Jewfish Key property owners retract de-annexation petition before public hearing

There wasn’t much to say at the June 3 public hearing meant for Jewfish Key.

That’s because, three days prior, the Jewfish Key Preservation Association retracted the voluntary petition for de-annexation that it submitted back in January. 

On Jan. 16, the Jewfish Key Preservation Association submitted a petition for the town to consider allowing the island to remove itself from the town. If approved, it would make Jewfish Key a part of unincorporated Manatee County. 

The petition submission triggered a series of events for the town of Longboat Key, which included the completion of a feasibility study and a public hearing that would allow town commissioners to accept or deny the petition based on the findings of the study. 

According to Florida statutes, the feasibility study and public hearing needed to be completed within six months of the petition submission. 

On May 31, Aaron Thomas sent a letter to Town Attorney Maggie Mooney to notify her that the association retracted the petition. Thomas is the firm principal at Najmy Thompson Attorneys at Law, which represents the Jewfish Key Preservation Association.

“This decision comes as we are currently in the process of reassessing the Voluntary Contraction Petition in light of the findings and recommendations contained within the Requested Voluntary Contraction of Jewfish Key Feasibility Study conducted by the Town of Longboat Key,” Thomas said in the email. 

Neither Thomas nor any property owner from Jewfish Key attended the June 3 public hearing to speak. Thomas had no comment for the Observer when contacted after the meeting. 

Even though no public hearing was held on the matter, the town commission still held the meeting because it was scheduled and notified. Mayor Ken Schneier addressed the audience and other commissioners. 

“So over the past six months, hundreds of hours of LBK staff, attorneys and consultants time and thousands of dollars of taxpayers' money were expended in preparing the mandated study,” Schneier said. “Many Longboat residents also have spent a great deal of time in reviewing the issues posed by the proposed contraction and preparing their comments and opinions for presentation to this board.”

Schneier added that an estimated 267 residents submitted signatures in petitions against the contraction, and, to his knowledge, none was submitted in favor of the contraction. 

The feasibility study and other materials were sent on May 22, and all interested parties were notified of the date of the hearing, which was set months ago, according to Schneier. The preparations the town made for the hearing were “intense,” Schneier said. 

But since the Jewfish Key Preservation Association retracted the petition, no public hearing was held, therefore no record was created. 

“While no reason was given for the withdrawal, it’s my sincere hope that — having reviewed the extensive study prepared by the town, our staff’s analysis of that study and the overwhelming opposition — the petitioners saw the wisdom of terminating this matter and remaining a part of our community as they have been since its founding in 1955,” Schneier said. 

Schneier and Town Manager Howard Tipton both expressed gratitude for the town staff that put in the hours on top of their normal day-to-day work, especially Planning, Zoning & Building Director Allen Parsons, Planning Manager Elma Felix and Town Attorney Maggie Mooney. 

What led up to this?

According to the original petition, the Jewfish Key Preservation Association voted on the resolution on Dec. 19, 2023. Over 15% of qualified voters on the island were in favor of the petition. 

It was later deduced in the town’s study that there were three registered voters on Jewfish Key, and only one was registered as an active voter. 

The association submitted the petition to the town of Longboat Key on Jan. 16. 

In an interview with the Observer, Jewfish Key homeowner Steve Ellis said that some of the reasons behind the petition were because of the town’s rental restrictions and to re-evaluate the services provided by the town to Jewfish Key. 

The news of the petition led homeowners associations and residents on the north end of Longboat Key to submit their own petitions against the de-annexation. 

As Schneier said, 267 unique signatures were submitted to the town prior to the June 3 meeting. 

Land’s End resident Jim Haft coordinated a group of residents on the north end of Longboat Key who were concerned about the possible de-annexation. 

According to him, the No. 1 concern for Land’s End residents was the fact that Jewfish Key would not be subject to Longboat Key’s short-term rental restrictions, which require a 30-day minimum rental. 

That led to other concerns, such as a possible increase in partying if frequent short-term rentals would be allowed. 

Another concern raised by north-end residents was the looseness of Manatee County’s zoning, which could have allowed Jewfish Key property owners to rezone the island with a majority vote. 

But, as of now, those concerns are moot since the Jewfish Key Preservation Association retracted the request.