4
THE SUN
ISLAND NEWS
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MAY 4, 2022
IN BRIEF
Easter service marred by discord Dissension disrupted the 2022 Easter sunrise service at Manatee Beach, resulting in one pastor being excluded from future services. Rev. Ed Moss, of CrossPointe Fellowship, stood up during the service to condemn the ecumenical message delivered by some of his fellow Island pastors. At a meeting following the service, members of the sponsoring Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island voted not to invite Moss to the service in the future. Kiwanis members agreed to continue hosting the popular service, which welcomed an estimated 4,500 participants this year and raised more than $10,000, which will be split among the participating Anna Maria Island churches.
Golf cart registration required in Holmes Beach Holmes Beach golf cart owners have 90 days to register their golf carts with the city’s police department to continue legally driving them on the street. During an April 26 meeting, city commissioners voted unanimously in favor of passing the final reading of an ordinance restricting golf cart usage. The new ordinance requires that all golf carts be registered with the city and restricts usage of the vehicles to city residents. To receive a registration sticker from the city, owners are required to show proof of residency, including a homestead exemption or an annual lease. Any golf carts driven in the city without the registration sticker will be subject to a traffic stop by Holmes Beach Police Department officers. The new regulations do not apply to low-speed vehicles and others that require a license plate issued by the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles.
Taxes increase for business owners Business owners in Holmes Beach will see higher fees when they renew their city business tax receipts (BTR). City commissioners voted unanimously in favor of raising all BTRs citywide by 5% to help cover the administrative costs associated with issuing the certificates and renewals. While current business owners won’t see the increase until their renewal is due, new applications will be processed at the increased rates effective immediately. All BTR applications in Holmes Beach are processed through the city clerk’s office.
Holiday weekend parking allowed at AME The city of Holmes Beach will offer some relief from the parking woes associated with Memorial Day weekend by allowing beachgoers to park at the normally restricted Anna Maria Elementary School parking lot from May 28-30. The overflow parking will be available dawn to dusk, and all rules that apply to public beach parking apply at the school. AME is located at 4700 Gulf Drive.
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The Ugly Grouper soon may have some indoor seating to add to the popular outdoor gathering space for the restaurant.
Ugly Grouper expansion planned The Ugly Grouper is growing with the addition of indoor seating. BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners weren’t in agreement on the issue but the Ugly Grouper’s owners will be allowed to increase the restaurant’s seating size. During an April 26 meeting, attorney Scott Rudacille appeared before commissioners to plead his client’s case for increasing the seating capacity of the Ugly Grouper based on the number of available parking spaces. Commissioners Kim Rash and Jayne Christenson voted against the increase but it passed with a simple majority. In 2017, the restaurant’s amended site plan was approved by the city commission to include 173 total seats before 5 p.m. and a maximum of 239 seats after 5 p.m. with a limit of 176 outdoor seats. Under the newly amended site plan, the restaurant will be able to
have 240 seats at any given time throughout its business hours, with a maximum of 176 outdoor seats. Rudacille said his client is seeking to expand indoor dining options, taking advantage of an adjacent building formerly used for retail and office space. In addition to acquiring the building for the restaurant, he said it also frees up associated parking spaces which were previously only available to the Ugly Grouper’s patrons in the evening. City Planner Bill Brisson said that between all of the restaurant’s parking areas there are more than enough parking spaces to allow for the expansion of indoor seating. He addressed the issue of a pizzeria being installed at the adjacent former AMI Carwash site and said there are enough parking spaces on the site to allow for both restaurants to use the lot. In addition to approving the seating expansion, commissioners also approved the replacement and addition of some speakers on the property, with the caveat that they each have independent vol-
ume controls. They also specified that bollards need to be installed in front of the outdoor seating area to better protect patrons from drivers, a suggestion made by the city’s building official. While some residents stepped up to speak in favor of the restaurant’s growth, noting its appeal to visitors and family-friendly atmosphere, other residents asked commissioners to reconsider approving the amended site plan. Margie Motzer, who lives near the Ugly Grouper, said she’s concerned about the restaurant being so big, covering five parcels and continuing to grow. She said in addition to being concerned about an increase in noise in the adjacent residential neighborhood, she’s also worried about the expansion causing more traffic and creating an unsafe situation for people traveling along Marina Drive. Resident Nancy Deal added that she’s also concerned about the potential increase in traffic around the restaurant, with the mix of transportation types using Marina Drive.
