The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 15 No. 47 - September 23, 2015

headlines

Moratorium rejected

Carol Whitmore

joe hendricks | sun

The commission chambers were standing room
only during last week’s moratorium discussion.

 

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners rejected by a 4-1 vote a citizen group’s request to enact a temporary building moratorium.

By that same 4-1 measure, the Commission decided instead to fast-track a quality of life ordinance to address development and vacation rental issues.

During their Thursday, Sept. 17, meeting, commissioners imposed a Nov. 17 deadline for the adoption of the new regulations to be developed by city staff for review and approval by the commission. Additional review by the Planning and Zoning Board also was included, if deemed necessary.

Jan Vosburgh was the only commissioner to support the proposed eight-month building moratorium on homes containing four or more bedrooms or potential sleeping areas. Vosburgh also cast the only opposition vote to moving forward with new regulations without imposing a moratorium.

In reference to state limitations on the local legislation of vacation rentals, City Attorney Ricinda Perry suggested the new regulations be referred to as a quality of life ordinance rather than a vacation rental ordinance.

Moratorium proposed

Last week’s discussion began with planning and zoning board member Jim Lynch introducing moratorium ordinance language he drafted at the request of Mayor Jack Clarke and a citizens advisory committee.

Lynch used the Holmes Beach moratorium ordinance as the template and a starting point for a proposed moratorium ordinance he and others hoped would be further reviewed by the city attorney and later adopted by the commission.

“I present it here today and ask that you take a step to approve it,” Lynch said.

“I think it was the overwhelming feeling that it’s time we take a step like this,” he said of the advisory committee’s support.

Public input divided

Advisory committee meeting participants Frank Harrison and Pricilla Von Ahnen urged the commission to adopt a moratorium and delay the construction of additional large houses until new regulations are enacted.

“We can’t afford to let our city turn into a resort with no residents living here,” Von Ahnen said.

Offering an opposing view and citing census data, JoAnn Meilner said 45 percent of the 620,000 single-family homes built in 2014 had four bedrooms.

“My husband and I are builders. In the last few years we’ve built almost 20 homes. Most of them had four bedrooms, or three bedrooms and an office. Only two are used as rentals. If you pass a moratorium on four bedrooms you essentially put me out of business for eight months.”

Planning board member and longtime owner-occupied duplex resident John Burns said, “What are you trying to regulate? What property rights are you planning on taking away for a period of eight months, and how many are you going to influence from there on?”

Resort owner Barbara Rodocker suggested better enforcement of existing zoning regulations and local ordinances and potentially restricting commercial operations in residential neighborhoods.

Taking neither side, city commission candidate Ralph Cole said, “I think we need to be careful what the collateral damages might be.”

Staff concerns

In reference to the specific residential zoning districts mentioned in the moratorium language, Building Official Steve Gilbert said Bradenton Beach’s R-3 district has allowed high density, multi-family use since 1990.

Perry then expressed concerns about the inclusion of the R-2 district that allows for duplexes.

Gilbert and Perry agreed that bedrooms and sleeping areas remain undefined and need to be clearly defined in any new legislation adopted.

Based on experience gained while assisting the city of Anna Maria with legal challenges presented to its moratorium, Perry advised the commission to follow proper ordinance protocol if going down that road.

She said it would take until mid-October to conduct the two public hearings that would place the city on its safest legal footing. She advised against enacting a moratorium that would be retroactively effective on Sept. 17, as some had hoped for.

Commission U-turn

In response to Perry’s recommended moratorium adoption timetable, Clarke suggested the city’s time and resources might be better spent developing new vacation rental regulations.

“It’s not the houses that make noise, it’s the people,” he said. “You can look all over this Island and tell who the property managers and rental agents are that are operating in good faith and the handful that are not.”

Commissioner Janie Robertson was the first to express support for Clarke’s proposed alternative.

“I had not even considered that before today, but it’s starting to make more sense,” she said.

Commissioner John Shaughnessy questioned whether a moratorium would solve problems associated with vacation rentals and the loss of permanent residents.

Vosburgh disagreed and said, “The moratorium is only a timeout. Why are we any different than Anna Maria and Holmes Beach? I don’t understand the hesitation.”

When asked for his input, Harrison reminded the commission that moratoriums were the first steps taken when the other Island cities adopted vacation rental regulations.

A subsequent motion to direct Perry to review the moratorium for future adoption then failed, and the motion to move forward with a quality of life ordinance was passed.

Aqua Link introduced
Carol Whitmore

joe hendricks | sun

Sherman Baldwin enthusiastically presents his water
taxi plans to local officials.

