.
While too young to see it personally, Enoch said he has seen old pictures of the beach concession building when it had a rooftop dance floor.
More than 200 people took to The Sun’s Facebook page to have their voices heard.
“We’ve been vacationing there for years and plan to buy a home eventually,” Kensy Carter said. “If the parking garage happens, we will have to find a new spot. I can’t imagine how crowded the beaches would be. The quaint vibe we love so much would be ruined.”
“Ever since moving to the Island in 1999, we have enjoyed eating at the Manatee Beach café,” Suzanne Lansing Moderhak said. “Our kids/grands call it ‘pancakes on the beach.’ We have met our Canadian friends every Wednesday night for years during season for dinner to eat and listen to the music. We are very disappointed in the decision to tear it down for 2 years while an unnecessary parking garage is built.”
“This cafe and beach area is an iconic part of AMI, with decades of memories for so many!” Laura Lynch said, adding that she feels having a concrete parking garage as the first impression of Anna Maria Island for visitors is “a travesty,” a sentiment echoed by many others, including Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth, who led opposition to the garage.
Multi-level parking garages are not an allowable use within the city of Holmes Beach, where Manatee Beach is located, unless commissioners approve a special exception.
Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge took his plan to build a parking garage at the county-owned beach to the local state legislative delegation when he concluded that Holmes Beach commissioners would not approve the use. Legislators gave his plan their unanimous approval, translating the request into a bill that passed both the state House and Senate. DeSantis can choose to sign, veto or ignore the bill, which would put it into law automatically.
If the bill becomes law, Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse said he estimates it would take about a year to get shovels in the ground to start construction of the parking garage if it’s approved by a majority of county commissioners.
Estimated to cost around $45 million with at least a two-year construction time, the garage would have to have paid parking to pay for construction and upkeep, estimated at $2 per hour per vehicle, Van Ostenbridge said.
PALMETTO – Even though Anna Maria Island and most of Manatee County dodged the worst of Hurricane Ian last year, there were still plenty of lessons learned, and the community was reminded of how much of a threat a major hurricane is to the area, especially those living on the barrier islands like AMI.
Even with the storm turning in its final hours of approach to the Island, many still went close to a week without power and there was significant wind damage. To help the community be better prepared for future hurricanes, Manatee County hosted the Third Annual Hurricane Preparedness Expo on May 18 at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto.
The expo featured more than 50 booths with valuable information about how to survive a storm. There was plenty to take away from the event, but the theme echoed by most experts was to be prepared, take watches and warnings seriously, and when told to evacuate, to do so as quickly as possible.
There were rescue vehicles from multiple agencies that do search and rescue in the county, law enforcement was on hand to answer questions and dozens of vendors were on hand to answer questions about everything from stormproof doors and windows to how to take care of pets during a disaster.
“We begin to mobilize long before a major storm hits the area,” said Gary Weinstein, of the Red Cross Manatee County. “Getting food, water, medical supplies and other anticipated post-disaster necessities is vital to help those in need after the storm.”
Carolyn Nielson of the Manatee County Salvation Army echoed the Red Cross regarding being prepared and being ready to step in when needed. The Red Cross had its relief truck on hand at the event.
“We come out and not only get food and water to people in the community that need us, but we also serve first responders and those helping in the effort after a storm who work long hours to serve others,” Nielson said.
Sun Coast Blood Center was on hand as well, and stressed the need to give blood before a disaster hits.
“It takes a bit of time for blood donated to be processed, so waiting until after a disaster isn’t the best option,” Sun Coast Blood Center’s Whitlie Turner said. “Now, before hurricane season, is when we really encourage people to come out and give blood.”
On May 19, Suncoast Aqua Ventures conducted the first-ever underwater cleanup of the Manatee River’s downtown bridges. Partners for the event included Keep Manatee Beautiful, Force Blue Special Ops Veterans, Reef Innovations, Dive, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s dive team and the Ocean Conservancy. A total of 40 divers, 35 kayakers, three personal watercraft and numerous other landside volunteers were on hand to assist in the cleanup.
As one would expect, there was lots of fishing debris found around the Green Bridge fishing pier. The take included fishing nets, tackle and fishing poles.
