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food trucks

City leaders consider food truck regulations

Like its neighbor, Anna Maria, Holmes Beach is working out how to regulate food truck businesses in the city.

BY KRISTIN SWAIN

SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners are reacting to a recently passed Florida law allowing food trucks to operate within any municipality in the state by creating regulations for those doing business in the city.

Planning and Zoning Administrator Chad Minor said that while city leaders cannot keep food trucks from operating in Holmes Beach, there are certain ways that they can regulate those operations, including limiting hours and where the food trucks can do business.

Some of the rules being considered include limiting operating hours to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily and limiting food trucks to spending two days per week at a single location within the city. The hours would be adjusted for any food trucks taking part in a special event with a temporary use permit, such as a festival at the city field complex.

If the proposed ordinance is approved by commissioners, food truck operations would only be able to take place in the C-2 and C-3 commercial districts and on finished surfaces outside of required parking for the primary business at the location and off of the right of way. By limiting which districts food trucks can operate in, commissioners prevent them from setting up in residential neighborhoods, at beach access points, at office buildings or at one of the closed bank properties in the city which are zoned C-1 for low intensity commercial endeavors.

Operators also would have to meet all applicable fire codes and be open to allowing fire prevention or code compliance officers to inspect the food truck at any time. Oil, water and other waste would be required to be disposed of properly off site, not dumped in landscaping, on parking lots or in the city’s sewer system.

The selling of items would be limited to food and beverages and operators would not be able to serve any items from a moving vehicle.

Food truck employees would also be required to have access to a restroom facility at a nearby business or other facility.

“You’ve buttoned this up very tight,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said, applauding Minor’s work on the proposed ordinance.

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Turtle Watch Wednesday coming soon

BY LESLIE LAKE

SUN CORRESPONDENT | leslielake@aol.com

HOLMES BEACH – VIP packages are still available for the upcoming Fourth Annual Turtle Watch Wednesday.

The fundraiser for the non-profit Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring organization will be on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 4-6 p.m. at Hurricane Hanks, 5346 Gulf Drive.

The VIP package includes a reserved seat inside Hanks, a swag bag, a Turtle Watch T-shirt and a free drink ticket for $75 per person.

The event will feature a silent auction, a live auction announced by Bob Slicker, owner of Slicker’s Eatery, and a 50/50 raffle. Auction items include golf cart rentals and resort rentals.

A specially designed T-shirt will be available that evening for a $20 donation.

The funds raised from the event will provide gas for ATVs that volunteers drive to monitor sea turtle nests, and tape, paint and stakes to mark the nests, said Barbara Riskay, a volunteer with Turtle Watch, which has coordinated conservation efforts for 12 miles of Manatee County shoreline for more than 39 years.

The group coordinates with county, state and federal officials to conserve sea turtles, particularly loggerheads, and beach-nesting shorebirds.

The fundraiser is free and open to the public. For VIP tickets, contact Riskay at 404-275-9422 or email her at snqqpy24@aol.com.

Sponsors are A Paradise Realty and Vacation Rentals, The Anna Maria Island Sun, CabanUp, Florida Underwater Sports, Harbor Lane Court Vacation Rentals, Hurricane Hanks and Mike Sales Entertainment.

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. To report large holes or other turtle obstacles, call: • City of Anna Maria code enforcement — 941-708-6130, ext. 111. • City of Bradenton Beach code enforcement — 941-778-1005, ext. 280.

• City of Holmes Beach code enforcement — 941-778-0331, ext. 260. • Level 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 531 (Record: 544 in 2019) False crawls 490 (Record: 831 in 2010) Nests hatched 439 (Record: 447 in 2018) Hatchlings 35,850 (Previous record 35,788 in 2018)

Source: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring

Where’s Esther?

