- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -
VOL 23 No. 45
July 5, 2023
JASON GARGIULE/AMIAERIALS.COM | SUN
A three-story parking garage is proposed to replace the parking lot at Manatee Beach, including the concession stand.
City leaders continue to fight parking garage
BY KRISTIN SWAIN
Suzi swimming for a cause
SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
Although construction of the two 49-passenger pontoon boats is almost complete, they still require plenty of testing to get all Coast Guard certifications and permits issued.
HOLMES BEACH – Gov. Ron DeSantis may have signed off on a beachfront parking garage, but that doesn’t mean that city leaders are giving up the fight to stop the garage from being built just yet. “We’re committed to fighting this thing. We’re not going to stop until there are shovels in the ground,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said, with his fellow commissioners echoing the statement. The garage that commissioners are vowing to fight is planned as a three-story parking structure with 1,500 or more spaces at Manatee Beach. While parking garages are not an allowable land use in any of the three Anna Maria Island cities, they are allowed in Holmes Beach by special exception. Feeling that city officials would never approve the garage, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said he opted to circumvent the special exception process in Holmes Beach by encouraging state Rep. Will Robinson to introduce HB 947, a bill to allow for the garage to be built without requiring any input or approvals from the city. Despite public outcry against the bill, it received unanimous support from the local state delegation, the Florida House and Senate, and, ultimately, from the governor. The garage is estimated to cost $45 million to build, $400,000 a year to maintain and take at least two years to build, during which facilities and parking at Manatee Beach would be unavailable. The existing concession building with a retail store, restrooms and the Anna Maria Island Beach Café would be torn down to make way for
SEE TAXI, PAGE 31
SEE GARAGE, PAGE 13
LESLIE LAKE | SUN
Loggerhead sea turtle Suzi was satellite tagged after nesting at Coquina Beach and is now competing in the Tour de Turtles race to raise awareness of light pollution. Story on Page 9.
Water taxi expected to launch soon
The new water taxi service from Bradenton to Anna Maria Island has been delayed, but should begin operation by the end of this summer. BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com
BRADENTON - An open house held on June 27 at the Manatee Performing Arts Center by the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) offered answers to many of the questions regarding the long-awaited ferry service between Anna Maria Island and Bradenton. On April 23, CVB Executive Director Elliott Falcione said the hope was to have the boats
SUBMITTED
Boats that will ferry riders from Bradenton to Anna Maria Island are currently under construction in the Orlando area and nearing completion. County officials say the water taxi is expected to begin operation by the end of the summer. operational by July, potentially by the Fourth of July weekend, a goal that was missed. The new, more conservative estimate is to have the boats running with passengers on board by the end of the summer.
ISLAND PLAYERS
documentary features playhouse history. 15 Page 25 Anna Maria Island, Florida
The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper
AMI MOOSE LODGE wins its second
Premier Lodge Award. 28
SHOREBIRD NEST on beach abandoned
due to interference. 8
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