ANNA MARIA – Elliott Falcione hopes to present Manatee County Commissioners with a proposed water taxi plan on Tuesday, Sept. 13.
Falcione, the director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, made that announcement when appearing before the Anna Maria City Commission on Aug. 11.
Without naming the water taxi company to potentially be contracted by the county, Falcione said the county has an experienced, Florida-based water taxi company in mind. If county commissioners approve the proposed water taxi plan, service between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island could begin as early as February.
Elliott Falcione provided Anna Maria Commissioners with a water taxi update on Aug. 11. – Joe Hendricks | SunFalcione said the county might request additional water taxi service during peak visitation periods and major holidays, and service might eventually be expanded
to five or seven days per week. He also said service might one day be expanded to include Longboat Key, Sarasota and/or Palmetto, where an eight-story hotel is currently being built near the convention center.
Falcione told the Anna Maria Commission the estimated trip from downtown Bradenton to the Anna Maria City Pier would take about 30 minutes, and another 20 minutes to travel from the City Pier to the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach.
Commissioner Mark Short estimated a round trip from downtown Bradenton and back would take about two hours and result in each boat making approximately four round trips per day.
Short said it’s important that the county-run Island trolley system be able
to accommodate the additional ridership created when dozens of water taxi passengers arrive at the City Pier and require additional ground transport to their desired destinations elsewhere on the Island.
Falcione said the water taxi fare might be in the $8-$10 range but those details are still being worked out. Falcione said Manatee County will subsidize some of the costs associated with the privately contracted water taxi service and those financial details are being handled by County Administrator Scott Hopes.
In reference to previous suggestions made by Mayor Dan Murphy and Commissioner Jon Crane, Falcione said restaurant, lodging and other service industry employees would be able to ride the water taxis for free, with some proof of employment needed.
Crane said it’s great that service workers would ride for free, but he’s concerned about the water taxis only running three days a week. He suggested expanding the days of service before expanding service to additional locations.
Falcione acknowledged that a water taxi service that runs three days a week and ends at 9:30 p.m. will not fully meet the transportation needs of the Island’s service industry employees – some of whom work until 11 p.m. or later.
Murphy said he loves the idea of service workers riding for free because they make up a significant percentage of those who travel by car from the mainland to the Island.
“One of the primary concerns of our residents, and our commissioners as
well, is that a water taxi should reduce congestion. It should have a positive impact on what’s coming across that bridge. If you can make it advantageous for them (the employees), I think you’ll really bring a great benefit to this Island,” Murphy said.
Commissioner Robert Kingan said service workers will also need free parking to make the service viable for them.
Falcione said county staff is working on that and there’s a parking garage in downtown Bradenton within walking distance of the Bradenton day dock.
The county-contracted water taxis are expected to resemble the boat shown in this photo provided by Elliott Falcione. – Manatee County | Submitted
When acknowledging the water taxis will also be used by tourists to travel between Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach, Falcione said, “There’s going to be people from Iowa or Indiana that just want to do it for entertainment purposes.”
Reiterating a point he’s made during previous discussions, Falcione said past research indicates 60% of the visitors who stayed in three downtown Bradenton hotels took day trips to Anna Maria Island during their visits.
Commission Chair Carol Carter
asked if the water taxi service would be marketed to visitors coming from nearby Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Falcione said that Convention and Visitors Bureau Marketing and Communications Director Kolby Gayson has already been tasked with making visitors and locals aware of the water taxi service and any associated parking accommodations.
Falcione sought and received informal city commission consensus authorizing the mayor to draft an interlocal agreement for the county’s use of the City Pier as a water taxi stop. Murphy said he would provide the city commission with a draft agreement for preliminary discussion on Thursday, Aug. 25.
BRADENTON BEACH – Manatee County hopes to have a water taxi service running to and from Anna Maria Island three days a week beginning in February.
On Aug. 2, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Elliott Falcione sent Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie an email update on the county’s efforts to secure a water taxi provider. Falcione’s email noted it was sent instead of an in-person update from Manatee County Public Works Director Chad Butzow and Falcione during the Bradenton Beach City Commission’s Aug. 4 meeting.
“We are close to an agreement with a Florida-based water taxi operator and hope to finalize a deal within the next 30 to 45 days. With that timeframe, two water vessels would be ordered and built hopefully for a February 2023 startup,” Falcione wrote in his email.
Falcione’s email stated the water taxi service would initially be offered from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The anticipated route is from downtown Bradenton to the Anna Maria City Pier to the floating dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier and then back again.
The floating dock alongside the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach is expected to be water taxi landing area. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Falcione’s email noted each vessel will be approximately 50 feet long and carry 35 to 45 passengers at a time. His email stated the ridership fee has not yet been established, but the county is considering free water taxi service for service workers who work on Anna Maria Island. The existing county-run free trolley and MCAT bus service will also be part of the overall transportation equation and will serve as a backup to the water taxi service in case of severe weather conditions and/or boat maintenance issues.
