Naples has secured $31.5 million for a trio of projects in next year’s state budget.
The budget, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, includes:
$25 million for a new coastal stormwater management system
$5 million for the rebuild of Naples Pier
$1.5 million for lake restoration
City manager Jay Boodheshwar shared the good news via email, saying the city is “extremely grateful to the governor” for approving the funding.
However, he noted the city didn’t get all of its projects approved, which came as a disappointment.
The governor vetoed funding for two of the city’s projects, as part of his larger efforts to trim the budget state lawmakers sent him.
Across the board, DeSantis cut about $1 billion in projects and programs from the budget, reducing it to about $116.5 billion.
In the city Naples, the cuts included:
$1 million to address flooding issues and improve water quality by replacing existing septic systems with centralized wastewater systems
$3 million to help improve resiliency against sea level rise and to reduce the threat of storm surge for the River Park East community, including Anthony Park.
The projects the city received appropriations for will have a big impact, not only on Naples, but Southwest Florida, by improving water quality, increasing beach safety and promoting tourism, Boodheshwar said.
The new coastal stormwater management system would answer the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s directive to remove stormwater outfall pipes from Naples beaches. The city has designed and already permitted a project that improves water quality, flood protection and resiliency to climate change. While the project has been awarded state money, the city requested more financial help after costs ballooned.
Design plans are completed for the Naples Pier, ravaged by Hurricane Ian, and the project is out for construction bids. The window for bids ends on June 27.
While the city expects to receive a reimbursement check from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, it wouldn’t cover the entire cost of rebuilding the iconic pier, cherished by residents and tourists alike. The cost is estimated at more than $22 million.
More: Is Naples Pier being affected by this week’s weather? Answers and construction update
With the money received for lake restoration, the city of Naples plans to dredge and treat lakes to remove accumulated pollution and to implement new practices in and around its lakes to improve stormwater treatment over the next decade.
The city is “very appreciative” of the efforts made by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples resident, and others to get its projects included in next year’s budget, Boodheshwar said.
In case you missed it: Collier County secures more than $86.5 million in state budget for local projects, programs
The budget lawmakers approved included more than $167 million in funding for projects and programs in Collier, Lee and Hendry counties, fought for by local delegates.
In an email, Passidomo said “80% of my requested budget items were funded.”
The few that were vetoed, she said, were “mainly water projects,” which could still receive grant funding through the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.
“So, I’m not too concerned,” Passidomo said. “I’m happy with how the budget turned out, as it pertains to my district.”
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Trio of projects in Naples makes cut in the state’s budget next year
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