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County To Help Dredge

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT

yhammett@tampatrib.com

Published: January 23, 2009

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

The Hillsborough County Commission voted unanimously Thursday to approve a funding plan that will allow for canal dredging of 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 midspring.

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 in support of the dredging projects 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.

The cost to dredge all 70 troubled coastal canals in south and northwest Hillsborough County is estimated at 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.

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 Alafia waterfront.

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

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 657-4532.

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