“We will set up a meeting with you soon to discuss docking logistics and your city approval process,” Falcione stated in his email to Chappie.
Falcione is scheduled to provide the Anna Maria City Commission with an in-person water taxi update on Thursday, Aug. 11. That meeting will begin at 2 p.m. or as soon as the 1:30 p.m. budget meeting ends.
The Anna Maria City Pier has been discussed as a potential water taxi landing area. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Formal city commission approvals will be needed from each city before the Bridge Street Pier and the Anna Maria City Pier are officially approved as water taxi landing areas.
During previous discussions, it was noted the public day dock along the Bradenton Riverwalk and east of the Green Bridge could serve as the downtown Bradenton water-taxi landing spot.
ANNA MARIA – Water taxi operators aren’t expressing interest in operating a water taxi service between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island.
Wednesday, March 30 was the deadline to submit a proposal to the Manatee County Procurement Division in response to the invitation to negotiate (ITN). No proposals were received.
Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione is among the staff members Manatee County Administrator Dr. Scott Hopes tasked with bringing a long-anticipated water taxi system to the county.
“As of yesterday, at the end of the day, the Manatee County procurement office did not receive a proposal,” Falcione said. “So, how are they handling it from this point moving forward? They’ve sent an email request to the vendors we previously sent the invitation to negotiate to. We hope to see where we can improve the solicitation process using any feedback they may have. That process has begun.”
“We’re still optimistic that we’re going to pursue a water taxi operation. We have to pursue this for the greater good of enhancing multi-modal transportation in our community. We’re going to interact with vendors who have done charters or similar types of businesses in our community to see what they need to move this thing forward,” he said.
“I don’t look at this as a negative. It’s part of a process and we’re going to do our best to make this happen. The Tourist Development Council embraces this, the board of county commissioners wants to move this forward and we know the municipalities in the county want enhanced multi-modal transportation. This is the best, first step we can take as part of that process,” Falcione said.
The opportunity to submit a proposal ended last Wednesday and has not been extended.
“That process is closed,” Falcione said. “Based on the feedback we receive, we’ll come up with plan B. The procurement office is looking at the law to see if now that we’ve gone out to solicitation with no bids do we have the opportunity to negotiate with vendors who have interest? We want to keep this moving forward. I’m sure I’ll know a lot more next week as to what we can and can’t do, but I know we’re going after feedback from the vendors we know who received the invitation to bid.”
The Sun asked Falcione if he was surprised that no proposals were submitted.
“This is new to me, so I can’t say whether I’m surprised or not. I’m a positive kind of guy and I’m not going to look at this as a negative. We’ve just got to keep on the pedal, communicate well, continue to work for the greater good and do all we can to meet the objective of getting a water taxi system going sooner than later,” he replied.
Does the lack of proposals signal concerns from the private sector about the financial feasibility of a water taxi operation between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island?
“No, because the invitation to negotiate was so open-ended. It was pretty much an opportunity for them to tell us what we need to get an operation going. There weren’t any specifics related to a water taxi operation. We’ll see if we missed something as we try to get feedback from the vendors that are licensed to do what we’re asking them to do and who really know this community. We’re going to take it one step at a time,” he said.
The initial lack of proposals may suggest a water taxi system may need to be operated by Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) as a county-funded public transportation service that is similar to the bus system.
“I think that’s an obvious option as we go through the process of finding out if this is a public/private partnership or is this a public operation? I think that could be a question at some point, but we’re still looking at this as being a public/private partnership,” he said.
Falcione invites interested people to contact Purchasing Official Jacob Erickson at 941-749-3053 or by email at jacob.erickson@mymanatee.org. Erickson is a member of the Manatee County Procurement Division.
Vendor feedback
Paradise Boat Tours General Manager Sherman Baldwin was among the tour boat operators Erickson spoke with on Thursday.
Paradise Boat Tours operates in a small terminal subleased from the city of Bradenton Beach and uses the public day dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier to load and unload passengers.
Baldwin previously served as a first officer for Hy-Line Cruises – a Massachusetts-based company that operates a high-speed ferry service with destinations that include Hyannis, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
“I worked with them on the logistics of high-speed ferry travel and I was part of the team that helped make that transportation model viable,” Baldwin said.
After moving to Florida, Baldwin was part of a group that contemplated operating a high-speed ferry service between Sarasota, Bradenton Beach and downtown Bradenton. Those plans were never fully pursued due to a number of contributing factors, including delays with the Bradenton Beach dock replacement project, red tide and the coronavirus pandemic.
“The invitation to negotiate did not accurately reflect the challenges an operator would face in making this a viable commuter option, which is ultimately the goal for this. In my opinion, this looked like a glorified tour boat operation without solving any problems we face with our land-based transportation model that is being squeezed to the limit,” Baldwin said.
“This is a go big or go home venture. You’ve got to change the hearts and minds of people as to how they move around this region and that’s going to take time, money and investment. I talked to Jacob and said we’re talking about big dollars, but let’s not forget a single MCAT bus costs about a million dollars. We’re talking two $3 million boats that operate long hours, seven days a week, plus approximately $4 million a year in operating costs. Then you’re really talking about a program that could take some pressure off our land-based transportation system.”
