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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #126 |
| Whitaker Bayou Greenway Park and Watershed Restoration Conceptual Plan |
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| Requester: |
Mark Alderson, Executive Director |
Organization: |
Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) |
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| Project Title: |
Whitaker Bayou Greenway Park and Watershed Restoration Conceptual Plan |
Date Submitted |
12/19/2007 4:34:12 PM |
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| Sponsors: |
Bennett |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| Whitaker Bayou is an urbanized tributary of Sarasota Bay that runs through several under served communities, older neighborhoods and commercial zones. Sarasota Bay is an Outstanding Florida Water and was designated as an Estuary of National significance in 1989 by the US Congress. The 1987 amendments to the Clean Water Act call for the identification, restoration and protection of estuaries of National significance through the National Estuary Programs. The Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for the restoration of Sarasota Bay identifies Whitaker Bayou as an area for improvement. The proposed project will identify mechanisms for treating stormwater pollution using traditional and Low Impact Development technologies, restoring instream and riparian habitat in urbanized areas as well as improve recreational water access to under served communities. The methods identified in this project can be utilized in other Florida communities to restore waterways and provide public access. |
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| Recipient: |
Sarasota Bay Estuary Program |
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Contact: |
Mark Alderson, Executive Director |
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111 South Orange Avenue, #200W |
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Contact Phone: |
(941) 955-8085 |
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Sarasota 34236 |
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Contact email: |
Mark@sarasotabay.org |
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| Counties: |
Sarasota |
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| Gov't Entity: |
Yes |
Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
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| Project Description: |
| This request is to initiate a stormwater treatment assessment and develop a conceptual design and implementation plan for the Whitaker Bayou Greenway Park and Watershed Restoration. Whitaker Bayou is plagued by many challenges that commonly face urban watersheds including litter, stormwater pollution, invasive species, hardened shorelines, siltation, and inadequate public access. The proposed plan will identify potential locations for stormwater treatment structures, implementation of Low Impact Design technologies, possible dredging activities, instream and riparian habitat restoration opportunities and improved public water access along Whitaker Bayou and its connecting waterways. Potential partners for acquisition of parklands identified in the proposal include Sarasota County, City of Sarasota and the Trust for Public Land. Implementation of the recommendations may be funded through a combination of local, state and federal sources. The City of Sarasota has earmarked $3 million of Penny Surtax III for the implementation of the Whitaker Bayou Greenway Park plan recommendations. |
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| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| Document assessing the stormwater treatment, habitat restoration and public access opportunities in the Whitaker Bayou watershed as well as an implementation plan for the Whitaker Bayou Greenway Park. |
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$150,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$3,160,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Construction |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
Local, Federal |
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Cash Amount |
$3,000,000 |
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In-kind Amount |
$10,000 |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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No |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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Yes |
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Amount: |
$1,000,000 |
To Fund: |
Operations, Construction |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
Sarasota Bay�s Comprehensive Conservation & Mgmt Plan (1995). SWFWMD�s Sarasota Bay SWIM Plan (2002) |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Sarasota County Legislative Delegation |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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Yes |
| Is the project eligible under section 403.885(2),F.S. to protect public health or the environment; and implement plans developed pursuant to the Surface Water Improvement and Management Act created in part IV of Chapter 373,F.S., other water restoration plans required by law, management plans prepared pursuant to 2.403.067,F.S., or other plans adopted by local government for water quality improvement and water restoration? |
Yes |
| Is your project addressed in a state, regional or local plan (such as a SWIM Plan, Comprehensive Plan, Local Master Plan, etc.)? |
Yes |
| Name the plan and cite the pages on which the project is described: |
| Sarasota Bay Estuary Program�s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, pages 3-2, 3-4, 4-4, 4-5, 4-10, 4-12, 4-14, 5-7, 5-8, 5-9, 6-9, 6-13, 7-8, 7-11. Sarasota Bay Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Plan (2002), pages 11 and 25. |
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| Are requesting funding for a stormwater, surface water restoration, or other water management project? |
Yes |
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| In which Water Management District is your project located? |
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Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) |
| Have you provided at least 50% match (that is, one-half the total project cost identified in this request? |
Yes |
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Match Amount: |
3010000 |
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Match Source: |
City of Sarasota, Penny Surtax III ($3million) and SBEP ($10,000) |
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| Will this project reduce pollutant loadings to a water management district designated 'priority' surface water body? |
Yes |
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Name of water body: |
Sarasota Bay |
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| Describe, specifically, how it will reduce loadings, identify anticipated load reductions for total suspended solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and other contaminants, and specify the practices that will be used to reduce loadings: |
| By implementing the recommendations of the proposed plan non-point sources of pollution will be trapped, treated and reduced before they reach Sarasota Bay. The traditional stormwater treatment structures and Low Impact Design technologies installed will prevent polluted stormwater from entering the Sarasota Bay system. The restored instream and riparian habitats will also help filter pollutants in the Bayou before they reach the main Bay as well as provide wildlife and fishery habitat critical to Bay health. The improved public water access will provide additional opportunities for public education, outreach and community cleanup events to prevent pollution from entering the system. |
| Is the project under construction? |
No |
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| Are you requesting funding for a wastewater project? |
No |
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| Are you requesting funding for a drinking water project? |
No |
