Tag: Rod & Reel Pier

New Rod & Reel expected to open this week

Written by Joe Hendricks on November 18, 2025. Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – If all goes according to plan, Oliver “Oli” Lemke will open The Rod & Reel restaurant in Holmes Beach on Friday, Nov. 21 at 8 a.m.

The Rod & Reel is located at 3246 East Bay Drive in the plaza space previously occupied by The Old Hamburg Schnitzelhaus. The new restaurant will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and beer and wine, operating as an extension of the original Rod & Reel Pier built in Anna Maria in 1947 and destroyed by the 2024 hurricanes.

Lemke owns and operates a brewery and four restaurants in Germany. He bought The Rod & Reel Pier from fellow-German Mario Schoenfelder and closed that sale on Nov. 21, 2023. He opened his first German-based brew pub on Nov. 21, 1999.

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW

The Rod & Reel in Holmes Beach is intended to bring back memories and continue the legacy of the original pier in Anna Maria. The revenues generated at the new restaurant will help fund the hoped-for construction of a new Rod & Reel Pier.

On Nov. 14, Lemke and Manager Adina Vasquez provided The Sun with a tour of the newly-renovated restaurant space that was nearly complete.

“We built it to remind people of the pier. We want people, as they come in, to have the impression as if they were on the pier,” Lemke said.

Painted by the local artist and muralist Chad “Cheeta” Ruis, a large mural covers the dining room wall to the right of the front door. The mural depicts the view of the pier and shoreline previously seen from the far end of the pier.

“If you look to your right, you’re looking toward the gate and the Island,” Lemke said of the mural that includes images of a hammerhead shark, manatees, a pelican flying overhead and people sitting on the pier benches – including now-retired longtime Rod & Reel Pier Manager Dave Cochran.

“He’s still a part of it,” Vasquez said of Cochran’s inclusion in the mural.

“It was really amazing how he did it,” Lemke said of Cheeta’s artwork.

On the opposite wall, four wood-framed video screens will provide a live webcam view of the Tampa Bay – as if you’re sitting in the old restaurant or bar looking out toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

“You look out the window and you see the bay,” Lemke said of the intended illusion.

The iconic wooden Rod & Reel Pier sign now hangs above the L-shaped bar and several engraved wooden planks recovered from the onshore debris field hang above the webcam screens.

Vasquez said many Rod & Reel artifacts were recovered by the Ross Built construction crew that already had a job site or two along the North Shore Drive shoreline, just west of the pier.

“They saved a bunch of stuff,” Vasquez said.

Near the front door is the old fishing rod holder that holds fishing rods recovered from the debris field.

A replica of a large hammerhead shark hangs on one wall and a grouper replica hangs on another. While pointing to the grouper, Lemke said grouper will continue to be a fixture of the Rod & Reel Pier menu that’s not expected to change much.

Lemke noted the interior paint colors are the same as the original location and the old restaurant waiting bench sits near the front door. The hallway walls leading to the restrooms are covered with old photos of the pier and the people who visited it during the past several decades.

Surfboard artwork is attached to the swinging doors that lead to the new kitchen that’s stocked with all new equipment.

Lemke said he originally envisioned doing minor renovations to the existing restaurant space but he soon realized a more elaborate renovation was needed.

As Lemke spoke, Bimini Bay Construction employee Tom Mineo applied a coat of clear epoxy resin to the sanded down bar top that will feature embedded photos.

“Tom’s been working hard putting this all together,” Vasquez said. She and Lemke thanked Bimini Bay Construction owner Steve Bergquist for all his help.

Vasquez said many of the previous Rod & Reel Pier servers are returning and she’s still looking to hire some additional kitchen help.

Lemke has an engineering and permitting consultant assisting him with the ongoing permitting process for the intended construction of a new Rod & Reel Pier.

“We’re still working on that permitting process,” he said. “We’re on our way, but our focus right now is getting this up and running. Season’s coming and we want to earn some money to contribute to replacing the pier. We’re going to bring sufficient funds from Germany and we’re talking to some banks too. That’s the plan and we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

“We knew it would take a long time to rebuild. How do we continue the legacy without the pier? How do we keep the community attached? How do we create jobs for the people that were working there?” he said.

The old Rod & Reel Pier bar was a gathering place where the regulars caught up on the local news and gossip while enjoying cold beers – and Lemke hopes that tradition continues.

“It’ll be an attractive place to drink a couple beers and eat good food,” he said. “Come on in. Every meal counts and we’re going have shirts that say that. Help us keep the legacy alive and help us rebuild the pier.”

Tom Mineo, right, applied clear epoxy resin to the bar top. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

Chad “Cheeta” Ruis painted the Rod & Reel Pier mural. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

Oli Lemke admires the old Rod & Reel Pier photos. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

The old waiting bench is going back in service. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

2024 hurricanes revisited; two piers remain closed

Written by Joe Hendricks on September 23, 2025. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – One year ago, Hurricanes Helene and Milton inundated Anna Maria Island, destroying two iconic piers, leaving only the Bradenton Beach pier standing.

On Sept. 26, Helene inflicted significant damage on the privately-owned, wooden Rod & Reel Pier and the two-story restaurant and bar building at the end of the pier. Helene stripped the pier of its wooden planks and wreaked havoc on utility lines that ran from the shoreline to the pier building, also damaged in the storm. The old wooden pier was badly damaged but remained standing.

Built atop hollow, spun concrete pilings, the city-owned Anna Maria City Pier fared much better during Hurricane Helene and appeared to have sustained minimal damage. But inspectors later determined the City Pier’s structural support system was weakened by Hurricane Helene.

During the evening hours of Oct. 9, 2024 and the early morning hours of Oct. 10, Hurricane Milton destroyed most of what remained of the Rod & Reel Pier and restaurant building, leaving behind some pilings and some support beams that now serve as seabird perches. Much of the Rod & Reel debris washed ashore at nearby waterfront homes.

Hurricane Milton obliterated most of the City Pier walkway and left stranded the still standing T-end buildings occupied by the City Pier Grill and the Mote Marine Science, Education and Outreach Center that remain closed with no pedestrian access until a new pier walkway is built. The destruction of the City Pier also left Anna Maria without a Gulf Islands Ferry stop.

Plans to rebuild

In late March, Rod & Reel Pier owner Oliver Lemke announced his plans to open a landbound version of the Rod & Reel Pier restaurant in the former Old Hamburg Schnitzel Haus space in the Anna Maria Island Centre in Holmes Beach. On Sept. 12, video was posted at the Rod & Reel Pier Facebook page showing the kitchen equipment being delivered. When contacted, Lemke said he expects to open the new Rod & Reel Pier restaurant in Holmes Beach in October.

With many financial and permitting hurdles to clear, Lemke hopes to one day rebuild the original Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria. To date, the “Help Us Rebuild Rod and Reel Pier” GoFundMe page has received more than $101,000 in donations from those who support those efforts.

A Sept. 20 visit to the Anna Maria location revealed a sign affixed to the closed Rod & Reel Pier gate that notes the pier was built in 1947 and destroyed by Hurricane Milton last October.

“We will rebuild,” the sign says.

Plastic flowers, a pair of sandals, an inflatable water toy, seashells and other items have also been attached to the gate that now serves as a makeshift shrine to the lost pier.

