HomeCommunity NewsYear in Review: Beyond...

Year in Review: Beyond the Island

MANATEE COUNTY – Beyond the confines of Anna Maria Island, a canal dispute, mangrove trimmings and a proposed water taxi service were among The Sun’s top news stories in 2022.

Hunters Point

In Cortez, the construction of 86 Hunters Point homes continued while a hearing was conducted and completed regarding a dock permitting dispute.

The permitting dispute involves Hunters Point developer Marshall Gobuty’s Cortez Road Investments and Finance Inc. ownership group and the Cortez Village Marina’s MHC Cortez Village LLC ownership group.

In 2021, the Southwest Florida Water Management District gave Cortez Road Investments the environmental resource permit needed to construct the docks. That permit was then challenged by MHC Cortez Village.

The multi-day hearing began in June 2022 and concluded in September. Attorneys representing Cortez Village Marina argued the proposed docks would impede navigation along the canal and negatively impact their clients who have larger boats.

The attorney representing Gobuty argued the new docks would not significantly impede navigation and she repeatedly noted the man-made canal in question is privately owned by Cortez Road Investments and MHC Cortez Village LLC has no existing usage agreements for the canal.

The parties involved in the permitting dispute are still awaiting a recommended order from administrative law judge Bruce Culpepper, to then be followed by a final order issued by the water management district’s governing board.

In separate but related actions that took place in 2022, Cortez Road Investments filed a civil lawsuit seeking a court order that would prohibit Cortez Village Marina clients from using the privately-owned canal.

Cortez Road Investments also filed lawsuits against several canal-side property owners requesting that their docks and other structures be made fully compliant with the county’s dock regulations that prohibit any docks, boat lifts and other structures from extending more than 25% into the canal which is approximately 65 feet wide in those areas.

To date, several legal filings have been made but no hearings have been held regarding the canal-related lawsuits.

Aqua mangroves

In late April and early May, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) personnel inspected the mangrove trimming activities that occurred along the shoreline of the Aqua development (formerly known as Long Bar Pointe) located between Sarasota Bay and El Conquistador Parkway in unincorporated Manatee County.

Year in Review: Beyond the Island
The mangroves to the left were not trimmed, the mangroves to the right were trimmed to create better views for those who will occupy Aqua’s multi-family residential units. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

In mid-May, FDEP issued an inspection report that stated, “Unauthorized trimming activity was not evident at time of the inspections. However, no pre- or post-photographs, pre-trimming notification or post-trimming notification was provided to the department.”

In late August, in response to additional complaints about the mangrove trimmings not being properly removed,

FDEP Southwest District Director Kelley Boatwright issued a warning letter to Medallion Home representative Rob Bosarge and Aqua developer and Medallion Home CEO and president Carlos Beruff.

“During the inspection, department personnel noted the following: All trimmings over 3 feet long or over 3 inches in diameter were not properly removed and disposed of offsite. Remaining trimmings were not evenly distributed. A portion of mangroves appeared to be reduced more than 25% of foliage annually. Adequate pre and post photo documentation of the trimming event was not provided,” Boatwright said in the letter.

In the letter, she went on to say, “On July 12, department personnel notified you that potential violations existed at the site and you were requested to take corrective actions within 30 days. On August 25, a follow-up site visit was conducted and violations did not appear to be adequately addressed. To date, the potential violations have not been resolved.”

Water taxis

In October, Manatee County Commissioners authorized County Administrator Scott Hopes to spend up to $700,000 to design and build two pontoon boats to be used as water taxis for the downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Island water taxi service the county plans to launch in early 2023.

In November, the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) recommended the Manatee County Commission allocate $950,000 in resort tax revenues to help fund the county-initiated water taxi to be operated and managed by the Clearwater Ferry Company.

Initially operating Friday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., the water taxis are expected to travel between downtown Bradenton, the Anna Maria City Pier, the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach and the Coquina South boat ramp. An exact launch date has not yet been provided.

Commission chair

District 3 County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge served as the Manatee County Commission Chairperson in 2022 and he will serve in that role again in 2023.

Year in Review: Beyond the Island
Kevin Van Ostenbridge served as the Manatee County Commission chairperson in 2022. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Passing

Longtime Anna Maria Island resident Brian Haddix passed away at Tidewell Hospice in Bradenton on June 21.

Year in Review: Beyond the Island
Longtime Island resident Brian Haddix passed away in 2022. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

 

Most Popular

More from Author

Six charter amendments proposed

ANNA MARIA –The Anna Maria Charter Review Committee is propos­ing six...

AMI Moose Lodge hosts kids’ Easter party

BRADENTON BEACH – Due to rainy weather, Saturday morning’s Easter egg...

Business owners oppose multi-use path extension

ANNA MARIA – Some business owners are concerned about the city’s...

Anna Maria seeks to amend CBD prohibitions

ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria is trying to...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...