22 minute read
REAL ESTATE
THE SUN
AUGUST 12, 2020
Reassessing your life
Lots of people these days are asking themselves, if this is the one life, I have to live maybe I need to set some priorities. According to national and local real estate sales statistics, a lot of those priorities involve lifestyle and where to live. Both of which are being turned upside down.
When the virus hit in mid-March and everything shut down it seemed like everyone was heading for the hills to hunker down. If you were lucky enough to own a second home in an area where the infection rate was lower and the amenities better, you were among the lucky. Now with the ability to work and educate remotely those second homeowners are reconsidering turning their second home into their first home completely reversing their lifestyle.
Second home sales in resort and rural communities have seen a surge in recent months. Buyers are looking for second homes where they can comfortably live
Castles in the Sand
LOUISE BOLGER
long term or forever. This is no surprise to Florida generally and our area in particular where properties are literally flying off the market. As of this writing per reltor. com, below is a quick unscientific analysis of properties for sale vs. properties already pending:
Manatee County has 4,934 properties listed for sale – 35% of them were pending. City of Anna Maria has 82 properties listed for sale – 30% of them were pending. Combined cities of Holmes Beach and Bradenton has 241 properties listed – 24% of them were pending. Cortez has 27 properties listed for sale – 22% of them were pending
These are significant percentages of pending properties which backs up the positive June Manatee County sales statistics. Also, in June Manatee County had 20% more pending single-family homes compared to last June and pending condos were up for the same period 17.7%.
Not only has the virus had an effect on the second home market but it is also having an effect on the increase of suburban home sales. In recent years the suburbs were looked on by young singles and families as a very “uncool” place to live. Brady Bunch 1950’s homes where many millennials and generation X young adults grew up had very little draw to this generation who gravitated to cities and urban centers.
Well a lot of that has changed since March and urban dwellers are reevaluating what’s really important to them and their children and are perceiving the suburbs as safer, cleaner and overall polished, the exact reason their parents
and grandparents moved there in the first place. And it’s not only young employees viewing the suburbs differently it’s also their employers. Working remotely does not require long and expensive commutes into city centers where commercial real estate costs are exorbitant.
Naturally, the suburbs close to big cities like New York City are benefitting the most, moves from New York City to Connecticut have more than doubled from last year. However, the trend is nationwide, what could be bad about a conference call overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
The world is shifting on its axis and it only took a few months and a nasty virus to make that happen. Maybe Covid did us all a favor by forcing us to reevaluate our priorities, it wouldn’t be the first time a major world-wide event compelled us to readjust our thinking and it won’t be the last time. Stay safe.
NOAA says beware and be warned
BY TOM VAUGHT SUN CONTRIBUTOR
This year’s tropical storm season began with a record nine named storms and is forecast to be an “extremely active” season.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) reports conditions are likely to fuel storm development in the Atlantic, leading to what could be an “extremely active” season, according to forecasters with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service.
Last week, the agency released its annual August update to the Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, initially issued in May.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season got off to a rapid pace with a record setting nine named storms so far and has the potential to be one of the busiest on record. Historically, only two named storms form on average by early August, and the ninth named storm typically does not form until Oct. 4. An average season produces 12 named storms, including six hurricanes of which three become major hurricanes (Category 3, 4, or 5).
“This is one of the most active seasonal forecasts that NOAA has produced in its 22-year history of hurricane outlooks. NOAA will continue to provide the best possible science and service to communities across the Nation for the remainder of hurricane season to ensure public readiness and safety,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “We encourage all Americans to do their part by getting prepared, remaining vigilant, and being ready to take action when necessary.”
THE NEW NUMBERS
The updated outlook calls for 19-25 named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater), of which 7-11 will become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater), including 3-6 major hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or greater). This update covers the entire six-month hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30, and includes the nine named storms to date.