The city of Anna Maria and Mayor Mark Short recently received nine bid proposals from construction companies seeking the contract to replace the City Pier walkway. Short will soon present city commissioners with his recommended construction firm for the estimated $8 million pier replacement project that also includes repairs needed to restore the damaged and deteriorating T-end buildings.

Short hopes to have the City Pier reopened in October 2026 and the county hopes to install a new ferry stop alongside the pier around that same time.

In Anna Maria, hurricane lessons learned carry forward

Written by Joe Hendricks on June 2, 2025. Posted in Uncategorized.

ANNA MARIA – Last year, mayor Dan Murphy guided the city of Anna Maria’s hurricane preparation, response and recovery efforts. He was assisted by City Commissioner Mark Short and city staff. As mayor, Short now assumes those responsibilities.

The damage that Hurricanes Helene and Milton inflicted in Anna Maria included the destruction of the privately-owned Rod & Reel Pier and the partial destruction of the city-owned Anna Maria City Pier. The Anna Maria Post Office sustained significant flood damage and a temporary post office continues to operate in City Pier Park. Many homeowners and business owners were displaced and for some, the recovery efforts continue.

When running for mayor last fall, Short discussed what he learned from Murphy before, during and after the back-to-back hurricanes struck the city.

“I’ve learned that having that plan and that vision is critical,” Short said. “Having existing and positive relationships with vendors and going back to same vendors who have been there for the city during past hurricanes is mission critical. And getting things teed up immediately and not waiting. For us, it’s all about the main thoroughfares. You have to get that done first so people can get back to where they live. It’s about getting people back in the city and back to their homes so they can start their process. And having a city staff that’s been through these situations. They know the playbook and they know exactly what they need to do. It’s not a one man show. We have the right people in the right roles and they know their responsibilities from past experience.”

The city’s successful debris removal strategy included using the Bayfront Park parking lot as a centralized debris staging area. Much of the debris removed from the city rights of way was first deposited at Bayfront Park and later transported to the county landfill.

“You’ve got to get the debris away from the homes as soon as possible. Getting the debris off the streets and to a central location is mission critical. We also had diesel fuel trucks parked right here at city hall so the debris haulers can refuel right here and we’re not dealing with the logistics of them having to go find diesel fuel,” Short said.

Before Hurricane Helene arrived in late September, Short and Commissioner Charlie Salem requested the city’s Facebook page be used for the first time to provide hurricane-related information to the community.

“The last time I looked, the city had more than 11,000 followers,” Short said in November. “A lot of people I talked to said that’s their go-to source for information.”

Short said he also learned the importance of forming and maintaining good working relationships with state and county officials who can provide assistance when needed.

“When you need help, they deliver because of the positive relationships that already exist,” he said.

Sgt. Brett Getman leads the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Anna Maria Unit. When contacted last week, he said, “Hurricanes Helene and Milton both provided many challenges never faced before in Manatee County. These storms will undoubtedly leave lasting impacts on our community for years to come.”

“Hurricane Helene highlighted the critical importance of storm surge awareness and preparedness. The Anna Maria Unit took proactive efforts that included relocating vehicles, personnel and equipment; however, the severity of coastal flooding was widespread. The saltwater intrusion alone is a lasting concern, particularly regarding the impact on vehicles and infrastructure,” he said.

“While the Anna Maria Unit took the necessary precautions, some within the community did not take the storm surge warnings seriously enough. We hope this experience will encourage greater public responsiveness during future events,” Getman said.

“Hurricane Milton reinforced lessons learned from Helene regarding storm surge and further emphasized the importance of addressing high winds,” Getman said. “Milton demonstrated how quickly conditions can deteriorate and how crucial interagency coordination becomes, especially when residents and business owners seek to return to the Island. To address this, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office plans to post an Anna Maria deputy at the Manatee Avenue Bridge checkpoint in Holmes Beach. Our presence at this location will provide the necessary communication between the respective agencies on the Island. It will also improve the timeliness and safety of our local residents and business owners who wish to access their property,” Getman said.

“Looking ahead, I believe an increase in early public outreach and education on storm surge and wind hazards would be extremely beneficial. The more informed our community is, the more effective our response will be. If Anna Maria is struck again, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Anna Maria Unit will be prepared and ready to serve the community as it has been in the past.

“We ask everyone to embrace patience, especially in the immediate aftermath of a storm. The Sheriff’s Office and city officials need time to safely survey the Island, assess conditions and minimize safety concerns for reentry. During these critical hours, official social media platforms, including those of the city of Anna Maria and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, will be your most reliable and up-to-date sources of information,” Getman said.

General Manager Dean Jones said, “Be prepared. Make sure you have all your supplies: flashlights, batteries, water, food and anything else you may need. Make sure your medications are refilled. Listen to emergency management. Listen to the TV or the radio and monitor social media. If you’re in an evacuation zone and told to get out, get out. It’s too dangerous and it’s not worth it to stay. Take care of your family and take care of your pets.”

Related coverage:
AMI Sun Hurricane Guide 2025

Report identifies cause of pier walkway failure

Written by Joe Hendricks on March 18, 2025. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – The combined impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused the Anna Maria City Pier walkway to fail, according to an inspection report provided by the George F. Young engineering firm.

Mayor Mark Short shared this information during the March 13 city commission meeting after receiving the requested report the previous week.

Short said the engineering firm concluded that during Hurricane Helene, the waves and storm surge under the pier walkway pushed the walkway upward and stressed the walkway and the concrete pilings supporting it.

“That loosened everything up and when the winds of Milton came two weeks later, that was all that was needed to blow it down and knock it over,” Short told the commission. “It was a combination of the two. It got stressed from the surge pushing from the bottom up and the winds came from the top down and caused the failure.”

Based on our observations, it is assumed that the pier piles failed due to a combination of wind, waves, and storm surge during the hurricane. The intense wave action and storm surge may have scoured the seabed, reduced the embedment depth of the piles, and
compromised their stability. Additionally, the piles may have experienced excessive bending and shear stresses from wind-driven waves, potentially leading to structural buckling or displacement. The combination of these factors likely caused the piles to lose their loadbearing capacity, resulting in the progressive collapse of the remaining portions of the pier.

The 35-page report later provided by Short contains the following statement on page 7: “Based on our observations, it is assumed that the pier piles failed due to a combination of wind, waves and storm surge during the hurricane. The intense wave action and storm surge may have scoured the seabed, reduced the embedment depth of the piles and compromised their stability.

“Additionally, the piles may have experienced excessive bending and shear stresses from wind-driven waves, potentially leading to structural buckling or displacement. The combination of these factors likely caused the piles to lose their loadbearing capacity, resulting in the progressive collapse of the remaining portions of the pier,” the report says.

During the March 13 meeting, Short noted the hurricane-damaged walkway was built to different specifications than the T-end of the pier occupied by The City Pier Grill and the Mote Marine Science Education and Outreach Center.

Completed in 2020 after Hurricane Irma badly damaged the T-end buildings, the T-end decking and the wooden pier walkway in 2017, the T-end of the pier features a concrete foundation built atop solid concrete pilings and supported by concrete bents. The T-end of the pier and the pier buildings suffered minimal damage during Hurricanes Helene and Milton but the missing walkway leaves the end of the pier isolated with no pedestrian access.

