On July 13, Florida officials announced $4,895,000 in grants for stormwater projects throughout Florida.
The funds were part of an wide funding announcement from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Enterprise Florida Inc. (EFI), which awarded several grants totaling more than $30 million to improve infrastructure, community redevelopment and job creation in small Florida communities.
The over $30 million in grants were awarded through a number of key programs: $29 million was awarded through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, $1.2 million through the Community Planning Technical Assistance (CPTA) grant program, $280,000 through the Competitive Florida Partnership grant program and $198,500 through the Rural Expansion Toolkit initiative.
Among these programs, stormwater funds were distributed almost entirely through the CDBG program, with a small portion coming from the CPTA grant program.
“Florida’s rural communities are vital to the wellbeing and prosperity of our state, and my administration is committed to helping them thrive,” said Governor DeSantis. “The more than $30 million we are awarding today will help ensure that our small and rural communities have the infrastructure and funding they need to create jobs and strengthen their economic resiliency.”
The CDBG program had awarded its $29 million to 42 different communities. The program, administered by the Department of Economic Developmen and funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, provides funding for community development activities that primarily benefit persons of low- and moderate-income in small cities and rural communities.
The stormwater projects awarded through the Florida Small Cities CDBG program include:
- City of Bunnell ($700,000) – to replace an inadequate storm water drainage system and expand another to address runoff and drainage during significant rain events in two service areas.
- City of Green Cove Springs ($700,000) – to replace 50-year-old stormwater pipe and the sidewalk, curb, asphalt, and landscape on West Street. Additionally, sidewalks will be added to Highland Avenue and Center Street, and Vera Francis Hall Park will receive new picnic tables and benches.
- Village of Indiantown ($700,000) – to repave and install stormwater drains along Southwest Seminole Drive and Southwest Osceola Street, and replace a sewer line at the Magnolia Street lift station to prevent ongoing sewer overflows.
- City of Valparaiso ($650,000) – to improve stormwater facilities and complete new street paving in two adjacent service areas.
- City of Webster ($600,000) – to replace water and sewer lines and repave several streets within the City of Webster.
- City of West Melbourne ($750,000) – to replace water lines located in the incorporated area of the city.
- Town of Worthington Springs ($600,000) – to make community improvements including paving a vacant lot next to the community center/emergency shelter, making asphalt roadway spot improvements, resurfacing streets, making drainage improvements and reconstructing streets.
DEO has awarded more than $1.2 million in Community Planning Technical Assistance (CPTA) grants to 27 Florida communities and two regional planning councils. The CPTA grant program seeks to build stronger communities through innovative planning and development strategies to promote economic diversity, protect environmentally sensitive areas and bolster resiliency planning.
The Florida stormwater projects receiving CPTA grant funding are:
- City of High Springs ($45,000) – to prepare a Downtown Parking and Stormwater Improvement Plan.
- North Bay Village ($50,000) – to support the development of a village-wide Stormwater Master Plan to address current and future stormwater infrastructure needs
SOURCE: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
