Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Canal Dredging topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Murph committee urges town to research canal‑dredging funding; council asks staff for status update
Summary
The Murph Committee voted 5‑2 to ask the Town Council to research financing options to dredge back‑bay canals to navigable depth; staff said federal and state programs are currently closed or limited and proposed further research and inter‑committee work with Anchorage Advisory Committee.
Fort Myers Beach — The Murph Committee asked the Town Council on Monday to research funding mechanisms to restore numerous private and public canals that face the Back Bay, and to report back on viable options including special assessments, state grants and federal programs.
Committee request: Dave Nesbaum, Murph Committee chair, reported that the committee found ownership of canal sections and responsibility for dredging are mixed — in some cases private owners or homeowners’ associations maintain canals, in others the town or adjacent property owners do. After discussion, the committee voted 5‑2 to recommend the council research funding mechanisms so canals can be dredged to their proper depths and to consider a special property tax that could apply to all canal owners.
Staff response: A town staff member told the council that some federal programs and state grant streams (including certain Department of Interior and DEP funding paths) have been temporarily closed or deferred while officials review criteria. Staff said they are monitoring the openings and suggested the Murph Committee could inventory other Florida jurisdictions’ canal‑management programs and financing approaches to help narrow options.
Why it matters: Several residents, committee members and councilors said canals play an economic and environmental role for the island — navigation, property values and habitat — and widespread shoaling since recent storms is making navigation difficult for local boaters and could worsen erosion and water‑quality issues if not addressed.
Next steps: Councilors suggested Murph coordinate with the Anchorage Advisory Committee on the navigability aspects and with town staff for a status update. Staff said it will report back to council on current program availability and potential funding channels; the committee suggested the research include examples such as special assessments, county/state resilience grants and the USACE shore‑protection program.
Ending: The council did not take a formal vote on funding at the meeting but instructed staff to continue researching federal and state grant options and to coordinate with the Murph and Anchorage advisory committees.
