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VOL 15 No. 39
July 29, 2015
Oyster Bar awarded pier lease
The commission’s selection is contingent on the successful negotiation of a pier lease contract. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – The Anna Maria Oyster Bar is slated to return to the Island where it first began. Last week, city commissioners unanimously agreed to award the lease for the city-owned restaurant space on the Historic Bridge Street Pier to Oyster Bar owner and company president John Horne. Horne will now enter into contract negotiations with Mayor Jack Clarke and City Attorney Ricinda Perry, with the negotiated lease terms subject to final commission approval. If a suitable agreement cannot be reached with the Oyster Bar, the city will turn to the commission’s second choice, the Colorado-based Apeizza pizzeria group led by Rich Foresta.
joe hendricks | sun
Police Chief Sam Speciale congratulates Anna Maria Oyster Bar owner John Horne on being selected as the city’s next restaurant tenant. An express version of the Anna Maria Oyster Bar’s Cortez Road location will be offered on the Historic Bridge Street Pier
see OYSTER BAR, page 13
Officials seek county infrastructure plan Concerns are raised about the impact of new development being approved in the county. BY PAT COPELAND SUN STAFF WRITER | pcopeland@amisun.com
LONGBOAT KEY – Island elected officials plan to ask Manatee County officials to meet with them to discuss the impact of future development in the county.
The subject was brought up at the July meeting of the officials by Anna Maria City Commissioner Doug Copeland, who pointed out, “The county has given preliminary approval for the Lake Flores project. They continue to grant plans for more and more developments with seemingly no plans for the infrastructure. “I’m not just talking about the Island. If you drive into Bradenton or Sarasota during the season, it’s becoming almost impossible to get around. I’d like us to consider appealing to both Bradenton and the county to stop before they
They continue to grant plans for more and more development with seemingly no plans for the infrastructure.” Doug Copeland Anna Maria commissioner have a plan to deal with this traffic.” The Lake Flores project is planned for the area of 75th Street and Cortez Road and includes 6,500 residential
units, one million square feet of retail space, two million square feet of commercial space and 500 hotel rooms. see plan, page 30
INSIDE NEWS OPINION Sun survey pet evacuation pages outdoors sports real estate police reports
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The sun wins 12 statewide awards from the Florida Press Association. 12
Anna Maria Island, Florida
The county accepts $1,442,091 in BP oils spill money. 4
Mayor seeks new judge in rental injunction case. 3
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