“We’ve been talking about this for three years,” Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency member Ed Chiles said regarding a possible multimodal transportation partnership with Manatee County. “It will be green and it will be a promenade where people will bike and the little jitney will roll by.”
The Bradenton Beach CRA and Manatee County are considering a partnership to shuttle people between the parking at Coquina Beach — the biggest island parking lot — and Bridge Street — where there is very little parking and a great deal of demand by businesses.
The CRA board consists of the city commission and two restaurateurs, John Horne of the Anna Maria Oyster Bar, and Chiles, owner of the Sandbar and Beach House restaurants on Anna Maria Island and the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant on Longboat Key.
Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, gave a presentation May 2 to the CRA regarding the proposed project.
Falcione said, “I can’t preface enough that no decisions have been made at the county administrator level at this time,” adding that the tourist development council and board of county commissioners do not have a proposal before them.
Falcione spoke of flooding issues in the Coquina Beach parking lot, although it soon will undergo stormwater improvements and resurfacing. While the county is putting that plan into action, there also are concerns about connectivity to the Coquina parking lot.
“We talk about the importance of multimodal transportation,” Falcione said. “Enough with talking about it; let’s take advantage and show it.”
He said the county is considering additional multi-modal trails and it’s time to bring a partnership discussion to the Bradenton Beach CRA, where there is interest in moving people to and from the district.
CRA chair Ralph Cole asked Falcione what the CRA needs to do to move forward.
Falcione said the project might qualify for tourist tax proceeds.
“There is nothing better to be able to use tourism dollars,” Falcione said. “It not only serves the visitors, it serves the residents as well.”
He said he would convey the CRA’s interest to county administrator Ed Hunzeker. County staff could begin working with city staff on a conceptual plan. The plan would go to the CRA and the county for review, then the county would develop a project budget.
Manatee County collects a 5 percent tourist tax on accommodations of six months or less. The funds are budgeted by the tourist development council with approval from the board of county commissioners.
Mayor John Chappie complimented the county on improvements to area parks, including Coquina, but said he also wants the county to help with policing costs if the transportation project moves forward.
“We’re going to have to have more partnering on that, especially if we’re drawing more people to that area,” Chappie said.
Additionally, Chappie said he doesn’t want Cortez Beach, between Coquina Beach and Bridge Street, to be “lost in the shuffle.”
He said there are safety concerns with the parking layout at Cortez Beach the county should address as part of the project.
Falcione said it would be a big project with several phases.
City engineer Lynn Burnett was appointed liaison to the county to move forward on the concept.
“Here’s the opportunity to get something done that’s fabulous and really speaks to the important issues in this city,” Chiles said. “It’s a no-brainer. Hallelujah.”
BB raises Cortez Beach parking concerns
Parking. A never-ending problem it seems on Anna Maria Island.
As part of its mission to promote safety, the Bradenton Beach Scenic WAVES Partnership Committee in 2017 addressed the need for alternative parking at Cortez Beach, between Fourth and Ninth streets south.
Cortez Beach is sandwiched between Gulf Drive and the Gulf of Mexico with a long line of pull-in parking facing the beach.
Unlike Coquina Beach, Cortez Beach does not have an established entry or exit, forcing motorists to drive over the sidewalk to pull up to the parking spots — and either back out on Gulf Drive or turn their vehicle around.
Scenic WAVES created a plan to configure spaces so motorists would not have to back out onto Gulf Drive, endangering themselves, pedestrians and other motorists.
The committee submitted its plan for reconfiguration to the county, but no further action was taken.
Mayor John Chappie raised the Cortez Beach parking issue during a May 2 presentation concerning multimodal transportation by Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Falcione suggested a future parking and trails partnership between the city and Manatee County.
— ChrisAnn Silver Esformes