Fence keeps visitors off City Pier
Sherman Baldwin of Paradise Boat Tours in Bradenton Beach cannot afford to wait for a new floating dock at the Historic Bridge Street Pier.
The dock, a replacement approved a year ago, is forecast to be installed by July 1.
Baldwin has plans to launch a 149-passenger water taxi between Bradenton Beach and downtown Bradenton and Sarasota, which are dependent on serving passengers in Bradenton Beach.
According to Baldwin, the boat is ready to launch, but will not be released by lenders until the dock locations are cleared for use by all three cities, and Bradenton Beach is the holdup.
He said during an April 19 commission meeting that he wants to hire Duncan Seawall, Dock and Boatlift — the contractor that rebuilt the pier — to conduct a “noninvasive look-see” to determine if he can load and unload his water taxi customers at the gangplank on the south side of the pier — the walkway that connected to the old floating dock.
Mayor John Chappie said he thinks Baldwin can proceed with the study as a private citizen, but would prefer the pier team review the request before it went before the commission for a vote.
Police Chief Sam Speciale, who chairs the pier team, said the contractor must be careful not to do anything that would endanger the lease with the state for the submerged land under the pier.
City attorney Ricinda Perry said indemnification would be required to release any city liability.
Sherman said he would proceed with plans for the study and present his findings at the next pier team meeting at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 2, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.