16 minute read
REAL ESTATE
22 THE SUN REAL ESTATE
Condo takeovers
Condo termination. Those are fighting words to condo owners who are living in prime waterfront locations in Florida. However, it’s going on right now in Southeast Florida, all because of the collapse of the Champlain South condos in Surfside.
Developers in the Miami Beach area and all along the barrier island going north are swarming to the area in order to acquire older waterfront condominium buildings, and there are plenty of them. Hundreds of condo buildings, representing more than two-thirds of condos in the Miami area alone, are either approaching 40 years old or have reached that age and gone beyond. At that age, the county requires a recertification to make sure the property is still structurally sound.
Although the Surfside collapse is still under investigation, engineers have determined that a combination of problems likely was at fault. They have confirmed design flaws, poor construction and delayed maintenance because owners were reluctant to spend the money required to retrofit the property.
Castles in the Sand
LOUISE BOLGER
The Miami Herald recently reported in their e-edition that an investigation of the court records after the collapse revealed as far back as five years ago that contractors of a new building next door were concerned about the vibrations affecting the Champlain South building. At that time, they halted drilling, then resumed, but according to the engineers, that alone could not have been the cause of the collapse five years later.
It was recently reported by the Wall Street Journal that at least eight waterfront condo buildings in the Miami area are in sales discussions with developers. These buildings are in prime locations and developers are frequently offering to pay owners above market value for their condos. The buildings will then be demolished, and high-end residences will be built to accommodate wealthy buyers who are relocating to Florida in droves.
Developers of one of the condos going through termination are offering more than $750,000 for studio apartments that sold for around $55,000 in the late 90s. However, condo termination is not easy even when developers are offering more than these owners ever dreamed. In addition, condo regulations for every association are different and sometimes can be ambiguous. Some buildings require as few as 75% of its residents to vote in favor of termination; others can require 100%. And of course, every resident has a different take on what’s the best thing to do; many are facing the prospect of having to relocate from an area they may have lived in for 30 years and will likely not be able to replicate what they had and certainly not the view.
Developers are taking the position that they are offering a private sector solution to the problem by buying out residents who probably couldn’t afford the assessment to bring the building up to a recertification level. Owners have their equity and can move on and builders are offering high-end brand new condos built to today’s standards, revitalizing the area.
In March, the Florida legislative session ended without any new building recertification requirements. Holmes Beach is taking it into their own hands and are considering creating their own safety measures. The commissioners will again take up the issue of recertification on older buildings on the Island in an effort to protect both homeowners and visitors.
The real estate market is nothing if not fluid. Whoever would have guessed not that many years ago that condo termination would be a phrase the average waterfront homeowner would be adding to their vocabulary? So goes Florida, never a dull moment.
SEATING: Residents request end of expanded outdoor seating
FROM PAGE 1 ments that expanded their seating areas under City Ordinance 21-533. The city commission adopted the ordinance in June 2021 to assist local businesses with their recovery from the pandemic. Ordinance 21-533 continued and expanded the allowances originally granted by the adoption of Ordinance 20-516 in May 2020.
The 2021 ordinance states: “Retail and restaurants and food establishments may expand dining and retail areas to certain areas of private property not typically permitted for dining and retail space, such as setbacks, walkways and parking areas. The expanded area may not be used for anything other than merchandise or seating. All other uses, such as outdoor entertainment, in these areas are prohibited. Outdoor entertainment may only be located in those areas previously used and permitted prior to the adoption of Ordinance 20-516.
“Retail and restaurants and food establishments may convert up to 50% of on-site private parking spaces to outdoor dining and retail. All other uses, such as outdoor entertainment, in these areas are prohibited unless a waiver is applied for and approved by the city commission."
The ordinance continues: “Tents may be erected to provide shade for the dining area. All tents or shade structures shall be removed within 12 hours of a declaration of a state of emergency, or immediately following the request of city staff due to dangerous weather conditions.”
The ordinance established a registration process for businesses to begin or continue using expanded outdoor seating areas.
EXPIRATION REQUESTED
The Bridge Tender Inn & Dockside Bar’s expanded seating area includes a temporary tent-like structure at the south end of the property which shelters live music performances.
When addressing the commission, Herard said, “I live on the third floor facing the Bridge Tender and I can’t have dinner outside or hold a conversation on the lanai because the music’s so loud. When we watch television at night, we shut the door, shut the windows and we have to turn up television louder than you would normally have to because the music is so loud. This has been going on for two years now. I think we’ve got to find a way for businesses and residents to be able to coexist.”
Herard said he and his wife moved into their condo in 2018 and enjoy living within walking distance of the local restaurants and businesses.
“The Bridge Tender had music then too, but it was inside. We could hear it, but when it’s inside it’s not detracting from the quality of your living experience,” he said.
David Bell, Bradenton Beach resident
“Manatee County’s (COVID-19) transmission levels are low. There are no CDC requirements that restrict anything related to restaurants’ seating requirements and operations. The music at the Bridge Tender should move back inside because 21-533 is now expired,” Herard said.