A volunteer retrieves a ladder from the Manatee River near the DeSoto Bridge. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun
The railroad and DeSoto Bridge yielded a variety of debris, including the remnants of a boat that sank at the Bradenton Boat Docks. Other items included a stove, sink, refrigerator and AC unit. In addition, what appeared to be the contents of a kitchen were removed from the bottom, including a coffee pot, cookware, dishes and a fire extinguisher as well as four ladders, bicycles, traffic cones, a trolling motor and numerous car and boat batteries.
Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown was on hand helping with the effort and provided six City of Bradenton public works helpers to assist with trash removal from the dock staging area.
Also on hand providing support was the city of Bradenton and Palmetto police and Palmetto Mayor Shirley Bryant.
Event sponsors included Waste Pro, Marriott International, Chris Craft Boat Builders and Mila’s on the Manatee.
Suncoast Aqua Ventures was founded in 2017 by scuba divers and friends Troy Brown and Cheryl Huntsinger. The duo was motivated to take action after witnessing the plethora of human trash littering the underwater environment they love.
From its humble beginnings, the passion spread to other divers which resulted in their annual competitive “Reef and Beach Cleanup,” formerly held every year at the Bradenton Yacht Club. In 2023 it will be held at a new location, SeaBreeze Park, 55 Horseshoe Loop Road in Terra Ceia.
Over the past six years, dedicated volunteers have removed over 50 tons of trash from coastal waters.
The group has formed successful alliances with other organizations that share their vision of the responsible stewardship of our coastal ecosystem. School service organizations, corporations and municipalities throughout the area have come together to support their cause. Now the organization has expanded to doing monthly targeted cleanups and post-hurricane events. Over time, they have motivated hundreds of volunteers to make a difference in restoring the beauty of our fragile ecosystem.
You can join their efforts and learn about upcoming events online.
According to Lawrence Yen, whom I quote frequently, “It’s a unique market condition.”
Coming from the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, this is saying something considering all of the other unique markets we’ve lived through. This particular unique market is the continuation of a lack of inventory even though sales are down in most areas of the country including many parts of Florida, as well as ours.
The problem is that a large portion of homeowners in the country don’t want to sell. This group may actually want to sell and move on to a larger family home or retire to a smaller home, but they feel they are locked into very low-rate mortgages. The “golden handcuffs” homeowners find themselves locked into are keeping the supply of homes for sale unusually low.
The lack of properties is not the first time this has happened. The sub-prime mortgage crisis slowed things down, as did COVID-19 when buyers rushed to snap up larger homes when remote work and school necessitated more family space.
So, what happens when supplies go down or at least don’t go significantly up? Supply and demand kicks in and prices go up. A healthy housing market is traditionally described as having four to six months’ supply of homes. Right now, Manatee County is at 2.7 months for single-family homes.
However, builders are getting a boost from the lack of resales and are starting to build again now that the supply chain is improving. And home improvement contractors are also benefiting since those homeowners who are staying put are expanding and remodeling.
According to the mortgage data firm Black Knight, as of March 31, nearly two-thirds of primary mortgages had an interest rate below 4%. In addition, about 73% of primary mortgages have fixed rates for 30 years; these mortgages are “golden” and something homeowners won’t easily give up. Current mortgage rates are approximately in the mid-6% range and have fortunately been steady for a while.
The April sales statistics for Manatee County were released at the end of last week so it’s time to report what the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee published.
Single-family homes in Manatee County hit a record median sale price of $570,000, 10.7% more than in April last year. This surpasses the previous record for median home prices, meaning so far, our local market continues to be strong relative to the country as a whole. Here’s the rest of the story.
Single-family homes closed with 4.3% fewer properties from April of last year. The median sales price was $570,000, up 10.7% from last April, and the average sale price was $735,779, up 0.9%. The median time to contract was 28 days versus five days last year. New pending sales were up 30.2% and the month’s supply of properties was 2.7 months.
Condos closed 15.8% fewer properties from April of last year. The median sales price was $380,795, up 8.8%, and the average sale price was $452,160, up 12.9%. The median time to contract was 27 days versus five days last year. New pending sales were up 4% and the month’s supply of properties was 3.5 months.
