Celebrating 25 years NOV. 29, 2017 FREE
VOLUME 26, NO. 5
astheWorldterns take a dim view. 6 From tram to driverless vehicles considered in traffic study. 4 Former mayor returns to the job. 5
Op-Ed
The Islander editorial, reader letters. 6
10-20 YEARS AGO
From the archives. 7
Meetings
On the government calendar. 8 AMI Plaza plan draws fire in Holmes Beach. Waterline resort to open Nov. 30. 9 Funding set for HB dog, skate parks. 9
Happenings
Community announcements, activities. 10-11 Make plans, save a date. 12-13 Thanksgiving shared at Roser. 15 Aqua mitigation bank challenge proceeds. 18
Streetlife. 18 20 ’Tis the season: Reuse, recycle, repurpose. 23 Island Fitness works out for center gym. 24 On the water: Varied conditions, catches. 25 IRE takes on international rental partners. 26 Classifieds. 28
The Best News on Anna Maria Island Since 1992
www.islander.org
HB to high court on treehouse: Deny precedent
By Kathy Prucnell Islander Reporter “i’m confident it’s the end of the line.” that was how richard Harrison of tampa, special counsel hired for Holmes Beach now that the treehouse case is on the doorstep of the u.S. Supreme court, described the case a day before filing the city’s response. treehouse owners Lynn tran and richard Hazen petitioned the u.S. Supreme court in october for a writ of certiorari, asking the high court to consider a review of their case. Harrison’s response to their petition was docketed nov. 22. the owners’ underlying case seeks a citywide vote to decide the fate of the treehouse. giving rise to their high court appeal, however, is the owners’ claim that 12th circuit Judge don t. Hall violated their federal due process rights by rubber-stamping a cityproposed order.
in response, Harrison contends tran and Hazen could have raised a federal due process claim in Hall’s trial court but failed to do so, and, therefore, the high court should decline the review. moreover, argues Harrison, there’s been
By Kathy Prucnell Islander Reporter the florida department of environmental protection has issued a final order to raymond guthrie Jr. to remove his house on stilts in Sarasota Bay. the nov. 17 order requires the 1,211 square-foot structure be removed by dec. 7 and, by dec. 17, a payment of $6,500 in fines to the state. guthrie has 30 days to file a court appeal, according to the final order. the dep adopted findings from an oct. 19 notice of Violation, orders for corrective action and administrative penalty assessment, previously sent to guthrie as “binding and final.” the final order states guthrie received
the notice oct. 27 and didn’t respond in writing or request a hearing within 20 days, as instructed by the document. thus, the orders — including the removal and fines — are final. guthrie’s representative, Joanne Semmer, president of ostego Bay environmental inc. of fort myers, hopes for dep leniency or a new law for manatee county. Semmer said the state already grandfathers building on net camp locations in Lee and collier counties. Semmer said she’s personally been hit hard by Hurricane irma and needed more time to show why the dep should grandfather guthrie’s structure and “would still like to try to mediate.” PLEASE SEE DEP ORDER PAGE 2
Richard Hazen, left, Lynn Tran and their attorney, David Levin, attend a Holmes Beach city meeting in September 2013. Islander File Photo
DEP final order: Remove Cortez house
The house built in 2017 near the Cortez docks in Sarasota Bay must be removed, according to a final order from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Islander Photo: Kathy Prucnell
no due process violation. at a July 2016 hearing, a month before Hall entered the final order, the judge asked both sides — owners’ attorney, david Levin, and attorney for the city Jim dye — for proPLEASE SEE TREEHOUSE PAGE 3
Public pleas: Save pier planks
By Bianca Benedí Islander Reporter Benches on the anna maria city pier. a boardwalk in anna maria. Wall decor. emails to the city of anna maria contain a plethora of suggestions for re-purposing or salvaging the engraved anna maria city pier planks when the pier is rebuilt. ayres associates, the engineering firm hired to rebuild the pier, estimated it will take 62-82 weeks to repair and rebuild the structure. Hurricane irma’s passage Sept. 10-11 left the pier “totally destroyed,” according to the terms of the city’s lease with mario Schoenfelder, which defines total destruction as damage that takes more than 120 days to repair. However, the city has maintained the pier was in poor shape even before the hurricane. a 2015 marine survey that found the pier in need of repair sent the city searching for repair bids before Hurricane irma hit. in a proposal oct. 19, ayres suggested using concrete pilings and lumberock — a mineral-plastic composite — planks to rebuild the pier and give it a 100-year lifespan. commissioners voted to preserve the pier as long as possible. PLEASE SEE PIER PLANKS PAGE 2