For cost saving purposes, the pier walkway completed in 2020 was built to lower specifications using wooden bents, stringers and support beams placed atop spun cast concrete pilings that are hollow in the center.

Short said the next step is the demolition and removal of the remaining walkway to be replaced with a new walkway built to higher specifications using stronger materials. According to General Manager Dean Jones, the new walkway will feature solid concrete pilings. Solid concrete pilings are generally more expensive than spun cast concrete pilings.

Short said the project engineers are about 60% done with the engineering and design work for the new walkway and the demolition and removal of the remaining walkway is the next step. A request for proposals (RFP) will soon be issued seeking proposals from demolition contractors. The RFP is currently being reviewed for full compliance with state and federal regulations.

Short said a FEMA assessment team recently spent two days assessing the damage to the City Pier and is now processing the city’s claim seeking FEMA funds for the pier repairs.

“FEMA will come back to us with their estimate of how much they’re willing to pay to rebuild the walkway. It’s going to take a little time, but we need to know from FEMA what they’re willing to put in. We’re also working with the state and county but FEMA is extremely important in this process. It’s mission critical that we understand where the money’s going to come before we get too far down the path of rebuilding the pier,” Short said, noting he could not estimate how long the FEMA review process might take.

As an alternative or additional funding source for the pier repairs, the city recently requested up to $8 million of the $252.7 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant awarded to Manatee County by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Emotional plea

When offering public input, former Anna Maria Island resident and current Island realtor Linda Moore said her family moved to Anna Maria in 1969 and lived on the property now occupied by the North Shore Café.

“We lived here for 40 years. We loved the pier,” she said.

Moore said she helped get four benches installed on the old City Pier and when the new pier was built, four new benches were placed in the same locations. Three of those benches survived the recent hurricanes.

Moore said an old newspaper photo of her parents used to hang inside the bar at the Rod & Reel Pier that was also destroyed by the two hurricanes.

“As a realtor here for 21 years and a member of Roser Church for 50 years, I can tell you the City Pier is very vital to tourism and the memories of all of us that have been here – the newcomers and those of us who are second and third generation,” she said.

Moore said she visited the Mote Marine facility two days before Hurricane Helene struck. Getting emotional on the verge of tears, she said she’d help raise funds from the private sector if needed for the pending pier repairs.

“I want to be involved,” she said.

“I think we all feel the same sense of urgency,” Commissioner Charlie Salem said. “I know all of us are committed to get the pier back up and running as soon as we can.”

Salem expressed hope that constructing the new walkway with stronger materials will help it better withstand future hurricanes and storms.

North Shore Café owner Colleen Geller told Moore she could place a memorial bench for her parents at the café that now stands where Moore’s parents once lived.

Hurricanes hit tourist development tax revenues

Written by Joe Hendricks on March 10, 2025. Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

BRADENTON – Featuring two new members and a new chairperson, the reconfigured Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) recently met for the first time this year.

On Feb. 24, the council welcomed Holmes Beach City Commissioner Dan Diggins and Palmetto Marriott Resort Managing Director Tony DeRusso to the council now chaired by County Commissioner Amanda Ballard and steered at times by Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (BACVB) Executive Director Elliott Falcione.

Topics of discussion included the post-hurricane decline in tourist development tax revenues, post-hurricane tourism marketing efforts and a request to use $570,000 in tourist tax revenues for the Gulf Islands Ferry operations.

Tourist tax revenues

Michele Shulz, Director of Field Services and the Collections Department for the Manatee County Tax Collector, provided an update on the tax revenues generated by the 6% tourist development tax levied on hotel, motel, resort and short-term vacation rental stays (including Airbnb and Vrbo rentals) of six months or less in Manatee County. A significant portion of tourist tax revenues is generated on Anna Maria Island.

In November, Manatee County voters approved increasing the 5% tourist tax to 6%. The increase took effect on Jan. 1 and is expected to generate an additional $7.8 million in tourist tax revenues during the current fiscal year. The 6% tax is paid by lodging guests, collected by the lodging providers and remitted to the tax collector’s office monthly.

TDC members review proposed tourist tax expenditures and make recommendations to the county commission that controls the use of the tax revenues, which, by state statute, can only be used to promote tourism and fund tourism-related projects and improvements.

Last year, tourist tax revenues exceeded $30 million for the first time.

“Out of 67 counties, we feel like we’re now in that elite group,” Shulz said. “That’s a testament to Elliott and all the work he’s been doing.”

She then addressed the hurricane impact on tourist tax revenues and said the county collected $1.21 million in November and $1.83 million in December.

“For November, we were down 17.71% and for December we were down 16.6%. I think January through April’s really going to tell the tale on how those areas are recovering that were really hard hit,” she said.

Shulz said the tax collector’s office had 8,645 active tourist development tax accounts in its system. She said about 100 accounts were deactivated between October and December because account holders were unable to rent their properties but 200 new accounts opened up.

“It’s a very fluid number. In a week, we might have a different number,” she said, noting that short-term rental units continue to come online as repairs are completed.

Comparing January 2024 to January 2025, Shulz said tourist tax collections countywide decreased about 9.3%, from $2.64 million to $2.4 million. She said the 1% tax increase and tourist tax revenues generated elsewhere in unincorporated Manatee County helped lessen the revenue gap.

Post-hurricane marketing

Falcione said he’s often asked why the BACVB continues to market Anna Maria Island and Bradenton when these areas are already so well-known on a national and a global level.

“My consistent response is to prepare for the next adversarial occurrence,” he said.

He mentioned the severe red tide outbreak in 2017 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as past adverse events that have impacted tourism.

Regarding the back-to-back hurricanes, Falcione said, “It could have been a lot worse.”

BACVB Marketing and Communications Director Kolby Gayson then discussed the tourism-related marketing strategies employed as recovery efforts continue.

“These storms left us with a wake of damage we had not seen before. It left our barrier islands with devastation we have never experienced,” Gayson said.

Gayson said she and her team focused on three main points: Perception, messaging and how to recover lost visitation.

Gayson said two particular images symbolize the hurricane damage on Anna Maria Island: the fallen yellow multi-story home in Bradenton Beach and the destroyed Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria.

“This yellow house was on its pillars after Helene. Milton came through and knocked it off. Still to this day, people love to take pictures of it. This one image continues to perpetuate a negative image of destruction,” Gayson said.

She then referenced the Rod & Reel Pier that was badly damaged by Hurricane Helene and destroyed by Hurricane Milton.

“You have a landmark that also is no longer in existence. That is something that has an emotional connection to visitors. When they see that it’s gone, they associate that with the state of the entirety of the destination,” Gayson said.

She noted the county used and uses social media influencers and out of state media outlets and publications to help promote the current status of the Island and the Island businesses.

Ferry expenditures

The TDC members unanimously recommended county commission approval of Falcione’s request to spend up to $570,000 in tourist tax revenues for county-contracted Gulf Islands Ferry operations.

Falcione seeks $350,000 for operational costs for the ferry operations that will soon include a larger third ferry boat that’s expected to begin service in July. He also seeks $120,000 to upgrade the Riverwalk Day Dock in downtown Bradenton for the overnight docking of the third ferry boat and up to $100,000 for renovations to the floating dock at the Bradenton Beach Pier that serves as a ferry landing.

