Heading home
Holmes Beach commissioner proposes paid beach parking
None of the other commissioners support paid beach parking at this time.
BY JOE HENDRICKS
SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – Commissioner Dan Diggins suggested implementing paid parking within a quarter mile of the city-controlled public beach access points located at numerous street ends throughout the city.
Diggins proposed the pursuit of paid beach parking as a non-agenda item during the commissioners’ comments given at the end of the Aug. 26 Holmes Beach City Commission meeting.
Mayor Judy Titsworth and commissioners Steve Oelfke, Terry Schaefer and Carol Soustek said paid parking might be inevitable someday, and it might warrant further discussion now,
but they don’t support paid parking at this time. Commissioner Carol Whitmore was more adamant and said she’d fight any city efforts to implement paid beach parking.
When proposing paid parking and requesting future commission discussion, Diggins acknowledged he’s not a parking expert and he doesn’t have any logistics or specifics worked out. It’s simply an idea he’d like to pursue.
“I’ve been giving this a lot of thought and I talked to staff, I talked to the mayor, I talked to some of the county folks about this,” he said.
Regarding the currently free parking areas designated at the city’s streetend beach access points, Diggins said, “Where all the ropes and bollards are, those would be paid parking, with an exception for residents.”
PINES
Anna Maria increases stormwater fees
The additional stormwater fee revenues will be used to repair drainage stormwater swales and replace broken valves.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – Property owners in the city will see their annual stormwater fees double from $2 per 100 square feet of property to $4 per 100 square feet.
On Aug. 28, city commissioners Chris Arendt, Kathy Morgan and Gary McMullen voted in favor of the increase. Commissioner Charlie Salem opposed the increase and Commissioner John Lynch was absent with excuse.
Mayor Mark Short proposed the stormwater fee increase on July 24 when presenting the anticipated city
revenues for the 2025-26 fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1.
At $2 per 100 square feet, the owner of a 5,000-square-foot property pays a $100 per year stormwater fee; at $4, the property owner pays $200 per year. At $2, the owner of a 10,000-squarefoot property pays $200 per year and pays $400 at the $4 rate.
When seeking commission approval for the increase, Short said, “The city has identified well over $15 million in stormwater-related repair work that needs to be done in this city. A lot of that work relates to things that were either damaged or destroyed during the storm (the 2024 hurricanes).” Short said the $4 rate will double the $328,000 originally projected for 2025-26 stormwater fee revenues to $656,000.
JEFF RICHMOND | SUBMITTED
Sea turtle nesting on Anna Maria Island is nearly over for this season, but nests will continue to hatch through the end of October. Hatchling disorientations are at a record high; Turtle Watch asks everyone to keep beaches dark.
Pines residents can stay under settlement agreement
“Pines residents will be allowed to remain residing at the park for an agreed period of time,” according to a statement from park owners.
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – The owners of Pines Trailer Park, Pines Park Investors LLC (PPI), released a statement about their settlement agreement with the park homeowner’s association.
While the settlement terms are confidential, the statement indicates that Pines Park residents will be allowed to remain at the park for an undisclosed time period.
A lawsuit filed on March 28 in part to stop evictions and park closure by the Pines Park Homeowners Association against PPI was dismissed on Aug. 8 pursuant to the confidential settlement agreement.
Pines residents have said they are unable to disclose settlement terms or the tentative park closure date.
Twenty-six Pines homeowners
at the 86-unit park were evicted for non-payment of lot rental fees following the 2024 hurricanes while others turned over title to their mobile homes to park ownership to avoid eviction. Legal notices declaring writs of possession remain taped to doors throughout the park.
Many of those who withheld lot rental payments said they did
so based on the disrepair of the park amenities and common areas following the hurricanes.
During the week of Aug. 25, however, sources have told The Sun that the Pines clubhouse is being cleaned for the first time since the 2024 hurricanes nearly a year ago.
The PPI statement was emailed to The Sun by its representative Sam Negrin and reads as follows:
“Pines Park investors LLC (PPI LLC) is happy to announce that a settlement agreement has been reached between PPI LLC and the Pines Trailer Park Homeowners Association. While complete details of the settlement are confidential, PPI LLC can confirm Pines Park residents will be allowed to remain residing at the park for an agreedupon period of time.
“After suffering extensive damage from 2024’s back-to-back hurricanes, PPI LLC, like many other nearby businesses, has lost its ability to generate enough revenue to operate as a trailer park. The mutually agreed upon extension of time granted by PPI LLC will unfortunately result in significant time and financial losses to PPI LLC, but a settlement with Pines Trailer Park Homeowners Association was in the best interest of all parties involved.
“PPI LLC is saddened by this situation that the storms created for all involved parties, but we are moving forward in line with the settlement reached with Pines Trailer Park Homeowners Association.”
LESLIE LAKE | SUN
Pines Park Investors LLC has released a statement about its settlement agreement with residents.
