HOLMES BEACH – The Florida House of Representatives and Senate may have passed House Bill 947 on to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk, but that doesn’t mean that city leaders are done fighting against the construction of a parking garage at Manatee Beach.
During a May 9 commission meeting, Mayor Judy Titsworth and City Attorney Erica Augello said they’re exploring every available legal strategy to combat the parking garage bill which would see a three-story garage built over the current parking, concession stand, retail space and restroom facilities at the Manatee County-owned beach property. Estimated to cost $45 million to build over a minimum of two years, the garage is planned to hold 1,500-1,700 paid parking spaces, a new concession stand, retail space, restrooms and a bar. While the garage is under construction, parking at the beach, located at 4000 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach, would be unavailable.
Currently, city leaders are asking residents and other Anna Maria Island stakeholders to write to DeSantis to encourage him to veto the bill. DeSantis can veto the bill, sign it into law, or take no action and allow it to become law. As of press time for The Sun, DeSantis had taken no action on the bill.
If the bill becomes law, Augello said she thinks there are a few ways for the city to fight it in court, however, she didn’t want to give away any available strategies during a public meeting.
Plans for a parking garage were first discussed between county and city elected officials as far back as 2021. Multi-level parking structures were never an approved land use in the city but are allowed by special exception, granted by city commissioners at a public hearing. When commissioners moved to pass an ordinance clarifying the land use restriction, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge took the matter to county state legislative representatives, where the plan to construct the garage received unanimous support. The bill to bypass city regulations and allow the county to issue its own permits for the construction of a parking garage at the Manatee Beach property is sponsored by Rep. Will Robinson Jr., a Manatee County native.
