The debate over Holmes Beach’s parking restrictions continues.
Now, it involves state legislators.
Mayors from Anna Maria Island’s three cities attended a May 4 meeting with Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, state Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, and state Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, to discuss parking in Holmes Beach.
A longstanding dispute began when Van Ostenbridge, who now serves as chair, was elected in November 2020 and immediately voiced criticism of the city’s park-by-permit system.
City officials stand by the system, which they say protects the residential quality of life by reducing roadside parking on certain residential streets.
However, Van Ostenbridge and other county commissioners argue the parking limits are unfair to off-island residents and have threatened to withhold beach renourishment funds if the plan isn’t reversed.
After almost two years and a joint workshop between the city and county, Boyd and Robinson were invited to meet with local officials to discuss the matter.
Titsworth told The Islander May 5 that she used the opportunity to present the city’s perspective on its parking plan to Boyd and Robinson.
“It was a great roundtable discussion,” Titsworth said. “We are really a part of the equation as far as providing a great opportunity for everybody to enjoy our beaches. They shouldn’t have any reason to think we’re not part of that team.”
In a May 4 email to meeting attendees, Titsworth included her takeaways from the discussion.
She confirmed that Holmes Beach would publish a new parking map and mark beach access parking to identify public spaces.
Titsworth said the city would reach out to churches to open parking lots for beach parking, which could require approval from the city commission.
She added that the city will explore the addition of parking along the Holmes Boulevard corridor at Boyd’s request, but noted it might be minimal due to the corridor’s busy nature.
Titsworth’s email also states that Van Ostenbridge will look into submitting plans for a parking garage to the city’s planning department for consideration.
Parking garages are not permitted in the Holmes Beach development code, so city approval would first be needed for the beach zoning district.
Also, any structure taller than 36 feet — which a parking garage likely would be — would require a public referendum to amend the city charter-based height limit.
Island officials also used the opportunity to discuss tourist development tax spending with Boyd and Robinson.
Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie asked the legislators to explore broadening the uses of TDT funding for infrastructure and safety needs, according to Titsworth.
Titsworth said she asked legislators to explore funding a percentage of TDT funds to the cities, matching each city’s contribution, due to past struggles in gaining county support for funding requests since the parking debate began.
Last June, the county board voted to deny the city’s $282,910 request for TDT funds to reimburse city-funded improvements to a seawall on Marina Drive.
The reimbursement would have freed up city money for improvements to bike lanes, sidewalks and landscaping.
Overall, Titsworth voiced satisfaction with the meeting.
“The meeting adjourned with a willingness of all to continue to collaborate and work together on the vision for the future of Anna Maria Island,” Titsworth wrote in her email.
Boyd and Robinson’s offices did not respond to a May 5 call from The Islander by press deadline.
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy declined to comment on the meeting in a May 5 text message to The Islander.
Chappie did not respond to a May 5 call and text message from The Islander.