Anna Maria Elementary, library open for parking on Memorial Day weekend

Visitors to Anna Maria Island have a new option when it comes to parking while at the beach this holiday weekend.

The Manatee County School District has agreed to allow parking at Anna Maria Elementary School from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.., Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The school is located 4700 Gulf Drive, in Holmes Beach.

Also, the county will allow parking at the Island Branch library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, from 5 p.m. Saturday until midnight Monday.

The county government announced late Friday that County Administrator Scott Hopes and schools Superintendent Cynthia Saunders had struck a deal to allow parking at the school. In his other public role as a school board member, Hopes is one of Saunders’ bosses.

The agreement comes after the city of Holmes Beach rejected pleas from county commissioners — Hopes’ bosses at the county — to allow more on-street parking within city limits. City officials said it was unfair for Holmes Beach to have to bear the burden of traffic congestion and other problems they say come with increased visits to the island.

Both the school and the library are in Holmes Beach.

In a text message to county commissioners, Hopes told commissioners that he and Saunders had agreed the county would be responsible for the removal of all trash and other debris by early Tuesday morning.

Under the deal, visitors are prohibited from overnight parking at the school, or from possessing guns or alcohol while on campus, according to Hopes.

This story was originally published May 29, 2021 at 6:11 AM.