Esther has packed on some miles in the past week, but she continues to slip down the Tour de Turtles leaderboard, currently falling to eighth place, just ahead of Megan Thee Turtle. Loggerhead sea turtle Esther, who was satellite-tagged on Coquina Beach on June 20 after nesting, refuses to leave the area off the coast of Englewood, where she has spent more than a month. Her nest successfully hatched last month. Mama Esther has traveled 357 miles since the start of the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s 13th Annual Tour de Turtles race on Aug. 1. She is one of 15 turtles competing in her division, with the title going to the turtle that travels the most distance between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31, the end of turtle season. Esther is competing to raise awareness of light pollution, and is sponsored by Waterline Villas & Marinas and Mainsail Vacation Rentals.

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SEPT. 12 Cases <10 % Positivity 13.7% Deaths 0 % Eligible population vaccinated 73.2% New hospital admissions 9 SEPT. 19 Cases 87 % Positivity 11.65% Deaths 0 % Eligible population vaccinated 73.3% New hospital admissions 5

Source: Centers for Disease Control

Manatee County community level of COVID-19 transmission

The new COVID-19 booster vaccines aimed at fighting the omicron subvariants are now available at local pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens in Holmes Beach.

KINGFISH: Renovations cancelled

FROM PAGE 5 that provide shade and nesting habitats for birds along with the picnic area and the elimination of parking spaces on the east side of the boat ramp to turn that area into a stormwater retention area.

“This in no way held up any permitting process as Florida statutes do not give us that authority,” she said.

In a Sept. 14 email to city and county commissioners, Titsworth said, “Holmes Beach does not have the authority to withhold permitting. This had nothing to do with additional parking. The hold up was that the planning administrator made the county aware that the annexation agreement required Holmes Beach to administer the permit using the county’s own rules which required site plan approval. I am disheartened by the continued misinformation and deviation from the truth. These improvements also required a new lease between the county and DEP as the original lease was done in error as the ownership of the land was not FDOT. Unfortunately, the county could not complete this in the time constraints of the grant. This is no fault of the city.”

2021

WHERE‛S YOUR COMFORT ZONE?

Volunteers are invited to the Love it Like a Local Beach Cleanup on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. on Coquina Beach.

After a safety briefing, volunteers will be shuttled to locations where they will clean up trash and debris.

The cleanup is a partnership between The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Keep Manatee Beautiful.

“We typically have great participation for our monthly cleanup events, but we’re expecting a tremendous turnout for the Love It Like a Local cleanup,” said Jennifer Hoffman, Keep Manatee Beautiful’s executive director. “It’s such a great opportunity for this community to come out, spend time together and care for the coastal areas that enrich the lives of the people who call this home.”

The Love it Like a Local campaign began last year and encourages visitors to respect the community, providing helpful tips to keep beaches and waterways clean, conserve energy, protect wildlife, support local businesses and more.

For more information, call 941-729-9177 or visit www. bradentongulfislands.com/contact.

Anna Maria Wedding Magazine wins two Flagler Awards

VISIT FLORIDA announced the recipients of the 2022 Florida Flagler Awards during the annual Florida Governor's Conference on Tourism in Boca Raton on Sept. 1. Karen Riley-Love of the Anna Maria Island Wedding Association and Jocelyn Greene of Green Girl Designs were honored for their work on the Anna Maria Wedding Magazine, which won first prize for the Resource/ Promotional Material-Consumer category and a Best of Show award. The annual statewide competition recognizes outstanding Florida tourism marketing.

Hurricane preparedness information for visitors

Despite a relatively calm first half of the 2022 hurricane season, there is no guarantee that storms will not threaten the Gulf coast. VISIT FLORIDA has assembled hurricane information that will allow visitors to make the most informed travel planning decisions possible, as well as assist residents. For more information, visit www. visitflorida.org/resources.

Bayfest needs volunteers

The 21st Annual Bayfest is quickly approaching and volunteers are needed for various shifts and duties. Bayfest, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria, is a day of food, drink, arts and crafts, a car show and live music. Those interested in volunteering should call the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce at 941-778-1541 or email info@amichamber.org.