When addressing the commission, Bell said, “Ordinance 20-122 and 21-533, they’ve served their purpose. Bruce wanted to talk specifically about one place, I wanted to talk about all of them.”
Bell noted the expanded seating allowances granted in 2020 and 2021 were not meant to be permanent.
“People told me if the tents go up, they will never come down, and that’s what we have seen. I told people the tents would not comply with the building code and that’s why they’d be temporary. They would not become permanent structures. They are a safety issue for residents and visitors and now we’re seeing more hardening of the tents. They’re putting in more posts and frameworks are growing around them,” Bell said.
Citing language contained in Ordinance 21-533, Bell said, “This ordinance shall expire and be deemed to have been repealed once all COVID-related limitations to the operations of restaurants and retail locations impacting capacity of occupancy loads or social distancing requirements are no longer a recommendation by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Alternatively, the city commission may sunset the ordinance at a noticed public hearing.”
Bell then noted, “It’s tied to the CDC and all restrictions have been removed. I checked with the county. There are no restrictions. I respectfully request that you take action to address this expired ordinance by ending it.”
In response to the public input, Mayor John Chappie said he would place the matter on the agenda for the Thursday, May 19 commission meeting. That meeting will begin at noon and public input from residents and business owners will be allowed.
The Centers for Disease Control report that COVID-19 cases in Manatee County rose from 185 on May 1 to 493 on May 8.
Cindy Jones-Burkeke
Realtor/Staging tCertified Residential Specialist mCindy@CJonesRE.com Direct: 941.773.9770
310 Pine Avenue • Anna Maria, FL 34216 teamduncan.com
TURTLES: Nesting season is on
FROM PAGE 1 most common being the loggerhead, according to Turtle Watch, and all are an integral part of the local ecosystem.
TURTLE TIPS
During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, follow these tips to help turtles: • Turn off lights visible from the beach and close blinds from sundown to sunrise; lights confuse nesting sea turtles and may cause them to go back to sea and drop their eggs in the water, where they won’t hatch. Light can also attract hatchlings away from the water. • Don’t use flashlights, lanterns or camera flashes on the beach at night. • Remove all beach chairs and other objects from the sand from sundown to sunrise; they can deter sea turtles from nesting and disorient hatchlings. • Fill in the holes you dig in the sand before leaving the beach; they can trap nesting and hatching sea turtles, which cannot live long out of the water. • Deconstruct sandcastles before leaving the beach; they can block hatchlings from the water.
• Don’t use balloons, wish lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf, and turtles can ingest the debris. • Do not trim trees and plants that shield the beach from lights. • Never touch a sea turtle; it’s the law. If you see people disturbing turtles, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). NESTING NEWS
Turtle nests laid: 6 (Record: 544 in 2019)
False crawls: 5 (Record: 831 in 2010)
Nests hatched: 0 (Record: 447 in 2018)
Hatchlings hatched: 0 (Record: 35,788 in 2018)
It’s sea turtle nesting season on Anna Maria Island.
CINDY LANE | SUN
Source: AMI Turtle Watch
BRADENTON
5708 Inspiration Terrace 4 Beds 5/1 Baths 6,326 Sq. Ft. Fran DeDona & Pam Goodwin 941-812-5023 A4528037 $4,995,000
SIESTA KEY
6326 Midnight Pass Road 508 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,318 Sq. Ft. Karen Chandler 941-544-4919 A4523199 $2,159,000
BRADENTON
15737 High Bell Place 5 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,868 Sq. Ft. Stacy Hanan 941-266-0529 A4533236 $649,000
LAKEWOOD RANCH
20706 79th Avenue E 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 5,077 Sq. Ft. Chris Baylis 941-735-4713 A4531620 $3,650,000
TERRA CEIA
109 Michiana Drive 2 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,818 Sq. Ft. Debbie Vogler 941-705-3328 A4527498 $1,999,000
BRADENTON
107 64th Street Court Nw 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,509 Sq. Ft. Erica Thomas 941-799-9365 A4533363 $565,000
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
820 N Shore Drive 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 3,953 Sq. Ft. Kathy Harman 941-900-9828 A4524887 $4,350,000
PARRISH
11203 77th Street E 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,655 Sq. Ft. Erica Thomas 941-799-9365 A4530113 $450,000
BRADENTON
7019 River Hammock Drive 404 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,121 Sq. Ft. Ray Rausa 941-228-7614 A4532726 $369,000
SIESTA KEY
3913 Roberts Point Road 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 2,793 Sq. Ft. Denise Mei 941-685-3198 A4522985 $2,950,000
LONGBOAT KEY
1926 Harbourside Drive 1304 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,135 Sq. Ft. Cindy Fischer & Mark J Baron 941-465-1124 A4528490 $1,095,000
BRADENTON
4509 3rd Street Circle W 483 1 Bed 1 Baths 725 Sq. Ft. Gregory Zies & Kathy Valente 941-779-3081 A4532309 $120,000
BIRD KEY
628 N Owl Drive 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,534 Sq. Ft. Kathy Valente & Gregory Zies, LLC 941-685-6767 A4526783 $2,495,000
SARASOTA
350 S Polk Drive 508 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,036 Sq. Ft. Susan Smith & Cathy Meldahl, PA 941-302-3440 A4533484 $880,000
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
Marina Drive Stephanie Okuley 941-773-2677 A4529602 $100,000
BEACH BEAT
HOLMES BEACH
4/27, 3 p.m., DUI, 100 52nd St. Two citizens approached an officer sitting in his vehicle to report a female who was trying to park her car, but was sticking out onto Gulf Drive and appeared intoxicated. When the officer approached the female, she said, “I need to exit stage left,” according to the police report. After asking her to step out of the car and perform sobriety tests, the officer noted that asking her to continue with any tests could put her in danger due to her condition. After being taken into custody, the female registered a blood alcohol level of .376 and .372, just under five times the legal limit. The female was arrested for DUI and was transported to HCA Florida Blake Hospital before being transported to jail.