One of the advantageous side effects of this unique market is the fact that in spite of inflation and job layoffs, the housing market and housing prices may stay strong nationally. Not great news for marginal buyers or first-time buyers, but buyers with equity from a previous home and income to cover the additional mortgage rates will keep things afloat.
Unique can be a good or a bad thing; either way, we’re still struggling with a lack of inventory.
Manatee County citizens can take action by signing a petition to request that Gov. Ron DeSantis veto CS/HB 947 allowing Manatee County to permit a parking garage without meeting the Land Development Codes and Comprehensive Plans approved by the City of Holmes Beach. Sign the petition here.
SARASOTA – The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau’s (BACVB) Love it Like a Local campaign, launched in 2022, has helped visitors to Anna Maria Island and other area destinations understand the importance of protecting nature, waterways, wildlife, local businesses and beaches so future generations can enjoy unspoiled beauty for years to come. The latest evolution to this effort is a recently formed partnership with Leave No Trace, making Manatee County and the BACVB the first in Florida to partner with this organization.
According to the BACVB, Leave No Trace is an international non-profit organization that uses the powers of science, education and stewardship to ensure a sustainable future for the outdoors and the planet.
“With our Love it Like a Local campaign, we set out to educate visitors to the Bradenton area of simple actions they can take to leave less of a footprint. Through partnering with Leave No Trace, it gives us the opportunity to take our commitment to sustainable travel from a campaign to an integral part of who we are as a travel destination,” said Elliott Falcione, the executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “I urge our community to join us in working together to showcase this incredibly important message that will ultimately enhance the quality of life for our residents.”
On May 4, the BACVB invited local business owners and managers, conservationists, media and the public to join community leaders at a luncheon at the historic Powel Crosley estate in Sarasota in celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week. At this luncheon, the BACVB introduced a promotional five-minute video showcasing the Leave No Trace approach to sustainability and conservation. The video features commercial fishermen, business owners, members of the BACVB and others sharing a message about not only the history of the Manatee County coastal community but ways to ensure its future.
The video is available on the BACVB’s YouTube page or by searching “Leave No Trace guide to the Bradenton area” on YouTube. To learn more about the Love it Like a Local campaign.
TALLAHASSEE – With unanimous approval from 116 Florida state representatives, a local bill to build a parking garage at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach has moved to the Florida Senate for consideration. The Senate is the final stop for the bill before going to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk for final approval or veto.
The bill, presented by Manatee County Rep. Will Robinson Jr., sped through three House committees before going to the floor for a vote on April 27, despite opposition from local elected officials and residents. After passing the House, it has now been referred to the Senate rules committee for consideration.
The bill, which received unanimous support from the Manatee County legislative delegation when it was first proposed in January, has been a controversial topic on Anna Maria Island. If it becomes law, it will allow Manatee County officials to construct a three-story parking garage at Manatee Beach without seeking approval or permits from Holmes Beach officials, where the beach is located. It also would supersede the city’s land development code and building ordinances, which do not allow parking garages without a special exception. Capping the structure at three stories does maintain the city’s current height limitations.
The parking garage is a pet project of Manatee County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge and came as a result of tension between county and city elected officials stemming from streetside parking reductions in Holmes Beach.
To help protect the quality of life of city residents, Holmes Beach leaders enacted a long-planned residential permit parking-only zone on residential streets near beach accesses, with some streets closed to parking entirely due to the narrowness of the lanes. City leaders also recently adopted a four tires off the pavement parking rule to come in line with the parking regulations in Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria. These actions reduced available public parking by about 400 spaces with another 600 available until 5 p.m. daily for city residents only. Van Ostenbridge said the parking changes were a disservice to Manatee County residents and beachgoers.
The plan outlined by Van Ostenbridge would remove the 400-plus spaces currently available at the public beach along with the existing facilities including retail, restrooms and concessions, replacing them with a three-story garage with an estimated 1,500-1,700 parking spaces, new retail and concession areas and new restroom facilities.
The garage is estimated to cost around $45 million to build with construction taking at least two years to complete during which parking would not be available at the site.
To fund the ongoing maintenance of the garage, Van Ostenbridge said the parking spaces provided at the public beach would be paid parking. He estimated a fee of $2 per hour per vehicle. Titsworth said if that happens, the city will likely have to make street and public parking paid as well to avoid those areas being overrun by drivers looking for a free parking space.
