The Islander Newspaper E-Edition: Wednesday, March. 04, 2020

Page 1

Spring forward. 12

take 5:00:

‘Hot Stove Dinner.’ 15

Getting around AMI. 18-19 MARCH 4, 2020 Free

VOLUME 28, NO. 19 astheworldterns bemoan traffic grrrrrrridlock. 6 Bacteria dips in Bradenton Beach waters. 2 Skate park vandalized, cleaned up. 3

Meetings. 4 HB approves abandoned property regs. 5 early voting to begin. 5

Opinions. 6 10-20 YEARS AGO Looking back. 7

the Best news on anna Maria island Since 1992

Home rule limits zip through Legislature By chrisann allen islander reporter

The battle for home rule in the face of state preemption is intensifying in Tallahassee. Two bills being considered by the Legislature — Senate Bill 1128 filed by Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah, and House Bill 1011 filed by Jason Fischer, R-Jacksonville, and co-

sponsored by Mike La Rosa, R-St. Cloud — would preempt local vacation rental regulations to the state. Vacation rental programs in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach would be dissolved, with licensing and inspections performed by state departments. Local governments would be able to regulate noise, parking and trash, but rules

anna Maria takes scooter timeout. 8

RoadWatch. 8 Happenings

Save the date. ‘friends forever’ at aMe.

Gathering. GoodDeeds. Obituaries. BB seeks sanctions against defendant. Photographer’s iconic award.

Streetlife. WMfr outreach. HB looks at fertilizers.

Cookie season? Yes, please!

Playoff matchups set in youth football. fish out of the wind to cash in. cafes open on aMi. county awards Mote money.

PropertyWatch. classifieds.

NYT puzzle.

would have to apply to all properties in a city, not just short-term rental properties. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation would conduct inspections. According to an alert from the Florida League of Cities, the DBPR’s 2018 audit report determined “the agency has strugPLeaSe, See HoMe rule, Page 4

AM addresses pier questions By chrisann allen islander reporter

announcements.

recycling bad news.

islander.org

Mike Jenson of Holmes Beach hands over his cash for a bag of girl Scout cookies to izzy Stasny, left, audrey cummings and olivia Jackson of Junior troop 521. the scouts were selling cookies feb. 22 outside the Publix Super Market in Holmes Beach. islander Photo: Bekka Stasny

Location. Location. Location. The clear vistas of Tampa Bay and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge make it easy to see why a pier restaurant would be a hit. “It is the most visited attraction in Manatee County,” Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said Feb. 26 about the Anna Maria City Pier. “It’s a high-visibility location.” The city held a meeting Feb. 26 to respond to questions posed by people interested in bidding on the restaurant and bait shop lease at the new pier, still under construction. Following a unanimous city commission vote Feb. 27, the deadline to submit bids and bid opening was pushed back from March 10 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive. The original Anna Maria City Pier, 101 Bay Blvd., has been in operation since 1911, but was closed after it was damaged by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. The pier was demolished by the city and construction on a new pier began. The city hopes to open the new pier in late March or April, depending on a reso-

PLeaSe, See pier, Page 3

Planes landing again at Holmes Beach field? By chrisann allen islander reporter

Strap on those aviator goggles and grab a bomber jacket. A new aviation-themed playground is coming to the Holmes Beach multipurpose field in the 5800-6200 blocks of Marina Drive. City commissioners Feb. 25 unani-

EatHereFlorida.com (941) 778-0411 5315 Gulf Drive • Holmes Beach

mously approved the purchase and installation of the equipment over what used to be a private aviation landing field — opened in 1948 and closed in 1973. The cost is $61,539.23 for the equipment and $20,476.83 for the installation. Advanced Recreational Concepts of Melbourne is the contractor for the playground design and installation.

The playground will be on the northwest side of the field, abutting Flotilla Drive and near parking and bathrooms. Installation is planned for the weeks of April 8 or April 15. The equipment includes a rustic airplane structure with slides, platforms and shade sails, as well as a swing set and a fenced PLeaSe, See playground, Page 2


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