When welcoming Diggins to the council at the beginning of the meeting, Falcione referenced the ongoing efforts to implement a Gulf Islands Ferry stop in Holmes Beach.

“Dan was an incredible steward working with our team to try to accommodate the water ferry in Holmes Beach. He hasn’t given up yet and we haven’t given up yet. We’re excited that you’re on the TDC,” Falcione said.

Ferry service to Anna Maria is discontinued until the hurricane-damaged City Pier is repaired and reopened or the county installs a standalone ferry landing between the pier and the Lake La Vista jetty.

Related coverage:

Diggins, DeRusso join Tourist Development Council

TDC discusses post-hurricane marketing

Anna Maria: Year in Review

Written by Joe Hendricks on December 30, 2024. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

DEBRIS REMOVAL

Mayor Dan Murphy, City Commission Chair Mark Short, General Manager Dean Jones and City Clerk LeAnne all played vital roles in the city of Anna Maria’s privately-contracted hurricane debris removal efforts that earned praise from residents and state officials. Agnelli’s Pools & Construction owner Frank Agnelli and his crew also played a significant role in the debris removal efforts.

PIERS DAMAGED

Hurricane Helene badly damaged the Rod & Reel Pier’s wooden walkway. Hurricane Milton then finished the destruction of the iconic pier and restaurant/bar owned by Germany-based brewer and restaurateur Oliver Lemke, who hopes to rebuild the pier and restaurant. As of Dec. 27, the “Help Us Rebuild Rod and Reel Pier” GoFundMe page received $86,702 in donations.

After Hurricane Milton, Ross Built Construction co-owner Lee Ross reunited United Kingdom residents Shira and David Schiller with a memorial plaque recovered from the pier wreckage. The plaque honors the Schiller’s deceased 10-year-old son, Max.

The city-owned Anna Maria City Pier survived Hurricane Helene with minimal damage but Hurricane Milton then destroyed a 75- to 100-yard section of the pier walkway completed in 2020 as part of the pier replacement project necessitated by the pier damage that Hurricane Irma inflicted in 2017.

The City Pier will remain closed until the repairs are completed. Mayor Dan Murphy initially estimated the repair costs might be in the $3 million range. In November, the city commission approved a $347,660 contract for the inspection, engineering, permitting and project oversight services to be provided by the George F. Young engineering firm. The city has not yet solicited bid proposals from contractors seeking the pier repair contract.

FERRY SERVICE

Manatee County’s Gulf Islands Ferry service began in January with stops at the Riverwalk Day Dock and the Anna Maria City Pier. Service to the Bradenton Beach Pier began in February.

After being disrupted by hurricanes Helene and Milton, ferry service between Bradenton and Bradenton Beach resumed on Nov. 1. Ferry service resumed at the recently installed temporary ferry landing near the hurricane-damaged City Pier on Dec 26.

RENTAL REGULATIONS OPPOSED

Assisted by a Tallahassee-based lobbyist, and using the city-owned Home Rule Florida website that generated more than 20,000 opposition letters and emails sent to state legislators and Gov. Ron DeSantis, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and City Clerk LeAnne Addy were at the forefront of the successful campaign waged statewide in opposition to the Florida Legislature’s latest attempt to preempt short-term vacation rental regulation to the state and strip Florida cities of their local regulatory rights. In late June, DeSantis vetoed the proposed vacation rental legislation.

COMMISSION RECONFIGURED

In January, Kathy Morgan-Johnson and Gary McMullen were appointed to fill two vacancies on the Anna Maria City Commission. In November, Dan Murphy ended his 10-year tenure as Anna Maria’s mayor.

After defeating former commissioner Brian Seymour in the mayoral election, former City Commission Chair Mark Short became Anna Maria’s new mayor. Running unopposed, McMullen and first-time candidate Chris Arendt also earned two-year terms in office.

In November, citing hurricane displacement, damage and a desire to leave the Island, Commissioner Jon Crane tendered his immediate resignation and vacated the remaining year of his current commission term. In late-December, Seymour and John Lynch submitted applications seeking the commission appointment to be made in early January.

MILLAGE REDUCED

In June, Mayor Dan Murphy proposed reducing the city of Anna Maria’s ad valorem property tax millage rate from 2.05 to 1.82 mills. When discussed again in late July, Murphy proposed lowering the millage rate to 1.75 mills. The city commission majority later adopted an even lower 1.65 millage rate – the largest known millage reduction to ever occur on Anna Maria Island, according to Murphy.

COMMISSION ACTIONS

In 2024, the Anna Maria City Commission supported allowing leashed dogs in City Pier Park (except during city-hosted special events), temporarily allowing business owners to use two sandwich boards signs and one flag or banner to promote their businesses during the ongoing hurricane recovery period, allowing three Anna Maria businesses to continue selling otherwise prohibited CBD and hemp products and supporting the yet-to-be-installed shade sails over the children’s playground at City Pier Park.

In response to concerns expressed by some business owners, the city commission in March pledged that the city would not impact the existing parking spaces along Gulf Drive by extending to the north the multi-use path that currently ends at Willow Avenue.

RESTAURANTS SOLD

In July, Ed Chiles sold his Sandbar, BeachHouse and Mar Vista restaurants to the Pinellas County-based Beachside Hospitality Group. The Manatee County Property Appraiser’s website lists the Daytona Beach-based Pine24 Oceanside SB LLC as the property owner for the Sandbar property in Anna Maria that sold for $16.4 million, the BeachHouse property in Bradenton Beach that sold for $9.6 million and the Mar Vista property in Longboat Key that sold for $5.4 million.

OPPAGA STUDY

2024 came and went without Anna Maria Island officials and residents being provided copies of the OPPAGA consolidation study requested in late 2023 by state legislators Jim Boyd, Will Robinson Jr. and others.

PASSINGS

In March, Bradenton Beach and Pines Trailer Park resident Ellen Scott passed away at 85. In May, Holmes Beach resident and Nautilus condominium complex manager Fritz Dahlquist passed away at 70. In June, LaPensee Plumbing, Pools and Air co-founder Mike LaPensee passed away at 79. In August, former City Pier bait shop bartender and longtime Bradenton resident Brian Blaine passed away at 51. In May, drummer John “Duncan” Edgar passed away in his early 60s. In July, lead singer, lead guitarist and bass player Zack Yoder passed away at 32.

BEYOND ANNA MARIA ISLAND…

COUNTY ELECTIONS

2,316 Manatee County voters switched their party affiliations to be eligible to vote in the Republican primary races that were decided in August. In the primary election, Island voters helped Tal Siddique defeat April Culbreath in the District 3 Manatee County Commission race. Island voters helped incumbent District 7 at-large County Commissioner George Kruse defeat then-District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge in the countywide District 7 race.

Island voters also helped former Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office Chief of Staff Scott Farrington defeat Gov. Ron. DeSantis’ appointee, James Satcher, in the supervisor of elections race. After his primary defeat, Satcher had four elections office employees terminated. In November, Siddique, Kruse and Farrington won their general election races.

SEWAGE DISCHARGES

In August, during and after Tropical Storm Debby, the city of Bradenton’s water reclamation facility discharged an estimated 25 million gallons of partially treated or raw sewage into the Manatee River. During that same period, the city of Sarasota discharged an estimated 18 million gallons of partially treated or raw sewage into Sarasota Bay.

