Board approves $95M CDBG‑DR Phase 3 infrastructure package and $80M housing blueprint

The Board of County Commissioners on April 15 approved Phase 3 of the county’s CDBG‑DR infrastructure program and a separate funding framework for housing projects aimed at storm recovery.

Rob Hendrickson and department leads described Phase 3 as 160 additional project sites that raise the three‑phase total to 376 sites and carry an estimated $95,000,000 price tag. Public‑works projects include drainage improvements in Palm River and Dover, restoration of approximately two miles of roadside ditch in Dover, a channel restoration project along Brushy Creek, and culvert renewal and replacement at about 105 locations. The package also funds power‑outage emergency beacons (backup signal flashers) and resiliency work at 14 permanent stormwater pump stations.

Lisa Ray, director of water resources, described a Ruskin low‑pressure sewer conversion project to replace aging individual grinder‑pump systems with a centralized vacuum sewer system; she said that previous systems failed during storms and repairs cost the county more than $8,000,000 during recovery.

Forrest Turberville of conservation and environmental lands management outlined three restoration/preservation requests: $2,000,000 to construct roughly 25 acres of coastal wetlands at Cracker Avenue Preserve; $6,000,000 to restore 93 acres of wetland/stream habitat at the Stacy R. White Nature Preserve to slow runoff into Bullfrog Creek; and $10,000,000 to acquire and restore coastal preservation lands along Tampa Bay (Ruskin/Gibsonton areas) to mitigate storm surge impacts. Staff said the wetland and acquisition projects are shovel‑ready or near ready and will focus on capturing and storing stormwater, slowing flow velocity and protecting EMS routes.

The board approved the Phase 3 package (motion by Commissioner Gwen Myers, second Commissioner Chris Bowles) and the housing blueprint (move/second recorded and approved 7–0). County staff said implementation details, procurement and competitive notices will return for specific contract awards and budget amendments before funds are spent.