ISLAND NEWS
IN BRIEF
Bradenton Beach commission meets Thursday
City commissioners will discuss a sovereign submerged land lease at a Thursday, Sept. 4 meeting at 6 p.m. Also on the agenda is an update on 106 23rd St. N., a citywide RFP planner/inspector, Anna Maria Oyster Bar reimbursement requests, an interlocal agreement with Manatee County on a trail from Coquina Beach to Cortez Bridge, a stormwater master plan, Southwest Florida Water Management District agreements and Tallahassee action items regarding appropriations and municipal boundaries. On the consent agenda are the approval of invoices totaling $122,534.61 from Ashbritt Environmental, approval of invoices from the Law Office of Robert Lincoln totaling $13,162.50 and approval of an invoice for $4,186.25 from Infrastructure Solution Services. The meeting will be in the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N.
CRA budget hearing Thursday
The Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 5:05 p.m. to discuss the percentage - if any - increase in proposed tentative millage over the rolled-back rate. Public comment will be heard. On the agenda are the adoption of joint tentative millage resolution 25-983, the adoption of joint tentative budget resolution 25-984, the first reading and setting of a public hearing on joint ordinance 25-564 adopting a budget for fiscal year 2025-26, receipt and collection of ad valorem taxes and the announcement of the final millage and budget hearing date of Thursday, Sept. 11 at 5:30 p.m. The hearings will be held in the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N.
Bradenton Beach commissioners to discuss beach cabana rentals
The Bradenton Beach commission will discuss commercial cabana rentals on the beaches at a work meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 9 a.m. City commissioners held their second discussion about commercial beach cabanas on July 17 and will consider the issue again. In response to commissioners’ request on July 10 to look into the legal aspects of private cabana companies setting up on public beaches, City Attorney Ricinda Perry drafted an ordinance regulating the commercial use of the beaches. The meeting will be in the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N.
Scan this code with your smartphone to go there.
Island mayors receive OPPAGA study-related letter
The state legislators’ letter references the OPPAGA study shared with city officials earlier this year.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – On Aug. 28, the three Anna Maria Island mayors received an OPPAGA-related letter from State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R-Bradenton) and State Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton).
Addressed to Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth, the letter references the 25-page Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study referred to locally as the “consolidation study.”
The letter begins by saying, “Over the past year, we’ve all worked through tremendous challenges as our communities continue recovering from the impacts of recent storms. We remain grateful for your leadership and for the dedication you’ve shown to your residents and businesses during these difficult times.
“As we prepare for the 2026 Legislative Session, we want to follow up on our previous correspondence concerning the OPPAGA study and the discussions we initiated last year about streamlining services and improving efficiencies among the three Island cities. We recognize that recovery efforts have demanded much of your attention, but these conversations remain critical for the residents and taxpayers of Anna Maria Island.”
SUBMITTED
Will Robinson Jr., left, represents Manatee County in the Florida House of Representatives. Jim Boyd, right, represents Manatee County in the Florida Senate.
OPPAGA STUDY
On Jan. 9, the Island mayors and city commissioners were provided with copies of the 25page OPPAGA study completed at the request of Robinson, Boyd and the other state legislators that make up the Manatee County Legislative Delegation.
The OPPAGA study analyzed four “Options for Restructuring Local Governance” but did not recommend a specific consolidation option to pursue. The four consolidation options were:
• “Leave Anna Maria Island structure as is;”
• “Combine the existing three cities on Anna Maria Island into one new city;”
• “Include the Island as part of unincorporated Manatee County;” and
• “Combine the three existing cities on Anna Maria Island with the city of Bradenton.”
The study also analyzed “Options for Streamlining Services” that might include consolidating some of the public services currently provided independently by all three Island cities, including law enforcement, public works, building departments and permitting services.
The completed OPPAGA study was accompanied by a two-page
letter Robinson and Boyd sent the three Island mayors on Jan. 9.
Regarding the potential consolidation-related elimination of the existing height restrictions currently set forth in the Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach city charters (which can only be changed by the registered voters in those cities), the January Robinson-Boyd letter said, “Merging or eliminating cities could negatively impact the unique and special character of the Island and could have a detrimental impact on issues like building height.”
Instead of seeking the consolidation of the three cities, the legislator’s January letter urged city officials in all three cities to identify services that could be consolidated and streamlined in hopes of reducing property taxes for Anna Maria Island property owners.
AUGUST LETTER
Revisiting the consolidation of services, the Aug. 28 letter says, “Given the broader budget environment and the legislature’s continued emphasis on efficiency and accountability, we need a clearer understanding of where things stand before we move into the appropriations process in Tallahassee. Specifically, we would appreciate an update on: “1. Any steps taken since the OPPAGA study to explore shared services or cost-saving measures.
“2. Efforts to coordinate operations across the three cities to reduce duplication and improve efficiency.
“3. How these priorities are reflected in your budgets and planning moving forward.
Island candidates qualify for fall election cycle
The only contested commission race will happen in Holmes Beach.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The qualifying period for city commission and mayoral candidates on Anna Maria Island ended on Aug. 29 at noon and there will be only one contested city commission race in the upcoming fall election cycle.
HOLMES BEACH
The only contested race will occur in Holmes Beach, with four candidates seeking three commission seats. The Holmes Beach race features incumbent commissioners Steve Oelfke, Terry Schaefer and Carol Soustek and non-incumbent challenger Jessica Patel, who currently serves as vice president of the Anna Maria Elementary PTO.
