Anna Maria has a lot on its plate.
Between dredging and paving work, as well as planned changes to Pine Avenue and the Anna Maria City Pier, the city is set to receive a bit of a makeover in 2022.
City commissioners reached consensus Feb. 10 to direct Mayor Dan Murphy to work with city staff to create a request for proposals to install pervious paver sidewalks and to add new and enhance existing crosswalks on Pine Avenue.
The proposed work is the first part of the city’s plans to improve the commercial strip, which also involves:
- Adding and enhancing street lighting;
- Converting the trolley turnaround at the east end of Pine to provide access for delivery trucks;
- Adding bicycle paths on both sides of Pine Avenue.
City commissioners approved up to $125,000 for design and engineering for the improvements and hired St. Petersburg-based engineer George F. Young Inc. to perform the work.
Traffic engineer Gerry Traverso detailed plans for the sidewalks, which will stretch along both sides of Pine and meander from the roadway at certain points to avoid development.
The meandering sidewalks will be constructed of permeable pavers — with commissioners to determine color and material at a later date — and vary in width between 5 feet and 6 feet, depending on location.
Traverso also detailed crosswalk improvements consisting of raising all crossings by 3 inches and installing in-road blinking lights on both sides to increase visibility.
Commissioners also agreed to add new crosswalks boxing off the intersections of Pine with North Shore and Crescent drives at the suggestion of Commissioner Mark Short.
The crosswalk improvements are projected to take four weeks after construction begins, while sidewalk improvements will take 12 weeks.
Commissioners also discussed George F. Young’s plans for solar-powered lighting on Pine Avenue but agreed not to include lighting in the request for proposals. Instead, the commission will revisit the design, which did not include replacements for Florida Power & Light streetlights.
Mote outreach center
City staff are reviewing two options from the Mote Marine Laboratory educational outreach center at the Anna Maria City Pier, 100 N. Bay Blvd., according to Mayor Dan Murphy.
The outreach center would occupy the 1,800-square-foot empty space at the pier’s T-end that Mote agreed in September 2021 to lease for 10 years.
Mote’s options for the outreach center include one with four marine live display tanks featuring different fish and crustaceans visitors can view and touch.
A second option replaces the live tanks with interactive media displays, such as livestream video of marine life from beneath the pier.
Despite concerns over the weight of the live tanks, a “cursory study” by city staff found no issues with the option as long as the pier passes a structural inspection, according to Murphy.
Murphy said the city contacted an inspector, which would allow the city to move forward and present Mote’s plans to the commission for consideration.
Dredging
Clearwater-based Gator Dredging’s work clearing the Lake La Vista inlet of silt and sand was set for completion by Feb. 18, according to an update posted to the city’s website, cityofannamaria.com.
The channel must be dredged regularly due to sediment flowing from the bay, limiting water depth in the inlet and navigation by boats.
Sediment removed from the channel was redistributed to the beach north of the city pier and leveled out with an excavator.
Public works manager Dean Jones, who has overseen the project, said work had gone smoothly.
“They’ve done a terrific job,” Jones said. “We haven’t had any hiccups whatsoever.”
Also, the city was set to finish under its $250,000 budget for the project, with a final bill of $242,927.70, according to Jones.
The city has submitted a state appropriation request for $2 million over the next two years to fund the development of a permanent solution to maintain the channel.
Paving projects
Bradenton-based Superior Asphalt was set to finish the first phase of the city’s 2021-22 paving improvements by Feb. 11, according to Jones.
Work involved milling, resurfacing and restriping Pelican Avenue, Gull Drive, South Bay Boulevard, Palmetto Avenue and Gulf Drive from Willow Avenue to the city’s southern limits.
It also involved the addition of three speedtables and accompanying signage on South Bay Boulevard.
Jones said that, despite the city’s decision to have work done at night, they hadn’t received any complaints about noise.
Work cost $573,049.75 of the $778,073.36 budgeted by the city for paving improvements this fiscal year.
Jones said work on a second phase of paving improvements, which he did not detail, will begin in August or September.
In other matters…
City commissioners also:
- Reached consensus to spend $4,000 to explore purchasing and installing a weather station display at the base of the city pier;
- Unanimously approved a resolution establishing vacation rental registration fees for 2022 based on maximum occupancy allowed for each registration at $74.47 per occupant.
The commission will meet next at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive. The meeting will be open to the public, with masks recommended. Directions to attend via Zoom can be found on the city’s website.