Baldwin thinks a water taxi service might be even more feasible if pursued collectively by Manatee County and Sarasota County.
Anna Maria discussion
On Thursday, March 24 Falcione provided the Anna Maria City Commission and Mayor Dan Murphy with an update on the county’s efforts. He mentioned the March 30 submission deadline and said the county hoped to have a water taxi service operational by Memorial Day weekend, if possible.
“Let’s do all we can to get cars off the roads,” he said.
Falcione said the ITN process allowed the county to negotiate with multiple potential water taxi operators at the same time. He said the general nature of the process allowed interested people to develop their own plans regarding the types and number of vessels used, trip frequencies, operational hours, costs and more.
“It’s wide open,” he said. “We’re not going to lock ourselves into anything. We believe that maybe the low-hanging fruit is hop-on, hop-off, up and down the Island. When they come off the water, they hopefully either walk, bike or get on the trolley. The other part is downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Island.”
Falcione said water taxi service between downtown Bradenton and the Island requires connectivity with the free trolley service MCAT already provides on AMI. He said he believes hospitality industry workers who work on the Island and live on the mainland will use the water taxi system if it satisfies their commuting needs.
“What is the cost associated with that? Might somebody need to subsidize a water taxi system? Manatee County knows it would probably need to be subsidized,” Falcione said.
He noted that tourism tax dollars collected from hotels, resorts, vacation rentals and other lodging accommodations cannot be used for transportation, but there may be other ways to use those tax dollars to help sustain a water taxi service.
Potential landing spots
Falcione said Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie has already expressed interest in a water taxi stop at the floating dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier that is slated for expansion.
City leaders in Bradenton Beach would welcome a water taxi service on the day dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
He also said that Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown has already expressed interest in a water taxi stop at the city-owned day dock along the Riverwalk, just east of the Green Bridge. Falcione said the city of Bradenton’s dock is located near a city-owned parking garage that has plenty of space for water taxi users.
Falcione said the Anna Maria City Pier could be another potential landing area, but it would be up to the water taxi operator to initiate that request.
“I know you would have to approve an ordinance or a resolution to be able to utilize your pier for a water taxi,” he told Anna Maria commissioners.
In 2021, 3.4 million visitors came to Manatee County, including those who came for a day to visit family or friends, Falcione said, adding that 900,000 of those visitors stayed in short-term vacation rentals and 400,000 of those stayed on the Island. That equates to 1,100 rental guests per day or more than 7,600 short-term rental guests per week.
“One thousand one hundred people per day. Is that the problem? I don’t think so. What’s the problem? It’s the people coming on and off the Island for the day,” Falcione said, noting that about 60% of the people who stay in the downtown Bradenton area take a day trip to the Island.
Commission feedback
Commissioner John Crane mentioned the labor shortage on the Island and said he’d like to see subsidized ridership for those who work in the hospitality industry.
Commission Chair Carol Carter said she talked to one business owner who has 90 employees and none of them live on the Island. Carter also questioned whether beachbound “day-trippers” with families and beach gear would use a water taxi.
Commissioner Mark Short said it’s critical to get workers to and from the Island and some need to arrive early in the morning while others work well into the evening. Short said someone making $15 an hour is not going to spend $30 a day to commute by water taxi.
County or city business owners would have difficulty subsidizing the service, Falcione said.
“We’re going to lean on the proposers to see what they present to us,” he said. “I’m sure the county administrator is figuring out options and I think it’s important to interact with the corporate community and the hospitality industry.”
The Anna Maria City Pier has a landing area that could accommodate water taxis. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Most water taxis would be 35 feet or larger, he said. Murphy noted the city pier already features a landing area near its T-end. He said the water there is 12 feet deep and the pier can accommodate vessels up to 75 feet long.
Murphy said he hopes that the water taxi service providers focus first and foremost on transporting the Island’s workforce.
MANATEE COUNTY – Holmes Beach city leaders and Manatee County commissioners came together March 1 for a long-awaited meeting spotlighting dock space for a proposed Anna Maria Island water taxi.
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said that while she and other city leaders are in support of a water taxi coming to the Island, they haven’t yet been approached by anyone to discuss a potential docking site in the Island’s largest city.
County Commissioner George Kruse said that he feels it’s up to the city’s leaders to come to county leaders with potential solutions for where a water taxi could dock, not rely on Manatee County leaders to tell the city where a water taxi could go.
County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh added that the county isn’t looking at building a place to dock a water taxi in Holmes Beach, but that she’d like to see it eventually have a place to stop in each of the three Anna Maria Island cities. Creating those stops would be up to the leaders of the three cities, working with the county to create solutions to existing issues.
Titsworth said that the place in Holmes Beach with the largest amount of parking for a water taxi isn’t the one that would be the best central location for tourists or locals taking the alternative form of transportation – Kingfish Boat Ramp.