With four candidates seeking three commission seats, those seats will be awarded to the top three vote getters in the upcoming non-partisan city election, with one candidate left without a seat to fill.
For those not registered to vote, the deadline to register is Monday, Oct. 6. The deadline to request a Vote by Mail ballot is Thursday, Oct. 23 at 5 p.m.
ANNA MARIA
In Anna Maria, incumbent commissioners John Lynch, Kathy Morgan and Charlie Salem will claim additional two-year terms without their names appearing on the ballot and without any votes being cast.
“If races have no opposition, we would not have to conduct an election. Each candidate would be considered elected,” Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office Assistant Sharon Stief said of the uncontested races.
BRADENTON BEACH
With no votes cast, Bradenton Beach
Mayor John Chappie and Commissioners Debbie Scaccianoce will claim additional two-year terms with no votes cast; and Commissioner Ralph Cole will claim an additional one-year term due to the previous reconfiguration of city’s geographical-based commission wards.
Longtime commissioner Jan Vosburgh is not seeking reelection and her soon-to-be-vacant seat will be filled by commission appointment after the November election cycle.
For more information about Manatee County elections, visit www.votemanatee. com.
Holmes Beach, Manatee County officials meet Wednesday
The discussion topics include storm recovery, paid beach parking, the Gulf Islands Ferry service, revenue sharing and more.
BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH
– The Holmes Beach mayor, commissioners and police chief will meet with Manatee County commissioners and senior staff members on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 1:30 p.m. to discuss 12 topics of interest to both the city and the county.
The meeting will be held in the fifth-floor Manatee Room in the county administration building at 1112 Manatee Ave. W. in downtown Bradenton.
The discussion topics will include future storm recovery options, traffic management, the city’s tourist development tax funding needs, the
ongoing efforts to improve and expand the Gulf Islands Ferry service, efficiency of shared public services, the city’s water sewer franchise agreement with the county, the county’s potable water line on the Anna Maria Bridge, beach patrol funding, beach concession revenue sharing, commerce activities on the water, CDBG-DR grant updates and paid parking at public beaches.
The public is allowed to attend the meeting that will also be livestreamed and archived at the county’s YouTube channel, which can be accessed at the county website, www.mymanatee.org.
The meeting will also be broadcast live on Manatee Government Access Spectrum channel 644, Frontier channel 30 and Comcast channel 20 (within Manatee County).
Written comments can be submitted in advance through the county website and the public can offer comments by phone by calling 1-888-788-0099 or 1-877-853-5247 and entering the meeting ID: 86897652480, followed by the # sign.
SUBMITTED
email:
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ON THE AGENDA
BRADENTON BEACH
HOLMES BEACH
107 GULF DRIVE N.
FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-778-1005
ANNA MARIA
10005 GULF DRIVE
Visit www.cityofbradentonbeach.com or contact city hall for more information.
5801 MARINA DRIVE
For information, call 941-708-5800
Visit www.holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more information.
FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-6130
Visit www.cityofannamaria. com or contact city hall for more information.
Monday, Sept. 8, 9:30 a.m., RFP 25-010 City Pier replacement bid openings
Thursday, Sept. 4, 5:05 p.m., Community Redevelopment Agency budget meeting
Thursday, Sept. 4, 5:30 p.m., City Commission budget meeting
Thursday, Sept. 4, 6 p.m., City Commission meeting
CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION EPISCOPAL CHURCH
4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, Sunday service 9:15 a.m.
CROSSPOINTE FELLOWSHIP
8605 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, Sunday service 9 a.m.
HARVEY MEMORIAL COMMUNITY CHURCH
300 Church Ave., Bradenton Beach, Sunday service 9:15 a.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 3, 1:30 p.m., joint meeting between Holmes Beach city commissioners and Manatee County commissioners, fifth floor, Manatee Room, Manatee County administrative building, 1112 Manatee Ave W., Bradenton
Wednesday, Sept. 3, 3:30 p.m., Planning Commission meeting Wednesday, Sept. 10, 9 a.m., Clean Water Ad Hoc Committee.
ROSER MEMORIAL COMMUNITY CHURCH
512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, Sunday services 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.
ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH
248 South Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach, Masses: Saturday, 4 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND CHURCH SCHEDULES
‘For sale’ sign on Gloria Dei property
A “for sale” sign now stands on the vacated Gloria Dei Lutheran Church property at 6608 Marina Drive in Holmes Beach. According to multiple real estate websites, the property is listed at $9.95 million. In late June, Taylor Rahdert, the real estate agent representing the Florida Bahamas Synod Council, sent Holmes Beach Director of Development Services Chad Minor an email in response to the city’s offer to buy the church building and property for $3 million. “The council has a fiduciary responsibility to sell the property based on the appraisal that represents the value at its best usage. The council is open to further negotiation based on the appraised value of $9.9 million,” Rahdert wrote. The Synod Council’s $9.9 million appraisal was based on the assumption the property would be rezoned for retail or commercial development, which would require city commission approval. The city’s $3 million offer was based on two
appraisals that assumed the building and property would retain the existing Public/ Semi-Public (PSP) zoning and future land use designations that don’t allow residential or commercial development. After receiving Rahdert’s email,
Mayor Judy Titsworth sent a response to city commissioners that said “Unfortunately, I do not see a path forward on an acquisition at this time.” To date, the city has not made a counteroffer.