In November, the city of Bradenton Beach discharged an additional 825,000 gallons of partially treated or raw sewage into the Manatee River and 2,000 gallons of raw sewage into Wares Creek.

In November, a 66-year-old Bradenton man had his leg amputated after contracting vibrio vulnificus (flesh eating bacteria) while fishing in Sarasota Bay near the El Conquistador Parkway.

Throughout the year, the Florida Department of Health issued multiple no-swim advisories for the Palma Sola Causeway area in west Bradenton and the Bayfront Park area in Anna Maria.

FORM 6 CHALLENGED

In February, the South Florida-based Weiss Serota law firm filed federal and state lawsuits challenging a new Florida law that required Florida mayors and city commissioners to file Form 6 financial disclosure forms that include the disclosure of one’s net worth, tangible assets and debts. Mayors and city commissioners were previously required to file the less intrusive Form 1 disclosure form and approximately 100 city officials statewide resigned before the new law took effect on Jan. 1, 2024. In June, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction suspending the Form 6 disclosure requirements for mayors and city commissioners. As of Dec. 31, the Form 6 disclosure requirements remained suspended pending a final verdict.

Son's Rod & Reel Pier memorial plaque returned to parents

Parents reunited with Rod & Reel Pier memorial plaque

Written by Joe Hendricks on October 18, 2024. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA – A memorial plaque that hung on a wall at the Rod & Reel Pier in memory of 10-year-old Max Schiller has been returned to his parents, United Kingdom residents Shira and David Schiller.

Shira and David live in London but spend five months a year at their second home in Longboat Key. Their daughter, Molly, 25, is a medical writer for a media corporation in London.

After Max passed away unexpectedly in his sleep in January 2015, his family learned he had an undetected, undiagnosed genetic heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the muscle wall of the heart.

Plaque returned

On Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton destroyed what remained of the Rod & Reel Pier and restaurant in Anna Maria after Hurricane Helene previously inflicted serious damage to the wooden pier in late September.

Much of the Rod & Reel’s Milton-related debris landed in the waterfront yards of several nearby residential properties to the northwest, along the 800 block of North Shore Drive.

A significant portion of the pier debris landed on two residential properties owned by the Clark family. Their two adjacent ground-level residential properties were already slated for future demolition and redevelopment as a single residential structure to be built by the Ross Built Construction, a local company owned by Holmes Beach residents Greg and Lee Ross.

“We have a job site a few houses down from the Rod & Reel Pier and a lot of the pier crashed into our job site,” Lee Ross explained. “The day after the storm (Milton), our client said we think the pier landed on our property. We asked our team to meet at the Clark residence first thing in the morning to salvage any wanted items and pier memorabilia before people started taking them. The first thing we found was the plaque. Our son, Jake, found it still screwed to the wall with some signs and other items, so he unscrewed it.”

Lee then joined the Anna Maria Island Facebook group and posted a photo of the plaque and the following message: “This washed ashore at our job site. Does anyone know this family? We would love to return it to them. And hopefully someday back to the pier.”

“Within probably 15 minutes, someone said here’s the story of Max,” Lee said. “I was covered in goosebumps. Others reached out to Max’s mom and dad and within in an hour and a half we found them.”

On Oct. 16, Lee, Jake and a few other Ross Built team members met the Schillers at the Clark properties to present them with Max’s plaque.

“We used to holiday out here all the time before we owned our place in Longboat Key,” David said. “Max and I used to fish on the pier. We used to eat at the restaurant and have a drink with family and friends. After Max passed away those were good memories. One of our friends got the plaque made and asked the owner if we could put it up on the pier. They had no problem with that and every time we come back we visit it.”

“It means so much,” Shira said. “So many people have lost so much but they still took the time to find this. I think it’s amazing.”

“Shira was crying when she saw the picture on Facebook of the pier destroyed,” David said. “We were really upset. And then, we were contacted by these guys via Facebook. It was incredible the amount of people who looked up who Max was. There are memorial pages and videos of him and we run our own foundation and charity in the UK which raises money to research hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the condition he passed from. It’s a really big deal that we got this back. We’re hoping they can one day rebuild the pier and this plaque, or a replica, will go back up.”

Having grown up on the Island, the Rod & Reel Pier holds many memories for Jake Ross as well. When asked about finding Max’s plaque, Jake said, “We were walking around the debris and I saw a piece of wall with three signs on it and the memorial plaque. We unscrewed the plaque and figured we could return it somehow. Right when I saw it, I knew they’d want it back. I’m glad we got it back to them.”

The return of Max’s plaque was also the subject of a television news story that night back in the United Kingdom.

Two takeaways

When asked, Lee also addressed the impacts Ross Built Construction and other contractors are dealing with in the wake of back-to-back hurricanes.

“Greg’s lived on the Island since 1966, so every bit of this is important to us and I’m proud of our team,” Lee said. “The two takeaways are: The ‘little things’ matter the most – and returning this plaque has been a bright spot for us and the community. And building codes are important. We used to complain about the building codes because they’re difficult and challenging and not always aesthetically pleasing, but none of our homes have any serious issues. Our homes did well and we’re proud of that. It’s important to do the work and build beautiful homes, but it’s the little things like this that truly impact people.”

Related coverage:

Rod and Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild

Rod and Reel Pier owner hopes to rebuild

Written by Joe Hendricks on October 18, 2024. Posted in Business, Featured, Restaurants | Bars.

ANNA MARIA – Rod & Reel Pier owner Oliver “Oli” Lemke hopes to rebuild the iconic pier and restaurant building that was badly damaged by Hurricane Helene and then destroyed by Hurricane Milton.

On the evening of Sept. 26 and the morning of Sept. 27, Hurricane Helene pounded the privately-owned wooden pier and restaurant building with high surf and powerful waves leaving the pier walkway in tatters but the restaurant building at the end of the pier still standing.

On Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton’s high winds smashed to pieces what remained of the Rod & Reel Pier and scattered its remains in the waterfront yards of several houses northwest of the pier. All that remains now is the famous Rod and Reel Pier sign, the locked front gate, and the skeletal remains of some pilings and deck supports.

At one point during Hurricane Milton, the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport measured a 120-mph wind gust and some locals suspect a tornado or waterspout may have inflicted the fatal blows upon the Rod & Reel Pier while also wiping out a significant chunk of the nearby Anna Maria City Pier walkway.

Lemke, a Germany-based brewmaster, brewery owner and restaurant owner, bought the Rod & Reel Pier from fellow German and longtime Rod & Reel Pier owner Mario Schoenfelder last November. He now faces the monumental task of rebuilding his investment.

When communicating with The Sun via email on Oct. 15, Lemke said, “There’s no definite plan on how to proceed yet. Right now, we are gathering information trying to assess our situation. We will do everything within our means to rebuild the pier, but there are many issues to conquer.”

When asked if the Rod & Reel Pier was insured, Lemke said, “There is no insurance whatsoever. The former owner never had the pier insured for hurricane or flood. I really tried hard to change that. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to get insurance on a building like this, over water.

“This is by far the worst blow I’ve had to take in my 25 years of business life. There’s not only a lot of money lost that we’ll have to pay off for many years to come, but it’s also terrible because I waited for many years to get the opportunity to invest in a U.S. restaurant that fit me so well, personally and business-wise,” Lemke said in his email.