The Manatee County-owned and maintained boat ramp is already planned to undergo renovations, including restrooms and the addition of a long dock for day boats to park at. Unfortunately for a water taxi, the planned renovations don’t include a place to park a water taxi and the location is about three blocks from Manatee Beach, which some beachgoers might see as a hindrance to taking a boat to the beach instead of driving.
Titsworth added that the boat ramp also doesn’t have a trolley stop, which would be a way to move people from Kingfish to the rest of the Island.
County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge suggested the marina basin located in the heart of Holmes Beach’s commercial district as a potential docking location for the water taxi. Centrally located near shops, restaurants and within a few blocks of public beach accesses, the marina, owned and managed by the adjacent Waterline Marina Resort and Beach Club, sounds ideal – except for parking, Titsworth pointed out.
She told county commissioners that Waterline lost at least 25 to 30 required parking spaces for the marina when the adjacent Wells Fargo Bank was closed in 2020. Though the marina’s management had a lease with the bank for those spaces, they have been scrambling since the building was put up for sale to find other off-site parking spaces to lease, an effort that had, as of the joint meeting, not produced any viable results, according to Titsworth. This leaves no parking spaces available for water taxi usage.
She added that the boat basin is small and used by local fishing captains and tour boats, whose operation she wouldn’t want to hinder by trying to get a water taxi in and out of the basin multiple times per day, assuming the channel leading to the basin and the basin itself are even navigable for what could potentially be a large boat.
The only other public boat access to the water is a small Holmes Beach-owned and maintained boat launch located next to the city field park complex which has limited parking, is bordered on three sides by residential areas, is the launch point for emergency response boats for West Manatee Fire Rescue and the Holmes Beach Police Department and is fairly shallow during low tide, which could hinder the operation of a large water taxi vessel.
All in all, Titsworth said she just didn’t see where in Holmes Beach a water taxi could be docked where it would be beneficial to visitors, locals and service workers.
“I think it is a worthy way to reduce traffic, even if Holmes Beach doesn’t have a spot to utilize,” Holmes Beach Commissioner Terry Schaefer said of the water taxi.
When some Manatee County commissioners accused city leaders of being unwilling to work with them to find a solution for water taxi issues, Holmes Beach Commission Chair Carol Soustek fired back: “If you think the cities haven’t been working to find a way to solve problems, then you haven’t been paying attention.”
Soustek said that she’d been participating in conversations about how to get a water taxi up and working on Anna Maria Island since 2005. She added that “just putting people on a boat” wasn’t the end of the process. To achieve a working water taxi, Soustek said it requires parking on both sides of the water taxi route, a way to move people to and from the docking station on both sides and money to make it all happen. And those issues all exist in addition to having an operator to run the water taxi, water taxi boats and a place to dock the boats at each stop.
In a bid to find common ground, County Commissioner Reggie Bellamy suggested that Soustek and other Island leaders who’ve worked on trying to get a water taxi for the Island share the roadblocks they’ve encountered in that endeavor with county commissioners as a way to begin collaborating on finding a workable solution to getting a water taxi launched.
MANATEE COUNTY – The county hopes to provide water taxi service between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island as early as Memorial Day weekend.
Possible water taxi landing stops on the Island include the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach and the City Pier in Anna Maria; both would require the support of those city governments. A potential landing area has not yet been identified in Holmes Beach.
The long-debated water taxi service was discussed during the Feb. 1 Council of Governments meeting and the county is now in the process of issuing an Invitation to Negotiate for water taxi operators to use in crafting their proposals.
Bradenton Area Convention and Visitor Bureau Director Elliott Falcione led the recent discussion, saying the county commission directed County Administrator Scott Hopes to initiate a water taxi system. Hopes then assigned those responsibilities to Falcione and Manatee County Public Works Director Chad Butzow, with Manatee County Transit Manager Bill Steele, MCAT Planning Manager Jonathan Roberson and others assisting with the efforts.
“It’s time to take advantage of the waterways in our beautiful community,” Falcione said.
Falcione said the goal is to have a water taxi pilot program operational by Memorial Day weekend and he’s already had preliminary discussions with all the mayors in Manatee County except Longboat Key.
“Each city’s going to have some suggestions, they’re going to have some concerns. I urge the cities to find balance. We have to swiftly and effectively come up with a plan as Bill Steele and the county go through an invitation to negotiate for procurement,” Falcione said, noting the procurement process will provide additional insight from water taxi operators regarding efficiency, frequency of the service and the initial landing spots.
He also said past surveys of Anna Maria Island beachgoers and hospitality workers indicate support for a water taxi system.
Speaking next, Steele said Roberson has been researching water taxi programs in other parts of the state and country. During his presentation, Steele referenced the Water Taxi Feasibility Study completed by the Metropolitan Planning Organization in 2005. He said that study is dated but still provides relevant conclusions regarding funding, service needs and key destinations.