A comprehensive measure of the overall hurricane season activity is the Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index, which measures the combined intensity and duration of all named storms during the season. Based on
the ACE projection, combined with the above-average numbers of named storms and hurricanes, the likelihood of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season has increased to 85%, with only a 10% chance of a near-normal season and a 5% chance of a below-normal season.
“This year, we expect more, stronger, and longer-lived storms than average, and our predicted ACE range extends well above NOAA’s threshold for an extremely active season,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.
THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT
Current oceanic and atmospheric conditions that make an “extremely active” hurricane season possible are warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, reduced vertical wind shear, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds and an enhanced west African monsoon. These conditions are expected to continue for the next several months. A main climate factor behind these conditions is the ongoing warm phase of the Atlantic
Multi-Decadal Oscillation, which reappeared in 1995 and has been favoring more active hurricane seasons since that time.
Another contributing climate factor this year is the possibility of La Nina developing in the months ahead. Indicative of cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the equatorial regions of the eastern Pacific Ocean, La Nina can further weaken the wind shear over the Atlantic Basin, allowing storms to develop and intensify.
NOAA’s hurricane season outlook is for overall seasonal activity and is not a landfall forecast. Landfalls are largely determined by short-term weather patterns, which are only predictable within about a week of a storm potentially reaching a coastline. NOAA’s National Hurricane Center provides tropical weather outlooks out to five days in advance, provides track and intensity forecasts for individual storms, and issues watches and warnings for specific tropical storms, hurricanes and the associated storm surge.
Remember. It only takes a storm to make it a miserable season so be prepared.
The city of Bradenton Beach will seek a judge’s ruling on the legality of one of the parking garage ballot questions.
BY JOE HENDRICKS
SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – Bradenton Beach voters will likely see two parking garage questions on their general election ballots this fall.
Both parking garage questions are expected to be presented to city voters as proposed amendments to the city charter, but the Bradenton Beach Commission will simultaneously seek a judge’s ruling on the legality of the first parking garage ballot question.
The first parking garage ballot question addresses the city-wide parking garage prohibition first sought in 2018 by the Keep Our Residential Neighborhoods (KORN) political action committee formed by Reed Mapes and John Metz. The second ballot question will ask city voters if they want to allow one parking garage to be built in Bradenton Beach.
There are currently no proposals to build a parking garage in Bradenton
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN In 2016, Mayor Bill Shearon proposed building a parking garage near the Public Works building and police station.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN In 2016, Commissioner Jake Spooner proposed building a parking garage on the Joe’s Eats & Sweets property.
Beach and the construction of a standalone, multi-level parking garage is currently prohibited by the city’s comprehensive plan and land development code (LDC). However, the comp plan and LDC prohibitions adopted by the commission in 2018 could be reversed by a future commission. A parking garage prohibition or parking garage allowance added to the city charter could only be reversed by city voters.
Both parking garage questions were formalized with the adoption of City Ordinance 20-518 during Monday morning’s special city commission meeting.
When presenting the ordinance on first reading on Thursday, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said she made slight modifications to the KORN question that now reads as follows: “Should the charter of Bradenton Beach be amended to prohibit the building of any multilevel parking garages within the city of Bradenton Beach? All other parking garages, facilities and structures are allowed as permitted by local law.”
The second charter amendment question – suggested by Perry and first discussed by the commission in June – reads as follows: “Should the city amend its charter to: (1) Prohibit the approval, development and building of any stand-alone parking garage structures in all residential zoning districts; (2) Prohibit any multi-level parking garage, structure, or facility exceeding a total density of one multi-level parking garage within the entire municipal limits; and, (3) Establish a mandatory city-wide voter referendum to increase the multilevel parking garage density?”
When discussing the second question Thursday evening, Perry said, “County
SEE PARKING, PAGE 26
LOCALLY KNOWN. GLOBALLY CONNECTED. SINCE 1976.