Greg LaPensee
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
The Gloria Dei Lutheran Church property is for sale.
Sea turtle disorientations hit record high
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Sea turtle nesting is nearly over this season, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella.
“It has been about two weeks since we saw our last adult turtle crawl on the beach, but we are still on the lookout for holdouts that might have one last nest before they depart the nesting area for their foraging grounds,” Mazzarella wrote in an Aug. 29 email.
She reported that nests have been incredibly successful in hatchling production, with over 25,000 hatchlings produced from 352 nests.
“This exceeds the number of hatchlings produced in either 2023 and 2024 and we still have 154 nests remaining on the beach
NESTING NEWS
Turtle nests laid: 541 (526 loggerhead, 15 green)
Record: 543 in 2019
False crawls: 828 (797 loggerhead, 31 green)
Record: 831 in 2010
Nests hatched: 358 (350 loggerhead, 8 green)
Record: 453 in 2022
Hatchlings produced: 25,750 (25,301 loggerhead, 449 green)
Record: 35,850 in 2022
Hatchling disorientations: 3,602
Adult disorientations: 30 (28 loggerhead, 2 green)
Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring
to produce even more,” she wrote.
Unfortunately, records are also being broken with the number of disorientations this year, with a 36% hatchling disorientation rate.
“This means not all those hatchlings we are producing are making it to the water, but rather ending up in the road, swimming pools and parking lots because they are following artificial light instead of the night sky,” Mazzarella wrote. “So far this year, 128 nests have disoriented when hatching, involving a minimum of 3,602 hatchlings, 187 of which were found dead. If they are found alive and reported to AMITW's 24/7 Hotline 941-301-8434, they have a chance of surviving but have used up a lot of their energy.”
“The loss of dunes in last year's hurricane have increased the risk of disorientation because the dunes and
Where’s Winnie?
Winnie, a female loggerhead sea turtle, is in seventh place in a field of 12 turtles in the Sea Turtle Conser vancy’s Tour de Turtles Race that began on Aug. 1. She has traveled 301 miles in the Gulf of Mexico since she was satellite-tagged and released after nesting on Coquina Beach on June 23 and 150 miles since the race began. Winnie is swimming to raise aware ness about the threat of light pollu tion and how lighting near shore can negatively impact nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings. Her participation in the 2025 Tour de Turtles is sponsored by Hurricane Hanks and Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring.
AMY WATERBURY | SUBMITTED
A green sea turtle hatchling makes its way to the water after being found inside a nest during a nest excavation.
vegetation used to block much of the artificial light,” she wrote.
Please remember to keep the beaches turtle friendly so hatchlings can safely find their way to the water:
• No cell phone or flashlights (even red lights) on the beach at night;
• Close blinds so interior lights cannot be seen from the beach;
• Use turtle-friendly lighting (red or amber LEDs) with shields or turn off lights that can be seen from the beach; and
• Report any non-turtle friendly lights that can be seen from the beach to your local code enforcement office.
If you find a hatchling in danger, in the road, in a pool or just off the beach, here's what to do:
• Pick up the hatchling to get it out of danger;
• Place it in a bucket/container (you can put a little sand in the bucket but no water);
• Call AMITW's Hotline 941-301-8434 for more instructions; and
• Please do not release hatchlings on your own. If they are sick or injured, they may not be able to swim.
Health department issues water quality advisory for Palma Sola
The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County (DOH-Manatee) has issued a water quality health advisory for Palma Sola South, 8500 Manatee Ave. W. Tests completed on Aug. 25 and 27 indicate that the water quality at Palma Sola South does not meet the recreational water quality criteria for enterococcus bacteria recommended by the Florida Department of Health. DOH-Manatee advises against any water-related activities at this location due to an increased risk of illness in swimmers. Sampling conducted during regular water quality monitoring showed that the level of bacteria exceeds the level established by state guidelines. This advisory will continue until bacteria levels are below the accepted health level. Test results are available at FloridaHealth.gov/HealthyBeaches. For more information call 941-741-3962 or visit Manatee.FloridaHealth.gov.
Cortez Road project continues
The latest Cortez Road utility project update, released on Aug. 29, advises that west of the Cortez Bridge, underground pipe installation activities are ongoing on the north and south sides of Cortez Road West.
Construction in this area is expected to continue through spring 2026, with temporary/intermittent lane closures and flagging operations, as well as travel/bike lane and sidewalk closures in effect as needed to route travelers around
the work activities.
East of the Cortez Bridge, construction is complete on 127th Street West and the road is open to traffic. Side streets on the south side of Cortez Road West between 124th Street West and Avenue A will remain closed until tie-ins and connections are complete.