This slide included in Bill Steele’s presentation illustrates one of the reasons for a water taxi system. – Manatee County | Submitted
Steele said it’s important for the areas served by water taxis to be connected to the ground transit system that includes MCAT buses and the free Island Trolleys.
“Initially we need to go from downtown Bradenton to AMI. As this service progresses and gets more productive in terms of ridership, there are always opportunities to expand,” Steele said.
Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier said, “We may not be the first point of entry, but we’d like to be in the loop.”
Falcione agreed and said the Sarasota area could also play a future role in the water taxi system, with a potential landing spot at the county-owned Powel Crosley Estate near the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
County Commissioner Misty Servia said she’s excited to see a water taxi program finally moving forward but she doesn’t want the downtown Bradenton businesses to lose their existing parking spaces to water taxi users.
Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown said a water taxi system would bring more visitors from Anna Maria Island to downtown Bradenton, which would benefit the downtown businesses.
Regarding downtown parking, Brown said, “Right now we have a parking garage with 400 spaces that I would say isn’t 25% utilized.”
Mayor John Chappie noted the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will soon expand the floating dock near the Bridge Street Pier, using matching funds provided by the county. That project will include perpendicular finger docks and a designated docking space for water taxis, ferries and other commercial vessels. Chappie said public restrooms and other amenities are already in place, including the Old Town Trams that transport visitors to their destinations within the greater Bridge Street area.
Butzow said securing the landing spots will be a major point of emphasis in the procurement process and the county seeks partnerships with public entities and private businesses for landing areas that provide walkability and access to buses, trolleys, trams and other means of ground transportation.
As of Friday, the requisition to draft an Invitation to Negotiate had been submitted and, once completed, will be posted at the Manatee County bids and proposals website and the Periscope S2G government bidding website.
Anna Maria mayor’s input
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy did not attend the COG meeting but he addressed the proposed water taxi service during the city commission’s Thursday, Feb. 10 meeting.
Reiterating statements he’s made in the past, and has communicated to Falcione, Murphy said, “I am not in favor of a tourist taxi. I don’t think we need more parking congestion at the pier because we’re running a shuttle service, or restaurant shuttles going down the Island. A benefit would be a water taxi that is focused on employees coming to and from work from downtown Bradenton to the Island.”
The Anna Maria City Pier will be considered as a potential water taxi landing area. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Murphy said carpenters and others who work in trades that require tools and equipment are unlikely to use a water taxi for work purposes, but some hospitality, retail and service industry employees would likely use the service if it’s affordable, fast, convenient and reliable.
“I think it should be part of the county transit system and I believe it probably should be subsidized so it’s affordable,” Murphy said.
This graphic from the 2015 Urban Land Institute study illustrates who uses the bridges that connect Anna Maria Island to the mainland. – ULI | Submitted
Murphy said the City Pier’s existing landing area can accommodate a water taxi, but the city commission will decide whether that use is allowed.
“This is really the most logical place to put it. I do believe it would be a benefit under these conditions but it’s going to be your call,” Murphy told the commission.
When contacted, Mayor Judy Titsworth said she doesn’t currently envision a water taxi stop in Holmes Beach and the county’s planned improvements to the Kingfish boat ramp don’t currently include a water taxi stop.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The subject of a water taxi service comes up often at Manatee County Tourist Development Council meetings, and this was once again the case on Oct. 18 when the longest-serving board member, Ed Chiles, raised the issue to Mark Stuckey, the chief operating officer for the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
Stuckey had just finished his presentation to the TDC on the latest statistics regarding the airport when Chiles brought up the water taxi issue.
“We’ve been talking about water taxis forever; we’re talking about it again now. At what point are we going to stop talking about it and do something about it?” asked Chiles, addressing Stuckey. “I can’t think of anything more exciting than the ability to connect with a green way to get out to the islands or to Sarasota with something that is cutting edge.”
Stuckey said that the airport’s proximity to railroad tracks that go to downtown Sarasota and downtown Bradenton has been pointed out. As far as the water taxi being linked to SRQ, Stuckey admits that discussion has not been brought up as of late.
Although SRQ has not been active in moving forward with a water taxi service, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione said they have been making progress.
“We’ve done some due diligence just recently, meeting with some water taxi guys, finding out what they need and what their costs are,” said Falcione, who said they are getting much closer to launching a water taxi program.
“It’s bold, but I think we need to be bold. We aren’t going to build another bridge to the island in our lifetime. We need to do something so we don’t suffer gridlock,” Chiles said.
Falcione concluded the discussion by telling Chiles that they would probably have an update on the water taxi proposal update for the December TDC meeting.
ANNA MARIA – The Manatee County Commission supports the city of Anna Maria’s request to use $500,000 in tourist tax funds to create a Mote Marine Education Outreach Center on the City Pier.
On Tuesday, June 8, county commissioners voted 7-0 in favor of the city using up to $500,000 in tourist tax funds to pay for the interior buildout and installation of a Mote Marine facility inside a currently vacant city-owned pier building.