BRADENTON BEACH – Touting a “Crawl before we walk and walk before run” approach, Paradise Boat Tours owner Sherman Baldwin unveiled his Aqua Link Shuttle water taxi concept during last week’s Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials meeting.

“We’re not looking for any money, we have the funding. We’re looking for access and your input,” Baldwin told Bradenton Beach Mayor Jack Clarke, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson and Longboat Key Mayor Jack Duncan.

Several other city and county officials also attended the Sept. 16 meeting, as did Anna Maria Oyster Bar Owner John Horne, who will soon bring a new restaurant to the Historic Bridge Street Pier.

During the meeting, Horne announced its new name: “AMOB … an abbreviated version of the Anna Maria Oyster Bar,” he said.

Baldwin already utilizes the pier’s day dock for his tour boat operations. He envisions the water taxi service including additional pick-up and departure points at the Riverwalk in Bradenton, the Anna Maria City Pier, the Marina Drive boat basin in Holmes Beach, the Swordfish Grill and Seafood Shack in Cortez and possibly the Mar Vista area and another potential spot on Longboat Key.

He said a round trip ticket would cost $10 and future runs might include St. Petersburg and Sarasota.

Baldwin said he could launch a pilot program in five weeks using the 49 passenger Corinthian Catamaran that travels at 22 mph and is one of two vessels in his current fleet.

Baldwin described a one-boat pilot program that involves a morning departure from the Riverwalk, multiple stops up and down the Island throughout the day and a return trip to the Riverwalk in the late afternoon.

He said The Monkey Bus, the free trolley and other forms of alternative transportation could shuttle landward passengers to their desired destinations.

“Once we have one leg that works, we know we can add additional legs. It’s not going to be the answer to everything, but we can be an important cog in the wheel,” he said of the water taxi’s role in the greater transportation picture.

Baldwin’s immediate goal is to determine whether the pilot program can produce 27,500 passengers a year.

If necessary, he may expand the pilot program to include a second Corinthian catamaran, but his ultimate goal is to gradually incorporate one or more 65 passenger, high speed, low draft catamarans capable of traveling at 30 mph.

During and after the meeting, Mayors Clarke and Murphy said they found merit in shuttling folks up and down the Island, but what really appealed to them was the possibility that the water taxi might serve as a primary means of transportation for the Island workforce. In addition to reducing the number of cars traveling to and from the Island, this would also free up much-needed parking spaces.

When contacted Monday, Baldwin elaborated on last week’s presentation.

“We’re going to reach out to the Chamber of Commerce and the employers here on the Island and try to coordinate with their peak period work schedules,” he said, noting that a mid-day run from Bradenton might be needed, and employee passes could be offered.

“In five weeks we hope to have a viable plan ready, and we plan to launch our operations no later than Jan. 1. That’s why this pilot program is critical. If we can show one leg is viable with a 49 passenger boat, it will be easy to get the financing because we’ll have the empirical data to present to investors.”

In regard to his qualifications, Baldwin said, “I was the first officer and managed the operations of a high speed vessel for Hy-Line Cruises in the Nantucket-Martha’s Vineyard area that transported over 150,000 people annually. That’s a very unique and specific skill set that not many people have, and that’s why we think we’re different. The potential to move 150,000 people a year on a high speed catamaran is a critical experience in how this is all going to unfold.”

Baldwin was scheduled to meet with Horne Tuesday morning to discuss the possibility of subleasing the harbor master’s office that Horne now controls through his lease with the city. He was also scheduled to meet with Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston.

Ethics complaint dismissed

BRADENTON BEACH – On Friday, Mayor Jack Clarke received an order dismissing an ethics complaint filed against him by city resident and planning and zoning board member John Metz.

On Sept. 11, the State of Florida Commission on Ethics dismissed the complaint Metz filed on July 21 as part of his continued objection to the city’s payment of legal fees generated by his own failed efforts to have Clarke removed from the recall election ballot that in May resulted in Mayor Bill Shearon being voted out of office.

Dated Sept. 16, the Commission on Ethics order of dismissal states, “The complaint alleges that the respondent (Clarke), as a member of the city commission, voted on April 23 in favor of the city’s employment of a private attorney to defend him against a potential lawsuit concerning whether his name would be included on a city ballot, and that on June 4 the respondent voted in favor of the city’s payment of the private attorney’s bill for $11,049 for his defense.”

On April 21, Metz, Shearon’s neighbor and campaign team member, filed a lawsuit challenging Clarke’s legitimacy as a recall candidate due to questions regarding the state’s resign to run requirements. Metz then withheld that filing information from the city commission during an emergency city commission meeting that took place two days later prompted by an e-mail Metz’s wife, LeeAnne, sent Clarke suggesting legal action was forthcoming.