Regular construction activities will take place Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
John M Campora, ChFC®, CRPC™
Financial Advisor
6400 Manatee Ave West, Suite B Bradenton, FL 34209 941-779-2499
941-778-0414 • 512 Pine Ave, Anna Maria
STORMWATER: Anna Maria increases stormwater fees
He said the additional revenues would help address the most immediate stormwater and drainage needs, which include making significant repairs to the stormwater and drainage swales located throughout the city and repairing or replacing the WaStop valves damaged during the 2024 hurricanes. Installed inside drainage pipes, WaStop valves prevent water from flowing back into the pipes that discharge stormwater into canals and other water bodies.
“We have 19 of them and they’re all either broke or need repair. Those two things are mission critical in terms of short-term fixes for this city,” Short said.
Salem questioned the fairness of assessing stormwater fees based on the size of a property rather than the portion of the property that’s covered with structures and other nonpermeable items that hinder drainage. He said the owner of property with 10% lot coverage currently pays the same stormwater fee as the owner of a property with 40% lot coverage and there should be better way to assess the impact that has on drainage and stormwater retention.
Salem agrees there’s much work that needs to be done to improve the city’s drainage and stormwater retention capacities, but he questions whether those improvements warrant increasing the stormwater fee when many property owners are still facing hurricane-related financial challenges that include delayed flood insurance reimbursements.
“For those reasons, I’m reluctant to support an increase,” he said.
Short said the city’s stormwater
utility fee assessment program was established a long time ago and the city must follow the methodology implemented at that time.
Participating by phone, Arendt asked if there’s a way to remove from the fee calculations the portions of the sandy beachfront properties that extend into the coastal conservation zones and don’t negatively impact drainage.
The beachfront properties at the tip of Bean Point range from 34,000 square feet to 91,000 square feet. At the $2 rate, the owner of a 65,000-square-foot property pays a $1,300 stormwater fee that increases to $2,600 at the $4 rate.
Short said the current methodology doesn’t allow any deductions.
“I do believe there’s a better way, but the city’s hands are tied right now in terms of how this can be done. We can
take a look at this in the future. I’m not opposed to that,” Short said.
Arendt doesn’t think it’s fair to base the fee primarily on the amount of a property’s pervious or impervious surfaces because many different factors impact drainage.
“I think that cost should be spread out fairly,” he said.
Participating by phone, City Attorney Becky Vose suggested the city hire the Raftelis consulting firm to assist the city in evaluating and potentially altering the current fee calculation methodology.
Morgan said she’s concerned about increasing costs for property owners but she’s more concerned about the potential for more flooding and flood damage if nothing is done.
“We really need to address this problem sooner rather than later,” she said.
“I agree with Commissioner Morgan,” McMullen said. “This is something we can’t kick down the road.”
After noting that flooding occurs during heavy rains and not just during hurricanes and major storms, McMullen said, “These WaStops are critical.” WaStops also help prevent flooding associated with high tides and king tides.
Short said the fee increase won’t solve the drainage and flooding problems but it’s a step in the right direction. He also said the city received a grant that will pay for a citywide stormwater resiliency study that evaluates how the city can best address future stormwater, drainage and flooding challenges.
PUBLIC INPUT
Archer Way resident Kevin Hutchinson said his street floods every time it rains and he attributes that to a previously contracted city engineer who recommended removing a drainage pipe that was 14 inches in diameter and replacing it with two pipes that were 6 inches in diameter. Hutchingson said two catch basins were also eliminated. He said he’s lived there for 30 years and never had a problem with flooding until those changes were made. He said the city engineer later admitted to him and others that removing the pipe was a mistake that would be corrected, but it never was.
Pelican Lane resident Kevin Farrell said building footprints were smaller and there was more permeable land when he moved to the Island in 2011. He said things have changed since
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN Stormwater fee revenues will be used to replace hurricane-damaged WaStop valves that help prevent water from flowing back into the outfall pipes that discharge into residential canals.
HOLMES BEACH
BEACH BEAT
BRADENTON BEACH
Aug. 23, 1:31 a.m., 500 block Gulf Drive S. Felony warrant. A traffic stop for suspected speeding and a subsequent check of the driver’s license revealed the driver’s outstanding warrant from South Carolina for sexual battery on a minor. The 34-year-old Tampa man was transported to the Bradenton Beach Police Department and then was taken into custody by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and transported to Manatee County jail.
Aug. 25, 10:15 p.m., 500 block 58th Street. Trespass warning. Police were dispatched to a residence where the homeowner requested her son be trespassed from the residence. The homeowner reportedly told police her 32-year-old son had been staying there for less than a month and had been verbally abusive. Officers advised the son that he was being trespassed from the property for one year. The son reportedly was irate and told police that he had nowhere to go and his mother had been drinking at a friend’s house. He packed up his belongings and, saying he lives in South Carolina, requested to be dropped off at the bus depot in downtown Bradenton.
Reel Time: The Great Egmont Key Cleanup
Reel Time
uncoast Aqua Ventures’ (SAV) work can be summed up in three words: “Dive. Preserve. Serve.” But this group of divers does so much more. Their work in cleaning up our coastal islands, shorelines and underwater reefs cannot be overstated. Now Anna Maria residents have the opportunity to join in a cleanup in their own “backyard.”
