The proposed extension of a multiuse path along Gulf Drive in Anna Maria had some business owners concerned about the elimination of parking.
But a recent vote eased those concerns.
City commissioners voted 4-1 March 28 to move forward with plans to extend a multiuse path along Gulf Drive from its current terminus at Willow Avenue to Magnolia Avenue without eliminating parking.
Commissioner Gary McMullen voted “no,” saying he did not want to establish such a restriction for potential improvements.
The city requested a $250,000 state appropriation to extend the path and the request made it into the state’s proposed $117.46 billion budget for fiscal 2024-25.
By now, only Gov. Ron DeSantis has the power to line-item veto the appropriation request.
Paul Foster, co-owner of Ginny’s and Jane E’s Cafe and Gift Store, 9807 Gulf Drive, became concerned with the potential loss of parking along the stretch, which runs into the city’s commercial district and in front of his business.
Foster filed a petition the week of March 18 with DeSantis, state Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton, state Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, and Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, R-District 3.
The petition argued that the creation of a multiuse path along the stretch would necessitate the elimination of parallel parking in the area and hurt local businesses.
It asked DeSantis to use his line-item veto authority to put a stop to the project funding.
The petition was signed by Foster and the owners of six businesses, including The Porch Restaurant, Robinhood Rentals, Snips Hair, Harry’s Grill, AMI Beach Hut and Body & Sol Spa and Wellness, as well as one property owner.
Mayor Dan Murphy said March 28 that the city had no intent to eliminate parking as part of the project and would have appreciated a call from Foster so he could have clarified the city’s stance on the issue.
“The intent never was, nor is it now, to destroy the parking,” Murphy said. “I would aggressively fight the elimination of any parking. … We don’t have enough.”
He listed three potential options for extending the path without reducing parking:
- Run the path on the west side of the street, where there would be space for it;
- Move Gulf Drive west to open up space on the east side for parking and the path;
- Moving the parallel parking on the east side of the street to the west side to open space for a path on the east side.
Murphy asked the commission for a consensus or vote to move forward with plans to extend the path without eliminating parking.
Commission Chair Mark Short echoed Murphy’s sentiment, “The last thing we need is to be losing more parking spots, especially in the commercial side of our city.”
McMullen was the commission’s only vote against the elimination of parking for the new path.
During public comment, Foster apologized to Murphy and the commission for taking them off guard.
He said he felt “blindsided” when he saw news of the appropriation and emphasized the negative impact of potentially losing parallel parking along the stretch.
Nevertheless, Foster said he felt better about the matter following the commission’s vote to rule out parking reductions as part of the project.
Foster wrote in a March 30 text message to The Islander that he withdrew the petition.
John Cagnina, the property owner who signed Foster’s petition, still spoke against extending the multiuse path and encouraged the city to redirect the pedestrians and bicyclists off Gulf Drive.