- December 4, 2025
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Until recently, a favorite activity community members enjoyed on one of Longboat Key's public beaches was sunset yoga, led by instructor Angela Mali for the past three years.
However, she and representatives for the town of Longboat Key have come to a head regarding beach usage, especially when it comes to by-donation classes.
Mali leads classes open to everyone on Mondays and Wednesdays on the Gulf side beach at Bayfront Park, across from Ace Hardware. She also teaches classes on Anna Maria on Sundays and Tuesdays, near 43rd St.
However, on Sept. 12, she received notice from town code enforcement officer John Simmons that she would not be allowed to continue offering the classes unless she completed the required permit forms and paid ongoing fees to the town.
Town officials have said the financial element makes Mali's classes a commercial activity, meaning she would have to pay fees of $100 per class to use the beach.
"The codes don't really apply to what I'm doing," she said. "We're doing something so peaceful. We're just appreciating the beauty of nature. And not everybody can afford to pay $20, $25 per class to do yoga at a studio. Whoever comes is welcome."
A sticking point is whether the classes count as a commercial enterprise, though town leaders also expressed concern about the potential number of attendees.
While anyone can join the classes at no cost, Mali does accept donations so she can continue. She appreciates offering classes this way because those who can't afford to attend formal classes can still reap the health benefits of the balance-focused exercise.
"I don't want to charge people," she said. "I want to make it so anybody can come and do yoga."
Allen Parsons, director of the Planning, Zoning & Building Department, explained in an email to the Observer that town code aims to avoid anyone from causing significant disruption in public areas.
"The Town Code has an overall prohibition on promotional or commercial activities in public places unless a special event(s) permit is obtained or a concessionaire agreement is entered into," he wrote.
Parsons continued, "The threshold of when an activity in a public place reaches the status of being a 'special event' is when that activity is anticipated to cause a significant increase in the average hourly trips or create significant disruption to the movement of vehicles on any public street within the Town, or is anticipated to place a significant demand on emergency services or public resources."
Mali said, on average, fewer than 10 people will attend each class, ranging from four to eight in the off-season and eight to 15 during peak season. The most they ever had was during a special Thanksgiving morning class two years ago, with about 40 attendees, and Mali said the class size has not been nearly that high since.
When asked if she had ever directly received any complaints about her classes in the past three years, she said no.
Parsons said the town did get questions, though.
"Yes, the Town received complaints and questions that asked why one group was allowed to have classes in a public place(s) when the Town has prohibited other groups from doing so without first receiving either a special event permit or having a concessionaire agreement," he wrote.
A concessionaire agreement applies when commercial activity is involved, like food trucks vending by the shore, Town Manager Howard Tipton explained in an interview.
If she did have to pay the $100 fee every time, including when only a few people attend, Mali doubts she could afford to continue offering the classes to Longboaters.
Tipton also raised questions about insurance and liability if someone were to get injured on the beach.
After receiving the notice from the town, Mali called on those who have attended and benefited from her instruction to write letters in support of her program.
They did.
Resident Pamela Falcone wrote, "Her classes are welcoming to her students, providing a safe place to practice yoga. She has created a community of like-minded people on Longboat Key, and I hope that she will be able to continue to share her knowledge of yoga with us, and all the health benefits it provides."
Attendees at a Sept. 21 class on Anna Maria praised Mali as an instructor and claimed the classes have helped reduce blood pressure, mitigated stress and improved their core muscle strength, which plays an important role in fall prevention.
Community members also voiced their support for affordable access to fitness education.
Kay Kanter wrote, "What truly impressed me was her decision to offer these classes free, a rarity in today's world where pursuing health and wellness often comes at a significant cost."
The town is tasked with balancing the interests of the entire community when it comes to beach usage. For example, there are no rules against individually doing yoga.
"The town does not prohibit the practice [of] yoga on its beach," Parsons wrote. "This instructor is using the town's beach as her studio, is promoting her instruction, is providing her teaching services to individuals and is inviting large gatherings to the town's public beach."
Her largest following is on Facebook at 2,500 people.
Simmons wrote in an email response to supporters that he understands their love for the classes.
"I understand and appreciate that you and others find value in Angela's sessions and the sense of community they create," he wrote. "However, this issue is not about a fee or singling out one individual. It is about fairness and consistency. If we allow one person or business to use the public beach for organized classes without a permit, we must allow every other individual or business to do the same."
Simmons said the town doesn't want to create a situation where the intimate beach could become "overrun with competing activities."
During the off season, few other organized activities seem to take place on the beach.
"Longboat is not a place where there are a lot of activities on the beach, like you might find in California, where I grew up," Tipton said. "It's a very different kind of environment, especially with regular events. ... If it's a regular event, it can start to have impacts on the people nearby."
He added, "We don't get a lot of these requests, so our number one job is to make sure people are being safe, and that the community's property is safe. Then we go from there."
When asked why the town was enforcing the permitting and fees now, considering Mali has offered the classes for three years, Parsons wrote that it was unaware of the nature of her classes up to that point.
Mali said she isn't giving up on her campaign to continue her donation-based classes. She pointed to a precedent being set in a similar situation in San Diego right now.
On Sept. 30, the U.S. Court of Appeals rejected the city's attempt to have a case reheard, as reported in The San Diego Union-Tribune. A lower court struck down San Diego's ban on donation-based group yoga classes in public parks based on the assertion that the practice was an expression of free speech.
Tipton clarified the town has no issue with individuals practicing yoga on the beach. The concerns are the effect on parking and commercial enterprise.
Looking at the potential demand on public resources, Tipton pointed to one social media post by Mali in which she was "manifesting 100."
"We are limited in our capacity," he said. "For a small town with few parking facilities, that's a big deal. We just want to make sure we understand what's happening. If it's a few people, it's not a big deal. But if it were to get to a hundred people, that would be a challenge."
Mali clarified that Longboat attendance is nowhere near that figure, even during the high season.
"There's no one on that beach. It's empty. You might see four people when we have our class. We're not bothering anyone, and my groups are small," she said.
The city of Anna Maria has not given any similar pushback, Mali said, and she has continued to offer those classes as usual. According to Anna Maria Island code, "non-administrative special events may simply need city commission approval."
The latest update Mali received from Simmons was on Sept. 23, when he wrote: "Over the years, your sunset yoga sessions may have taken place informally; however, the Town only recently became aware that these classes were being organized, promoted, and held on a recurring basis on public property. Once this was brought to our attention, we reviewed the situation against the Town Code."
He reasserted that she would need to apply for a special event permit or work with the town to pursue a concessionaire agreement.
"Until the proper approvals are obtained, your classes cannot continue on Town property," he concluded.
While she attempts to find some resolution with the town, Mali is trying to find a way forward, temporarily holding classes on a piece of nearby private property. But she hopes to find a long-term solution so residents can continue enjoying her classes.
Residents are hopeful too, with Anett Carey writing, "Angela's classes are not only beloved. They are essential. They promote physical wellness, emotional regulation, mental clarity and social connection. We meet the sunset with gratitude. We leave no trace behind but footprints and deeper peace. Angela fosters a safe, inclusive and nurturing space for all, and her work has uplifted countless lives."
Reporter S.T. Cardinal contributed to this story.