Commissioners reconsider straw ban

Holmes Beach commissioners are going back to the drawing board where a proposed plastic straw ban is concerned. Though the proposed ordinance was scheduled for a second and final reading during a Sept. 15 meeting, the decision was made to revamp the document before voting on it due to a wording issue. Planning and Zoning Administrator Chad Minor said that there is a new biodegradable polymer being used to make environmentally friendly straws. Mayor Judy Titsworth noted that the way the ordinance was written would exclude those straws from being used in the city, which wasn’t a goal of the proposed ordinance. Commissioners agreed to revisit the ordinance at an upcoming meeting after allowing city staff more time to investigate viable alternatives to plastic straws.

Grassy Point grows by two lots

Commissioners unanimously approved the reallocation of $46,147 from the mayor/commission contingency fund to the parks fund in the 2021-22 fiscal year budget to purchase two residential lots adjacent to Grassy Point Preserve. Mayor Judy Titsworth said the purchase is expected to close before the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. Commissioners also agreed to move forward with rezoning 10 city-owned properties, a total of 33.53 acres including the new purchase, from residential to recreation and conservation.

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The Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival raises funds to restore the FISH Preserve, which encompasses about 100 acres of environmentally sensitive land.

BY LESLIE LAKE

SUN CORRESPONDENT | leslielake@aol.com

CORTEZ - With the 41st Annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival just five months away, Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) committee members are zeroing in on a pivotal aspect of the festival - its theme.

FISH Treasurer Jane von Hahmann told board members at a Sept. 12 meeting that a theme must be chosen soon so that logos can be designed and printed.

Several board members suggested opening up ideas to the public for submission, but von Hahmann reminded them that the clock is ticking and rejected the idea due to time constraints.

“The School of Fine Arts develops the design and this all takes time,” she said.

The board, which meets on the first Monday of each month, is expected to decide on a theme by the Oct. 3 meeting. One of the possibilities includes focusing on the Cortez fishing community as a provider of an important source of food.

The 2023 festival, which will raise funds to develop the FISH Preserve just east of the historic fishing village of Cortez, is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 18 and Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023. The festival features live music, food, beer, prize giveaways, arts and crafts and a chance to learn about Florida’s commercial fishing industry.

Past festival themes and logos reflected pride in the Cortez fishing community.

In 2019, as the fishing industry took a hit from red tide and fish kills, the theme was “Changing Tides.” That year’s logo featured a picture of an octopus juggling issues of concern to the Cortez fishing community, including pollution, red tide, mangrove destruction, foreign seafood, the net ban, overpopulation and runaway development.

In 2020 the logo - with the year 2010 crossed out – declared, “10 years later holding steady - Cortez is still white boot ready.” White boots refer to the chosen boot color of local fishermen.

The 2021 festival was canceled due to COVID-19, but this year, with a picture of an anchor, crab trap, net and white boots, the theme was “Gearing Up.”

In 1981, the first festival drew 500 people. Since then, the festival has grown from a one-day event to two days with an average attendance of 20,000.

“Considering that the entire village is less than 10 blocks, that’s a lot of visitors for the community,” according to the FISH website. “There are very few places left in Florida like Cortez. As you turn off the main road into the village it is obvious that you are stepping back in time.”

LESLIE LAKE | SUN A new sign at the west end of the 100-acre FISH Preserve invites people to explore the habitat restoration project from sunrise to sunset. The annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival has raised the funds to purchase and restore the land piece by piece over several decades.

16 THE SUN OUTDOORS SEPTEMBER 21, 2022

Fall fishing forecast - fun

Reel Time

RUSTY CHINNIS

Fall is in the air. Most of our windows and doors are still closed and the AC is on, but the light and the cooling mornings hold the promise of change.

This is a change ushered in by cooler temperatures, shorter days and arguably some of the best nearshore angling opportunities we have. As water temperatures drop, schools of bait should migrate inshore with pelagic species like kingfish, Spanish mackerel, false albacore (little tunny), cobia and tripletail hot on their trail.

Now is a great time to prepare for the fall season, getting tackle in order at home and keeping an eye to the sky for diving birds and the water for breaking fish when you’re on the water. All these species will take live bait, lures or flies and can be caught on spinning, bait casting or fly tackle. Except for larger king mackerel and cobia, most can be landed with light tackle, which adds to the challenge.

