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VOL 23 No. 18
February 8, 2023
Cortez Bridge meeting highlights updated replacement plans The bridge replacement plans can be viewed at the project website. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
Coastal Watersports owner John Cadmus discussed the bridge plans with FDOT Design Project Manager Ryan Weeks (right). Inset, Bridge Aesthetics Committee member Connie Morrow shared her insight on the bridge plans with FDOT Design Project Manager Ryan Weeks standing by her side.
Proposed consolidation study concerns city officials Consolidation of the three Anna Maria Island cities would have numerous implications. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners continue to express concerns about legislative actions recently proposed by State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and other state legislators. On Jan. 12, Robinson (R-Bradenton) and his fellow Republican members of the Manatee County legislative delegation announced their intent to pursue state legislation that could potentially allow Manatee County to preempt the
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city of Holmes Beach’s land development code in order to build a multi-story parking garage on county property to provide more parking for beachgoers and other visitors. Robinson and his fellow state legislators also announced their desire for a state-funded study regarding the possible consolidation or elimination of the three Island cities and city governments. Led by Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), the Manatee County legislative delegation also includes Sen. Joe Gruters, Rep. Tommy Gregory and Rep. Mike Beltran. State legislators began a special 12-day legislative session on Monday, and their regular annual 60day legislative session begins March 7. SEE CONSOLIDATION, PAGE 32
BRADENTON – The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) hosted a public information meeting to provide new details about the pending Cortez Bridge replacement project. The informal setting at Kirkwood Church in Bradenton on Jan. 31 provided attendees an opportunity to view informational panels detailing various design and aesthetic aspects of the fixed-span bridge planned to replace the existing Cortez Road drawbridge, built in 1956. FDOT representatives were on hand to answer questions and discuss the plans that include several recommendations provided by the Bridge Aesthetics Committee (BAC), which consists of 11 local residents, condominium owners and business owners who have met several times since the committee was formed in mid-2020. Comment sheets allowed attendees to share their written comments on the plans. SEE BRIDGE, PAGE 27
Merger or dissolution could erase local city regulations A state move to consolidate or eliminate AMI cities could also eliminate vacation rental, height and parking regulations on the Island. BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The recent proposal by Manatee County’s state legislative delegation to fund a study to determine the feasibility of combining or eliminating the three Anna Maria Island cities has far-reaching ramifications. The Florida Legislature has the power to merge or dissolve cities, although it has only dissolved three cities in the past 50 years.
The 1973 ratification of the Home Rule Powers Act allows dissolution or consolidation by a special act of the Florida Legislature or by a referendum vote of the voters in the municipality, according to the Florida League of Cities. Since then, only 11 municipalities have been dissolved and only three were by a special act of the Legislature: Hacienda Village was merged into the town of Davie in 1984, Golfview was sold to an airport in Palm Beach County for a new runway in 1998 and Islandia was dissolved in 2012 because the population dwindled to less than five and no elections had been held since 1990. SEE MERGER, PAGE 32
CHINESE NEW YEAR calls for pork
MOOSE LODGE on AMI now
belly simmered in Chinese wine. 25
CORTEZ COMMERCIAL
Anna Maria Island, Florida
biggest in world. 15 Fishing Festival offers kayak raffle. 9
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