[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6613988,"mediaKeyId","2866368-6263782e5c311859745e22f8695c80a6","parentId",2866368,"title","Golden Beach residents press council for rapid action on Flamingo Ditch drainage; council agrees to pursue grants and mitigation steps","audioSeconds",1209,"startMs",6423000,"endMs",7632000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2866368-6263782e5c311859745e22f8695c80a6&start=6423&end=7632","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2866368-6263782e5c311859745e22f8695c80a6/thumbnail_6423000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6613988/Venice/Sarasota-County/Florida/Golden-Beach-residents-press-council-for-rapid-action-on-Flamingo-Ditch-drainage-council-agrees-to-pursue-grants-and-mitigation-steps","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6613988-0525bb97635f90e426f8c541d107609b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188928&Signature=eNw~lt-Axiwgdn4ehoAIOX-XwvrldHJ0s6v0N-K5kC7GWAUxHsO4XXP~KxzfNp0HVjdMuQ7VSrjjX4Vozn~xAoXo3WXS7cjky5Qhs390UnTZL4eTeTSwpi9JKlektN6ZF-OxbzRQrlT~A17lr5srXjZKqHWNVf3e6qObefwJWLaWBQCc5pNusdlJViLX7hzCJx~nfh5IH2gU3ZHVNlqq0jFNHfaoaMoNHMdN1hanGab4rGoZswmLq0K0wN1qkA7h-DHA553yKNZ9HQ6vtG3WS-hz5u31FgfFYQRe7kGWufDXTiRMJR1Z59LkzuTkC0ODKfILSQsb2SMwmMPWFEl21w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Venice","date","2025-04-03T00:00:00Z","article","Residents of the Flamingo Ditch and Golden Beach neighborhoods urged Venice City Council on Wednesday to accelerate fixes for chronic stormwater flooding and storm‑surge vulnerabilities, and councilmembers signaled they will pursue mitigation funding and near‑term maintenance steps.

Several residents who experienced repeated flooding after recent storms spoke during public comment and during the CIP workshop, saying they want a clear, public timeline and city action before the next hurricane season. Councilmembers responded by explaining why the Flamingo Ditch project is not in the CIP now and describing next steps to make it eligible for federal mitigation grants.

Why it matters: Flamingo Ditch and similar coastal stormwater challenges can produce repeated property flooding and create significant public concern. Residents asked for a town‑hall meeting and for visible, immediate action while the city advances engineering options and grant applications.

What the council heard and directed

Public testimony: Residents and community groups asked for transparency and faster action. Bayat Layman, speaking with the Flamingo Ditch steering committee, thanked the council for the discussion and urged a town hall. Resident Israel Salinas, 591 Flamingo Drive, requested a public meeting and said the community needs reassurance that emergency measures will be in place for the coming hurricane season. Dr. George Davis, speaking for Venice Thrives, supported the residents’ requests.

Why Flamingo Ditch was not in the CIP: Acting City Engineer John Kramer told council the CIP lists capital projects with a defined scope and budget. Staff did not include Flamingo Ditch in the current CIP because the engineering consultant’s final recommendations and a defined project scope and cost were not available when the CIP was prepared.

Near‑term and grant actions: Kramer and staff said the engineering consultant (Coastal Protection Engineering) is preparing options, including non‑capital maintenance recommendations (such as contractor contracts to keep an outfall open) and possible capital fixes (for example, backflow valves and other structural measures). City staff told council they will: place Flamingo Ditch on the Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) list so the project becomes eligible for federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds; pursue emergency maintenance contracts for the coming hurricane season to keep outfalls open; and work with the consultant to prepare application materials for first‑come, first‑served grant opportunities.

Council comments and consensus: Councilmembers expressed strong support for residents and urged staff to prioritize grant preparation. Councilmember Paul Smith urged staff to treat the matter as urgent and to pursue available grants aggressively; Councilmember Carol Frank encouraged a town hall and urged staff to use every available funding tool. Several members emphasized that any capital project will require permitting and potential legal work (for example, easements and private‑land access), and that staff should ensure the city’s legal exposure is managed as solutions are developed.