No cost estimate has been provided yet for the potential Rod & Reel Pier replacement. In 2017, Hurricane Irma badly damaged the nearby city-owned Anna Maria City Pier. That pier replacement project completed in 2020 cost $7.3 million.

Help needed

After Hurricane Helene, Lemke organized the “Help Us Rebuild Rod and Reel Pier” GoFundMe online fundraising page. As of Oct. 17, there were 497 donations totaling $45,275.

The updated post-Milton GoFundMe page now says, “The pier has been an iconic part of this community for over 75 years – a place where locals and visitors alike come to enjoy fresh seafood, stunning Gulf views, great fishing and a taste of ‘Old Florida.’ But recently, our Island faced a devastating blow. Hurricane Helene hit hard, followed by Hurricane Milton which finished what Helene had started. On a Thursday morning, I got the heartbreaking call from our manager, Adina. The pier was gone. Seeing the photo of the destruction was one of the most difficult moments of my life. I know so many of you here understand what that loss feels like. It’s not just a building, it’s a place filled with memories, history and the spirit of Anna Maria Island.”

“We’re determined to rebuild the Rod & Reel Pier but we can’t do it alone. There’s no insurance to cover the damage, no big investor to back us up. It’s just us – the community, the visitors, the people who love this place – and we need your help to bring it back. This isn’t just about rebuilding a restaurant. It’s about restoring a piece of the Island’s soul and helping our team of over 40 employees get back on their feet. The pier is more than wood and nails: it’s a gathering place for generations of families, a spot where memories are made, and we want to ensure it continues to be that special place for generations to come,” the GoFundMe page says.

“To show our appreciation, we will engrave the names of those who donate $100 or more on a new wall of honor at the pier as an everlasting reminder of the community spirit that made this possible. Your support, whether financial or through spreading the word, will help us make the Rod & Reel Pier stronger than ever. Together, we can bring this beloved part of Anna Maria Island back to life,” the GoFundMe page says.

Related coverage:

Parents reunited with Rod & Reel Pier memorial plaque

Recovery process continues in Anna Maria

Vacation rentals still allowed in Anna Maria

Written by Joe Hendricks on October 6, 2024. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Prior to the approach of Hurricane Milton, Mayor Dan Murphy and city commissioners decided they would not enact a vacation rental moratorium.

Unlike the city of Holmes Beach, the cities of Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach are not enacting short-term vacation rental moratoriums. At the request of Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) has issued an executive order pertaining to short-term rentals.

On Wednesday, the Holmes Beach City Commission enacted a 45-day vacation rental moratorium ordinance that took effect immediately regarding current and pending vacation rental stays. The moratorium does not prevent vacation rental owners and management companies from renting their properties to displaced residents and other Hurricane Helene victims, and city officials encourage doing so.

On Monday, the Anna Maria City Commission reached a unanimous consensus not to enact a vacation rental moratorium. On Thursday, the Bradenton Beach Commission reached a similar decision.

Anna Maria discussion

On Sept. 30, Murphy told city commissioners he received a call from Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer earlier that day informing him the city of Holmes Beach was considering enacting a vacation rental moratorium and inquiring whether the city of Anna Maria had similar intentions.

“I don’t think it’s the right thing to do,” Murphy said. “If we were to pass such an ordinance, the state of Florida will call up all the abuses of power like they did after COVID, and they could potentially take away our ability to pass emergency ordinances in the future.”

He also said, “We would be meddling in the real estate business by forbidding vacation rentals.”

Murphy said he discussed a potential moratorium with Sen. Jim Boyd and Boyd suggested contacting the attorney general’s office first.

“If you pass something like that, forbidding vacation rentals, you’re going to get second-guessed all the way to the courthouse, not only by the state but by the realtors,” Murphy said when recapping his conversation with Boyd.

Participating by phone, City Attorney Becky Vose said, “I think it is wrought with all kinds of perils. Probably the biggest one that jumped out at me was the liability of the city for lawsuits for damages because cities, under the Florida Statutes, are not allowed to prohibit vacation rentals. You can do some regulation of them but not outright prohibit them. It’s one thing if the Island were closed, but if the Island’s open and you prohibit people from renting a vacation rental, I think we’d have a really good chance of losing in court; and there might be some serious financial consequences.”

Continuing, Vose said, “If it were to be construed as overreaching by the city, then it’s going to come back and bite us through the legislature. They have a history of coming back and biting us when they perceive we’re doing something that impinges upon vacation rentals, or businesses in general. From a legal standpoint, I think it’s a really bad idea.”

Participating by phone, Commissioner Kathy Johnson said, “I think it would expose us to Bert Harris lawsuits.”

Participating by phone, Commissioner Jon Crane said, “We just can’t put an iron curtain around the city.”

Commissioner Charlie Salem agreed and expressed additional concerns about hampering the economic recovery of Anna Maria’s tourist-reliant business and vacation rental community.

“Maybe a prohibition isn’t the best way to do that. I understand the sentiment behind it and I understand the risk as well,” he said.

Instead, Salem suggested using the city website and Facebook page to inform potential tourists of the realities they may encounter during the ongoing recovery process.

Salem, whose home was damaged, said, “It is not a fun place to be right now. Anybody thinking about a vacation here should consider that.”

Salem said it’s important to provide potential vacationers with credible information about what to expect when visiting Anna Maria during the recovery process.

Commissioner Mark Short agreed and said, “As long as we stick to the facts of what’s going on no one can accuse us of chasing people away. We’re simply stating here’s what it is.”

Short said it’s counterintuitive to allow someone from Bradenton to visit Anna Maria while prohibiting someone from New York, or any other destination, from doing the same thing.

The city of Anna Maria’s Facebook page now contains a status update that notes the city is still under a state of emergency and several factors need to be taken into consideration before traveling to Anna Maria at this time.

Those factors include limited access to the city due to a nightly curfew that remains in effect in Holmes Beach, traffic delays when entering the Island, restaurant and business closures, contaminated swimming pools, closed beaches and congested and debris-laden roadways.

“We hope to have our city back to normal soon!” the Facebook message says.

State order

Late Thursday morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference in Anna Maria in front of the heavily damaged Rod & Reel Pier. During the press conference, he announced the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) was issuing an executive order pertaining to short-term vacation rentals.

“We understand that housing is a challenge. If you had four feet of water in your house, even if it’s not a total loss, you’ve got to gut that drywall and there’s a rehab process,” DeSantis said.

“Today, I am announcing that I am taking executive action to temporarily lift time restrictions on rentals and we’re directing municipalities and counties to do the same. We have regulations – some of them local, some of them state – that require rentals to be greater than or less than 30 days depending on the locality. The bottom line is you may need less than 30 days if you’re rehabbing your home. Maybe you need a little bit more. If you are a victim of Hurricane Helene, those stipulations are lifted and you can rent what you need regardless of any arbitrary rules. This will help provide immediate housing for those who need it,” DeSantis said of the executive order applicable to all counties declared to be in a state of emergency due to Hurricane Helene.

