By Robert Anderson and Ryan Paice
Islander Reporters
Kaboom!
State Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton, ignited a powder keg of uncertainty for island cities Jan. 12, proposing legislation to void Holmes Beach’s parking garage prohibition and a study on consolidating the island cities.
The Manatee County Legislative Delegation convened at Bradenton City Hall for its annual meeting, hearing testimony, reviewing requests and considering member bills for the 2023 session.
At the meeting, Robinson, of District 71, proposed a bill to preempt local regulation of parking for state and county properties.
The bill, he said, would supersede an ordinance Holmes Beach commissioners unanimously approved last August that prohibits multilevel parking facilities within city limits.
The ordinance essentially blocked a parking garage at Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, that Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, District 3, proposed to make up for parking spaces lost when the city transitioned to a park-by-permit system.
The city system prohibits public parking in 645 spots along residential roadways unless a resident or property owner purchases a $15 decal allowing them to park in the posted spaces.
Holmes Beach officials stand by the system, which they say protects the quality of life by reducing roadside parking on certain residential streets.
But Van Ostenbridge and other county officials have argued since the system was established in the summer of 2020 that it is unfair to off-island residents who want to visit the beaches.
Robinson seemed to agree with county officials during the delegation meeting.
“Frankly, I am disturbed by the lack of parking spaces available on that island that in my view have been strategically eliminated bit by bit to not allow citizens to access and visit the island,” Robinson said. “I think there are some on the island who think it’s their private island.”
“Back in June 11 of 2020, former (Senate) President Bill Galvano and myself sent a letter to the mayor of Holmes Beach about our concerns about street parking that had been removed under the guise of COVID,” he added.
A couple of people spoke during public comment on Robinson’s proposal, including Glen Gibellina, a Bradenton resident, who endorsed the bill.
Gibellina said, “I agree with this commission and their proposal. Those folks had decades to straighten this problem out and they never stepped up to the plate.
“It’s Florida law that every citizen, in this state is allowed to walk those seven miles, unrestricted. Now if we can’t park out there to walk those beautiful seven miles, then you have to do something about it.”
Holmes Beach Commissioner Terry Schaefer also addressed the all-Republican delegation, which in addition to Robinson includes Reps. Mike Beltran and Tommy Gregory and Sens. Jim Boyd and Joe Gruters.
“I would like to suggest to the delegation that the actions taken by our commission last year were the result of numerous years of complaints from our constituency,” Schaefer said. “It’s a city, it’s an island, where we are making every effort to maintain hospitality and a balance of both tourism and retention of full-time citizens.”
He continued, “The reasons that the restrictions on parking occurred was from many years of complaints from those citizens who live on those streets who had to contend with garbage, improper use of their hoses and swimming pools and a myriad of items left in their yards. It also resulted in constriction in some of our more narrow streets that had an adverse effect on some of our emergency vehicles.
“I would ask that the delegation and the Legislature in the future give consideration to the point that our island is only seven miles long — it only has so much capacity. The continued growth and expansion of our county and our region is resulting in unexpected and continued traffic and those problems find themselves at the doorstep of commissions like our own.”
The delegation voted unanimously in favor of Robinson’s parking proposal.
Bombshell No. 2.
Robinson also brought up the possibility the state could dissolve or consolidate AMI governments.
“Does it make sense to continue to have three small island communities with different bureaucracies, with different levels of government?” Robinson asked. “I don’t know but I think it’s incumbent upon this delegation, and frankly the state, to study the issue, to see what the options are. Should we have one city over the island? Should we have two? Maybe three is the answer.”
He asked for support to push for an Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability study to be commissioned on the island’s governing structure to identify options for the delegation to consider ahead of the 2024 legislative session.
OPPAGA is a research arm of the Florida Legislature that provides data, research and analysis that assist legislative budget and policy deliberations.
Anna Maria Commissioner Jonathan Crane, attending the meeting, said the island’s three cities have different personalities and he didn’t think broad consolidation would work.
“I’d hate to see anything shoved down our throats,” Crane said.
Robinson’s motion passed unanimously.
Island officials react
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth, in remarks to The Islander, characterized Robinson’s proposals as bombshells.
She further expressed her concerns in a Jan. 12 statement.
“I am disappointed at the position that Will has taken regarding preempting city ordinances to construct a parking garage in a coastal community when the city currently and historically has always exceeded the number of parking spaces required for state-funded beach nourishment and interlocal agreements with the county,” Titsworth wrote. “As a mayor in his district, I would have appreciated Mr. Robinson to have, in the very least, given notice prior to getting out of his lane in making such a bold move.”
She continued, “A four-story parking garage at the entrance to our city is not in keeping with the historical character of our quaint city. For this to happen, the potential gutting of our height restrictions would also be in play. These restrictions are in our city charter. This undoubtedly is what led to the next proposal by the representative, which is the consideration of the consolidation and or dissolution of the three island cities.”
“For a representative to single out Anna Maria Island to study dissolving our city-chartered government is a wake-up for all cities of this state. Because of this, I do not believe this will receive the legislative act that this representative is seeking,” Titsworth added.
Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie, in a Jan. 12 interview with The Islander, said he was disappointed.
“I’m disappointed that we found out about it this way. This should have been a discussion that we had for at least a couple of weeks. To me, government operates from the bottom up, not the top down and that’s the rub right there, for me. I’m not convinced this is the best way to approach this subject. It should come from the municipalities, the cities, the local people, not the other way around.”
And Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said Jan. 12 that he is in favor of consolidating some services — such as public works and police — with other island cities.
“Most of you know I have tried to consolidate services in the past,” he said during a Jan. 12 Anna Maria City Commission meeting that occurred after the delegation meeting.
“I tried three times and failed miserably. This might be an opportunity, if the state wants to pursue it, to revisit that. I really don’t think the state should be imposing this on the island, but if that’s where it goes, that’s where it goes,” he added.
Murphy said he is set to meet with Robinson and Boyd in February to discuss the issue, as well as vacation rental regulations.