HOLMES BEACH – Despite the recent Manatee County Commission vote to reduce wetland buffers, a city building official says it won’t be as easy as putting a shovel in the ground to build near wetlands.
Holmes Beach commissioners met on Oct. 10 to discuss the reduction in wetland buffers as part of a larger discussion on building standards and state legislative priorities.
Building Official Neal Schwartz kicked off the conversation by noting that just because the size of the protective buffer zones has been reduced by the county to lesser state levels, it doesn’t mean people can start building in wetland areas.
In Anna Maria Island’s largest city, he said that before any building near wetlands can begin, plans must first be approved by the city. In addition, he said the Florida Department of Environmental Protection also would have to approve the plans.
“Even though it’s allowed to be built on, it’s the Department of Environmental Protection that’s going to give us our final say so,” Schwartz said.
Because of the work that city leaders have done to help protect wetlands and reduce the flood risk to properties, he said the city is now rated a FEMA category five and should receive that flood plain designation within the next two months. Property owners can contact their flood insurance companies to get an added discount on their policies that he said could be retroactive to the date the designation was awarded. Once he receives more information, Schwartz said he would add it to the city’s website.
Commissioner Terry Schaefer said that in light of the recent county decision on wetland buffers, he added protection of wetlands to the list of state legislative priorities for the city. Unfortunately, he said, he’s seen no action on behalf of the five-member Manatee County Legislative Delegation to move on any of the city’s legislative priorities since he’s been on the city commission.
Other items on the list include protection of home rule, restrictions on vacation rentals and addressing water quality concerns.
