Anna Maria has eight letters — the latest lodged Nov. 24 — from property owners threatening the city with Bert Harris property rights claims.
Beach to Bay Investments Inc., the owner of property at 205 S. Bay Blvd., filed notice Nov. 24.
The company is seeking a building permit to add a level of living space to a guesthouse, but the city has denied the permit because of the moratorium enacted in September.
Attorney Louis Najmy of Najmy/Thompson P.A. in Bradenton filed the notice on behalf of Beach to Bay and company officer Shawn Kaleta.
Najmy said the property was grandfathered under a former building ordinance that was replaced by the living-area-ratio ordinance passed in February.
He said the owners could build a home of up to 7,000 square feet on the 10,000 square foot lot under the former ordinance.
“However,” Najmy wrote, “the city denied our client’s permit application to add a story to the guesthouse, citing the new .4 LAR limitation.” This denial “triggered our clients’ right to file a Bert Harris claim.”
Najmy estimated the value lost under the city’s LAR ordinance would be about $100,000.
He asked the city to issue a building permit within two weeks. Otherwise, a formal notice of a Bert Harris claim will be made, Najmy said.
According to state of Florida online records, Najmy is listed as a principal agent for the company. The company executive director is Shawn Kaleta of Willow Avenue in Anna Maria.
Mayor Dan Murphy said he referred the Najmy letter to city attorney Jim Dye.