Difficult discussions about the commercialization of Anna Maria Island’s beaches are popping up across the island.
City officials in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach discussed advertising on beach cabanas during separate city commission meetings over the week of July 21. Bradenton Beach officials previously broke the ice and discussed the matter at commission meetings July 10 and July 17.
Over the course of those meetings, city officials agreed that unregulated commercial beach setups, such as rented beach cabanas, are problematic due to environmental and public safety concerns.
Anna Maria
Mayor Mark Short opened up discussion on the matter during a July 24 meeting.
Short said the entirety of the city’s beaches are zoned for coastal conservation or recreation and neither zoning district allows for commercial activity — including cabana services.
City attorney Becky Vose added that only monopole equipment, like umbrellas, are permitted for use in the coastal conservation zone.
However, Vose said the city is not enforcing either prohibition.
She said the city’s ability to regulate commercial activity on the beach is “pretty wide open.”
Commission Chair Charlie Salem said city officials could discuss the matter at future meetings and a potential workshop.
In the meantime, he said, they would work with staff to come up with ideas for how to address the issue.
Salem added that he hoped the city could implement regulations consistent with the other two island cities, since they also are discussing the matter.
Short said cabana rental services would be allowed to continue operating until the commission comes to a decision.
Short stressed that the issue is not limited to regulating beach cabanas, but about setting parameters for all commercial activity on the beaches.
“I’ll go on record for saying: I don’t want our beaches to turn into the Manatee Avenue causeway,” he said.
The city commission will meet next at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.
Holmes Beach
City Commissioner Carol Whitmore opened the city of Holmes Beach’s discussion on the matter during a July 25 meeting.
She said she received correspondence from state Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton, and state Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, asking her to bring up the subject.
Whitmore questioned the city’s enforcement of its sign ordinance, which prohibits advertising on the beach, including branded beach cabanas.
That prohibition has forced cabana rental services to deploy blank tents, free of branding or signage, on beaches.
Whitmore suggested revisiting the sign ordinance to see if potential changes could be made.
Mayor Judy Titsworth said the city had no problem with cabana services, but it had to be careful with allowing advertising and signage on the beach.
She said the city can not legally regulate the content of signage, so permitting it on the beach could result in the allowance of business and political signs along the municipality’s shorelines.
Titsworth said preventing advertising on the beach helps maintain the beach ambiance and urged cabana rental companies to eliminate their marketing efforts.
“Let’s try not to graffiti the beaches,” she said. “I guarantee you: Will Robinson and Sen. Boyd do not want this beach to be the causeway.”
“What we have to do is look at the big picture and ask what are we willing to turn this beach into?” Titsworth added.
While multiple commissioners expressed hesitation to revisit the sign ordinance, they agreed to explore regulations for commercial activity. They reached a consensus to hold a workshop on the matter.
The city commission will meet next at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.