In a final effort to get Robinson to pull the bill from consideration prior to the House floor vote, Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said she tried contacting him and sent him statistics showing parking remained available during spring break, along with a proposal to designate 220 parking spaces for Manatee County residents only. She said Robinson declined to consider any additional arguments or proposals until after the current legislative session ends.
BRADENTON BEACH – City Attorney Ricinda Perry told commissioners last week that they cannot promise to designate a reserved space for the proposed water taxi on the floating day dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier.
Manatee County’s long-planned water taxi service includes proposed stops in downtown Bradenton, the City Pier in Anna Maria, the Bradenton Beach Pier and the county-owned South Coquina Boat Ramp in Bradenton Beach. The county has not yet announced an anticipated start date for its initial Friday, Saturday and Sunday water taxi operations.
Perry said she made a few changes to a proposed interlocal agreement recently received from the county. One significant change notes that the water taxi operations must comply with the state-issued sovereign submerged land lease for the existing floating dock and the nine additional perpendicular finger piers that will be connected to the south side of the floating dock later this month, or soon thereafter.
Perpendicular finger piers will soon be attached to the existing floating dock. – City of Bradenton Beach | Submitted
Perry noted the submerged land lease requires the free public dockage offered at the floating day dock to be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. She said the city can’t provide the county with a reserved water taxi landing area.
“There’s really nothing the city can do to give an exclusive spot to Manatee County or any entity on the floating dock. It’s got to stay first-come, first-served,” she said.
City commissioners unanimously approved the draft version of the city’s proposed interlocal agreement presented by Perry on April 6 establishing the city’s requests and requirements pertaining to the use of the pier area as a water taxi stop. The agreement addresses any improvements the county or its contracted water taxi operator, Clearwater Ferry, wish to make to the pier area.
According to the proposed agreement, “The county shall only be responsible for the costs of creating ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) -compliant dockage at the pier for water taxi use. Subsequent maintenance of the pier shall remain the responsibility of the city.”
The city of Anna Maria’s proposed interlocal agreement with the county calls for the county or its contractor to cover the cost of any ongoing maintenance and repairs associated with any water taxi-related improvements or enhancements made to the Anna Maria City Pier.
Mayor John Chappie and Commissioner Jake Spooner said covering the ongoing maintenance costs would be Bradenton Beach’s contribution to the county’s water taxi service. Chappie also said he’s more comfortable with the city’s Public Works Department overseeing any maintenance or repairs needed on the pier or floating dock.
At this point, it’s not known what, if any, improvements the county might request. One potential safety improvement discussed was the installation of safety railings on the floating dock. The floating day dock doesn’t currently feature safety railings running along the length of the dock, but there are railings along the ramp area that leads from the floating dock to the elevated pier.
City Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said she’s shocked that the floating dock doesn’t have safety railings.
Spooner noted it would be difficult to access the floating dock by boat if railings existed along the southern edge of the dock that boaters tie up to. He also questioned the logic of installing railings on the backside of the floating dock, which is not accessible by boat.
Chappie said he doesn’t see the need for safety railings on the floating dock, but if the county installs them, the city will maintain them.
Perry told commission members they didn’t need to worry too much at this point about the specific improvements the county might want to make.
The proposed Bradenton Beach agreement notes, “The county agrees to provide a detailed plan in advance to the Bradenton Beach City Commission for approval showing the proposed landing area on the pier and any ADA-related modifications or improvements required.”
The commission-approved interlocal agreement is to be returned to the county for further review, which could result in additional revisions requested by the county.
BRADENTON – Adding to the many abandoned boats littering local waters is a cabin cruiser that has run aground at Robinson Preserve.
A local resident who asked not to be identified contacted The Sun to express concern about the vessel in the hopes that its owner could be found and would take action toward its removal. The resident said the boat has been in that location since January and has not shown any activity except for the disappearance of four marine batteries that had been set on the stern.
At low tide recently, the hull and swim platform were sunk deep in the mud next to the mangroves in the Anna Maria Sound end of the preserve at the far northwest corner of the walking trail. The stern door was open, a bicycle was laying on the bow and a tattered windsock flew above the vessel.