HOLMES BEACH
97 52nd Street Hannah Hillyard 941-744-7358 A4468151
$2,350,000
NORTH POINT HARBOUR
605 N Point Drive Hannah Hillyard 941-744-7358 A4469001 $1,864,000
WELLS
855 N Shore Drive Ken Kavanaugh, Jr & Margo Love Story 941-799-1943 A4469943 $1,795,000
COVE SOUND YACHT CLUB
12903 Yacht Club Place Gregory Zies & Kathy Valente 941-779-3081 A4455943 $1,200, 000
NORTH POINT HARBOUR
609 N Point Drive Hannah Hillyard 941-744-7358 A4455659 $1,190,000
VILLAS OF HOLMES BEACH
206 52nd Street 3 Kathy Harman 941-900-9828 A4464002 $989,000
BAY PALMS
528 74th Street Victoria Sperounes 941-960-3773 A4469255 $2,590,000
CASANAS
401 39th Street Ken Kavanaugh, Jr & Margo Love Story 941-799-1943 A4457608 $929,500
MAINSAIL BEACH INN
107 66th Street 12 Kristi Berger & Deborah Capobianco 941-730-3801 A4452254 $870,000
LONGBOAT KEY
735 Saint Judes Drive S Lynne Callahan 941-720-3278 A4468349 $729,000
MAINSAIL BEACH INN
101 66th Street 6 Kristi Berger & Deborah Capobianco 941-730-3801 A4452260 $595,000
MAINSAIL BEACH INN
103 66th Street 10 Kristi Berger & Deborah Capobianco 941-730-3801 A4452245 $567,125
WESTBAY COVE
600 Manatee Avenue 132 Leah Secondo 941-545-4430 A4469259 $359,000
RUNAWAY BAY
1801 Gulf Drive N 251 Barbara Dumbaugh 941-951-6660 A4461613 $330,000 NEW CONSTRUCTION
PALMA SOLA BAY CLUB
3412 79th Street Circle W 203 Pamela Miller 941-761-7349 A4468239 $395,000
PARKING: garage amendments slated for ballot
FROM PAGE 24 commission has now been asking for solutions to parking and I know that Carol Whitmore was one of the commissioners suggesting a parking garage. The (city) commission has made it very clear that they don’t want to see a parking garage in city. Nonetheless, the city is putting it out there to see what the voters are wanting to do.”
According to Perry, if voters approve both amendments neither would be enacted because they would be in conflict.
According to Perry, Monday was the final day to submit ballot items to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office for inclusion on the fall ballot.
Monday morning, the commission, minus Commissioner Jan Vosburgh, adopted by 4-0 vote the following motion: “A motion to approve the second reading and adoption of Ordinance 20-518 to the extent of preserving a timely placement of ballot language on the 2020 general election, with a directive to Ricinda Perry to coordinate with Chuck Johnson and schedule a hearing in front of Judge Nicholas to argue that land use matters do not belong in a city charter.”
COMMISSION ACTIONS
The city now seeks a ruling from Circuit Court Judge Edward Nicholas regarding the legality of the KORN amendment first sought in 2018. When the city commission refused to place on the 2018 ballot the parking garage question and three additional charter amendment questions proposed by KORN, KORN filed a lawsuit against the city.
In March, Nicholas ruled the city did not have to place KORN’s charter amendment questions on a future ballot. Nicholas felt the city addressed most of KORN’s concerns via the alternative charter amendments recommended by the Charter Review Committee and approved by city voters. When issuing his ruling, Nicholas said he would consider future arguments regarding the parking garage question that had not been posed to city voters.
Johnson represented the city in that case. On June 18, Perry told the commission KORN attorney Robert Hendrickson emailed Johnson regarding the lingering parking garage issue.
“It’s not been ordered by the judge to put it on the ballot, but Mr. Hendrickson has indicated KORN will continue to take this to court and try to force the city to put it on the ballot. Do you want to put it on the ballot and kill that argument or do you want to fight it in court?” Perry said that day.
After much debate that day regarding the legalities of addressing a land use issue in the city charter in contrast to current state law, and the legal precedent that might establish, the commission voted 3-2 to move forward with two parking garage ballot questions.
