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County OKs Way For Homeowners To Get Canals Dredged

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT

yhammett@tampatrib.com

Published: January 22, 2009

TAMPA - Waterfront residents whose boats have been bogged down in silt for years may finally get a reprieve.

The Hillsborough County Commission voted unanimously today to approve a funding plan that will allow for canal dredging of some 27 miles of waterways along the county's coastline, again allowing them access to Tampa Bay.

Proposals for the first projects could come in as early as mid-spring.

The ordinance will allow waterfront property owners to form special taxing units to pay for dredging projects. If at least 60 percent of the landowners in a specific area agree to pay for their project, the county will set up the dredging operation and oversee it.

Landowners have the option of paying for the individual projects over 10 or 20 years.

"I can't say 'citizen-driven initiative' enough times," said Commissioner Rose Ferlita, commending the effort that involved hundreds of people and years of toil. She moved to approve the ordinance, with Commissioner Kevin Beckner seconding.

"My sense is that when this thing started, it was pretty rough," said Commissioner Mark Sharpe. Landowners wanted the county to pay for the dredging.

"It's been a challenge," he said. "It seems now we have a room full of people who appear to be in support" of the county's new plan.

The cost to dredge all 70 coastal canals in South Shore and the northwest portion of the county – the troubled areas - is about $15.2 million.

People who own property on canals connecting to the Alafia River may take the hardest hit because there are fewer owners and their waterways are loaded with much higher volumes of silt than people in other areas.

According to one estimate from Hillsborough County engineers, the price could be $1,513.50 annually for 10 years for a property owner with 50 linear feet on the waterfront.

In Apollo Beach South, by comparison, the owner of the same size property would pay $164 annually for 10 years.

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