Manatee County code enforcement expands violation cases on Snead Island
MANATEE -- Manatee County code enforcement has expanded its list of violations relating to illegal structures built in conservation easements on Snead Island.
Five new violations were found on Redfish Court in early October. The new citations come in the aftermath of the ongoing saga in the exclusive neighborhood of Amberwynd Circle where eight homeowners were cited for a second time in September after two years of county indecision and incorrect procedures.
Almost all violations involve illegal walkways constructed through conservation easements separating homes from Terra Ceia Bay off Amberwynd Circle and now Champlain Bayou adjacent to Redfish Court.
The Redfish Court violations are dated Oct. 1 with a deadline set for Oct. 15, while the deadline for the Amberwynd Circle violations expired Oct. 26. Manatee County officials have not responded to repeated requests for updates to either set of violations.
It all started with an Amberwynd Circle resident complaining about a 3-year-old little girl's play set being in his view to the bay two years ago and has since snowballed into a neighborhood feud, more violations and revelations the Amberwynd of Snead Island Homeowners Association approved all illegal structures in its neighborhood.
Documents also show the homeowners association was later given approval by the county in April 2014 to keep the illegal structures in place as long as native vegetation was planted nearby.
However, county code states walkways accessing private docks through a conservation easement are allowed, but must be elevated at least 3 feet to allow sunlight to the grass below and for natural water flow.
John Barnot, director of development services, told the Bradenton Herald in September the county-approved plan was a miscommunication between staff and residents and all illegal structures would need to be removed. The county then reinspected the violations in September and issued a second round of violations after the Herald learned they had yet to be resolved.
Barnot did not respond to several requests for updates.
Jeff Bowman, code enforcement supervisor, also did not return a call to update the Redfish Court and Amberwynd Circle violations.
The Redfish Court violations include ground-level walkways similar to Amberwynd Circle, with many being constructed from brick pavers or shell rock. At least one illegal boathouse was cited on Redfish Court and there is an illegal fence and concrete walkway on Amberwynd Circle.
Dana Rawls, county public records assistant, said two Redfish Court violations were resolved earlier last month. However, county officials have not provided an update on the remaining 11 outstanding violations as of late Friday.
Barnot told the Herald in September all of the cases would be brought into compliance.
"There is no such thing as selective enforcement in Manatee County," Barnot said.
Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041 or follow him on Twitter@urbanmark2014.
This story was originally published November 7, 2015 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Manatee County code enforcement expands violation cases on Snead Island ."