CORTEZ – Manatee County commissioners unanimously denied Cortez Village Marina’s request to expand current operations.
The Chicago-based MHC Cortez Village LLC purchased the marina in 2024, one of many Loggerhead Marina properties that the parent company owns and operates throughout the U.S.
Matthew Gillespie, of the Kimley-Horn engineering firm, presented the marina owners’ request to construct 12 additional Jet Ski storage spaces inside one of the marina’s three dry storage buildings, to add boat maintenance as an allowed use inside that same building and to add a boat washing area outside another dry storage building.
To bring the marina property into compliance with county code, Gillespie also proposed removing or relocating a non-compliant shell parking area and relocating a non-compliant trash dumpster location.
According to the county staff report, the marina property was rezoned in 2006 and is allowed 272 dry slips, 10 wet slips, 12 staging slips and a marina office.
When discussing the request, District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge was highly critical of the marina’s non-compliant operations.
Gillespie said the shell parking lot was in place when the current owners bought the marina.
“The previous owner wanted more storage, more trailer parking so they added it at some point,” Gillespie said.
“Illegally, I might add,” Van Ostenbridge noted.
Van Ostenbridge said during his four years as the District 3 commissioner, he’s received more complaints about the marina property than any other business in the district.
“You guys have been more than bad neighbors. You’ve been abusive neighbors up to this point,” Van Ostenbridge said.
“I’m well aware from complaints from neighbors that there are far in excess of the amount of boats you’re allowed to store on the property. They were on top of handicapped parking spaces,” Van Ostenbridge said.
Regarding the expansion requests, Van Ostenbridge said, “You’ve not been fair actors up to this point. Why should we believe you guys would be compliant with this going forward? You’re here because residents raised hell, and we eventually had to send code enforcement out there and they found violations.”
In response, Gillespie said, “I can’t speak to previous ownership. All I can speak to is current ownership. They’re making the corrections. We’re getting rid of all the extra storage.”
Commissioner Jason Bearden asked county staff member Chris Klepek about the marina’s current state of compliance.
“Is it in compliance currently or is it getting into compliance?” Beardon said.
“It’s not in compliance at the current moment,” Klepek said.
“That’s all I need to know,” Beardon said.
“Is this approval required to get them into compliance?” Commissioner George Kruse asked.
Klepek said commission approval is needed for the additional Jet Ski storage, boat wash and maintenance areas but not to correct existing code violations.
“They could theoretically be in compliance before asking us for more?” Kruse asked.
“You’re right. They could just come into compliance,” Klepek responded.
Canal concerns
To reach the nearby Intracoastal Waterway, marina clients use a man-made canal owned by adjacent Hunters Point developer Marshall Gobuty. Gobuty owns the portion of the canal that extends from the east end of the marina property to the humpback bridge at 127th Street West, near the Seafood Shack. In 2022, Gobuty’s attorney filed a still-pending civil lawsuit against MHC Cortez Village seeking a court order that would prohibit the marina and its clients from using the privately-owned canal.
During public input at the land use meeting, Gobuty expressed concerns about additional Jet Ski traffic posing a risk to the manatees in the canal.
“The last thing we need is more Jet Skis going down the canal. It’s a lot of noise and a lot of aggravation that’s unnecessary,” Gobuty said.
He also expressed concerns about the boat washing and maintenance activities potentially releasing harmful fluids into the canal.
Gobuty referenced a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) permit application in which a marina representative stated the marina had 10 in-water boat slips, 55 outside dry slips and 300 inside storage slips. He noted that far exceeds the 294 slips allowed by FDEP and the county.
Citing the safety of the manatees and dolphins in the canal, Hunters Point resident William Fulford was among the residents who opposed the additional Jet Ski, boat washing and maintenance activities.
Representing the marina owners, attorney Meredith Delcamp noted that Gobuty’s plans to install 49 boat slips along the canal that abuts the Hunters Point property will also increase traffic on the canal.
After public input, Van Ostenbridge noted the marina is owned by a “huge conglomerate” that operates multiple marinas and should be well aware of what’s required of them.
