The Islander Newspaper E-Edition Wednesday, April 18, 2018

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Sea turtle prep. 17 AsTheWorldTerns face off with rising tide. 6

VOLUME 26, NO. 25

Grill night at HBPD. 21

Happy Earth Day

Truckin’ to Coquina. 28 APRIL 18, 2018 FREE

Military flare causes injury, beach closed. 3 Hurricane forecast: Slightly above average. 3

Meetings

On the government calendar. 4 HB gets warning of sea-level rise. 5

Op-Ed

The Islander editorial, reader letters. 6

10-20 YEARS AGO

From the archives. 7

AM preservation board appointed. 8 HB commission to raise business taxes. 9

Happenings

Community announcements, activities. 10-11

Make plans, save a date. 12-13 County backs unpermitted house built in bay. 14 Bradenton Beach initiates charter review process. 15

Obituaries. 20 Streetlife.

22

Soundtrack to Earth Day. 25 Basketball playoff action tips off on center court. 26 Spotted fever breaks out on the water. 27 . 28

PropertyWatch. 29 Business roundup. 30 CLASSIFIEDS. 32

The Best News on Anna Maria Island Since 1992

www.islander.org

Iconic surf shop burns, damage up to $250K

By Bianca Benedí Islander Reporter Rain, wind and fire hit Anna Maria Island April 15. A fire broke out in the afternoon at the West Coast Surf Shop in Holmes Beach during a squall, causing no injuries but leaving behind hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage. The fire started just after 2:30 p.m., when an electrical incident inside the store involving neon lighting sparked a flame. Holmes Beach police arrived almost immediately, followed by at least three West Manatee Fire Rescue engines, WMFR fire marshal Jim Davis said. About 15 WMFR firefighters responded to the fire after the call at 2:41, putting it out within the hour. A manager in the shop was alerted by a customer to the smell of smoke, Davis said. Davis said after the manager looked out a window and saw smoke and a haze rising, the two employees working when the fire broke out evacuated about 30 customers.

A fire spills out and reaches the roof April 15 at West Coast Surf Shop, 3902 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Islander Photo: Courtesy HBPD/Officer Jason Higgins Some customers were reluctant to leave, damage. Davis said. Davis praised the store employees, Customers regrouped at Skinny’s commenting that they did “an amazing job” Place across the street while firefighters evacuating customers. PLEASE SEE fire PAGE 2 extinguished the flames and inspected the

Anna Maria attorney points out private beach pitfalls

By Bianca Benedí Islander Reporter Anna Maria may be more significantly impacted by a new state law regulating how owners can limit use of their beachfront property than initially thought. City attorney Becky Vose told commissioners April 12 that HB631, the Possession of Real Property Act, set to go into effect July 1, may threaten public beach use. The law says beachfront property owners can declare portions of their property private on the beachfront — landward of the established mean high tide line. An islandwide erosion control line set in 1992 with a beach renourishment project can protect much of the island’s beaches, but Vose said the specific language in the bill would make it difficult for a municipality to protect public beaches without taking proactive measures. She said commissioners should prioritize adopting a customary-use ordinance before July 1 to provide an “affirmative defense” against potential public-private beach feuds.

Signs declare portions of the beach private property and warn “No trespassing” on the bayfront at 504 S. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria. Islander Photo: Bianca Benedí In addition, Vose said it would be imperShe said without establishing areas for customary use, the city would have to go to ative for the city to collect testimony from the courthouse to argue with people who try people to prove and protect historical use of to prohibit access to their property landward the beaches. PLEASE SEE BeACH PAGE 2 of the mean high tide line.


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