In response to a question posed by The Sun regarding the Holmes Beach moratorium, DeSantis said, “If someone’s got a rental in Holmes Beach and you lost your home you have a right to enter into that agreement and do a 15-day rental or a 30-day rental or whatever you need. But it is limited to the people that were displaced from their homes. Obviously, these local municipalities have certain authority to do it how they want to do it for the general public, but for our storm victims, we want to give them as many options as possible.”

Another media member asked DeSantis what message should be sent to vacationers still planning or considering a visit to the Island.

“We want the economy to get back going,” DeSantis said. “We want people to be able to come. There may be some areas where it may be a little more challenging, but the goal needs to be to get people back up and get the tourism flowing again. There was a lot of storm surge and there’s been a lot of damage and they’re cleaning it up, but this is a beautiful part of the state. There are local issues I think they can work that out however they see fit. The state of Florida’s open for business.”

Holmes Beach curfew

When speaking to the Sun Thursday afternoon, Tokajer noted the city of Holmes Beach still has a nightly curfew in effect and a curfew checkpoint at the entry to the city via Manatee Avenue. The curfew is expected to remain in effect until the moratorium is lifted.

Tokajer said vacation rental guests headed to Anna Maria or Bradenton Beach are free to enter through Holmes Beach between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. but if they leave the Island and try to return after the curfew takes effect at 7 p.m. they will not be allowed through the Holmes Beach curfew checkpoint without a re-entry tag issued by one of the Island cites.

Related coverage:

Holmes Beach enacts vacation rental moratorium

Recovery process continues in Anna Maria

Written by Joe Hendricks on September 30, 2024. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA – As hurricane recovery efforts continue, the city’s focus shifts to debris removal efforts that began on Monday morning.

“Our top priority now is to get household goods out to the right of way and picked up,” Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said. “This is a long process and it will continue until it’s complete.”

Murphy said the first priority is removing the mattresses, furniture and other household goods and the two contracted debris removal companies will send trucks though most areas two or three times per week. There are also dumpsters located at Bayfront Park and debris can be taken there. For now, the removal of trees, palm fronds and other natural debris is a secondary concern.

The previously enacted re-entry checkpoint was suspended Sunday and the previously-enacted curfew was lifted Monday.

Damage assessment

Murphy and his wife, Barb, evacuated their Anna Maria home before Hurricane Helene arrived and he returned Friday morning to assess the damage and lead the recovery efforts.

“The city is severely damaged,” he said. “Almost every home, except the new and higher ones, likely had some water intrusion. My wife’s car went underwater and is destroyed. The homes along South Bay took on 2-3 feet of water, some maybe more. Most of the businesses, residences and the historical museum on Pine Avenue had water intrusion on the ground floor. In our city annex building, we had 6 inches of water but no extensive damage.”

A visit to the museum on Saturday revealed a brown line on the side door that indicated where the floodwaters rose to approximately 3 feet.

As of Monday morning, water and sewage service was restored, electrical service was mostly restored and the city streets were clear and accessible with one exception: “Sycamore Avenue’s washed out. It’s destroyed,” Murphy said.

“The beaches are eroded and dangerous,” Murphy said.

The City Pier reopened Monday morning despite some minor damage to the landing area used by the Gulf Island Ferry service. The City Pier Grill and Mote Marine outreach center didn’t open Monday.

Anna Maria General Store and City Pier Grill owner/operator Brian Seymour said he hoped to open his general store on Pine Avenue on Tuesday and the City Pier Grill soon. Ginny’s and Jane E’s Café owner Paul Foster anticipates reopening in a few weeks.

Murphy suspects the Waterfront and Sandbar restaurants sustained significant water damage.

Hurricane Helene inflicted major damage on the privately-owned Rod & Reel Pier. Most of the pier planks are gone, the utility lines are exposed and the restaurant building is damaged. A sign on the gate says, “Pier closed until further notice.”

Unlike previous storms, the city used its City of Anna Maria Facebook page to provide real-time updates and information before, during and after the hurricane.

Vacation rentals

Hurricane Helene’s impact on the vacation rental community will be significant. On Sunday, Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan said all their guests evacuated before the hurricane hit and were given refunds or used travel insurance to offset lost lodging days.

“We cancelled our guests through October and we’ll keep our November guests informed as we assess our properties. We just don’t know yet,” Duncan said. “I know we’re resilient and we’ll get back up but with the extensive damage to the restaurants and stores those people will need some time to recover; and our guests need something to do when they’re here.”

Duncan said those impacted by cancellations are being offered refunds or credits for future stays and many are opting for future stays.

“Most of our guests have been extremely accommodating,” she said.

“I would say 90-95% of the ground-level structures we handle are flooded and we do have some total losses. With the elevated rentals, it’s pool damage and other ground-level damage. Now that the power’s coming back on, we’re being very cautious with the houses that flooded. There was a house on fire on Oak Avenue about an hour ago,” Duncan said.

Duncan Real Estate is doing damage assessments for rental owners who don’t live in the area and will help their clients secure the services of contractors and other restoration professionals.

“Because we’ve had such mass damage, how hard will it be to get materials? The resources are going to be spread thin. There’s only so many contractors and there’s so much to rebuild. I think we’re in for a really long haul,” Duncan said.

The Rod & Reel Pier and restaurant remains closed until further notice. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

A Spectrum work crew worked well into Saturday evening as part of their service restoration efforts. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

The city of Anna Maria’s re-entry check point was established Saturday morning and Sunday. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

A generator powered city hall after the electrical service failed. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

German brewer buys Rod & Reel Pier

Written by Joe Hendricks on December 10, 2023. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA – German brewer and restaurateur Oliver “Oli” Lemke is the new owner of the iconic Rod & Reel Pier and restaurant in Anna Maria.

German businessman Mario Schoenfelder bought the Rod & Reel Pier in 1999 and sold it to his friend and fellow German businessman on Nov. 21.

In response to a Dec. 7 email inquiry from The Sun, Lemke wrote, “Having been a friend of Mario’s family for many years, I´ve known the pier for quite a while as a guest. After the closing of the sale on the 21st of November, I came over and stayed at the pier for 10 days to get to know the team, the guests and the atmosphere. Everything at the pier will stay the same. To me, it´s a little piece of paradise and I intend to keep it that way.”

Lemke is a brewmaster who has operated his own brewery in Berlin since 1999. In addition to his Lemke Berlin brewery, he also owns four restaurants in Berlin.

“I always wanted to extend my business to the U.S. because I´ve been a fan since I first touched U.S. soil in 1984 as an exchange student in North Carolina – so I took this chance. I plan to come to the pier about every 10-15 weeks,” Lemke wrote.

Longtime Rod & Reel Pier Manager Dave Cochran will continue in his managerial role.

“It’s new ownership but everything’s basically staying the same. It’s the same program. Oli owns restaurants and a brewery in Berlin, so he’s no stranger to the business,” Cochran said.

The Rod & Reel Pier’s upstairs restaurant provides a scenic view of the Anna Maria shoreline and Tampa Bay – a view that often features marine life swimming in the waters below.

The restaurant menu offerings include appetizers and several sandwiches, including the half-pound Pier Burger, the grouper sandwich and grouper Reuben and the Krab Cake sandwich. The main course menu includes a grouper dinner, garlic grouper, Mexican grouper, the Krab Cake dinner, a seafood combo, a shrimp dinner, a sea scallop dinner, fish and chips and more. The offerings also include soups, salads, side dishes and desserts.