Rigging will depend on the species you’re targeting. Since it’s possible to encounter so many different species in a single outing, multiple outfits are a good idea. Rigging options include wire, monofilament, long shanked hooks, or a combination. It’s possible to catch a kingfish or Spanish mackerel without wire, but your odds aren’t good. Most species shy away from wire, especially in clear water and when the sun is high. That’s when it's time to switch to a long shank hook or a heavy (60-pound) monofilament leader. Even then, it’s possible to get

SEE REEL TIME, PAGE 17

RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN One of the most exciting moments on the water is anticipating a cast into a school of feeding little tunny.

LESLIE LAKE | SUN

Stay tuned for stone crabs

Cortez commercial fishermen are preparing stone crab traps for the start of the season. They can set commercial traps on Oct. 5 and harvest them on Oct. 15, when seafood lovers can get their first taste of the season. More than 1,000 traps will be placed in local waters this season, according to A.P. Bell Fish Co. owner Karen Bell. Above, stone crab traps await the next stage of preparation in the A.P. Bell Fish Co./Star Fish Co. parking lot in Cortez. Left, James Baker, of Cortez, scrubs stone crab pots before the start of the season.

REEL TIME: Fall fishing forecast - fun

FROM PAGE 16 cut off but you’ll get more action. When using wire, an 8- to 12-inch trace can be tied to monofilament using an Albright special knot (best) or a swivel. If you use a swivel, use black as opposed to a silver one to prevent fish from mistaking it for forage. American Fishing Wire makes a product called Surflon Micro Supreme that is extremely flexible and kink resistant. This wire can be knotted to your lure, hook or fly like monofilament. It also provides greater flexibility and less stretch than monofilament. Umpqua makes a product that’s ideal for fly anglers. Their Re-Twistable Haywire Twist wire is reusable and will allow you to change flies in a snap. This is the quickest and most painless system to rig wire for toothy fish. It’s safe to switch to wire under low light conditions like early morning, overcast days and late in the day.

One of the most effective ways to find schooling fish in the fall is to look for surface action and diving birds in the inshore Gulf waters. But don’t assume fish aren’t present if there are no outward signs of them. Predators can often be found around structures, reefs and wrecks that attract bait.

When you find feeding fish, you can approach them by trolling, drifting or with the use of a trolling motor. Whatever method you employ, never let your boat pass through or get too close to the action. With more and more boats and anglers pursuing feeding fish, they are likely to sound and move away. The best bet is to stay outside the action but within casting distance. If trolling, make wide turns so only your lures pass through the action.

Live bait anglers target schooling fish in several ways. By anchoring upcurrent from a likely area, they may deploy a chum bag and then toss wounded live baits to draw fish into casting range. This can be an extremely effective method. Those that prefer artificial lures find spoons particularly effective as well as jigs like the DOA CAL or the Berkley Gulp. One of the most exciting and effective types of lures are topwater models like the MirroLure Top Dog, the Heddon Zara Spook or Rapala Saltwater Skitter Pop. Not only is the strike visual and often explosive, but their action can attract target species.

Fly fishing is also an effective and exciting way to target fall species from cobia to tripletail, Spanish mackerel and even kingfish. The same rigging applies and topwater flies like the Crease fly or Garthside Gurgler can produce some memorable strikes. Clouser Deep Minnows are also a great choice for Spanish mackerel and false albacore. This is a good time of the year to have a 10- or 11-weight rod rigged with a big black fly should a migrating cobia make an appearance.

Whatever your fishing style, take advantage of the great action you’ll find in area waters this fall. If you’re new to the game, consider hiring a guide. This is a great way to learn the ropes and a great value when shared with a friend. Good fishing!

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FROM PAGE 1 what he called a unique beach market experience that complements the current assets on Anna Maria Island. He also characterized the county-run market as a source of revenue for the proposed water taxi initiative.

Falcione said the county-run market will begin on Nov. 1 and run through July 27, 2023 on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays from 3-8 p.m. He said there will be about 100 vendors, with a different set of vendors each of the two days.

“We stand ready to move this forward,” he said. “We’re ready to roll.”

