The City of Lakeland will hold a Public Kick-off Meeting for the Lake Bonnet Drainage Basin Flood Hazard and Debris Mitigation Phase 1 – Feasibility Study on Thursday, February 15, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The purpose of the project is to restore the wetlands around the project corridor, remove excess sediments that have accumulated in the lake and improve the conveyance system in the Lake Bonnet Drainage Basin. This will prevent the risk of future flooding in the May Manor Mobile Home Park and surrounding areas. The project also seeks to enhance the overall well-being of the community and the natural environment of the area.
The City of Lakeland was awarded a $42.9 million grant from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). The grant is facilitated through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) initiative, as part of the Rebuild Florida Mitigation General Infrastructure Program. Grants were awarded to complete large-scale infrastructure projects to mitigate and harden against natural disaster risks, including severe flooding and hurricanes, targeting HUD and state-designated impacted and distressed areas.
To allow for maximum participation, the public kick-off meeting will be held in two formats, including both an in-person location and a live online session.
| Participate In-Person | Participate Live Online via GoTo Webinar |
| Attend the public meeting at The Well, 114 East Parker Street, Lakeland, Florida 33801. The meeting will be held in an informal open-house format. People attending the meeting may review project displays, view a project presentation that runs on a continuous loop, and speak one-on-one with project team members. | Register at bit.ly/LakeBonnetDrainageBasin to attend the public meeting virtually, view the project presentation, make comments, and ask questions of the live project team. There will be multiple opportunities to view the project presentation and interact one-on-one with the live project team for anyone who may have joined at a later time. |
Following the Public Kick-off Meeting, comments may be submitted by mail to Project Manager Laurie Smith, CPM, CFM, Lakes and Stormwater Manager, City of Lakeland, Public Works, 407 Fairway Avenue, Lakeland, Florida 33801; by email to [email protected]; and by telephone to (863) 834-6276; or to Public Information Officer Amparo Vargas, by telephone to (863) 410-0727; and by email to [email protected].
For more information, please visit the project website at lakelandgov.net/LkBonnetDrainageProject. Comments received or postmarked by Monday, March 18, 2024, will be included in the official meeting record.
Pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal and state authorities, the City of Lakeland will not exclude participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to discrimination anyone on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, income, or family status. Any person who believes that they have been subjected to discrimination based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, income, or family status in any of the City of Lakeland’s programs, services, or activities may file a complaint with the City of Lakeland’s Title VI/Nondiscrimination Coordinator:
Emily Colon, Deputy City Manager and Title VI/Nondiscrimination Coordinator
228 South Massachusetts Avenue
Lakeland, Florida 33801
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (863) 834-6006
Fax: (863) 834-8402
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 286.26, Florida Statutes, persons with disabilities needing special accommodation to participate in this meeting, or those requiring language assistance (free of charge) should contact the City of Lakeland ADA Specialist, Kristin Meador, no later than 48 hours prior to the meeting by telephone to (863) 834-8444; or by email to [email protected].
If hearing impaired, please contact the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) numbers: Local – (863) 834-8333; or toll-free 1-800-955-8771; or the Florida Relay Service Number 1-800-955-8770 (VOICE), for assistance.