Nestled just off the edge of Perico Bayou, a slender body of water that connects Tampa Bay and Palma Sola Bay, Perico Preserve would appear to the unversed as an extension of the wetlands that rim Perico Island.
The island, and hence the preserve, were named after one of its earliest residents, Perico Pompon, a Cuban fisherman who operated a rancho on the island in the early 1840s. By the 1880s settlers had established numerous homesteads on the island. Those early settlers established fruit farms and grew oranges, pineapple and guava. The island was also home to a large fish camp.
Eventually, a wooden bridge (recreated at Robinson Preserve) was built to connect the island to the nearby community of Palma Sola. A post office was established on the island in 1891 and a hotel was built that offered boat excursions to take advantage of the area’s bounty of game and fish. In the early 1920s, a bridge was built that connected Perico and the mainland to Anna Maria Island. The new bridge increased traffic and tourism to Perico, which grew into a popular destination for tourists eager to explore the region.
Since the 1960s, Perico Island has been the setting of many legal battles between developers and residents who wish to maintain the natural resources of the island. One of those battles resulted in a compromise between the developers of Perico Island and Manatee County which led to the purchase of the property where the preserve sits.
The transformation of Perico Preserve from farmland to the beautiful mix of habitats that can be seen today is a story of recreating a coastal wetland that resembles historical Manatee County. A review of the 1970s-era environmental assessment of the impacts of future development (now in place) points to the importance of preserving as much land as possible.
Next week, I’ll talk about the transformation of farmlands to Perico Preserve and those responsible for this Manatee County jewel.
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.
PERICO ISLAND – The brand-new Compass by Margaritaville hotel on Anna Maria Sound opened its doors July 15 with the first guests checking in mere minutes after opening.
Hotel staff, management, ownership and representatives from Margaritaville, Hostmark, Compass, the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce gathered the afternoon of July 17 to celebrate the soft opening of the hotel. The ribbon was cut, marking the official opening before all of the dignitaries retired to the lobby where they enjoyed non-alcoholic margaritas and received coins to mark the occasion. The coins feature the Compass logo and the exact coordinates of the hotel when one stands in the center of the logo inlaid in the lobby floor.
A grand opening celebration is tentatively planned to take place in August when the hotel and the adjacent Floridays Woodfire Bar and Grill are both open to the public. The restaurant is expected to open later in July.
Already open is the Compass Bar and Chill, an indoor restaurant located near the pool area where guests can be served outside or enjoy breakfast, lunch, drinks and light bites on the pool deck. The pool, with its view of the marina at One Particular Harbour and Anna Maria Sound already featured the first of its Friday and Saturday night live music shows when local favorite Eric Von played the first show July 17.
The hotel features 113 hotel rooms along with 10 suites, many with views of the marina and balconies where guests can enjoy the sunset over nearby Anna Maria Island.
Located at the entrance to the One Particular Harbour development on Perico Island, the Compass hotel is the first of its kind and is just over the bridge from Gulf beaches.
In addition to the pool and restaurant options, the hotel also features a meeting room, gym and lounge area with a snack bar where guests can grab a drink or light bite on the go.
For more information, or to book your stay, visit Compass.
PERICO ISLAND – You’ll soon be able to waste away in Margaritaville in a new way at One Particular Harbour.
The first ever Compass hotel is coming to the newly opened marina at One Particular Harbour. Representatives from Floridays Development Company, Minto Communities, Margaritaville Holdings and Compass came together at the site March 15 for a groundbreaking ceremony complete with stilt walkers, a steel drum player and gold shovels. The six-story, 123-room hotel is planned to open in early 2020 and feature a free-standing Floridays Restaurant and Grill that will be open to the public.
A stilt walker and steel drum player welcome guests at the groundbreaking ceremony. – Kristin Swain | Sun
“This is a watershed day for us at Margaritaville, it really is. We couldn’t be more excited about launching the Compass brand. If you want to know what Margaritaville really all is about, all you have to do it turn around and look, so that’s a perfect place for our first Compass,” said John Cohlan, chief executive officer of Margaritaville Holdings.
