- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -
VOL 24 No. 30
March 20, 2024
Emerald isle
JASON SCHAFFER | SUN
Anna Maria Island turned green on Sunday to celebrate the British-born St. Patrick, who was captured at age 16 by pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. He later escaped, but returned to the Emerald Isle to spread Christianity. Pirates attended Sunday’s parade on AMI, where everyone was Irish for a day. See more photos on Page 29.
Anna Maria increasing vacation rental registration fees City officials are still awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision regarding the state taking over the regulation of short-term vacation rentals. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – The city is increasing its occupancy-based annual vacation rental registration fee from $84.17 to $93.92 per occupant allowed by the local vacation rental ordinance. The annual registration fee is established each year by the adoption of a city commission-approved resolution. The increased fees were established on March 14 with the adoption of city resolution 24-793. The state of Florida defines a short-term vacation rental as any
unit, group of units, dwelling, building, or group of buildings within a single complex of buildings that is rented to guests more than three times in a calendar year for periods of less than 30 days or one calendar month, whichever is less, or which is advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests. According to Anna Maria’s latest fee schedule, the owner or operator of a short-term vacation rental with a maximum allowed occupancy of four guests will now pay a $375.68 registration fee (4 x $93.92). An owner/operator allowed eight guests will pay $751.36. An owner/ operator allowed 12 occupants will pay $1,127.04 and an owner/operator allowed 16 occupants will pay $1,502.72. During Thursday’s meeting, Mayor
SEE RENTAL, PAGE 28
Mangrove jurisdiction differs by county
Sarasota County has opted for jurisdiction over mangrove mitigation, while Manatee County has not. BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – The outcome of the removal of 116 feet of mangroves to build a seawall at a Gull Drive home may have been different if the property had been located in Sarasota County instead of Manatee County. A contractor removed some of the mangroves prior to receiving a federal permit, but had been granted an exemption from the state permit requirement by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. After the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted the federal permit, the contractor
PLAN YOUR WEDDING on Anna Maria Island. 22-23 Page 31 Anna Maria Island, Florida
The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper
removed the rest of the mangroves. No county permit was required. “In Sarasota County, this wouldn’t happen” because the county has jurisdiction over mangroves under the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act. Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Abbey Tyrna wrote in a March 7 email to The Sun. “If mangroves had to be removed to install a seawall, then mitigation would have had to take place.” Under the act, “The department (FDEP) shall delegate its authority to regulate the trimming and alteration of mangroves to any local government that makes a written request for delegation.” Sarasota is one of the few counties statewide, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Miami-Dade and Broward, that have such authority. Manatee County does not.
SEE MANGROVE, PAGE 27
LOCAL EMPLOYEE shot, killed
at age 17. 10
STATE PURSUES removal of net camp
off Cortez. 8
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