On Saturday, Sept. 27, they will set their sights on Egmont Key, which is still littered with trash after the 2024 hurricane season. Join in an effort to clean up debris and
restore this treasured island! This event is not like the usual beach cleanups they host. This cleanup will be focusing on removing large debris from the interior and shoreline of the island and hauling it away on barges. Volunteers should be aware that there are no services, including bathrooms, on the island. Volunteers must be 16 years or older and physically able to withstand four-plus hours in the September heat. SAV will have a reprieve station set up at check-in where volunteers can grab some shade, Gatorade, snacks and water refills. Volunteers can meet on Egmont Key with their own boat or get a free ride to the island from one of the following vessels:
• Hubbard's Marina Ferry (departing from Fort De Soto, Tierra Verde, Florida);
• Riverside Tours (departing from Regatta Point Marina, Palmetto, Florida); and
• AMI Dolphin Tours (departing from Waterline Villas and Marina, Anna
Maria Island, Florida).
Registration aboard the ferries is free but limited, so sign up each individual in your party as soon as possible. Volunteers will not be able to
board without a valid registration. To board the ferry, you must be physically capable of disembarking from a semimobile ramp on the shoreline or climbing down a ladder. Information about meeting time and other ferry logistics will be communicated through email, so be sure to register with an email that you check regularly.
Free lunch and snacks will be provided for all volunteers as payment for their hard work.
For more information, email Cheryl Huntsinger at suncoastaquaventures@ gmail.com or Sheila Scolaro at sscolaro@tbep.org.
For more information about Egmont Key, visit: https:// www.floridastateparks.org/ parks-and-trails/egmont-keystate-park
RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN
The beaches along Egmont Key need our help. Sign up today to help restore this Florida coastal gem.
RUSTY CHINNIS
Suncoast Waterkeeper reports heavy toll on mangroves from 2024 hurricanes
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
The 2024 hurricane season took a heavy toll on mangroves across Sarasota and Manatee counties, according to the data from Suncoast Waterkeeper’s second year of the Mangrove Rangers program.
“One of the most striking findings came from a protected site in Sarasota Bay. Last year, it was used as our model site, scoring as one of the healthiest mangrove forests in the region. After the hurricanes, however, nearly half of its canopy was lost, dropping its health score from 90 to 59,” according to the Suncoast Waterkeeper August newsletter. “The health score is composed of two indices: One for canopy volume and one
for leaf health. The loss of canopy at the protected site demonstrated that there isn’t a forest out there protected from Mother Nature and her increasingly powerful storms. However, it also demonstrates the ability of this coastal forest to serve as the initial defense against powerful winds and waves that are weakened by these majestic trees before reaching inland.”
Two new monitoring sites in Palma Sola Bay, located in protected areas, were introduced.
“Protected Site 7 ranked among the top performers, indicating strong ecosystem functions such as erosion control, improved water quality, serving as a fish nursery and providing a bird rookery. Site 7 resilience in the absence of trimming or development pressure was evident by its health score.
The second protected site, Site 6, exhibited signs of strain, characterized by low canopy volume, which may be attributed to its proximity to a busy road and exposure to the 2024 hurricanes,” according to the newsletter.
The results highlight challenges along with hope for mangrove recovery.
“As storms intensify and development pressures grow, protecting mangroves is more critical than ever.
Hurricane relief grants awarded to local fishing guides, captains
These trees are not just coastal vegetation; they serve as a frontline defense for our communities and a vital lifeline for local biodiversity and the economy,” the newsletter stated. “The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (2023) estimates that flood protection benefits from the remaining mangrove systems in Manatee County amount to $54.3 million per year.”
Suncoast Waterkeeper has awarded nine hurricane relief grants of over $1,000 each to support local recreational fishing guides and captains. Thanks to a generous grant from the International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) Worldwide Anglers Relief Fund (WARF), $10,000 was distributed to the following nine members of the local fishing community: Taylor Cowieson, On a Mission Fishing Charters; Nicholas Graham, Grand Slam Fishing Charters; Zackary Horton, Landing Zone Fishing Charters; Brian Marcey, Breakwater Charters; Jarrod McKenzie, Jarrod McKenzie Fishing; Lance Plowman, Florida Fishing Fleet; Scott Tesinsky, Sarasota Family Fishing Charters; Nate Weissman, Capt. Nate’s Fishing Charters and David White, Captain David White Charters.
SUNCOAST WATERKEEPER | SUBMITTED
Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Dr. Abbey Tyrna awards a grant check to Jarrod McKenzie, one of nine local recreational fishing guides and captains awarded hurricane relief grants.
SUNCOAST WATERKEEPER | SUBMITTED
Suncoast Waterkeeper has released data detailing mangrove destruction after the 2024 hurricanes.
REAL ESTATE
Are we stuck in place?
Iwrote a column that came out on Aug. 20 talking about moving trends around the country focusing on Florida and Manatee County. This week I’m going to talk about how mobility around the country is stalled and the effect on the economy.
Just to be clear, moving trends are where people are moving to and are separate from how many people are actually moving. As far as Florida, there is a 2% annual growth rate over the past five years. Manatee County is growing as well with a steady stream of new residents pushing into eastern Manatee buying much of the new construction.