Rooms are planned to feature modern, nature-inspired designs with Margaritaville’s signature bedding, oversized bathrooms with rainfall showers, smart television and luxury onsite amenities. While staying at the hotel, guests can enjoy a daily breakfast buffet, cocktail happy hour, high-speed wi-fi and an outdoor pool area overlooking the marina.
One Particular Harbour is a condominium development and deepwater marina located within the Harbour Isle development on the northwest side of Manatee Avenue on Perico Island. The development features waterfront homes overlooking Anna Maria Sound. For more information, visit the sales center located at the front of the development at 12300 Manatee Ave. W. or go online to Minto’s website.
The new marina at One Particular Harbour Margaritaville will have a grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 9 from noon to 4 p.m.
The opening of the deep-water marina will include a number of festivities, including live bands, aerial artists, a water ski show, hors d’oeuvres and stilt walkers. Attendees also will be invited to tour the marina, model homes and the Harbour Isle Beach Club. Boats from Cannons Marina, Erickson Marina, Galati Yacht Sales and MarineMax will be on display.
The new marina features a Ship’s Store, 55 wet slips for boats up to 45 feet and an enclosed dry dock facility capable of holding 128 vessels up to 42 feet. Additionally, the marina has a floating fuel dock, detailing services, dockside water and electricity, air-conditioned restrooms, showers and laundry facilities.
The marina is adjacent to the Harbour Isle residences and the residences at One Particular Harbour Margaritaville. A 131-room hotel and Floridays Restaurant and Grill are still in the development phase for the location.
One Particular Harbour is being developed as a joint venture between Minto Communities and Margaritaville Holdings.
BRADENTON – Changes are approved and a two-building hotel is coming to One Particular Harbour on Perico Island with construction planned to begin in early 2019.
Representatives from owner Minto Communities appeared before members of the Bradenton City Council on Aug. 8 to ask for approval to reduce retail space from 17,600 square feet to 1,520 square feet, the size of the ship’s store already under construction near the dry dock space, and reduce the number of restaurants planned for the site from two at 17,400 square feet to one at 7,500 square feet with 305 seats. The reason for these requested reductions is to convert the space to a hotel covering two buildings on the marina with a combined 131 rooms.
The building facing Manatee Avenue is planned as the primary building with 101 rooms over five stories. The secondary building, located directly in front of the marina, will have 30 rooms over three stories. With the updated site plan receiving unanimous support from both the Bradenton Planning Commission and City Council, Minto plans to break ground in early 2019 on the first COMPASS by Margaritaville Hotels and Resorts.
A rendering shows what the marina side of the proposed Floridays restaurant will look like once built. The restaurant is planned to face Manatee Avenue with the other side overlooking the One Particular Harbour marina. – Submitted | Minto
COMPASS is a new brand underneath the Margaritaville umbrella. It’s being developed by Sarasota-based Floridays Development Company and is planned as an “upscale boutique select-service hotel brand” according to an Aug. 8 press release.
Myra Schwarz, the city’s Planning and Development Coordinator, said the site plan amendment was found compatible with the Bradenton Comprehensive Plan and is compatible with the surrounding area. The project was approved July 18 in a unanimous vote by city planning commissioners. Schwarz said the reduction in retail space and addition of the two hotel buildings increases the floor area ratio of the project by more than 20 percent, requiring it to come before city council members for approval. The floor area is increasing from about 64,000 square feet to 122,120 square feet. She said the demand on city services, such as water and sewer, will more than double with the updated project plan, however, she also said the city is able to meet the demand.
Planner Darenda Marvin, representing Minto, said that while the floor area of the commercial segment of the project is increasing, the plan isn’t to increase the footprint of the planned buildings much but to build up instead. Marvin said that after retail and restaurant tenants for the site didn’t come to fruition, Minto and Margaritaville decided to go in a slightly different direction with the project.