The Can Do III out of Siesta Key/Sarasota, a 34-foot Californian, was likely built in the late 1970s or early 1980s. From the shore, the hull identification number is not visible.
“Derelict vessels are a priority for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The Division of Law Enforcement’s Boating and Waterways Section is spearheading a multi-year effort to dramatically reduce the backlog of derelict vessels currently on the waters of the state,” said Ashlee Sklute, public information coordinator for the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement. “Unfortunately, derelict vessels continue to be documented by law enforcement on an ongoing basis. These vessels cause the destruction of valuable seagrass resources and endanger marine life. They also threaten human life, safety and property as they drift on or beneath the surface of the water or block navigable waterways, posing a navigational hazard to the boating public.”
The removal process for an at-risk vessel is typically different from that of a derelict vessel, Sklute said.
“It is significantly less expensive to remove an at-risk vessel than a derelict vessel, primarily because an at-risk vessel, by definition, is still floating,” she said.
To help boat owners dispose of unwanted at-risk vessels before they become derelict, the FWC is accepting applications for a Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP). The program went into effect in 2022.
“The program is still active and staff have received numerous applications from at-risk vessel owners who wish to participate in this innovative program,” Sklute said.
In order to qualify for VTIP, a vessel must be floating upon waters of the state of Florida and cannot be determined derelict by law enforcement. The owner must have received at least one written at-risk warning or citation and possess a clear title to the vessel. To apply for or view program guidelines, visit FWC online or call the FWC Boating and Waterways Division at 850-488-5600 for more information or to report an abandoned or potentially derelict vessel.
PALMETTO – Two years after an intentional discharge of contaminated water stored in ponds atop the Piney Point phosphogypsum stacks, Manatee County utilities crews will begin disposing of the remaining wastewater in a new deepwater injection well.
Operations will begin next week, according to a March 28 statement from Manatee County Information Officer Bill Logan.
The well will hold Piney Point’s process water in a confined saltwater aquifer over a half mile below the surface under the Floridan aquifer, the state’s drinking water source. The phosphate process water, which will be drained from the reservoirs atop nearby phosphogypsum stacks, will be pre-treated before injection. Work on the pre-treatment facility has been underway since earlier this year, according to Logan.
Local environmental group ManaSota-88 opposes the deep injection well on several grounds, including that wells are subject to failure, and that leaks of the contaminated water – which is also slightly radioactive – could poison the state’s drinking water.
ManaSota-88 is among five environmental groups, including Sarasota-based Suncoast Waterkeeper, that sued the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Piney Point owner HRK Holdings LLC on June 24, 2021 seeking to hold both responsible for negligence in managing the site. A pretrial conference is scheduled on July 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa; a trial is scheduled for Aug. 7.
In a separate lawsuit, HRK Holdings was sued by FDEP in Manatee County Circuit Court in 2021, a case that remains open with no hearings scheduled.
In 2021, FDEP authorized the emergency discharge of 215 million gallons of wastewater from the former phosphate plant into Tampa Bay to avoid a potential flood after a leak was discovered in the waste storage system. Surrounding homes and businesses were evacuated.
From March 30 to April 9, 2021, the wastewater poured into the bay, adding an estimated 186 metric tons of nitrogen, exceeding typical annual nitrogen loads in a matter of days, according to a report released by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. The nitrogen worsened toxic cyanobacteria blooms that peaked in June, followed by a bloom of toxic red tide algae that caused fish kills, triggering the cleanup of more than 1,600 metric tons of dead fish, according to the report.
The well, drilled to a depth of 3,300 feet, was completed by Fort Myers-based Youngquist Brothers Inc., working with consultants ASRus of Tampa and Manatee County utilities staff. By working with FDEP, crews were able to expedite the well project.
“The cooperation and collaboration with the DEP have been key in getting this project fast-tracked,” Manatee County Utilities Director Evan Pilachowski said. “We are so pleased that we are to this point in the process already.”
“We are excited to write the final chapter of this Piney Point story,” Manatee County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “The teamwork involved in this important project – from the receiver to the DEP, to the consultants and our hard-working staff – have brought this to fruition.”