The outreach center will be located in the larger pier building originally intended for use as a full-service restaurant. In the smaller pier building and the surrounding tables and benches, the City Pier Grill already offers casual outdoor dining on the pier.
The Mote Marine facility will be located inside this city-owned pier building. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Mote Marine will pay the additional $50,000 estimated to be needed to complete the interior buildout and install the exhibits. Mote will then spend approximately $440,000 per year to staff and operate the facility at minimal cost to the city, with free admission for the public.
County support
When addressing the county commission, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy first thanked the commission for the financial support previously provided for the pier replacement project.
“We look at it as a tremendous opportunity for us,” Murphy said of the Mote Marine facility and the latest city-county funding partnership.
County Commissioner Misty Servia chairs the Tourist Development Council that recommended approval of the funding request. Servia said she’s excited about the educational and tourist development opportunities the Mote Marine facility will provide, and she later made the motion to approve the request.
Mote Marine provided the city with this rendering of the proposed education outreach center. – City of Anna Maria/Mote Marine | Submitted
“I’m a huge supporter and proponent of this project,” Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “My family spent a lot of time out at the City Pier. It’s something everyone in the county can enjoy. There’s no admission and it’s really specific to that location. This is exactly what we should be using the bed tax dollars for.”
“This is tourist related, so I support it 100%,” Commissioner Carol Whitmore said, noting she used to hang out on the old pier with Van Ostenbridge’s relatives.
“Is there going to be any issues with parking?” she asked.
“There’s going to be issues with parking no matter what we do. But we are looking into consideration of a water taxi,” Murphy said in reference to a discussion that took place a few minutes earlier regarding a dock expansion project in Bradenton Beach.
“Is your commission supportive of a water taxi?” Whitmore asked.
Murphy said the city commission has not yet weighed in on that issue.
Van Ostenbridge asked if the city has a parking agreement with Roser Memorial Community Church. Murphy said the city does not, but Mote Marine might enter into an agreement with the church for a valet parking program.
“This is a great project, a very good use of space,” Commissioner George Kruse said.
Commission Chair Vanessa Baugh said she recently had coffee with Mote Marine President and CEO Michael Crosby.
“He is very excited about this project and so am I,” she said.
Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Elliott Falcione said the Mote Marine facility aligns well with the county’s recently launched “Love It Like a Local” campaign that encourages visitors to respect Anna Maria Island’s residents and natural resources. He also said restaurant owner Ed Chiles plans to partner with Mote Marine on seagrass restoration and clam restoration projects at the City Pier.
Falcione said County Administrator Scott Hopes recently tasked him and Public Works Director Chad Butzow to work on a water taxi program, which among other things would transport local students to the Island for field trips.
“To think a water taxi might happen soon is exciting,” Baugh said of that long-desired service.
City discussion
When addressing the Anna Maria Commission Thursday afternoon, Murphy said, “There are a few pieces that have to fall in place before we can actually start construction.”
Murphy said the city and county still need to enter into an interlocal agreement that formalizes the financial support. That agreement will require county commission approval when those commissioners return from their annual summer break on July 27.
In February, the city commission met inside the vacant pier building and agreed to pursue the Mote Marine proposal. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Based upon a previous memorandum of understanding, Murphy said the city and Mote Marine still need to create a construction contract and a separate lease contract for the city building.
In response to a question from Commissioner Mark Short, Murphy said the city will not have to make a $500,000 lump sum payment to cover the buildout costs. As the work is completed incrementally, the city will pay the contractors and invoice the county for reimbursement.
Murphy said he could not yet provide an estimated start date.
Water taxi proponent
During Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said he’s a proponent of a specific type of water taxi.
“I’m not a proponent of tour boats. I’m not a proponent of somebody charging $30 to take people down to Bradenton Beach on a sightseeing tour. That’s not solving a traffic problem. The water taxi I’m in favor of would bring service workers from downtown Bradenton or Palmetto to our pier, where they then can catch a trolley and go to wherever they work,” he said.
Mayor Dan Murphy would like to see a specific type of water taxi service at or near the City Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Murphy said the water taxi service he envisions would need to be subsidized by the county, similar to MCAT bus services. He said support from local businesses could provide additional revenues.
“It should be part of the public transit system. It has to be affordable. I think that would be a positive step for this Island, to start bringing service workers across by water taxi,” Murphy said.
Commission Chair Carol Carter questioned whether beachgoers from the mainland who bring tents, coolers and other beach supplies would use a water taxi.
“They’re not going to put that on a water taxi and then unload it and try to get to the beach,” she said.
After Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said, “Commissioners Whitmore and Van Ostenbridge have been huge supporters of our Mote Marine project and they opened doors for us in getting the project where it is today. Both are true friends to our city.”
BRADENTON BEACH – The Manatee County Commission is providing up to $850,000 in matching funds for Bradenton Beach’s dock expansion project.
The county commission approved the city’s funding request on Tuesday, June 8. The county funds will be provided using county tourist tax revenues generated by the 5% tourist tax levied on hotel, motel and vacation rental stays in Manatee County. The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) will pay the city’s share of the dock expansion project costs.