Castles in the Sand
LOUISE BOLGER
less. By 2019, the year before COVID-19, 9.8% of Americans moved. In 2023, only 7.8% of Americans moved, the lowest rate since U.S. Census records began in 1948, and 2024 has held steady.
afford to close that financial gap and accept a job requiring a relocation. In addition, most households need two incomes now, making relocation for one member of the household more complicated. So, what’s happening now, why are more people stuck in place in their homes and in their careers? We all know the housing market has stalled with the exception of pockets and areas that still thrive. Because of this, homeowners are in homes that are too small for them and in jobs that aren’t providing upward mobility opportunities.
or less of their earnings on housing costs according to Redfin. That housing cost was 39% last year.
None of this is good news for the economy. Corporations need new blood and new ideas and not being able to recruit the next generation into these jobs stagnates their business. And young employees need the experience and upward career track to move on with their lives.
However, as much as we may be growing with incoming residents, most of the country is experiencing a slowdown in relocations. In the 1950s and 1960s, 20% of Americans would move each year. There was a slowing down after this because the population was aging and that generation tended to move
American workers have always been willing to relocate for better job opportunity and young college graduates have also been willing to move for the same reason. I worked in the relocation end of real estate in the early and mid-1990s for almost 10 years and it was a thriving business, with several large relocation companies offering their services to corporations. Now, however, relocation packages are less generous, and potential employees can’t
Young people just entering the work force can’t afford a home and some even struggle with rent. Existing homeowners may have a low percentage mortgage and are not willing to increase that monthly expense and move up and older generations can’t find buyers for their family homes, depriving them of a much-needed downsize.
In the not-too-distant past through the 2010s, a median-income family who bought a median-priced home spent 30%
Sept. 16-17 is the next meeting of the Federal Reserve. Reuters has surveyed economists who are mostly in agreement that there will be a drop in interest rates in September and another one before the end of the year. So, September is the month to watch; if it happens, the stock market will love it and so will first time-home buyers.
We definitely need something to unclog the bottleneck in the real estate market. If we can get those first-time buyers in it will gradually trickle up the real estate ladder and get the much-needed mobility the country needs.
PARKING: HB commissioner proposes paid beach parking
FROM PAGE 1
Diggins referenced the 42-page Island-wide Urban Land Institute (ULI) study completed in 2015. The ULI study was never used to any significant degree by any of the three Island cities, which each contributed more than $30,000 to help cover the $125,000 cost of the contracted study that offered a never-implemented “Vision for Anna Maria Island’s Future.”
“One of the recommendations said free parking is not a right,” Diggins said. “I’m just wondering if it’s time for us to revisit our paid parking policy at some point in the future and develop some type of plan for paid beach parking. I think it might be time to do that. The county would have to do it and the other cities would have to do it at the same time. I want to know what you guys think. I think it’s a way to raise revenue because
we know revenue sources are drying up.”
Manatee County owns and controls Manatee Beach and the beach parking lot in Holmes Beach. The county also owns and controls Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach and their parking lots in Bradenton Beach.
Diggins said he talked to representatives of a couple of companies that provide paid parking systems and he was told the automated payment technology exists and the automated systems can also help motorists find available parking spaces without having to drive around looking for an open space.
“If you want to go to the beach, you have to pay for it,” Diggins said.
COMMISSION FEEDBACK
Whitmore, a former county commissioner, said, “I 100% don’t support it. I didn’t support it when I was at the county.”
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Many of the city’s designated free beach parking areas are identified by ropes, bollards and markers that feature an encircled “P.”
Whitmore said there’s not much left in life that people can enjoy for free anymore, especially the elderly and those who don’t have a lot of money.
“I don’t think that we should do that to our citizens. We have so many more important things to do than charge poor people for more stuff,” she said.
Oelfke agreed with much of what Whitmore said.
“I think we want to try avoid that as long as possible, but I think it might be inevitable at
some point,” he said, noting he’d want the county to take the lead on paid beach parking.
“I do like the idea of looking for additional revenue sources. I would support increasing parking fines,” he added.
“I’m not for it,” Soustek said, noting the city “worked long and hard” on its current parking provisions.
The city’s current parking provisions include designated free parking spaces at the street-end beach access points
and those areas are marked with ropes and bollards and small white, green and black markers that feature an encircled letter “P.”
Red and white signs designate the nearby city rights of way further from the beach access points where streetside parking is restricted to residents between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., with city-issued stickers used to identify residents’ vehicles.
“You’re never going to have enough parking out here. I don’t care what you do,” Soustek said.
“Until it’s an issue we have to look at, I would prefer not to,” she added, noting that she doesn’t mind discussing it further.
Schaefer said, “I’ve never been a proponent of paid parking. If it ever comes to pass, I can’t imagine charging our residents to park within our city.”
Jeff & Jennifer Jordan
Andrew &
Doucett
Betsy Hagan
Joe McCall
Chelsea Oelker
Kathy Harman
Dee Munn
Scott Toland
George Myers
Suzy Korinek
Amy Ward
Hannah Hillyard
PARKING: HB commissioner proposes paid beach parking
Schaefer noted the city had to previously defend itself from the previous county commission’s desire to build a multi-level parking garage at the county-owned Manatee Beach. Schaefer said he favors leaving the current parking provisions in place until it’s necessary to get in unison with what the county and the other two Island cities do in terms of paid parking.