Not knowing Metz had already filed suit, Commissioners Ed Straight and Jan Vosburgh joined Clarke in supporting his request for legal assistance should a suit be filed. Shearon and Commissioner Janie Robertson opposed the request, in contrast to a similar request made in 2014 when the commission unanimously supported paying Shearon’s attorney fees after ELRA Inc. filed suit against him.

Metz did not object to the city paying Shearon’s legal fees, yet as of last week he continued to contend that Clarke should have paid his own legal fees and recused himself from the April 23 and June 4 votes. When recently asked via e-mail about these contrasting positions, Metz declined comment.

In May, attorney Andrea Mogensen successfully defended Clarke at an injunction hearing during which Judge John Lakin denied Metz’s request for an injunction and his request to remove Clarke from the ballot. This led to Metz later dropping his original lawsuit as well.

Metz’s legal challenges cost city taxpayers $11,049 in unbudgeted attorney fees. In June, the city received Mogensen’s bill, and the commission authorized payment. Metz objected to the payment and threatened further action, which came in the form of an ethics complaint.

Complaint dismissed

Metz based the complaint on his own interpretation of Section 112.3143 of the state’s Code of Ethics which pertains to voting conflicts for public officials.

“No county, municipal or other local public officer shall vote in an official capacity upon any measure which would inure to his or her special private gain or loss,” the code states.

The code also states that a potentially impacted public official must abstain from voting on a matter that could provide special private gain or loss.

“The complaint fails to indicate a violation of the Section 112.3143 because under Florida Statutes, a public officer is not prohibited from voting on a matter affecting his salary, expenses and other compensation as a public officer,” the dismissal order states.

On several occasions prior to the recent Commission on Ethics ruling, and dating back to the April 23 meeting, City Attorney Ricinda Perry provided Metz and the commission with a similar legal interpretation.

“Accordingly, this complaint is hereby dismissed for failure to constitute a legally sufficient complaint with the issuance of this public report,” the dismissal order concludes.

Mayor’s reaction

“I am gratified but not surprised that the Commission on Ethics dismissed the complaint. I hope this is the end of these irrelevant, politically motivated, harassing and expensive initiatives made by a self-appointed activist,” Clarke said of the ruling.

“I feel that Mr. Metz’s activism extends only so far as to hinder this administration in performing the necessary functions of government. He speaks at most commission meetings on issues designed to cast a negative light on the efforts and accomplishments of the team I have formed,” Clarke added.

Fire board to seek bids for marine safety vessels

BRADENTON – After a work session on the district’s marine safety program, West Manatee Fire & Rescue commissioners authorized Fire Chief Tom Sousa to bring back specific costs on vessels recommended by the marine safety committee in the work session.

Sousa explained that according to the terms of the $200,000 matching grant from the West Coast Inland Navigation District, the district must take delivery of the vessels by Sept. 30, 2016.

The lone dissenter was Commissioner Al Robinson, who asked, “Look at maritime incidents over the last 10 years. Can we say this expense is justified?”

Sousa updated the board on costs for rebuilding Station 4 in Bradenton. He said Hancock Bank would extend credit to the district amortized over 10 years at a rate of 2.5 percent if the board agrees to move forward on the project at the Oct. 15 board meeting.

He said the cost of construction is estimated to be $2.35 million and added design fees would bring the total to $2.6 million.

Hiring a lobbyist

Robinson also opposed spending money to hire a lobbyist to shepherd legislation through the state Legislature. The legislation includes revisions to the commission’s election schedule to reflect the current practice of how terms are staggered and clarifies the procedure for establishing the annual assessment rate.

Sousa said the cost would be considerably less than reported previously and that the lobbyists would accept an hourly rate of $275 with the total not to exceed $25,000.

“It’s a waste,” Robinson declared. “This glitch has been going on for 15 years. If somebody files a lawsuit, we can fight it or we can negotiate a settlement.”

Sousa continued to recommend deferring an assessment study, which would give the district alternatives on methods to collect assessments. He said the RFP (request for proposals) is done, but they would have to get bids and allow bidders to make presentations.

Chair David Bishop said he likes the idea of a study, but doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on it.

Sousa reported that he contacted a real estate agent who would perform a value assessment on the administration building in Bradenton. At the last commission meeting, Robinson advocated selling it and moving the staff to Station 4.

Commissioners adopted the 2015-16 budget of $6,083,749 with Robinson dissenting.