In anticipation of the county’s support, the CRA members recently selected Duncan Seawall, Dock and Boat Lift to install the fingers docks to be purchased from Golden Marine Systems.
The finger docks will extend perpendicular to the existing floating dock that will be extended to the east. – City of Bradenton Beach | Submitted
The finger docks will extend perpendicular to the floating dock installed in 2019, and the floating dock will be extended to the east to accommodate additional finger docks. Duncan will also construct the new dinghy dock that will replace the aging dinghy dock near the entrance to the Bridge Street Pier.
Duncan’s bid came in at approximately $616,000 to $624,000, depending on some additional piling options included in the proposal. Duncan’s bid does not include any additional work on the showers or restrooms.
The aging dinghy dock used by liveaboard and transient boaters will be replaced with a new dock. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When presenting the funding request to county commissioners, Mayor John Chappie said the finger docks would increase public dockage near the Bridge Street Pier from seven spaces to 26 or 27 spaces. The existing and soon-to-be-expanded docking facilities are free to the public on a first-come, first-served basis and overnight docking is not allowed.
Chappie said the matching funds would also be used to renovate the existing public shower facilities and increase the size of the public restrooms, and to create a terminal-like area at the entrance to the pier for the Old Town Tram parking shuttles that service the CRA district.
Chappie also mentioned the possibility of a water taxi service one day running from downtown Bradenton to Bradenton Beach.
“There’s been a lot of discussion over the years with regards to a water taxi. Bradenton Beach could be a stop for the water taxi. There will be a space available for that as well,” he said.
County support
“This project is exactly what the county needs because it’s beneficial to all residents of the county,” District 3 County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “You’re inviting day trippers to come by boat to dock at Bridge Street. They can patronize the businesses on Bridge Street, and the Island is thin there, so people will easily be able to access the beach from that point. It’s a great way to bring additional visitors into your city without having a major impact on your residents. I’m very pleased with the relationship we have with Bradenton Beach and their efforts to try and be as inclusive as they can, knowing they’re a destination city.”
County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge emphatically supports the dock expansion project. – YouTube/Manatee County | Submitted
Commissioner George Kruse then said, “I love this. This is such a great idea and I’m 100% in support of this. This is needed and I appreciate it.”
Commissioner Carol Whitmore noted the county also provided matching funds for the installation of the floating dock.
“This all ties in, we’re just adding more capacity. This is what the tourist tax is about. If we do a water taxi and people are staying in Bradenton they can hop on the (water) taxi at Pier 22 and come on out,” Whitmore said.
“The water taxi would start in downtown Bradenton, utilizing the parking garage,” Chappie said, expressing hope that this might help reduce the number of cars coming to Anna Maria Island.
Regarding the long-desired water taxi service, Commission Chairwoman Vanessa Baugh said, “That should have been done years ago.”
Regarding the dock expansion project, Baugh said, “It’s a great project – and what makes it so great is that the county and the city are working together to make this happen.”
Commissioner Misty Servia chairs the TDC board that serves as a recommending body to the county commission. She noted the TDC board supports the project and the funding request, as does she.
Commissioner James Satcher liked the project so much that he proposed increasing the county funding.
“We should increase it by $282,000. He’s got other things he’s planning on doing, plus he’s got the water taxi,” Satcher said.
Satcher did not provide any documentation to support his proposed $282,000 funding increase.
“That’s not how this works,” Kruse emphatically said of Satcher’s suggestion.
County Attorney Bill Clague advised the commission to simply approve or reject each funding request cited in the proposed county ordinance that also included separate funding requests from the cities of Anna Maria and Holmes Beach.
“I have to advise you against trying to move dollars around. I would ask that you just vote each of these up or down,” Clague said.
Van Ostenbridge made a motion to approve the Bradenton Beach funding request as presented and he rejected Satcher’s efforts to amend the motion to increase it by $282,000. The commission unanimously supported Van Ostenbridge’s motion.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy is one step closer to securing the $500,000 needed to design and install the Mote Marine Education Outreach Center on the Anna Maria City Pier.
Today, the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) unanimously supported the city of Anna Maria’s request to use $500,000 in county commission-controlled tourist development tax revenues to fund the city’s share of the anticipated $555,600 start-up costs.
Serving as a recommending body only, the TDC now recommends county commission approval of the city’s funding request.
Murphy told TDC members Mote Marine would cover the remaining $55,600 in initial design and installation costs, as well as any Mote-related cost overages. Murphy said Mote will then spend about $444,000 per year to staff and operate the marine-themed education outreach center.
If the funding is approved by county commissioners, Murphy estimates it will take five to seven months to transform the vacant 1,800 square foot, city-owned pier building into the proposed education outreach center.
Murphy said the center will consist of three primary elements: exhibits, educational components and community partnerships.
