County staff brief commissioners on major projects, park acquisitions and permit delays
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Summary
Department leaders updated the board on capital work including the Peace River reservoir commitment, design and permitting for parks and trails, upgrades to water reclamation capacity, and permitting hurdles with the Army Corps that delayed some park projects.
County staff used the retreat to summarize progress and next steps on major capital projects and completed milestones.
Water supply: Staff reminded commissioners that the board previously approved reservoir commitments with the Peace River / Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority; the county aims to acquire roughly 12 million gallons per day from the new reservoir and previously approved capacity expansion to about 17 million gallons per day.
Parks and permitting: The board heard that the conveyance of Wellfield Park from the City of Venice completed in October 2024, enabling development of a South County Regional Park Complex. Staff also reported that the Seventeenth Street Regional Park athletic complex permit was delayed for six to eight months by an Army Corps of Engineers intervention; the county received notification this week that the permit will be granted and staff signaled they would proceed.
Infrastructure projects: Staff gave updates on the Fruitville Road widening project (design complete for a multi-lane widening phase with state appropriations allocated and construction planned for future fiscal years) and a number of major water and wastewater investments. At the B. Richards reclamation facility staff have installed four 2 MW generators and completed milestones toward an Advanced Wastewater Treatment upgrade to 18 MGD.
Technology and operations: Staff also briefed the board on an archive/catalog implementation in libraries, the planned replacement of the county—s phone system, a new vendor evaluation process for term contracts, and transit technology upgrades including mobile fare payment and the ongoing work to incorporate the Bay Runner trolley into a countywide trolley network.
What happens next: Staff will return with phased construction schedules, funding sources and permitting timelines. Several items (e.g., Seventeenth Street, Longboat Key library design) remain carry-forwards into 2025; the board asked staff to provide clear start dates and financing plans in follow-up memos.