City attorney: No reserved spaces for water taxi

The Bradenton Beach Pier is one of three proposed water taxi stops on Anna Maria Island. It’s first-come, first-served.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH – City Attorney Ricinda Perry told commissioners last week that they cannot promise to designate a reserved space for the proposed water taxi on the floating day dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier.

Manatee County’s long-planned water taxi service includes proposed stops in downtown Bradenton, the City Pier in Anna Maria, the Braden - ton Beach Pier and the county-owned South Coquina Boat Ramp in Bradenton Beach. The county has not yet announced an anticipated start date for its initial Friday, Saturday and Sunday water taxi operations. Perry said she made a few changes to a proposed interlocal agreement recently received from the county. One significant change notes that the water taxi operations must comply with the state-issued sovereign submerged land lease for the existing floating dock and the nine additional perpendicular finger piers that will be connected to the south side of the floating dock later this month, or soon thereafter.

SEE WATER TAXI, PAGE 14