NEWS

4THE SUN ISLAND NEWS

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IN BRIEF

Sisters honor Belle Haven Cottage donors

Two members of the Anna Maria Island Historical Society (AMIHS) recently completed a project that helps preserve the history of the Island and the Historical Society. AMIHS | SUBMITTED Holmes Beach resident Deborah Sneddon, right, and her sister, Bradenton resident Patricia Rod, painted the carved names of the Island citizens who donated money to help restore the Belle Haven Cottage. Sneddon and Rod began the project in March at the suggestion of AMIHS President Liz Hager. More than a decade ago, the donors’ names were carved into the cottage’s wooden porch planks by Gary Fenstemaker, formerly of Holmes Beach, and by Bob Kelly of Anna Maria. The Historical Society encourages residents and visitors to visit the Belle Haven Cottage on the museum grounds at 402 Pine Ave. to see the sisters’ handiwork and to learn about the history of the cottage and why it’s part of the museum complex.

City seeks new planning commissioner

The Holmes Beach Planning Commission is in need of a new commissioner. During a June 2 meeting, planning Commissioner Barbara Hines, whose term is up July 1, said that she would not be seeking reappointment. Now city leaders are in need of someone to take her place on the dais. Planning commissioners must be residents of Holmes Beach and serve a three-year term. They meet once a month on the first Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall to review proposed land development regulations, codes and amendments, review the comprehensive plan and make recommendations to city commissioners. Any interested residents are asked to contact the city clerk’s office at 941-7085800 or email an application request to deputyclerk@ holmesbeachfl.org. Applications also can be found on the city’s website at www.holmesbeachfl.org. Applications must be received by June 17.

Celebrate Father’s Day at Roser

Roser Memorial Community Church has a sweet treat for the guys in the congregation this Father’s Day. To celebrate the day, the church is teaming up with the Donut Experiment to provide a gift certificate for one free donut at the Pine Avenue breakfast hot spot. Each man in the congregation on Father’s Day, June 20, will receive one of the gift certificates. Roser hosts two Sunday morning services, one at 8:30 a.m. and another at 10 a.m. Masks are optional for those attending services. Roser is located at 512 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria. The Donut Experiment, a boutique, design-yourown-donut experience, is located at 210-C Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.

CINDY LANE | SUN In a previous nesting season, least tern chicks hid in palettes placed in their nesting areas to keep them safe from winged predators. The palettes will be used again this season.

Good news: Least terns nesting on AMI

BY CINDY LANE

SUN STAFF WRITER | clane@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – It’s been a long time, longer than Suzi Fox can remember, since least terns nested on the Island’s Gulf beaches.

“I’m very excited,” said Fox, director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, describing 26 terns that have paired off and laid eggs in nests on the sand beach in an undisclosed, staked-off location.

The bird species is threatened and protected by state and federal law.

A least tern nesting colony was unsuccessful in 2013 across from Bradenton Beach City Hall, she said, recalling that the last successful nesting colony was 15 or 16 years ago at Bean Point.

Since then, a few pairs have sporadically nested on AMI, only to have their nests destroyed by cats, dogs and wild predators such as raccoons.

As the chicks hatch, they will be able to hide under palettes that will be placed in their nesting area to keep them safer from bird predators, including the ubiquitous osprey, she said.

People can also cause nests to fail. Some nests are abandoned when beachgoers, often children, chase birds off nests, exposing the eggs to the heat and predators.

Parent birds need to rest and conserve energy to find food, even if they are not sitting on a nest, Fox said.

“If everyone could just go the extra mile and help us get these eggs off to a good start,” she said, asking beachgoers to steer clear of birds on the beach, especially if they’re screeching or are in posted nesting areas, and keep pets off the beach, which is the law in Manatee County.

Fox credits the larger nesting area created by the beach renourishment that was completed this spring for attracting the birds.

“It’s great news,” Fox said, “for a change.”

CINDY LANE | SUN A least tern tries to impress a prospective mate with a fish. The threatened species is nesting on AMI for the first time in recent memory.

BIRD TIPS

During bird nesting season, March through August, please follow these tips: • Never touch a shorebird chick, even if it’s wandering outside a staked nesting area. • Teach kids not to chase birds – if they’re disturbed, bird parents may abandon nests. • Don’t feed birds – our food is not good for their health, and it encourages them to fly at people aggressively. • If birds are screeching and flying at you, you’re too close. • Avoid posted bird nesting areas and use designated walkways to the beach. • Keep pets away from bird nesting areas; dogs are not allowed on the beach by law. • Keep the beach clean; food scraps attract bird predators such as raccoons and crows to the beach, and litter can entangle birds and other wildlife. • If you see people disturbing nesting birds, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Bank rezone passes first hurdle despite residents' protests

Commissioners are

moving forward with a request to rezone a former bank property to a higher commercial density despite residents’ opposition.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN

SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – City commissioners are halfway through rezoning approvals for the former Regions Bank property, despite the protests of several residents who’d rather not see a new Publix pharmacy and package store at the property.

The rezone came up for its first public hearing and vote during a May 25 commission meeting, during which commissioners said that they cannot deny the rezone request from C-1 to C-2 without a good reason, such as that it does not meet city standards. They all agreed with staff reports on the project that the application does meet with all city standards. The property also is surrounded by C-2 zoned properties.

Currently, the former Regions Bank location at 503 Manatee Ave. W. has been empty for eight years. Now Publix plans to renovate the existing building to be a liquor store and pharmacy location with a walking path between that building and the existing grocery store to encourage people to not move their car to go from one to the other. The property is currently zoned C-1, which allows for office space, banks and medical offices. Changing the property to C-2 allows for retail sales on the property.

Residents who spoke up about the potential rezone during public comment listed a few reasons for the request to be denied with a few of them agreeing that it would be better as an urgent care facility instead of a liquor store and pharmacy.

Resident Nancy Scott said she’s concerned about Holmes Beach becoming too commercialized and would like to see some sort of educational attraction placed in some of the vacant commercial buildings in the city.

Resident Tim Cullinan said that he feels rezoning the property would set a precedent for rezoning two other vacant bank properties in the city.

Another concern was that the retail use would increase traffic in the area, potentially causing more traffic accidents, something Police Chief Bill Tokajer said wasn’t a concern. He said he’d spoken with the city’s traffic engineer and that the proposed usage wasn’t expected to cause any more traffic than what had been there when the bank was in business. To help reduce accidents in the area, he’s suggested to the Florida Department of Transportation that Sixth Avenue become a right-turnonly option to Manatee Avenue instead of people being able to turn left and block traffic across the state road.

Commissioner Jim Kihm said he feels that the revitalization and use of the property proposed by representatives for Publix would be a productive asset for the community.

Commissioner Carol Soustek said that the request met all of the city’s requirements and that she’s looking forward to seeing the property in use again rather than sitting vacant.

During a June 2 planning commission meeting, planning commissioners voted unanimously to approve the rezone as consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan.

The matter is scheduled to go back before commissioners for a final vote and public hearing Tuesday, June 8 at 6 p.m. While the public is invited to view the commission meeting and following work session online via Zoom, you must appear in person in commission chambers during the meeting to make comments.