Clarifying details from staff

- Staff noted that some near‑term recommendations from the consultant are maintenance‑oriented and not capital projects, and therefore would not be budgeted in the CIP but can be implemented quickly with emergency contracts.
- To be eligible for certain federal mitigation funds, a project must be listed on the city’s LMS; engineering staff planned to bring that item forward on the next council agenda.
- Stormwater fund capacity was discussed: Senney said staff generally plans roughly $1 million per year for stormwater capital projects and that the fee structure is adjusted based on anticipated projects.

Ending

Councilmembers agreed to prioritize Flamingo Ditch in grant outreach and to ensure emergency maintenance capability is in place before hurricane season. Staff will return with LMS action and with grant‑application steps and cost estimates as the consultant finalizes options.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Venice - City Council on 2025-04-03 9:00 AM - Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Workshop - Apr 03, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Residents from Flamingo Ditch and Golden Beach urged Venice City Council to accelerate work on persistent stormwater flooding. Council signaled it will add Flamingo Ditch to the Local Mitigation Strategy, pursue federal mitigation grants and put emergency maintenance contracts in place for the coming hurricane season.","taxTitle","Venice, Sarasota County, Florida","taxId",56285,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6613994,"Venice council reviews five‑year CIP, weighs fast‑tracking beach parking and grants for jetty and renourishment",2228,103000,2331000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2866368-6263782e5c311859745e22f8695c80a6&start=103&end=2331","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2866368-6263782e5c311859745e22f8695c80a6/thumbnail_103000.jpg","/articles/6613994/Venice/Sarasota-County/Florida/Venice-council-reviews-fiveyear-CIP-weighs-fasttracking-beach-parking-and-grants-for-jetty-and-renourishment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6613994-4fc97284a9d80d5a4f8dba4623a9641b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188928&Signature=nanFlNDvJ68MgTPBtGlFgFqEsw5O3VRV9cjy4hvAKalyX30KfhP6caXOp~2Z5wTiohcBOYDv26qLGOvAnwbae2LuaCKOsYJ8VgWIE27yhaytC5-3~0lbF0fD-KU1j-T6-PYurjH5pyDnKIdCCYcffqL6upQnCDy9Hw0B~irQ~FKb1-7OXkc9BI9FdZTvIMChsTnX2C7CExNUfUBKnNfoRhWadNDzfkRK6rqb-1cklVSG1LKCMMJ4LADKc2xRwk6rl54kwsrfbu59PqZIjbnpRI09KSfP5v~dgx-~kMDcd8WwHZ56EeM~gHGSH2RqSo1LnjC-f-24Mx1BlyOhINbASw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Venice City Council members on Wednesday reviewed the city’s draft five‑year Capital Improvement Plan and debated which new projects to accelerate into the fiscal 2026 budget and which to defer.

The workshop, led by City Manager John LaValley and Finance Director Linda Senney, covered dozens of proposed projects across funds, including a $5 million general‑fund payment toward Wellfield Park, a proposed $18 million beach renourishment effort tied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and a council discussion about moving forward sooner on additional beach parking at Broward Park.

Senney said the CIP is a working document that shows a five‑year projection and specifically identified fiscal 2026 items that would be incorporated into the next budget. “This is fluid,” Senney told the council. “If there’s a project council wants to start before Oct. 1, we would move that up with a budget amendment.”

Why it matters: The workshop grouped many small and large capital requests in one document, and council members said they will need to prioritize projects to keep the general fund healthy for staffing, union negotiations and other obligations. Several agenda items are tied to outside funding or to federal/state approvals, which affects timing and whether the city should commit local dollars now.

Key items and discussion

Wellfield Park: Senney explained an interlocal agreement that would require a $5 million payment in fiscal 2026, followed by annual payments planned out over the subsequent years. She said that the $5 million would be taken from general fund reserves and future payments from park impact fees. Council members repeatedly raised the need to reserve general‑fund capacity for foreseeable operating pressures.

Humphreys Park/South Jetty: John Kramer, acting city engineer, said hurricane damage has created a need to redesign and rebuild the saltwater jetty area at Humphreys Park. Kramer and several council members noted the city needs to coordinate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) because the Corps’ work will determine what the city can and should build. Council discussion produced a consensus to delay design/construction in the CIP by at least a year so work does not duplicate or get undone by the Corps’ restoration approach. Kramer cautioned that Corps timing and the scope of work are uncertain; he said two Corps models are under consideration (a phased restoration or a single large project) and that federal work could be years away.