COMMISSION OPPOSITION

Whitmore voiced her opposition to the idea of a county-run market.

“I can’t believe this board would actually want to run a business and take it away from the private sector,” she said, adding, “We’re not in the world here to have a business.”

Whitmore added, “This is probably going to get passed - it has been rammed through already.”

Commission Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge voiced his support for the county-run market.

“This is a taxpayer asset being monetized by someone else and the taxpayer is receiving very little in return,” Van Ostenbridge said. “We’re now using that asset to fund a water taxi to lower the number of cars by moving the same number of people hopefully out to the Island.”

Commenting on the water taxis, Whitmore said, “We couldn’t get anybody to bid on it so I hear we’re buying the water taxis and we’ll pay ourselves back. Who gave that authority to do that?”

Commissioner Misty Servia said she could have supported the county-run market, but the proper process was not followed.

“This should have come to the board to ask the board what they wanted to do before the administrator made all of these plans to run the market in a different way,” Servia said.

VENDORS WEIGH IN

Van Ostenbridge then opened the floor to citizen comments.

Several Coquina Beach Market vendors who worked under Ambrose’s oversight of the market spoke about her in glowing terms.

“Nancy worked around the clock to provide us a beautiful work environment,” said Amanda Champ, characterizing Ambrose as the vendors’ biggest advocate.

“Nancy was the matriarch of this beach market,” Champ said. “There are many people that love her.”

Vendor Victoria Dargan said, “I have been honored to have been part of the market for the last six years. It’s been run as the best market I’ve ever seen and to have it taken away from Nancy and this shift is very difficult for us to accept.”

Dargan said that changing the days of the market and losing Sundays will negatively impact her livelihood, along with many others.

“We don’t even know right now who’s going to be accepted (in the new market),” she said.

Jean McDonald, a self-described small family business vendor, called the market a consistent safe space in which she generated income.

“That woman has the highest integrity,” McDonald said of Ambrose. “The market is a community of hardworking individuals from all walks of life. Nancy played a huge role in the success of our business.”

Ambrose is currently looking at other market venue options.

A Facebook page, “Where is the Market?” has garnered 1,200 members - many of whom are vendors who have worked with Ambrose and are expressing loyalty and a willingness to follow her to a new venue.

FROM PAGE 1

Falcione said the water taxis would travel from the day dock in downtown Bradenton to the Anna Maria City Pier, and then to the floating dock at the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach and then to either the Coquina North or Coquina South boat ramp. The return trip would include stops at the Bridge Street Pier and the Anna Maria City Pier on the way to downtown Bradenton.

The inclusion of a Coquina boat ramp destination, located across the street from Coquina Beach, triggers the ability to use tourist development tax proceeds for the water taxis, he said.

MORE DETAILS

Falcione said the water taxi program would feature two 49-passenger pontoon catamaran boats operating simultaneously between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island. He anticipates the service beginning in February or March and initially operating from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Falcione repeatedly referenced a Clearwaterbased company that’s operated a water taxi service since 2015. Falcione did not mention the company’s name, but he later confirmed for The Sun that Clearwater Ferry is the company the county is negotiating with.

Clearwater Ferry currently operates a water taxi service three days a week that includes stops in downtown Clearwater, the Clearwater Beach municipal marina, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, North Clearwater Beach and Dunedin, according to its website.

Falcione said water taxi passengers would pay $8 for a one-way ride or $10 for an all-day pass, with discounts given for seniors and children. The no-cash operation will accept electronic payments only.

Falcione mentioned the Anna Maria Commission’s request that the Island’s hospitality and service industry employees be allowed to ride the water taxis for free when commuting for work.

“We’re looking at that. We think it’s palatable. There’s some pros and cons to that,” Falcione told county commissioners.

He then noted the water taxi company already has experience and case study data pertaining to employee ridership. County Commissioner Misty Servia said business owners should provide water taxi passes to their employees as an employee benefit.

Citing weather concerns and travel on the Intracoastal Waterway, Commissioner Carol Whitmore expressed concerns about using pontoon boats as water taxis.

