Cross your fingers. Manatee County soon may boast a new state park.
The Florida Legislature’s proposed 2022-23 budget, which must go before Gov. Ron DeSantis for approval, includes $23 million for the purchase of Rattlesnake Key to advance plans for a state park on the island.
The county also agreed to contribute $3 million from its parks and natural resources reserves toward purchasing Rattlesnake Key, located southwest of the Sunshine Skyway on Tampa and Terra Ceia bays and federally designated as critical habitat for the rare aboriginal prickly-apple cactus.
Rattlesnake Key is accessible only by boat and would remain that way as a state park.
The appropriation request was submitted by state Rep. Will Robinson in the House and state Sen. Jim Boyd in the Senate, who both represent the area, with the stated goal of preserving the land, wildlife and local water quality.
The purchase will help realize the state’s Florida Forever Terra Ceia project, prepared by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to preserve the area and wildlife in the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve.
So far, the state has acquired 2,432 out of 4,724 acres identified by the state for the project.
Buying Rattlesnake Key would add 970 privately owned acres, mainly consisting of mangrove swamp, to the count.
Boyd expressed satisfaction with the Rattlesnake Key funding on the proposed budget in a March 10 statement provided to The Islander.
“Preserving Rattlesnake Key is instrumental to protect our waterway from commercial development, to preserve fish and wildlife, and create a park and recreation area for all Floridians to enjoy for generations to come,” Boyd wrote. “Rattlesnake Key was my No. 1 funding priority heading into the 2022 Legislative session. I couldn’t be happier.”
Notable bills
Island officials are hoping DeSantis vetoes one bill that could challenge municipal home rule.
Senate Bill 620, which would allow businesses to claim damages for county or municipal ordinances or charter provisions that reduce their profit by at least 15%, passed through the Senate and the House.
SB 620 was introduced by Sen. Travis Hutson, R-Palm Coast.
HB 569, SB 620’s companion bill, was introduced by Rep. Lawrence McClure, R-Hillsborough County.
Anna Maria Commissioner Carol Carter, liaison to the ManaSota League of Cities, told The Islander March 3 that the bill would require the city to combat such claims by paying a third party to study business impacts before exploring new legislation.
She said it could prove “cumbersome and costly,” despite amendments to require businesses to operate in good standing within the city for three years before filing claims.
Carter said March 10 that the league was creating a mail-in system so people could write to DeSantis asking him to veto the bill.
Mayor Dan Murphy said March 10 the bill would “hurt” the city. He said the city commission might adopt a resolution voicing its opposition to the measure.
If DeSantis does not veto the bill within 14 days, it will become law.
Holmes Beach Commissioner Terry Schaefer told The Islander he didn’t have high hopes that DeSantis would veto the bill.
“It is going to tie the hands of municipalities in regards to taking actions, making decisions and drafting ordinances they believe is for the good of the community,” Schaefer said. “We will be very mindful with this going forward. … It is what it is. Time will tell what impact it really does have.”
On the other hand, the session did bring some good news.
Another package city officials feared, SB 512 and HB 325, which would have limited municipal vacation rental registration fees to $50 per unit, will not reach DeSantis’ desk.
SB 512 was introduced by Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills.
HB 325 was introduced by Rep. Jason Fischer, R-Jacksonville.
Both bills had gone strong through January but SB 512 stalled out in the Community Affairs Committee while HB 325 hit a snag in the Ways & Means Committee in February.
The Legislature also passed SB 518 and HB 1555, which would revise state preemptions for regulating tree trimming and removal.
The bill doesn’t go as far as other proposed measures that would have repealed such preemptions, but Carter said its passage could allow the city to reclaim some of the regulatory power it had through its former grand tree ordinance.
The bill would allow municipal regulation of tree trimming and removal, exempting property owners who obtain proof from the International Society of Agriculture or a Florida-licensed landscape architect that a tree poses “an unacceptable risk.”
Island appropriations
All news is good news regarding this year’s appropriation requests for Anna Maria Island’s municipalities.
All four of the cities’ appropriations requests will make it to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk for final approval, including:
- $207,450 for Anna Maria to create a permanent solution for the Lake La Vista inlet, which requires regular dredging by the city;
- $1,288,440 for Anna Maria to improve the Pine Avenue corridor;
- $3,000,000 for Bradenton Beach to bury utility lines along portions of Gulf Drive;
- $2,000,000 for Holmes Beach to improve flood mitigation measures, including stormwater infiltration trenches.
DeSantis can line-item veto any part of the budget, which may take weeks to review.
— Ryan Paice