Beach renourishment and funding mix: Senney presented a rough $18 million estimate for beach renourishment with multiple possible funding sources, including the Army Corps, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection grants, the city’s beach renourishment fund and the tourist development tax. Kramer said the Corps is finishing surveys to assess storm impacts and that the Corps’ schedule will determine the timing of construction. Council members encouraged continued state and federal outreach.

Broward Park additional beach parking: Councilmembers, led by Councilwoman Carol Frank and Councilman Paul Smith, favored accelerating a paved parking project at Broward Park so it would be completed before the next season. Senney said it could be funded from either the general fund or the 1¢ sales tax fund and that the city had been reserving sales tax proceeds for a new fire station and fleet facility. Councilmembers asked staff to explore Tourist Development Council contributions and other sources before making a final funding decision.

General fund new items and process questions: Council members noted that 16 of 46 general‑fund CIP items were new to the plan and that many of those appear in years one and two, creating pressure on the next budget. Councilmember Smith urged council colleagues to identify items that could be deferred and to use the CIP’s purple coding (items that can be moved back) to spread projects across the five years.

Smaller but notable items: Senney highlighted new general‑fund items including an estimate of $115,000 for an ADA‑compliant, citizen‑focused website update (federal accessibility regulations cited), $100,000 for mobile impact‑rated vehicle barriers for special events (see separate story on event vehicle mitigation), $10,000 for a Marine Patrol building awning, and an EMS inventory control “vending machine” the fire chief described as an electronically tracked, climate‑controlled medication cabinet intended to improve inventory accuracy and reduce waste. Fire Chief Archie Giddens and staff said the vending‑style inventory system would improve ordering accuracy and reduce expired medications; chief and council discussion placed the item in the context of the department’s five‑year EMS program growth.

Parks and playgrounds: Public Works Director Rick Simpson said the Legacy Park playground surfacing has failed its safety inspection and needs replacement for child safety; he described weather and repeated storm damage that accelerated deterioration. For Truck Bridal Field (Little League), assistant public works director Ashley Castle said the lighting infrastructure is aging and replacement parts are scarce; Castle said the city remains responsible for capital maintenance until Little League relocates under the county interlocal agreement, currently expected no later than 2029.

Fleet and apparatus procurement: Fire and fleet staff described long manufacturer lead times—roughly three years for a fire engine or ladder truck—and explained the city is appropriating funds in advance to lock a place in manufacturer queues. Council members asked about vehicle classification and the composition of the fleet; Chief Giddens said engines also respond to medical calls and described the rationale for maintaining a backup ladder truck while new apparatus arrive.

What the council directed

- Council signaled consensus to delay the Humphreys Park/South Jetty design and construction in the CIP until clearer Corps plans are available. (Council did not take a formal recorded vote in the workshop.)
- Council requested staff explore alternative funding sources for Broward Park parking (including Tourist Development Council funds) and to present options for possibly accelerating the project into the current fiscal year.

Background and next steps

Senney reiterated the CIP is a fluid planning tool; the fiscal 2026 column becomes part of the budget book that will guide the formal budget workshops in June and adoption in September. Councilmembers asked staff to return with refined funding options, grant‑application timelines and additional detail on projects flagged as urgent.

Ending

Council set a June budget workshop date to continue refining priorities and encouraged staff to pursue federal and state funding opportunities for major shoreline and storm‑related projects while balancing general‑fund capacity for operations and negotiated personnel costs.","At a capital improvement plan workshop, Venice councilmembers and staff reviewed a five‑year CIP, debated accelerating a beach parking project, discussed a $5 million general‑fund payment toward Wellfield Park, and heard updates on beach renourishment and jetty restoration funding tied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.","actionData","errors"]

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Golden Beach residents press council for rapid action on Flamingo Ditch drainage; council agrees to pursue grants and mitigation steps

Venice council reviews five‑year CIP, weighs fast‑tracking beach parking and grants for jetty and renourishment