Six Australian pine trees to be removed from Coquina Beach. Protesters saved many more

County commissioners Thursday approved a short-term solution to reduce the number of Australian pines that will need to be removed as part of the Coquina Beach parking lot renovation project.

According to the latest report from County Administrator Cheri Coryea, there were 30 trees marked to be removed from the area, but only six are being removed after Bradenton Beach officials voiced their concerns to Manatee County. The trees to be removed are in the way of where the storm water pipe needs to be extended, according to a staff report.

The Board of County Commissioners discussed a plan to reduce flooding and put down a concrete parking lot at Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island in September. Construction began in April, but residents were worried that too many trees had been marked for removal.

In a plea to the board last week, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said Australian pines might be invasive but they provide valuable shade for beach visitors. There are 991 Australian pines in the area, Coryea said, and the six to be removed are located in the parking lot, not along the beach.

Chappie urged commissioners to rethink the project in a “creative” way, but Coryea said a full redesign would be unlikely because of cost, feasibility and the need to prevent a major delay.

“We had planned the project around being able to work with turtle season and the planned opening date,” Coryea said.

Commissioners voted unanimously to allow staff to move forward with removing those trees. Coryea will reach out to Chappie and inform him of the board’s decision.

Even if the trees have to be removed, Commissioner Reggie Bellamy suggested they make the most use out of them by recycling them into mulch or some other secondary use.

“We can make lemons out of lemonade,” he said.

The removal of those six trees is a “short-term need,” Coryea said, but commissioners will be briefed with a project overview, including maps, figures and other details, at a June 18 commission meeting.

This story was originally published June 6, 2019 at 10:23 AM.