A Bradenton Beach meeting Feb. 28 saw some pushback between pier-based restaurant owner John Horne and city officials.
Horne spoke to city staff and officials during a Bradenton Beach Pier Team meeting about potential changes to Historic Bridge Street Pier, 200 Bridge St.
The group gathered — Mayor John Chappie, city attorney Ricinda Perry, building official Darin Cushing, public works director Tom Woodard, Police Chief John Cosby and representatives from pier businesses — addressed possible alterations to the pier facade and maintenance.
Representing We’re Back Inc., the parent company of AMOB, Horne presented “Pier Cheer,” outlining proposed signage upgrades, public art and more.
Horne’s proposal follows the 2023 revision of a concessionaire agreement in which the city allowed AMOB to expand to 1,400 square feet, including a drink station and exclusive rights to alcohol sales on the pier.
The agreement also allowed for the installation of three tiki hut-like covered tables along the pier entrance railing, a decorative fence adorned with crab trap and buoy motifs and photo-op frames with views of the city anchorage area and Sarasota Bay.
During the Feb. 28 meeting, Horne proposed creating a hand-painted mural to serve as a selfie station and an educational tool, with environmental information sourced from Mote Marine Laboratory displayed on the mural.
Horne also proposed educational signage promoting safe boating, a painted corral for dumpsters and the installation of historical markers.
Not all aspects of Horne’s “Pier Cheer” vision were unanimously cheered.
Chappie expressed reservations about the design and placement of signage, as well as the corral.
“I called the pier team back together after all the issues that I saw that have developed over the years at the pier,” Chappie said. “The signs, that’s an issue for me. How many signs and the color scheme. I don’t want to distract from the natural beauty of what is there.”
“I don’t think the signage fits with what the CRA wanted to do,” Perry said. “I agree that there is too much sign pollution all throughout the city. I don’t really want to see a sign there. I don’t really want to see a mural there.”
Chappie said Horne’s proposed signage for the drink station includes a food menu, which was not agreed upon by the commission in April 2023.
“This was presented as a drink station,” Perry said. “It can be re-presented to the commission but we don’t have the authority to change the use there to something else.”
Cosby suggested fine-tuning the ideas.
“If you are going to ask for a use change and you are going to serve food, then present the signs at the time,” Cosby said.
Horne said AMOB would request a presentation at the city meeting at noon Thursday, March 21, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.
In addition to AMOB’s proposals, Sherman Baldwin, owner of Paradise Boat Tours, and Adrienne Cardinale of Shore Thing Tiki Cruises, said there might be a need to control the amount of time boats occupy slips at the finger docks at the pier.
“We want to be absolutely responsible boat tour operators,” Cardinale said. “We work really hard to make sure that everyone follows the rules.”
She said it might be necessary for the city to post 30-minute limits for loading and unloading to keep the docks clear for other boaters.
The idea was met with support from the team.