HOLMES BEACH, Fla. — A struggle over parking in Manatee county has escalated from a battle over land into a possible tri-city fight to remain in existence. The tussle, which had been between two local governments over a parking deck, could soon take center stage at the Florida State Legislature.
The county's state legislative delegation got involved by unanimously voting to send a bill to the state assembly that would allow a parking deck to be built on Anna Maria Island.
Meanwhile, the city of Holmes Beach and the county have been at odds over turning county land at the end of SR-64 at Gulf Avenue into a parking deck. County commissioners have said the parking deck would help alleviate the problem of limited parking for people who throng to the island's beaches. The land is currently being used as a parking lot and for beach access.
But a key obstruction to that proposal is that the land is within Holmes Beach city limits. The city has a building height restriction in place as well as an ordinance specifically banning parking decks and, much like its neighbors, Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria, struggle with over-development and congestion.
The bill, if it passes, would override local ordinances like the one at Holmes Beach which restricts access to the use of state and county property. This move would subsequently make way for the parking deck.
The delegation also voted for a state study to look into eliminating the municipal governments of Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, and Anna Maria, bringing them under county government. The Mayor of Holmes Beach characterized this as a hostile takeover and said "the battle line has been drawn."
"It is a hostile takeover," Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said. "That's why we're so surprised and that's why the residents are in an uproar about how scared and they are getting ready for battle."
Titsworth said the challenges stemmed from 2020 when more than 1,000 street parking spots were removed at the height of the pandemic when many turned to the beach as a way to cope and put more pressure on the Islands infrastructure.
Mayor Titsworth said the move came after years of complaints from residents about limited parking for them and beachgoers easing themselves on their property. As a compromise, residents now have to pay $15 for a parking permit to use those spots. The city also eased the restriction to certain locations and made around 400 spaces available.
"The problem is the county continues to grow," Titsworth explained. "It's like 20,000 every year, so, originally, the parking pretty much stayed at the beach but each year it starts creeping farther and farther and farther up into the residential district. That's when we start having an issue."
Republican State Rep. Will Robinson of District 17 in Bradenton is the one who plans to introduce the bill to the house.
Robinson said it would preempt local regulation for state and county-owned properties and provide access to everyone whether they are a resident of the city or not.
"We have significant access to beach problems in Manatee County and getting to Anna Maria island," Robinson said. "It's one small step to hopefully alleviating the parking burden that frankly is burdening everyone from visiting our great island."
He also explained his push for the state study to look into whether having three different municipal governments is necessary for the island and if they could be consolidated under county governance for better management and to save cost.
"I think we're being forward-thinking here to see if there's something we should change," Robinson added. "Let's not be reactive and in another 20 years have another 50 percent reduction in population. Let's be proactive."
"I don't think the island residents want to see a large parking garage like that but they do need places to park," Hunter Jensen said. "I think if it comes down to that, people could be supportive of it. I think four stories is a little too much but at the same time we need ample parking."
Jensen, an Island resident and a student at USF, has been against over-development on the island. He started a petition against a 103-room hotel proposal in Bradenton Beach that would have also come with a parking deck for its patrons. While he is against such a project, he wants a compromise on the parking deck tussle.
"It's not the solution that everybody wants to see," Jensen said. "I have my views about it, but at the end of the day we want to see more parking, and if they could just open up the street parking and make it accessible to residents and the public we would not need a garage."
He also said consolidating the three cities' services is something he would support but said forcing them under county government amounts to interfering with democracy and taking away peoples' voices.
"By consolidating the three services, we can make sure that our systems and projects are unilateral," he said. "We can make sure that the systems are working and whenever we have something that's going to start, it is a streamlined process. We have these three cities and they're all on board and we can get things done quicker."
"By keeping the governments separate, we can keep the citizen's voices. By having a consolidation, we are erasing cities that have been in place for decades," Jensen added.
Titsworth said the delegation's action is a sign of what's in store for beach cities and towns. The city of Holmes Beach has already began consulting with their legal counsel and lobbyists on this matter.
"Every single city in the state of Florida needs to take notice, especially all these numerous coastal communities," she said.
Robinson has said there will be opportunities for public input on the proposed bill before it is presented, as well as, the study. He has urged residents to contact his office so he can hear their views, suggestions, or possible solutions to these issues.