Fire commission learns about marine safety program

BRADENTON – In a workshop Thursday, West Manatee Fire & Rescue commissioners learned about the department’s marine safety program and recommendations for using a grant to improve it.

Capt. Ryan Moore said that in 2012 a committee began evaluating the marine safety program and received a $200,000 matching grant from the West Coast Inland Navigation District to purchase a fire boat.

“We assembled a research group and compared different vessels and departments and how they meet the needs of the public,” Moore explained.

In addition, the fire district implemented several improvements to the program including developing shallow water search capabilities, training rescue swimmers and implementing rip tide and beach flag awareness.

The committee also evaluated local partners and their capabilities. These included Longboat Key Fire Rescue with a boat and Jet Ski, the Coast Guard with two boats to cover the water from Tampa Bay to Boca Grande, the Bradenton Fire department with a boat and a small platform jet boat, North River Fire Department with two boats and Manatee County Marine Rescue with two Jet Ski combos, two 4-wheelers and a truck.

Moore said Marine Rescue patrols the two public beaches on the Island, but when lifeguards are off duty for the day, the fire district must respond.

Coordinating with partners

During their evaluation, committee members learned that the way the various agencies are notified and respond is “haphazard,” Moore said. “There’s no clear protocol, no clear direction. It’s like sending a bunch of engines to a structure fire.”

He said they studied Lee County’s Marine Emergency Response Team (MERT) system for coordinated response and notification, and the fire district is spearheading an effort to develop one here with its partners. He said it should be implemented in six to eight weeks.

In addition to coordinated notifications and response, the committee’s concerns are surf rescue, shallow water rescue and offshore rescue. Moore said the response area is huge and added, “We need a fast effective way to get there.”

Moore then presented the committee’s recommendations for vessels that includes:

• A surf rescue Jet Ski to be kept at Station 1 in Holmes Beach, towed with the ATV and launched at the boat ramp at 63rd Street at an estimated cost of $15,000;

• A shallow water rescue boat to be kept on a lift in the canal behind Station 2 in Cortez at an estimated cost of $30,000;

• A fire boat for offshore and near shore response to be kept at Station 1 at an estimated cost of $330,000.

“We want to provide our residents and visitors with the service they expect,” Moore concluded.

Commissioners’ questions

Commissioner George Harris asked the capabilities of the current boat, and Moore said it could pump 400 gallons a minute, take one back boarded patient and achieve a range of 3 to 10 miles “if it’s a nice day.”

Harris asked if they should invite Pinellas County/St. Pete/Gulfport to join the MERT, and Moore said that would be a future step.

“We need to fix our communications link first and then coordinate with them,” Fire Chief Tom Sousa added.

Commissioner Randy Cooper asked if all the vessels recommended would qualify for the grant, and Moore said the original grant request was for the fire boat, but any funding not used for it could be used for the others.

Commissioner Al Robinson said, “I’m concerned about the $330,000. Will it save lives? Will it do a better job than the boat we have now?”

Sousa said it would, and Moore said the size of it would allow them to go out further and carry more than one patient and they “could provide much better service.”

Robinson said the Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach police departments and the Sheriff’s Office have boats, and Moore responded, “They are all single operator and they can’t tend to a patient.”

Sousa added, “They’re not 24/7.”

Chair David Bishop pointed out that “there’s a gap between agencies” and marine rescue is “part of their level of service for the county.” He added that the grant money is from local taxpayer money, and they should take advantage of it.

New state tourism plan shifts focus to spending

The state’s tourism agency has approved its 2020 Strategic Plan, designed to make Florida the number one travel destination in the world while addressing tourism impacts on residents.

With Florida expecting to host 100 million visitors by year’s end, focusing on getting more and more people to visit has limits, according to VISIT FLORIDA President Will Seccombe.

“Thinking ahead, we could set our sights to 110 or 120 million, and continue the programs that have made us successful. However, we know there are limitations to our growth if we focus on volume,” he said in a press release. “More visitors result in a greater impact on our infrastructure and, in areas where we are at 90 percent occupancy, we don’t have much room for increased growth. So, we have to change the goal. Instead of volume, we will focus on increasing the travel and tourism spending in Florida.”

Another part of the state’s strategy is shifting its marketing emphasis away from the beaches to inland parks, said Debbie Meihls, marketing manager for the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, who serves on the VISIT FLORIDA advertising committee.

“They understand Florida is very popular with visitors and they are trying to take some pressure off the perimeter of state and start focusing on parks,” she said, adding that locally, “We’re aligning with all of that.”

