- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -
VOL 25 No. 21
January 15, 2025
Seafood Shack parcel sale closes The county plans a public boat ramp and other amenities at the site. BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
LESLIE LAKE | SUN
The Seafood Shack parcel was sold to Manatee County on Dec. 31 and will be used as a public boating facility.
Island mayors relieved by OPPAGA consolidation report State legislators are no longer pursuing the potential consolidation of the Island cities. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The consolidation of the three Anna Maria Island cities appears unlikely according to a consolidation study-related letter sent to the three Island mayors last week from State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and State Sen. Jim Boyd. “The OPPAGA study confirms what we have discussed over the past year,” the letter says. “Merging or eliminating cities could negatively impact the unique and special character of the Island and could have a detrimental impact on issues like building height. The lower height of buildings on the
Page 20
Island must be valued and maintained at all costs. Anna Maria Island must never become a high-rise community and anything that would cause that to happen would be a nonstarter to us.” Dated Jan. 9, the letter accompanied the completed OPPAGA (Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability) consolidation study report emailed to Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth on Jan. 8. The mayors then shared the report and the letter with their respective city commissioners. OPPAGA is a research arm of the Florida Legislature. The issuance of Boyd and Robinson’s letter and the sharing of the completed 25-page OPPAGA study
SEE OPPAGA, PAGE 8
SEE SEAFOOD SHACK, PAGE 16
Pines homeowners caught off guard by closure After the city allowed residents to begin repairs, the park owners announced its closure. BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – In a community that Pines Trailer Park homeowners expected to be bustling with activity once again after receiving the city’s permission to repair their hurricane-damaged mobile homes, the 86-unit park now sits quietly following the ownership’s decision to shut the park down. Pines Trailer Park mobile homeowners reacted to the Jan. 4 park closure notification from Pines Park Investors LLC, including those who bought there in 2024 based on what they said were assurances from
FISH FESTIVAL to raise funds for hurricanedamaged preserve next month. 22-23
Anna Maria Island, Florida
CORTEZ – Manatee County purchased the Seafood Shack and Marina on Dec. 31 after delays caused in part by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Manatee County Property Acquisition Division Manager Charles Meador made the announcement at a Jan. 8 Manatee County Commission meeting. “We had this agenda item on here just to provide an update, but fortunately over the past week we were able to close on the property, so that is the update, so now we left it on here so we could announce to the public that we own the property,” Manatee County Deputy County Administrator Bryan Parnell said. “It was a long journey.” The property, which consists of seven upland
The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper
the ownership that the park would remain in existence for five to 10 more years. Two months before Hurricane Helene hit on Sept. 26, Cory Jackson purchased four mobile homes in the Pines. Those purchases were based in part on what he said were assurances by the owner and management that the park would not only remain in place for 10 years, but that improvements were planned in the coming years. “I was told by Brien (Quinn, former park manager) and Shawn (Kaleta, Pines Park Investors LLC manager) that it would be 10 years before anything would happen and the intent was to add a pool by the clubhouse in a couple of years,” he said.
SEE PINES, PAGE 11
FUNDS AVAILABLE to elevate
homes. 4
JOHN LYNCH appointed Anna Maria
commissioner. 4
www.amisun.com