This map shows where the marina, restaurant and two hotel buildings, along with a ship store are planned for placement at the One Particular Harbour site. – Submitted | Minto
“This is the kind of project I like to see in the city,” Bradenton City Councilman Bemis Smith said, adding that it’s “innovative.” Smith did question if a hotel is allowed in the marina’s Planned Development Project zoning and if a hotel could be placed at the site if the marina was not there.
Under the city’s definition for a marina, it allows for lodging for vessel owners, crews and guests. Marvin said she expects the primary visitors to the hotel to be boat owners and guests to the marina.
Once constructed, the hotel at One Particular Harbour will be one of only two full-service hotels west of downtown Bradenton. The other is the Waterline Marina Resort and Beach Club hotel on Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach.
In approving the project, council members also approved a reduction in side setbacks allowed for each of the hotel buildings, though it does not affect the setbacks from Manatee Avenue. For the primary hotel building, Marvin said the planned setback from Manatee Avenue is 150 feet from the right of way. All of the commercial buildings are located at least 300 feet away from any of the development’s residential buildings.
“That’s a beautiful view going over that bridge and seeing that development,” Councilman Gene Gallo said, adding that he doesn’t see the proposed changes to One Particular Harbour as an issue visually or for the traffic traveling along Manatee Avenue.
“The traffic on Manatee Avenue is by far not the fault of that development,” he said.
Smith said he thinks the Minto marina is a better fit for the area than the old one that was at the Perico Island site along with a 7/11 store and a Leverocks restaurant.
“I think this is a step up,” he said. “I think it’s a great move.”
Perico Bayou, in all its backwater splendor, is one of the subjects on display in an exhibit of art by local anglers this month at the Studio at Gulf and Pine in Anna Maria.
BRADENTON — For everyone who’s ever thought of visiting Margaritaville, the dream’s about to come true at Harbour Isle on Perico Island.
Minto Communities and Margaritaville Holdings are partnering on a neighborhood in the 220-acre Harbour Isle community on the western end of Perico Island overlooking Anna Maria Sound.
The neighborhood, dubbed One Particular Harbour, will feature 132 luxury residences, 30,000 square feet of commercial space for restaurants, retail and entertainment establishments and a marina with 55 wet slips and 128 dry slips.
Construction on the marina has already begun and is expected to be completed in 2018.
The new neighborhood is touted to bring the Margaritaville relaxed vibe to the private island community. Homes in the neighborhood will be within walking distance of the marina and commercial space, sharing amenities including the Beach Club at Harbour Isle with the other community neighborhoods.
Homes in the One Particular Harbour neighborhood are planned to start in the high $400,000s with two- and three-bedroom floor plans available. Units range in size from 1,483 to 1,650 square feet under air. The residences will be located in the Marina Walk section of the neighborhood.
“The Marina Walk residences on One Particular Harbour will provide owners with walkable access to boating, dining and entertainment on Florida’s last private island in one of the most iconic Gulf Coast settings,” said William Bullock, senior vice president of Minto Communities in a June 7 press release. “There is no other place like it.”
Residences in the Marina Walk section of the neighborhood are already available for purchase.
One Particular Harbour marks the third partnership between Margaritaville and Minto. Two other developments are planned in Hilton Head and Daytona Beach.
Harbour Isle is at 12300 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. For more information, visit www.OPHMintoUSA.com or call 888-827-3061.
Eventually, a wooden bridge (recreated at Robinson Preserve) was built to connect the island to the nearby community of Palma Sola. A post office was established on the island in 1891 and a hotel was built that offered boat excursions to take advantage of the area’s bounty of game and fish. In the early 1920s, a bridge was built that connected Perico and the mainland to Anna Maria Island. The new bridge increased traffic and tourism to Perico, which grew into a popular destination for tourists eager to explore the region.
