The City Commission approved two state grants on Tuesday to address nutrient pollution in area lakes.

Staff said the Florida Department of Environmental Protection awarded the city a $2.2 million innovation technology grant for a demonstration project at Lake Bonnet. The project would use Blue Cycle Technologies’ proprietary sediment dredging and encapsulation method to remove clean sand and stabilize legacy nutrient‑rich sediments to prevent future releases; FDEP will reimburse the city the full $2.2 million upon completion of the project. Staff said Blue Cycle is a sole‑source provider of the technology and that the purchasing office approved a sole‑source determination. Project completion is expected in April 2027.

Public Works lakes manager Laurie Smith said staging and access will take place at the lake’s west side boat ramp and that the work will use a floating dredge and a defined, permitted footprint. Details on the precise dredge area and final depths will be determined through permitting and design.

The Commission also approved a Florida DEP State Water Quality Assistance Grant for $550,000 to retrofit an existing dry detention pond on East Bay Street that drains to Lake Parker. Staff said the project will install biosorption activated media (BAM) as a down‑flow filter to capture nutrients before discharge. Total project cost is estimated at $715,000; the city’s local match is $165,000 for engineering and oversight. Staff said the retrofit should reduce nutrient concentrations by roughly 45% for the treated flow and will also improve local drainage and reduce street flooding.

Both grants will be formalized through negotiated agreements and associated appropriation ordinances that the Commission approved at the meeting.

Why this matters: Lake Bonnet and Lake Parker are priority water bodies for nutrient reduction; the Blue Cycle demonstration is an innovation pilot that could be replicated if successful. The East Bay Street retrofit is a targeted stormwater treatment that supports the Lake Parker nutrient‑reduction plan.

Implementation notes: Blue Cycle project is a sole‑source procurement and requires close permitting and design work; East Bay Street includes a required local match and will proceed with standard construction and oversight.