ANNA MARIA – Smoking is now prohibited on the new Anna Maria City Pier.
Dogs, bicycles and alcohol were already prohibited on the pier, and these new and existing prohibitions are being addressed with new signage.
The Anna Maria City Commission initiated the smoking ban on Thursday, June 25 after Mayor Dan Murphy noted smoking was not currently prohibited on the new City Pier.
“We made a punch list of about 16 items that need to be corrected. I think the first thing that came to mind was the fact that we have allowed smoking on the pier. What we’ve noticed is there were cigarette butts put out on the IPE wood (the pier decking), cigarette butts put out on the benches and on the picnic tables and butts thrown in the bay,” Murphy told the commission.
“Not many venues allow smoking anymore. It’s kind of a thing of the past. Do we want to allow smoking on the pier or make it a non-smoking pier? I’m recommending that we make it non-smoking,” Murphy said.
Commission Chair Carol Carter said the pier restaurant and the T-end deck area outside the restaurant and bait shop should be non-smoking areas.
Commissioner Amy Tripp asked if people would still be allowed to smoke under the covered entrance to the pier.
The commission considered allowing smoking at the pier entryway, but Commissioner Joe Muscatello noted families often gather there. He proposed the entry area also be designated as a no-smoking zone.
Murphy said people can still smoke in the parking area or along the boardwalk that leads to the pier entrance.
The commission reached unanimous consensus to make the entire pier area a non-smoking zone.
Murphy also addressed some of the other items on the new pier punch list. He said cleats and bumpers need to be installed at the boat landing area on the southeast side of the pier.
“There should be no dogs and no bicycles,” Murphy said.
He said dogs and bikes were already prohibited in the pier ordinance, but those prohibitions need to be clarified with some additional signage placed at the entry to the pier. There are also two sheriff’s deputies stationed on and near the pier each day the pier is open.
Murphy said the public restrooms at the end of the pier need some additional signage.
He said fish cutting stations need to be installed and the existing fish cleaning station will be expanded and improved.
Murphy said that with the assistance of the Anna Maria Island Historical Society, a bulletin board will be placed in the breezeway between the new pier buildings. The bulletin board will contain photographs of the old historic pier that was replaced by the new pier. Murphy said the Historical Society also offered to share photographs to place in the restrooms.
Commissioner Tripp expressed hope that the future pier tenant will continue the historic pier theme when completing the inside of the new restaurant building.
Murphy said the wooden pier decking still needs to be oiled and that will be done in 300-foot sections.
He said City Clerk LeAnne Addy is researching shade sails to install above the picnic tables at the T-end of the pier.
The new City Pier opened with a soft, non-ceremonial opening on Friday, June 19. A more ceremonial grand opening ceremony will be conducted at a future date.
The new pier is currently open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The pier is currently closed Mondays through Thursdays. The weekday closures provide time for the punch list items to be addressed.
Murphy said he wants to maintain the current pier hours at least through the Fourth of July weekend, but he would like to open the pier for sunsets in the near future.
A makeshift sign posted on the podium at the foot of the pier notes face masks are optional.
