Manatee County’s “war” over parking in Holmes Beach has reignited a familiar discussion on Anna Maria Island.
Does the island need a parking garage?
“I do not support a parking garage in the city,” Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth wrote Sept. 23 to The Islander, remarking on Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge’s Sept. 16 letter outlining terms for an agreement with the city.
In his letter to Titsworth, Van Ostenbridge listed his “desired commitments” from the city, such as the reinstatement of parking along certain residential streets to pre-pandemic levels and the repeal of the city’s park-by-permit program.
The city implemented a program last summer to reduce parking along some residential streets when people flooded its beaches as many other beaches in the state remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The system involves selling $15 decals to residents and property owners to allow them to park a vehicle in one of 645 spots along residential roadways where the city prohibits public parking 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Van Ostenbridge also proposed a variety of county enticements, including a water taxi service connecting the mainland to the island with a stop in the city, providing weekend solid waste removal at beach access points and the continuation of tourist tax funding for beach renourishment projects.
One of his proposed county actions — the construction of a three-story parking garage at the Manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach — was met by mixed reactions from city officials.
In addition to expressing her opposition to the idea, Titsworth wrote that a parking garage isn’t allowed in a zone like the public beach. She added that the county would have to propose a code change for commission consideration to move forward with Van Ostenbridge’s garage proposal.
She also expressed support for the city’s park-by-permit system, writing, “We can no longer allow the residential streets to serve as overflow parking for beach accesses.”
City Commissioner Terry Schaefer told The Islander Sept. 24 that he’s open to discussing the addition of a parking garage in the city.
“I think it’s fair to consider,” he said. “We have to give due-consideration to every initiative. …It’s healthy to continue a dialogue.”
However, Schaefer had doubts for the benefits of a parking garage, saying it would not quell tourists’ ever-growing “appetite” to visit the island despite its limited infrastructure and traffic congestion.
“This is a classic example of why home rule is so important for a small city like ours,” Schaefer said. “So we’re not force-fed things from the county.”
City Commissioner Carol Soustek told The Islander Sept. 24 that she previously supported the county’s purchase of land in the city for a parking garage but expressed concern with the feasibility of a parking garage at the public beach due to space limitations.
“I really don’t have enough information to make a judgment on something like that,” Soustek said.
Both Schaefer and Soustek suggested the matter may come up for discussion at their next commission meeting at 5:10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28, after The Islander’s press deadline.
Van Ostenbridge’s letter — which he described as a document to start a conversation that could lead to compromise — can be found below.
County commissioner’s terms for Holmes Beach
Editor’s note: On Sept. 16, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, who represents the west side of the county, including Anna Maria Island, sent the following letter to Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth. The letter was edited to change some acronyms to full names and for AP newspaper style.
I am writing you today in hopes of coming to terms on a mutually beneficial agreement between Manatee County and the City of Holmes Beach.
This document is not a formal agreement.
This is a letter from one elected official to another meant to start a conversation that will lead to compromise.
Manatee County taxpayers own and maintain all of Manatee County’s beaches.
My goal is to provide fair and equal beach access to all residents of Manatee County
I believe this can be achieved while protecting the property, privacy and quality of life of the residents of Holmes Beach.
I recognize that in the past, island residents have not received the level of service they should expect from their county government.
For that reason, I have in good faith already begun to try to relieve some of the pressure tourism has put on Anna Maria Island residents.
Our board has taken a strong stance in support of the “Love it Like a Local” campaign and I hope to expand this campaign in the future.
Commissioner Carol Whitmore and I have worked to alter the timing of traffic signals in Holmes Beach during PM rush hour.
I am told this is helping to clear your streets faster by more efficiently moving cars off the island in the evenings.
Our board also recently unanimously approved Holmes Beach’s request for a West Coast Inland Navigation District grant to fund a new Holmes Beach police patrol boat.
In our budget passed this week we funded a new patrol boat for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office that will help to increase patrols of the Holmes Beach shoreline.
I have great confidence that a majority of the board of county commissioners will be agreeable to the terms of this proposal.
I hope that your commission will also find these terms fair to all parties.
If you believe these terms are unfair to Manatee County residents, please respond to this letter accordingly.
Manatee County desired commitments:
- Manatee County to continue county participation in beach nourishment program via tourist development council funds.
- Pursue construction of a three-level parking garage on county-owned property at Manatee Avenue and Gulf Drive.
- Provide weekend solid waste removal at beach access points.
- Enact a weekly text messaging system to welcome visitors to our island communities and increase awareness of local rules and ordinances.
- Provide additional law enforcement for beach patrols when requested by Holmes Beach.
- Make code enforcement personnel available when requested by Holmes Beach for parking and beach patrols.
- Work to secure a water taxi service from mainland Manatee County to Anna Maria Island with a stop in Holmes Beach.
- Enter into an interlocal agreement with the School District of Manatee County to provide overflow beach parking at Anna Maria Elementary School.
- Operate the Manatee County Island Library parking lot as a trolley park and ride station on weekends and holidays.
- Reconsider the city of Holmes Beach’s request for TDC funding for multimodal transportation enhancements.
Holmes Beach desired commitments:
- Reinstate on-street parking to prepandemic levels.
- Repeal parking permit program.
- Establish a program with reasonable restrictions that allows all churches to use their parking lots for beach parking fundraisers.
- Provide water taxi dockage near the Holmes Beach city center.
- Support all county parking initiatives listed in this agreement.
Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge
Let’s hope there will be a solution to the parking for the beach . It really is hard to find a spot. It seems more people drive around looking for a spot to park