The agency’s plan includes the following elements:

Purpose: To brighten the lives of all by creating extraordinary life-long memories for visitors, who, in turn, create jobs for Floridians and drive the Florida economy.

Mission: To strengthen Florida’s share of the global travel market.

Goal: To maximize the economic impact of travel and tourism to Florida.

Vision: To make Florida the number one travel destination in the world.

Objective: To reach $100 billion in tourism-related spending by 2020, up from $82 billion today, using four key marketing strategies:

• Keep Florida top-of-mind among target audiences.

• Stimulate balanced incremental growth that delivers the greatest economic impact to Florida by:

Protecting and growing visitor volume

Increasing visitor spending

Increasing visitor retention and visit frequency

Extending the length of stay

Reducing the gap between seasonal highs and lows

Increasing travel to emerging Florida destinations

• Identify and engage celebrity advocates in promoting the Florida brand, such as Emeril Lagasse.

• Promote industry alignment and collective impact through partner investment.

Sun wins KMB award

The Anna Maria Island Sun was awarded first place in Media Community Relations at Keep Manatee Beautiful’s 18th Annual Awards on Sept. 17 at IMG Academy Golf Club.

The newspaper was honored for its outstanding coverage during 2015 of litter cleanup and prevention, recycling and landscaping issues.

Other local awards recipients include the Key Royale Club, which received a Landscaping Image award; Shady Lady Horticultural Services, acclaimed for “outstanding work on maintaining Pine Avenue businesses’ landscaping, Bayfront Park and city of Anna Maria projects;” and Cortez-based commercial fishing group Fishing for Freedom, praised for “extensive cleanup of waters in Palma Sola Bay, Sarasota Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway.” Both received Public Service awards.

Irish Dance Academy opens at Community Center

Pat copeland | sun

Vicky and Deirdre Cawte show
an Irish dance pose. Deirdre
will begin teaching Irish dance
children and adults at the
AMI Community Center on Sept. 23.

ANNA MARIA – Who hasn’t been captivated by watching a line of Irish dancers tapping and kicking their feet in unison to the infectious music of the Emerald Isle?

It you’ve ever wanted to try it, now’s your chance. Renowned Irish dance teacher Deirdre Cawte has opened the Irish Dance Academy at the AMI Community Center beginning Wednesday, Sept. 23, with classes for youths and adults.

“Irish dance is not confined to Irish people; it’s everywhere,” she said. “We would love for everybody to come and try it.”

Cawte opened the Cawte Dance Academy, originally the Cadwell School of Irish Dance, in Dublin, Ireland, more than 40 years ago. There thousands of students have learned the art of Irish dance and gone on to win national and world titles, perform in productions such as Riverdance and Lord of the Dance and open their own dance studios.

She also has judged major Irish dance competitions throughout the world; taught in the national schools, where Irish dance is part of the curriculum; and trained and choreographed the Circus Krone Baller Company in Munich, Germany.

Cawte began learning Irish dance at the age of 4 and said, “My parents, Rowie and Maura Cadwell, were dance champions and teachers, and a my grandfather, Christopher Cadwell, co-founded the Irish Dancing Commission in 1926.

“My three daughters also are dance champions. Linda has been a principal dancer in Riverdance and is now operating the academy in Ireland. Victoria is here helping us settle in.”

A third daughter, Christina, is a dance instructor in County Clare, Ireland and two sons, Simon and Barry, were involved in Irish dance as youths, but are no longer involved in dancing.

Coming to the Island

Cawte said she and her husband, Dave, and their five children first came to the Island in 2011 when they did a home exchange with a Holmes Beach family. She said they had been coming to Florida since 1975 to Orlando, Ft. Myers, St. Pete, Tampa, and Sanibel, but this was their first visit to Anna Maria Island.

“We fell in love,” she declared. “We were here for Christmas and had our first Christmas on the beach. After that we came twice a year on holiday, and I made up my mind I wanted to move to the Island.”

This year they came for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and Linda and Vicky danced in the parade to the delight of the crowd.

Three weeks ago, the Cawtes were able to realize their dream and move to the Perico Bay Club for now, and hopefully, the Island in January.

“I want to teach children and adults the art and culture of Irish dance,” she said, and she will teach both step and Ceili, or team dancing, and traditional and modern techniques.

“Traditional is the basic old style were the dancers don’t move their arms,” she explained. “Modern came in with Riverdance, which exploded in 1994.”

Children can begin at 4 years old and adults are 16 and up. Classes will be on Wednesdays with children from 5 to 6 p.m. and adults from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.

For information, call Program Director Jennifer Griffith at 778-1908, ext. 9204.


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