On Monday, Mayor John Chappie asked Perry if the commission could place both parking garage initiatives on the ballot but still seek a ruling from Nicholas.
“If the city feels strongly that a parking garage, as a land use regulation, doesn’t belong in the charter, you could still appeal this ordinance to the judge as a new cause of action,” Perry said of the city appealing its own ordinance.
“As it relates to the current lawsuit by KORN, he could issue a mandate that this be taken off the ballot and not voted on. He could direct that to the supervisor of elections. I believe we could still go to Judge Nicholas and say we did this in good faith mov ing it forward, but we still strongly object to it and feel it should not be put in front of voters,” Perry said.
She expressed confidence that a hearing could be held before November and it was noted mail voting begins in October.
“On Nov 3., if it all got voted on and it all got passed, it could still be thrown out by the judge. He could basically nullify the votes that came in,” Perry said.
OBITUARIES
John Cooper Bennet
John Cooper Bennett, also lovingly known as J.B. and Johnny Boy, passed away at age 74 in Atlantic Beach, Fla., on July 27, 2020. He was born in Jacksonville, Fla., on Jan. 19, 1946.
John first visited Anna Maria Island in the 1980s. He fell in love with the island and eventually purchased a vacation home on Pine Avenue. When in town, he enjoyed fishing at the Rod and Reel Pier, playing horseshoes at City Hall, boating and catching up with local residents.
As a young adolescent, John was diagnosed with diabetes and became a passionate advocate for diabetes awareness and research efforts. He was president of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and volunteered to consult young, newly diagnosed diabetes patients. After a career spanning more than 40 years, John retired from working for his longtime friend Jennifer Duke and her family.
John liked to be near the water. When not in his hometown of Jacksonville or on Anna Maria Island, he enjoyed fishing in the mountains of North Carolina. John also enjoyed traveling, regaling stories, watching the Florida Gators and Jacksonville Jaguars, visiting with loved ones, and driving, whether it be a car, boat or RV. Many knew John for his beaming smile, tall stature and fun-loving nature — and for his kindness and generosity. John never knew a stranger.
John is survived by his life partner, Mary King of Atlantic Beach, Fla.; brother, Roberts O. Bennett (Orinda Evans) of Atlanta, Ga.; sisters-inlaw, Kathy King of Jacksonville, Fla., and Joni Adno of Sarasota, Fla.; and brother-in-law, John King (Joy) of Neptune Beach, Fla. He is also survived by 10 nieces and nephews: Wells Bennett (Debra, and their children Katerina and Reid) of Washington, D.C.; Ian Eckerson of Sarasota, Fla.; Elizabeth Bennett of Washington, D.C.; Kristen King (William Smith) of New York, N.Y.; Mason King of Neptune Beach, Fla.; and Henry King of Neptune Beach, Fla. Additionally, John leaves behind many cousins and dear friends whom he cherished.
A celebration of John’s life will be planned in Jacksonville for a future date to be determined. To receive updates on the event, or to share photos or memories of John with his surviving family members, please email InMemoryofJohnBennett@gmail.com. Please donate to your favorite charity in lieu of flowers.
