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Resident urges lake cleanup at Kissimmee’s Lakefront Park; city staff, county say state permits and county grant drive schedule
Summary
A Kissimmee resident told commissioners the lakefront is overgrown and impacting fishing and tourism; city staff said much of the waterbody is state waters, county received a grant for part of the work and state permitting is required.
A Kissimmee resident urged the City Commission to address persistent aquatic-plant growth, muck and debris at Lakefront Park, saying the conditions are affecting fishing and visitors. Deputy City Manager responded that the city has raised water-quality concerns with state officials for several years and noted the limits of municipal authority for state waters.
Resident Felipe Rivera Gonzales told the commission the lake shoreline at Lakefront Park appears “abandoned” and said aquatic plants and muck are impacting fish and tourism. He asked who — state or local government — is responsible for cleanup and urged collective action.
The Deputy City Manager said the waterbody is classified as waters of the state and that state permitting is required for the extensive cleaning the resident described. The deputy manager said Osceola County received a grant last year to clean a portion of the north lake in Kissimmee and that the county had been going through a bidding process; city staff said they would follow up with the county to obtain a start date for the county’s work.
City staff emphasized the lake’s value for flood storage and mitigation, and that lake cleanup remains on the city’s federal and local legislative action lists. Mayor Jackie Espinosa encouraged the resident to also contact his federal representative’s office to raise further attention and offered city-level follow-up.
Resident Felipe Rivera Gonzales: “I believe that maintaining our natural resources is everybody responsibility for the good of our community and future generations.”
Deputy City Manager (paraphrase): The deputy explained that the majority of the issues north of Neptune Road are hydrilla and invasive plants, and that muck removal will require state permits; the county has funding and is proceeding through bidding.