Hopes said county funds would be used to subsidize the up front capital equipment costs that include the two boats. He said liens would be placed on the boats and the liens would later be removed after enough revenues have been generated to cover those initial costs.

“It’s not as simple as us going out and buying boats,” Hopes said.

Falcione said the county may have to make some county-funded improvements to the proposed water taxi landing locations in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Bradenton.

Commissioners Vanessa Baugh and Reggie Bellamy asked whether the water taxis would accommodate bikes, coolers, beach chairs and other items used by beachgoers.

“We’ll look at all that. The amenities the families want to bring out are really important,” Falcione said.

According to the Clearwater Ferry website, U.S. Coast Guard regulations do not allow bikes on board their vessels. The Clearwater Ferry website also notes their vessels do not have restrooms.

To better serve county residents, Commissioner James Satcher suggested including water taxi stops along SR 64 and US Highway 301.

Regarding future expansion, Falcione said, “This is just the basic infrastructure to get it going. This is what we and the third-party operator feel would give our best chance for short-term success.”

Falcione said future expansion would likely include service to the new hotel being built next to the convention center in Palmetto.

“We see it going to Longboat Key at some point. We see it going to Sarasota. We’re going to focus on Manatee County and get it started. As we learn, we’ll branch out and add partners,” Falcione said.

CLEARWATER FERRY.COM | SUBMITTED The Clearwater Ferry company uses pontoon catamarans similar to those proposed for Manatee County’s contracted water taxi service.

PARKING: City commission declines paid parking proposal

FROM PAGE 4 spaces and allow more people to visit Bridge Street. He agreed that employee parking must be addressed, but if done right, paid parking could be a win for everybody.

BridgeWalk resort owner Angela Rodocker provides parking for her guests and employees, but she said she supports paid parking if it addresses employee parking.

Rodocker has been critical of LaRose’s operation of the Old Town Trams. She suggested the city implement paid parking on its own and not give up a significant percentage of the revenue.

Perry said a competitive bidding process might be a better route and Mayor John Chappie noted that wouldn’t prevent LaRose from submitting another proposal.

Sea-renity Beach Spa owner Amanda Escobio agreed with Rodocker’s comments and cautioned that paid parking could result in some employees deciding not to work in Bradenton Beach, which would further exacerbate the ongoing labor shortage.

Island Time restaurant co-owner Ron Fuller said he witnessed the paid parking implementation in St. Armands Circle and the initial implementation was “an absolute disaster.”

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said, “I don’t think it’s up to the city to supply parking for businesses. You have a business and it’s up to you.”

Police Chief John Cosby agreed that employee parking is a problem, but he noted city code allows Bridge Street establishments and businesses to be built and operated without any parking requirements. Cosby said he supports paid parking but is concerned that the city is moving too fast. He also said a lot of people don’t feel comfortable with LaRose as the project operator. Some of Cosby’s other concerns are a lack of enough officers to enforce paid parking and that the city doesn’t have the staff or the experience to implement a paid parking program on its own.

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Bungalow Beach Resort, 2000 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach, has won the Top Romance award in the US by tripadvisor.com, and it is located right on the beach – the perfect place to escape between the rehearsal dinner, the ceremony and the reception. With the Gulf of Mexico just steps from your lushly landscaped cedar bungalow, it’s a great place for an extended stay after the bride and groom leave for their honeymoon.

If the bride and groom want to continue their stay, Bungalow Beach Resort, which also won the 2013 Excellence Award from tripadvisor.com, is a very popular honeymoon destination.

Originally a group of beachfront army barracks, each of the Bungalow Beach Resort units retains the old Florida charm that is Anna Maria Island, with modern conveniences inside. And you will stay in luxury with personal touches like baskets of embroidered towels, flowers and candy. Whether you’re getting married or part of the wedding party, pick award-winning Bungalow Beach Resort as your home base where you will cherish those moments when you’re not involved with the ceremony. You’ll want to return when there is nothing to distract you from your stay.

Call Bungalow Beach Resort at 1-800-779-3601 or log onto www.bungalowbeach.com.

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