Owner Roland Pena wants Bradenton Beach to wait until November to enact a 3 percent increase the city pier facilities he leases, including the Cast-n-Cage Restaurant.
In question is whether the Pena should pay an increase from $5,500 per month to $5,665, starting in March, the one-year anniversary of the opening of the restaurant, or hold off until November, the anniversary of the first two-year term of the lease.
Pena has often struggled to pay $5,500 per month since September 2014. On Feb. 5, commissioners voted 4-0 to start collecting the increase March 1.
Commissioners also voted unanimously to add $180 per month to the restaurant’s rent for the 10 months the restaurant was open in 2014 to account for the 2015 property tax bill.
The vote included payments of $772.50 monthly for the bait shop and $566.50 for the harbormaster office. The bait shop and concession stand were expected to resume operations on the pier reopening.
In a letter to city officials, Pena’s attorney, Donald W. Yetter of Bradenton, wrote that the lease could be interpreted to allow rent increases either now or in November. He requested that the monthly base rent remain $5,500 until November. — Ed Scott