He said the live marine life exhibits will include an invertebrate touching pool containing horseshoe crabs, starfish, lobster and other species. There will also be live baitfish and live sport fish exhibits that reflect the area’s strong ties to fishing, and an interactive kiosk that will help people identify the fish they catch from the pier. There will also be a “sounds of the sea” component that allows visitors to hear the marine life living under and around the pier.
This rendering illustrates the vision for the Mote Marine Education Outreach Center. – Mote Marine | Submitted
The educational components will include seminars, storytelling events, fishing workshops, field trips, science tours, beach exploration and more.
TDC member Ed Chiles said he hopes the education components also address the vital importance of protecting the quality of the waters that surround Anna Maria Island and Manatee County.
When discussing potential partnerships, Murphy mentioned Anna Maria Elementary school, The Center of Anna Maria Island, the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring organization, The Anna Maria Island Historical Society and possibly the Manatee County School District.
This side of the pier building to be used by Mote Marine faces Tampa Bay and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Murphy said admission to the education outreach center will be free. However, it was noted at previous city meetings that fees may be charged for some of the special programs and activities that take place outside the education outreach center, or inside the facility after normal business hours.
Water taxi connection?
Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director and TDC staff liaison Elliott Falcione mentioned the possibility of a water taxi service potentially playing a role in transporting area students to the Mote Marine facility.
“There may be a way that the city of Bradenton and the city of Anna Maria can procure a water taxi company that we may be able to sponsor through wrapping it with brand elements that gets a pilot program going from downtown Bradenton to the Anna Maria Pier. How cool would it be for the kids to get an educational exploration of the river, get to the pier and learn about Mote’s education endeavors? They can picnic up there. They can walk Pine Avenue and get back on the boat and go back,” Falcione said.
Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown alluded to a possible water taxi service earlier in the meeting when discussing a TDC-supported funding request for up to $850,000 in matching funds made by the city of Bradenton Beach for the expansion of the public dockage next to the Bridge Street Pier and a new dinghy dock near the Bridge Tender Inn.
“We have the pier already and we have the parking in place. Now it’s just getting that vendor that wants to do it,” Brown said.
HOLMES BEACH – Lack of parking is proving to be a large hurdle to jump for the operators of a proposed water taxi service in Holmes Beach.
The daughter and father team of Corey and Mark Hubbard, of Tampa Bay Ferry, want to bring a 49-person boat to transport guests from Holmes Beach to Fort DeSoto and Egmont Key. To do that, they need a place to dock for up to 15 minutes and, according to commissioners, spaces for guests to park their vehicles.
Commissioners were receptive to the idea of a water taxi with routes leaving from a centralized location. Unlike the Hubbards, commissioners didn’t believe ferry guests would leave their cars at home and take public transportation to the pick-up point.
Commissioner Judy Titsworth said she’s afraid that ferry passengers parking “in the closest spot to get to your ferry” will disrupt local businesses, causing more traffic congestion.
Corey Hubbard insisted that rather than a tour type operation, the ferry her company operates works more like a bus or a trolley with people walking up to use the boat, not driving to it. She said that while the company can tell riders that it’s a walk-up only business and no parking will be available onsite, people choosing to use other businesses’ facilities to park is an issue that “exists in the world outside of our operation. If that’s what holds us up from serving the community, that would be a shame.”
“We’re not looking for a base of operations, just a bus stop,” Mark Hubbard said, likening the water taxi to a trolley or public bus. He said the boat would be housed at Fort DeSoto, where Tampa Bay Ferry has its primary hub of operations and would only idle at the dock for less than 15 minutes.
Corey Hubbard said while she has spoken with management at Waterline about the potential to use one of the docks at the adjacent marina, hotel management was reluctant to enter into discussions without the city’s blessing. She said the project had already been discussed in Anna Maria, where it was turned down by the owner of the Rod & Reel Pier. Using Bradenton Beach as a drop-off point won’t work within the time constraints set by the current boat travel schedule, she said.
Titsworth said the possibility of the water taxi being viewed as a tourist attraction requiring multiple parking spots rather than a mode of transportation still worries her.
“We can’t force people to take the trolley to the ferry,” she said. “We have to consider the neighboring properties and have respect for them.”
Titsworth added that the city requires adequate parking for all commercial businesses.
City attorney Patricia Petruff suggested the Hubbards contact the owners of nearby shopping centers to see if they could lease off-site parking for water taxi customers. At one space for every four passengers, Petruff estimates the water taxi would need 13 parking spaces.
Corey Hubbard said her company would be better off to find another place to serve as a destination and pick-up for passengers rather than pay to lease parking spaces or for docking fees.
To get around the parking issue, Commissioner Carol Soustek suggested the Hubbards speak to Waterline management about providing services exclusively for guests of the hotel.
The Hubbards did not take commissioners’ ideas well, arguing that with proper enforcement, primarily by local law enforcement, the water taxi business would work as a walk-up only service.
“It’s proven, it works, and all you have to do is decide if you want it in your community,” Mark Hubbard said.
Titsworth said commissioners would take time to individually review the information presented, and if it’s something they’re interested in, the matter will be placed on a future work session agenda for continued discussion.
