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Monroe County unveils plan letting neighborhoods request and pay for local improvements
Summary
County staff proposed revising the county code to let neighborhoods initiate Municipal Service Benefit Units (MSBUs) and special assessments to fund projects such as road elevation, canal restoration, pump stations, beach renourishment or decorative lighting; Twin Lakes and two large road-elevation grants were used as examples.
County staff presented a draft program to let neighborhoods request improvements and fund them through assessments rather than rely on general-ad valorem taxes. Rhonda, the presenter, said the proposal would expand an existing assessment ordinance (previously used for road elevation) so residents could initiate projects including enhanced drainage, canal restoration, living shorelines, street lighting, sidewalks and targeted road adaptation. The board was asked for direction before a public hearing planned for Jan. 28, 2026.
Staff walked commissioners through a multi-step process: a neighborhood must show majority interest (50% + 1) to begin, the county performs a feasibility review and design/permitting, informal and then formal resident votes occur after cost estimates and bids, and the county would front project costs and later initiate the assessment for reimbursement. Rhonda said the county would apply for grants where possible; if grant awards leave a capital differential, residents would pay the difference. She stressed built-in consumer protections: multiple informal votes before binding financial obligations and options for hardship treatment so assessments could be deferred until property sale for qualifying households.
Staff used the Twin Lakes example (assessment set at $2,131 per year for benefitted properties) and two large current grant-funded road elevation projects to illustrate stakes: Winston Waterways (about $51,000,000 in grants) and Big Coppet (about $83,500,000 in grants). Staff warned that if a neighborhood declines a project after design and grant funding is secured, the county might have to withdraw and return those grant funds. Commissioners supported further outreach, public information and neighborhood meetings to allow residents to consider the tradeoffs and vote.
Commissioners asked staff to tighten language around hardship exceptions and to run public outreach through the county's communications office ahead of the January hearing. The board did not adopt the ordinance at the meeting; staff was directed to return with finalized language.