BEACH BEAT
HOLMES BEACH 7/30, abandoned vehicle, Kingfish Boat Launch parking Lot, 752 Manatee Ave, The officer on patrol fund a pickup truck parked after hours with no license. He found out the truck was left there following a traffic stop on July 26, 2020. It was towed. 7/30, vehicle theft, 3800 Gulf Drive. The license plate reader alerted police to the vehicle reported as stolen in Hillsborough County. An officer stopped the driver, a juvenile who said he had no ID. They called the vehicle’s owner so he could retrieve it and the driver’s mother and took the suspect to the Manatee County Juvenile Assessment Center, They later found out the driver was listed as missing in Hillsborough County. 7/31,driving with no driver’s license, 4500 Gulf Drive. The officer made a records check on a driver and found he had no license, just a foreign ID. He was given a summons to see the judge. 7/31. Possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, driving with an expired registration, no location given. The license plate reader alerted the officer of the driver’s expired registration and when he made
a traffic stop, he smelled burnt marijuana. The officer issued the driver a traffic ticket and a code violation notice for the pot. 7/31, noise violation, contributing to the delinquency of minors.131 51st St. Police were called to the vacation rental where juveniles were drinking, smoking pot and making noise at an open house party to celebrate high school graduation. One of the graduates said her parents rented the house for the week and they held a small get-together but more and more kids arrived and it got out of hand. Police corralled all the partyers and released the 18 and older sober grads. They had the younger and intoxicated kids call their parents or legal guardians. 8/1, petit theft, Kingfish Boat Launch, 752 Manatee Ave. A cell phone was stolen. 8/1, booze on the beach, 52nd block beach. The officer saw kids playing around the renourishment equipment and saw they had alcohol. They were ticketed and had to call their parents before they could leave. 8/4, fraud, Anna Maria Island Beaches Real Estate, 601 Key Royale Drive. The owner of the business said a person unknown drew $1,927.71 from her account using a counterfeit check.
THE SUN
SPORTS
AUGUST 12, 2020
Solid Rock Construction dominates at The Center
BY MONICA SIMPSON
SPECIAL TO THE SUN
After a full night of soccer the night before, Solid Rock Construction dominated the pitch against Beach Bums. With the win, the team lead by Chris Scott in the scoring for the night won its third game in the season.
Scott finished the game with five goals, followed by James Lynch scoring four points and Chris Culhane with a solo goal in the victory. Mark Long made 10 saves in the match.
Beach Bums’ Amy Ivan was top scorer with two successful strikes. Teammates Neil Fellowes, son Robert Fellowes and Kevin Roman all made a goal giving their team five points.
Blalock Walters took the win against Signature Granite with the score 7-3. Ryan Hogan and Jessica Williams each put two points on the scoreboard, with singles by Derek Crooks, Matt Plummer and Matt Staggs.
On the other side of midfield, Damir Glavan, Zack Lieb and Kris Yavalar scored for Signature Granite, but the team effort just was not enough last Thursday night.
Sato Real Estate eked out a win after their first loss Wednesday night. Hakan Toka and Nate Welch were the only scorers for Sato Real Estate. Moss Builders found two points at the foot of Brent Moss in the 3-2 loss.
The final game of the evening and week ended with a tie between Vintage Beach and Gulfview Windows and Doors.
Joey Hutchison scored four of the five goals for Vintage Beach, with the solo goal by Nick Bouchard. Goalies
David Greene and Ben Sato were busy protecting the net with seven and 10 saves, respectively.
Gulfview’s scorers were Daniel Adan with a hat trick and Keith Mahoney with a single goal in the game. Matt Fletcher was recorded with a goal to complete another night of adult co-ed soccer at The Center.
SUN SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5 ADULT CO-ED SOCCER Moss Builders Vintage Beach
(2-2) 2 (2-1-1) 5
Solid Rock Construction Signature Granite
Ross Built Construction Gulfview Windows
Sato Real Estate Beach Bums
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6 ADULT CO-ED SOCCER Solid Rock Construction Beach Bums
Blalock Walters Signature Granite
Sato Real Estate Moss Builders
Vintage Beach Gulfview Windows (2-1) 8 (1-2) 4
(2-2) 10 (0-4) 5
(3-1) 2 3
(3-1) 10 5
(2-1-1) 7 (1-3) 3
(4-1) 3 (2-3) 2
(2-1-2) 5 (0-4-1) 5
MONICA SIMPSON | SUN Above, Blalock Walter's Matt Staggs gets ready to move the soccer ball with Signature Granite's Zack Lieb coming in ready to attack.
Left, Signature Granite's Cemal Duzgun puts the pressure on Matt Staggs of Blalock Walters last Thursday night.
