Will a parking garage help Anna Maria Island traffic? City and county at odds over a fix
With both sides digging in their heels, a years-long standoff over beach parking between Manatee County and Holmes Beach officials doesn’t appear to have an end in sight.
Ever since Holmes Beach leaders decided to restrict access to street parking spaces that served as de facto beach parking, officials have clashed over and over again. The county says the move prevents everyone from enjoying the beach, while island leaders say they’re trying to protect the quality of life for their constituents.
Holmes Beach, which previously provided around 2,400 on-street parking spaces, significantly reduced that number in March 2020 by disallowing on-street parking on neighborhood streets.
That decision was met with fierce opposition at the time, with residents on the mainland and some from Holmes Beach complaining it would be much more difficult to visit Anna Maria Island beaches.
The move also provoked the Manatee Board of County Commissioners, which moved to ask the Holmes Beach City Commission to reconsider its approach to parking. But neither side is budging, and a return to the way things were seems unlikely.
Holmes Beach’s decision to limit beach parking spaces for visitors on Anna Maria Island has sparked several heated confrontations. Most recently, Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge spoke at a Holmes Beach government meeting, suggesting that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recent veto of the city’s request for state funding was a direct result of the parking changes.
“It was not an accident that the governor vetoed $2 million that was supposed to go to the city,” Van Ostenbridge said, referring to DeSantis’ decision to deny funding for a flood mitigation project in Holmes Beach. “Your decisions are having consequences.”
But Holmes Beach officials said they would not be swayed by Van Ostenbridge’s comments. Several commissioners also pushed back against the threat of the county withholding its support to pay for projects on the island.
“I think it goes without saying that this is how our county commission operates,” said Holmes Beach Commissioner Terry Schaefer. “They’re attempting to put a gun to our heads and say ‘It’s our way or the highway,’ and I, as a commissioner, really resent it.”
“Two things you should never do — threaten to sue me and tell me to do what you want me to do. Those things just don’t fly,” added Holmes Beach Commissioner Carol Soustek.
Why did Holmes Beach limit parking?
For decades, Holmes Beach had allowed visitors to park on the street in areas near beach access points, but that changed in early 2020 when the commission voted to remove some street parking.
Despite outcry from beach lovers, Holmes Beach argued that allowing visitors to park in neighborhoods created a nuisance for residents. Police Chief William Tokajer described beachgoers that would often leave trash behind, block residential driveways and even use the restroom in front yards.
“We have people that are disrespectful. They park on residential properties, they use pools, hoses, urinate on property and leave diapers behind,” Tokajer said at the time. “It’s a public safety issue that has increased as time goes by.”
Where can I park in Holmes Beach?
Despite the reduction in available parking, Holmes Beach still provides more than 1,300 spaces, according to the police department.
While street parking in certain areas requires a permit between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., visitors are allowed to park on the street any other time, which makes those spaces available for early morning trips or beach sunset visits.
Where else can I park on Anna Maria Island?
There are several parking lots dedicated to public beach parking on Anna Maria Island. Free parking is available at each of the following locations:
Manatee Public Beach, 4000 State Road 64 and Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach
Cortez Beach, parking along Gulf Drive south of Cortez Road
Coquina Beach, 2650 Gulf Drive, Bradenton Beach
Anna Maria Bayfront Park, 310 North Bay Blvd., Anna Maria
Would a parking garage work on Anna Maria Island?
Manatee County and Holmes Beach disagree on whether an Anna Maria Island parking garage would solve the problem of beach access.
As the county’s population has increased, so has the number of tourists on Anna Maria Island. Holmes Beach makes up the largest chunk of the island and argues that visitors have a more direct impact on their residents.
But the county’s idea to build a parking garage in Holmes Beach has been met with fierce resistance. City officials say they will block a three-story garage proposed at the corner of Gulf Drive and Marina Drive.
“When you add more places for people to park, you’re just adding to the problem we already have,” Soustek said. “Parking garages on the island are just a burden.”
The city’s opposition would also prevent the county from converting the parking lot at Manatee Public Beach into a garage because the property sits within Holmes Beach city limits.
A garage, Holmes Beach argues, would only make island life worse by inviting more vehicle traffic to the area and creating more gridlock.
“You can’t put a gallon of water in a water bottle. It don’t work,” said Holmes Beach Commissioner Kim Rash. “They’ve got to find a way to bring people out here without vehicles, point-blank.”
Some county commissioners have a different take on the idea. Speaking with the Bradenton Herald, Commissioner Carol Whitmore said a garage would solve many problems.
“People aren’t going to come to Holmes Beach just because they have a parking garage — they’re going to come anyway,” Whitmore said, noting that the garage could be paid for with tourism revenue without any cost to the city. “Do you want them in the streets or do we want to control it a little better?”
The lack of support from Holmes Beach leaves Manatee County leaders with few options to expand parking access. Bradenton Beach, on the south end of Anna Maria Island, already bans parking garages. In the City of Anna Maria on the north end of the island, large parcels of vacant land are in short supply.
Are you in favor of a beach parking garage?
Manatee County’s offer to build a parking garage on Anna Maria Island has become a controversial subject. The Bradenton Herald wants to hear what your thoughts are.
Would a parking garage make sense on the island? Do you think it would attract more visitors or would it ruin the small-town charm? Cast your vote in the poll below.
This story was originally published July 11, 2022 at 5:45 AM.
