TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — The sparkle of Treasure Island’s world-class beaches was a little harder to see Thursday afternoon.
A dense sea fog severely limited visibility for beach-goers like Matt Hoffmann.
Nevertheless, Hoffmann, a tourist from Wisconsin, enjoyed his walk along the shoreline. The fog was much more pleasant than the seven inches of snow currently blanketing his hometown.
“I’m pretty glad that we’re here and not there right now,” he said with a laugh.
This vacation to Treasure Island, however, has been different for Hoffmann and his wife.
Just months after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, a lot of the city’s businesses are still closed, including beachfront restaurants like Caddy’s Treasure Island.
The beloved eatery is still fenced off and in rough shape.
“We did enjoy [Caddy’s],” Hoffmann said. “John’s Pass. We went to John’s Pass. I mean, there were some places that were still not open that we enjoyed going to.”
With Spring Break just weeks away, the City of Treasure Island is preparing to take a proactive step to get businesses and restaurants back open in a more limited capacity.
According to Mayor John Doctor, next week, commissioners will likely pass an ordinance that helps island businesses cut through red tape. If passed, it would allow them to set up tents, food trucks, and porta-potties temporarily outside their establishments for longer periods of time.
Currently, they can apply for such exemptions in 9-day increments, up to 36 days total. The ordinance would lengthen the special event permits. The exemptions would be permitted for six months, with extensions available after that period, if needed.
“We want them to be back open. We want tourists to come back here,” Doctor said. “You know, our businesses are the backbone of our economy. And without, you know, the hotels, without the bars, without the restaurants, without the shops, you know, we don’t have a tourism economy.”
If the city passes the plan, according to owner Marcus Winters, Caddy’s Treasure Island will put up a tent and set up a food truck beside its still-damaged location in Treasure Island’s Sunset Beach.
Winters said it would allow the restaurant to hire 50 people and serve 150 diners at a time. It would also allow the restaurant to make some money to put toward its mortgage.
“The city has been great to work with,” Winters said.
Hoffmann likes any idea that gets some of his favorite spots up and running, but no matter how long the recovery takes, he plans to keep coming back to Treasure Island.
“The beach is always open, and at home, you know, it’s either that or shoveling snow,” he said.
If everything does go as planned, and the city passes the ordinance, Winters said he can have a tent, food truck, and bathrooms set up at Caddy’s before the end of February.
He hopes to repair and reopen the restaurant within ten to twelve months. Helene did approximately $750,000 in damage to the restaurant.
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