NEWS

4THE SUN ISLAND NEWS

Visit our website, www.amisun.com. Scan this code with your smartphone to go there.

IN BRIEF

Golf cart registration open

If you live in Holmes Beach and you have a golf cart, the time has come to register it with the city. Registration is open online for golf carts at www. holmesbeachfl.org. While golf carts and low-speed vehicles may look the same, a low-speed vehicle is already required to be registered with the state of Florida and has a license plate. A golf cart does not have a license plate and is only allowed to be driven on Anna Maria Island in the city of Holmes Beach during daylight hours on city streets by property owners with a homesteaded primary residence in the city. The cost to register a golf cart is $10. Once the golf cart is registered, a permit will be mailed that should be immediately affixed to the golf cart. For more information, contact the city at 941-708-5800 ext. 222.

Learn CPR with WMFR

The staff at West Manatee Fire Rescue wants to make sure people are as prepared as possible in case of an emergency. Hands-only CPR classes begin Saturday, Aug. 6 from 9-11 a.m. and continue on the first Saturday of each month at the district’s administration building at 701 63rd St. W. in Bradenton. The free classes are limited to 10 people. Participants will not receive a CPR certification by taking the class. To register, call WMFR at 941-7611555.

Light agenda for Thursday’s meeting

Following the holiday weekend, the Bradenton Beach City Commission has a light agenda for its Thursday, July 7 meeting. The only new business listed on the meeting agenda pertains to the donation of a memorial bench. Thursday’s meeting will begin at 6 p.m. The city commission will hold its first 2022-23 budget work meeting on Tuesday, July 12 at 9 a.m.

No swim advisory for Palma Sola South

A no swim advisory remains in effect for the south side of Palma Sola Bay, located along Manatee Avenue West. The advisory indicates that water contact may pose an increased risk of infectious disease. Officials at the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County report that test results from water samples taken at Palma Sola South on June 27 and June 29 showed elevated levels of enterococci, or fecal, bacteria. The advisory will be in effect until the water meets Environmental Protection Agency safety guidelines. The Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program provides residents with up-to-date information about water quality to protect the health of Manatee County beachgoers. For more information, call 941-714-7593.

Independence Day, Island-style

The Anna Maria Island Privateers’ Fourth of July parade brought festive music, loud bangs from pirate guns aboard the Skullywag and water battles to paradegoers on Gulf and Marina drives on July 4. The parade began at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach and ended at Pine Avenue in Anna Maria.

LESLIE LAKE | SUN LESLIE LAKE | SUN

DOREEN FLYNN | SUBMITTED

Drift In mascot flies her patriotic colors

KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN

KRISTIN SWAIN | SUN

Eastern end of Greer Island closed to boaters

LONGBOAT KEY - The Greer Island beach east of the Longboat Pass Bridge is closed for about three weeks during a dredging project, then will open for recreational use – except to motorboats, according to an announcement posted on the town's website.

The temporary beach closure is due to an emergency dredge project to provide access to the lagoon area of Greer Island, also known as Beer Can Island. The project is in the same area of Greer Island that the town commission recently decided to permanently close to boaters.

Officials approved the permanent closure to protect people who swim and lounge in the shallow waters off Greer Island from boaters. After the dredging project is completed, buoys will be placed to mark the areas where motorboats are prohibited. "These areas will then be limited to beachgoers, waders, kayakers, paddleboarders and other non-motorized vessels,” according to the announcement.

CINDY LANE | SUN The western portion of Greer Island, above left, will remain open to boaters, while the eastern portion (in yellow) is closed.

Commissioners move to prohibit vehicle rentals

BY KRISTIN SWAIN

SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – City commissioners are moving forward with an amended ordinance prohibiting vehicle rentals in the C-3 commercial district.

If the ordinance passes two public hearings and votes by commissioners, no new vehicle rental businesses will be allowed to open brick-andmortar shops in the city. Existing vehicle rental businesses will not be affected by the change, should it pass, but if any existing business attempts to change locations or expand, it may not be allowed, City Attorney Erica Augello said.

The proposed ordinance also does not affect any business located outside of Holmes Beach that brings vehicles into the city.

Currently, vehicle rentals are allowed by special exception in the commercial district.

Under the city’s land development code, golf carts and low-speed vehicles are considered vehicles/automobiles.

Mayor Judy Titsworth also instructed staff to do an inventory of which businesses in the city have a valid business tax receipt allowing for vehicle rentals and how many vehicles each business is allowed to have.