Anna Maria city officials have taken the first step in getting on board an extensive beach nourishment program - putting up signs telling visitors where to park.
State officials visited the city a few months ago and one of the suggested improvements they advised were the placement of new signs directing drivers to parking lots.The fear was that Anna Maria would be excluded from the island-wide project to spread extra sand on all reaches because they were not meeting requirements on parking spots and signs leading to them.
In February, Anna Maria city commissioners were warned that Manatee County might not have the money to give the city for the 2011 project because of belts being tightened across the state in anticipation of economic downturn.But Anna Maria public works director, George McKay, took Florida Department of Environmental Protection representatives on a tour of the town a few months ago, during which they made suggestions on how to improve their chances of obtaining money. “We’ve put up signs showing you where the parking is; it’s more explanatory,” he said. “The number of parking spots is well over the number we need. There’s no doubt in my mind we’ve met the requirements.”In February officials said the city needs about $3million in state funding to be included in the renourishment project, although it is unclear yet how much is in the pipeline. The total cost to restock the entire island is almost $40million.The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has allocated dollars only for the central beach project that stretches from Holmes Beach to Cortez Beach — areas that had been eroded by hurricanes in previous years.
Anna Maria Mayor Fran Barford said: “We knew we had the parking, that really wasn’t an issue for us. They determined we have enough, so that is not a reason not to renourish our beaches. We don’t generate the bed tax dollars the other cities do, but people come here to our beaches.”
County and city officials are meeting on December 2 to discuss further the plans for restocking the island's beaches.
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