5/1, 6:41 p.m., trespassing, 6900 Gulf Drive. The officer was dispatched to Bali Hai Beachfront Resort in reference to a man causing a disturbance. The subject said he rented a bike from the resort and dropped some takeout food he had resting on the handlebars when he was riding home. He said he was upset about dropping the food when one of the Bali Hai workers asked him where the rental bike was, making the subject feel like he was being accused of stealing it. The officer said the subject had a strong alcohol smell and believed the man was more agitated due to being intoxicated. The manager said due to the way the man was treating staff, she wished to have him evicted from the resort, but his mother who rented the unit was welcome to stay. Police contacted the mother, who said they would try to find another resort. The subject was trespassed from the property and told not to return.
5/3, 9:43 a.m., Marchman Act, 4000 Gulf Drive. The officer responded to a call from Marine Rescue who stated the subject drew their attention after they found him flailing in the water looking like he was drowning. Marine Rescue determined the man was not drowning, but was intoxicated and said he was having a hard time after losing his wife. The subject said he just wanted to “swim with sharks,” so the officer determined the best course of action was a Marchman Act for his safety. The subject was taken to Centerstone for treatment, and no further action was taken.
Sherrall Van Leeuwen
• 25 years NAVY • 10 years of experience as a real estate professional • Always available and responsive to your needs • Honest and ethical • Anna Maria local • On your side
Contact me today for your free consultation.
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OBITUARIES
Chester H. Bell
Chester H. Bell, 89, passed away May 1, 2022 at Manatee Memorial Hospital. He was born Oct. 23, 1932 to Aaron Parx and Jessie (Fulford) Bell in Cortez, Florida.
Chester graduated from Manatee County High School in 1950 and began his life-long career in commercial fishing in Cortez, interrupted by two years of service in the U.S. Army. Afterward, he attended the University of Florida, but soon was called home to work at his family’s A.P Bell Fish Company. He later became a partner in the Capo Fish Company.
In 1957, Chester married Ellen Hay Bell. They had three children, Warren Aaron, II, Louise Bell Shuman and Brooks Jesse. Chester is preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Warren, Walter, Jesse (Buster) and Calvin; his only sister, Betty Alice; his daughter, Louise Shuman and his grandson, Jared.
Surviving are his wife of 65 years, Ellen; his brother, Doug Bell; his nieces, Karen and Lisa Bell; his son, Warren, and wife, Deb Gamsky Bell; son, Brooks, and wife, Sheri Benghiat Bell; his grandchildren, Lindsey Bell Peacock, Warren Aaron Bell III (Beau), Haley Rose Bell and stepgranddaughter, Jaclyn Benghiat. He has four great-grandchildren.
Burial was May 7, 2022 at Manasota Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County, P.O. Box 280, Bradenton, FL 34206 or the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH), P.O. Box 606, Cortez, FL 34215. Condolences may be made to www.brownandsonsfuneral.com.
Residential structure going up
The residential structure being built at 303 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria is taking shape. According to Manatee County Property Appraiser Office records, the property and the new structure are owned by the Willow Properties #8 and Willow Properties #9 LLCs.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
ANNA MARIA
845 North Shore Drive Shellie Young
$6,900,000 941.713.5458 SLEEPY LAGOON
6489 Gulfside Road $3,800,000 Dennis Girard 941.809.0041
PALMA SOLA
343077th StreetWest#101 $550,000
Carmen Baskind & Marty Warren 941.724.1854 HOLMES BEACH
101 73rd Street #4 $749,000 Shellie Young 941.713.5458
LONGBOAT KEY
683 El Centro #184 $495,000 Kimberly Freiwald 941.256.6775 SILVER SANDS
5841GulfofMexicoDrive #250 $650,000 Keith & Sharon Whitfield 941.302.4256
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