Titsworth said the city did some preliminary research on paid parking when the since-discarded county parking garage was still in play, but she hopes paid beach parking doesn’t happen while she’s mayor.
“It’s inevitable. I hope inevitable happens when I’m not in this chair,” she said, adding that many residents live on the other side of the bridge now because they were priced out.
"The fact that they get to come back here and park for free and enjoy the beaches is good. Whether it’s now or later, that’s entirely up to this board," she said, adding that she hopes it can stay free "for a little bit longer.”
Regarding the search for additional
revenues, Titsworth said convincing the Legislature to provide the Island cities with a larger share of the significant tourist development tax revenues generated on the Island is a more immediate concern than paid parking revenues.
After hearing what the mayor and other commissioners had to say, Diggins said it would likely take a year or two, or longer, to come up with a workable paid parking plan that includes the county and the other two cities and now is the time to start working on it.
“We could have a workshop on this,”
Soustek said. “Be prepared to have this chamber filled. Bring them in and explain why you want to discuss it, because you feel the inevitability of it.”
“It’s worked in a lot of beach communities,” Diggins said.
Whitmore again noted some people, including those who live on the mainland, can’t afford to pay for parking when visiting the Island beaches.
“Those are the people that really need our beaches,” she said.
Oelfke and Schaefer supported discussing paid parking with county officials to get a feel for where they currently stand on the issue. Titsworth
said she would ask county staff to add a paid parking discussion to the agenda for the joint Holmes Beach/ Manatee County meeting to be held at the county administrative building in downtown Bradenton on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 1:30 p.m. That meeting will be livestreamed at the county website.
“Don’t we have more important things to talk about?” Whitmore lamented.
Diggins noted the county plans to charge boaters to use the boat ramps to be built at the county-owned Cortez Marina when that county facility is constructed on the property formerly occupied by the Seafood Shack and Annie’s Bait and Tackle before the county bought the property in December. There’s also been some informal public discussion about possibly charging boaters to use the other county boat ramps as well.
“People who use the service have to pay for it; and to me, paid beach parking fits in that category,” Diggins said. “We don’t have to implement it, but we can gather information to see what we don’t know.”
“I’ll fight it all the way,” Whitmore said.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Commissioner Dan Diggins asked his fellow commissioners to consider paid beach parking. Commissioner Carol Whitmore adamantly opposes paid beach parking.
OPPAGA: Island mayors receive OPPAGA study-related letter
“As you know, the upcoming session will involve many competing priorities for state funding. While we remain committed to supporting Anna Maria Island and its recovery, we need to understand what progress has been made at the local level to ensure we are working toward the same goals.
“We respectfully request that you provide us with an update
by October 1st, 2025, so we can consider these matters as we enter the appropriations process. We value your partnership and remain committed to preserving the unique character of Anna Maria Island while ensuring the responsible use of taxpayer dollars.
“Thank you for your continued leadership and service. We look forward to your timely response,” the letter signed by Robinson and Boyd says in conclusion.
The Manatee County Legislative Delegation will hold its annual meeting on Monday, Oct. 27 in the Bradenton City Commission chambers at 101 Old Main St. W. in downtown Bradenton from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The meeting is open to the public and provides the delegation members an opportunity to discuss their legislative intentions for the Florida Legislature’s 2026 legislative session.
STORMWATER: Anna Maria increases stormwater fees
then and the city needs to adapt to those changes. He said the stormwater fee is calculated the same for residents who live in smaller homes with more permeable space and better stormwater retention and large vacation rental homes with greater lot coverage and less stormwater retention and drainage capacity.
“It is patently absurd to tax people based on the square footage of their lot,” he said.
North Shore Drive resident Tania Pike said she lives on a large lot with one house and a lot of permeable space. During the many years she’s lived there, she’s watched many large lots get divided into 5,000-square-foot lots that then get covered with a 4,000-squarefoot home and a large pool.
She doesn’t think it’s fair that the same stormwater rate is applied to her property and one of those properties. She also said drainage solutions in place 10-20 years ago might no longer be the best solutions.
Gulf Drive resident Jim Sullivan supports increasing the stormwater fee increase and finding a more equitable way to calculate the fees later.
“If you don’t do something quickly, what harm is that going to bring down the road?” he said. “This seems to be the best alternative today. These storm drains don’t work. That’s not a good idea; and potentially we’re going to have worse weather than we used to.”
Hardin Avenue resident Jean Murray asked if the city has pursued other ways to
raise the money needed for stormwater repairs and improvements.
In response, Short said the total stormwater budget for the new fiscal year is $3.3 million, with $2.6 million of the projected stormwater revenues coming from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, FEMA, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and other sources, with ap-
proximately $600,000 coming from stormwater fees generated at the increased rate.
McMullen said pumps and pipes would ultimately provide a better way to address future flooding but that approach is even more expensive. He then made the motion to approve the city resolution that establishes the increased stormwater fee.
FUN IN THE SUN
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