The breakfast menu includes steak and eggs, several types of omelets, including a seafood omelet, pancakes, French toast and breakfast sandwiches.

The Rod & Reel Pier’s downstairs bar is a popular gathering place for visitors and locals alike, and a place where locals often drop by to discuss what’s happening on the Island.

Visit the Rod & Reel Pier online at www.rodreelpier.com. Visit the Lemke Berlin website at www.lemke.berlin.

Family seeks missing memorial bench plank

Written by Joe Hendricks on February 20, 2023. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Chris and Violet Morton seek the community’s help in locating an inscribed plank that was part of a memorial bench located on the Rod & Reel Pier.

The bench memorializes Adrienne Rae Bertrand, Violet Morton’s daughter and Chris Morton’s stepdaughter.

On Feb. 11, an elderly man drove his vehicle onto the Rod & Reel Pier and struck the memorial bench located about a third of a way down the pier. The vehicle did not fall into the water and was later removed from the pier. The driver was not injured and was believed to have experienced a medical incident at the time of the accident, according to a source with knowledge of what transpired.

Two of the three laser-inscribed planks that went missing as a result of the accident have been recovered, but a third inscribed plank remained missing as of Feb. 19.

The top plank that remains missing says, “Like the sun dances on the waves, your memory shall…”

Continuing the inscription, the middle plank says, “forever dance in our hearts. We love & miss you, Mommy and Chris.”

The bottom plank says, “Adrienne Rae Bertrand, May 30, 1990 – April 19, 2017.”

“Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies found the middle board on Bean Point and the bottom board was found by the city of Holmes Beach on 81st Street. We’re still missing the top board. We’re trying to get the bench rebuilt and we need that board,” Morton said of the bench that memorializes his late stepdaughter.

“If someone finds it, please contact us and we’ll come and pick it up,” he said.

Morton can be contacted via email at hunterdogbrown@yahoo.com.

Injured gator captured near Rod and Reel Pier

Injured gator captured near Rod & Reel Pier

Written by Joe Hendricks on October 17, 2022. Posted in Beach, Outdoors.

ANNA MARIA – An injured alligator came ashore near the Rod & Reel Pier on Oct. 8. After being trapped and removed, the gator was later euthanized due to its broken leg.

Dep. Patrick Manning of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Anna Maria Unit was among those to respond that day.

“We received a call about an alligator on the beach,” Manning told The Sun. “The day prior, we received a call from some construction crews in the area of the 800 block of North Shore Drive and they said they saw it. Three deputies, including myself, went up there but we could not locate it that day.

“The next day, a beachgoer called and said they saw it. I wasn’t shocked that it had come ashore, but it was kind of a shock to see it up on the rocks. The tide was very high, so I wasn’t concerned about people walking up to it at that time,” Manning said.

Through the county dispatcher, Manning reached out to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and provided the state agency with photos and video of the gator in its current location.

“Initially, they weren’t receptive to retrieving the reptile until I explained to them that when the tide goes out it’s near a beach access and a lot of people walk from Bean Point to the Rod & Reel to use the restroom or grab a beverage,” Manning said.

Manning said an FWC-contracted trapper showed up within 20-25 minutes and made quick work of capturing the injured gator.

“He said the reptile had a broken leg and he was going to take it to a facility where it could be rehabbed and released. The sheriff’s office doesn’t simply decide to pull out a gun and eliminate a native species of Florida. You try to find a way to get it to where it belongs,” Manning said, noting the gator may have been displaced from its freshwater habitat during Hurricane Ian.

Afterwards, the trapper changed his mind.

“Upon removing the 7-foot 9-inch alligator, the contracted nuisance alligator trapper realized it was injured and euthanized it,” said Tammy Sapp, of the FWC communications team.

“Maybe it was in saltwater for too long and was in worse shape and they couldn’t rehab it,” Manning said.

“While the American alligator prefers freshwater lakes and slow-moving rivers and their associated wetlands, they are seen in brackish water habitats occasionally. Alligators can swim in and tolerate saltwater for short periods of time, but it is not their preferred habitat,” Sapp said.

“Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida. FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP). The goal of SNAP is to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas, while conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur.

“SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation. FWC also works to keep Floridians and visitors informed, including providing advice about living with alligators,” Sapp said.

Rod & Reel Pier closes but quickly reopens

Written by Joe Hendricks on November 25, 2019. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA – The Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria reopened Saturday morning, Nov. 23, after being closed for two days to make repairs to the pier walkway.

The Rod & Reel Pier was closed on the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 20, due to a portion of the pier walkway slowly collapsing and sagging toward the southeastern edge of the pier due to a broken piling.

The impacted section of the pier was cordoned off with safety tape Wednesday morning, but the pier and the pier restaurant remained open. Rod & Reel Pier manager Dave Cochran said the repairs that would include replacing the broken piling, and that would require a barge that wasn’t available until later in the week.

Wednesday night, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said, “The Rod & Reel Pier agreed to a voluntary shutdown this evening due to the public safety hazard. The pier walkway stringer and support collapsed on the walkway. An emergency permit to repair the pier will be issued in the morning.”

On Thursday, Murphy said the city’s primary concern was public safety. He said he was pleased that the Rod & Reel management took it upon themselves to close their pier while making the repairs.

Late Friday afternoon, Building Official Luke Curtis provided Murphy with a status update via email.

“I have given the OK for the Rod & Reel Pier to open. An inspection was performed earlier and the structure is safe. They may still be putting the final touches on the work, but it is structurally sound. David, the Rod & Reel Pier manager, said he would be opening back up in the morning,” Curtis said in his email to the mayor.

Privately-owned pier

Mario Schoenfelder owns the Rod & Reel Pier and the restaurant and bar at the end of it. The city is not responsible for the maintenance and repair of that pier or its structures, but a city-issued permit was needed for the repairs, as was the post-repair inspection by Curtis.

Schoenfelder has also long served as the pier tenant of the nearby city-owned Anna Maria City Pier. The already-aging city pier was closed in 2017 due to damage sustained during Hurricane Irma.

Schoenfelder has until Dec. 13 submit to the city his final offer for a new long-term lease that would allow him to continue as the city pier’s tenant for the foreseeable future. Schoenfelder’s current lease expires in Dec. 2020.

The new city pier currently under construction is expected to open in Feb. 2020. The interior build-out of the new restaurant and bait shop buildings is expected to take place after the public is allowed to return to the main pier walkway and the T-end decking.

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Churches of Anna Maria Island

Churches of Anna Maria Island

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Churches of Anna Maria Island

Tag: Rod & Reel Pier

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW

Plans to rebuild

Emotional plea

Tourist tax revenues

Post-hurricane marketing

Ferry expenditures

DEBRIS REMOVAL

PIERS DAMAGED

FERRY SERVICE

RENTAL REGULATIONS OPPOSED

COMMISSION RECONFIGURED

MILLAGE REDUCED

COMMISSION ACTIONS

RESTAURANTS SOLD

OPPAGA STUDY

PASSINGS

COUNTY ELECTIONS

SEWAGE DISCHARGES

FORM 6 CHALLENGED

Plaque returned

Two takeaways

Help needed

Anna Maria discussion

State order

Holmes Beach curfew

Damage assessment

Vacation rentals

Privately-owned pier