Mayor speaks out on wetland protections

Manatee County leaders want to reduce local wetland protections to the state minimum. One Island mayor is speaking out against the proposition.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy

Titsworth is speaking up on a proposal from Manatee County commissioners to reduce local wetland protections.

“As a city leader and lifelong resident of a barrier island, I am well aware of the many benefits of wetlands and strive to educate all who will listen on their importance,” Titsworth said in an Aug. 9 statement posted to social media and sent to county leaders. “It is time that leaders acknowledge their responsibility for the degradation of our waters. As we continue to pump pollution into the bays and allow nutrient-rich stormwater laden with fertilizers and pesticides to flow into our rivers, now is not the time to decrease local water quality protections. The proposed changes will increase pollution to a water system that has no jurisdictional boundaries and is an injustice to the coastal counties of Manatee, Pinellas, Hillsborough and Sarasota, many who over several decades have opted to adopt stricter water quality protections than the minimum required by the state.”

Manatee County commissioners are proposing to make changes to area wetland protections that would require changes to the county’s comprehensive plan and land development code. The changes would greatly reduce the development buffer for wetlands, remove a requirement for developers to demonstrate a public benefit for projects that remove or encroach on wetlands, remove a policy requiring wetland mitigation efforts for county wetlands, including the elimination of developer mitigation fees and habitat restoration efforts, and remove the current

50-foot buffer for environmentally sensitive coastal wetlands. While county commissioners initially approved the changes, the county planning commission struck the proposal down with a 4-2 vote.

Commissioners are not required to defer to the planning commission’s recommendation when making decisions.

Titsworth’s concerns are that the proposed reduction in wetland protections will cause more issues with local water quality, encourage more harmful algae blooms and destroy needed sea life habitats.

“Tampa Bay, Anna Maria Sound and our beloved Sarasota Bay continue to be burdened by lyngbya algae growth due to the county leadership’s inability to acknowledge the importance of clean water,” Titsworth said. “Continuing to turn a blind eye on water quality will destroy our tourism economy and will undoubtedly diminish property values.”

She went on to encourage county commissioners to look at the long-term issues related to reducing the wetland restrictions instead of “short-term development pressures.”

A vote is expected on the proposal during a Thursday, Aug. 17 meeting.

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Letters To The Editor

Van Ostenbridge, resign

Dirty deeds are done dirt cheap in Manatee County. For District 3 County Commissioner and Commission Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge, using taxpayer dollars to the tune of over $1,600 was no big deal. As reported in The Bradenton Times and the Herald-Tribune, the commissioner purchased records using the county credit card on over 19,000 residents claiming it was for a newsletter. Only after hundreds of county residents called for his resignation and news reports did the commissioner repay the taxpayers. County residents deserve better than someone who became famous for his theft of private property and using the county’s pre-arrest diversion program to avoid jail.

During the July 24th work session, Van Ostenbridge expressed grave concern over the release of resumes of applicants for the county administrator position – a public office where applicants consent to submit resumes into the public record. 19,000 residents did not consent to their positions on issues, religious affiliations, political ideology, GPS coordinates and more to be shoved headfirst into public records. It is absurd to think 200 data points are needed from each resident for a newsletter.

Van Ostenbridge was temporarily forced out as chair for failing to share information with his colleagues. Now, he must face the music and demonstrate leadership by resigning as chair and commissioner for this theft of taxpayer dollars. If he does not, then we must be ready to vote for an ethical and responsible candidate to uphold the highest values of our community.

Talha Siddique Manatee County

Clarification

Too little, too late?

So now after local leaders’ policies have forced many locals off the island, they want to encourage more full-time residents. Government’s main responsibility is to keep the public safe. I don’t mind tourism but we deserve occupancy laws to be enforced. Allowing underage children to operate golf carts is turning our streets into Disneyland. With tourism at an all-time high, this is only adding to the congestion, not to mention the new parking garage – progress? “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

Correction

Monkey Bus drivers and support personnel operate as independent contractors. A story in last week’s Sun referred to them in another employment category.

The vacation rental home at 614 Gladiolus was put on notice for having one illegal ground-level bedroom. A headline in last week’s Sun stated otherwise.

On The Agenda

ANNA MARIA

10005 GULF DRIVE

FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-6130

Please visit www.cityofannamaria.com or contact city hall for more information.

Aug. 24, 5 p.m. – Budget meeting with City Commission meeting following

Bradenton Beach

107 GULF DRIVE N.

FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-778-1005

Please visit www.cityofbradentonbeach. com or contact city hall for more information.

Aug. 16, 9 a.m. – Pension Board meeting

Aug. 16, 1 p.m. – Scenic WAVES meeting

Aug. 17, noon – City Commission meeting

HOLMES BEACH

5801 MARINA DRIVE

FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-5800

Please visit www.holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more information.

Aug. 18, 11:30 a.m. – Police officer’s pension board meeting

Aug. 23, 5 p.m. – Planning Commission meeting

ISLAND-WIDE

Aug. 21, 9 a.m. – Manatee County Tourist Development Council meeting, The Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria

Events

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16

Mah-jongg for beginners, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.

One-on-one tech help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach 2-4 p.m.

THURSDAY, AUG. 17

Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.

FRIDAY, AUG. 18

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

SATURDAY, AUG. 19

Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon

TUESDAY, AUG. 22

Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island meeting, Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, 11:30 a.m.

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 23

Mah-jongg for beginners, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.

One-on-one tech help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2-4 p.m.

THURSDAY, AUG. 24

Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.

Thursdays in Paradise Stroll featuring local art, music and food, Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 5-8 p.m.

AMI Chamber Business Card Exchange, Floridays Woodfire Grill and Bar, 12324 Manatee Ave., Bradenton, 5-7 p.m., $5 for members or $10 for prospective members

FRIDAY, AUG. 25

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

SATURDAY, AUG. 26

Robinson Runners, Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 7 a.m.

Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon

MONDAY, AUG. 28

Boating Safety, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, AUG. 29

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

Crews fight fire on Egmont Key

About 30 acres burned on Egmont Key on Sunday afternoon, according to U.S. Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg, which, with Tierra Verde Fire Rescue, was first on the scene, according to the Coast Guard Facebook page. Crews assisted in dispersing all vessels in the vicinity of the island, establishing safety zones, and were assisted by park rangers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Firefighters dropped water on the fire from the air, and six people were evacuated from the island without injury, officials said. None of the historic ruins of Fort Dade or the lighthouse were affected. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Egmont Key, a wildlife refuge, is open to visitors and is accessible by boat.