Event:Save Our Indian River Lagoon Citizen Oversight Committee Meeting 2021-01-15
Brevard County Save Our Indian River Lagoon FacebookAgenda Item: IX
Title: Draft Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan 2021 Update
Requested Action: After hearing a presentation on the proposed changes contained within the draft document, motion to recommend the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan 2021 Update to the Brevard County Commission for their consideration and adoption.
Each year, new information and project opportunities are incorporated into the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan through an annual update. The proposed draft update incorporates new information, projects and modifications. Draft changes to the plan are presented, discussed, and may be modified by the Citizen Oversight Committee. The Committee recommends an annual update of the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan to the County Commission for adoption.
The Committee’s recommendations are presented to the Board of County Commissioners for their inclusion, modification and inclusion, or non-inclusion in the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan. Per the enabling ordinance for the surtax, the Board shall not act on the Committee’s recommendations any sooner than 15 days after posting of the draft plan update on the County’s Save Our Indian River Lagoon website.
During plan updates, projects that deliver comparable nutrient removal benefits may be added to the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Project Plan or substituted for funding allocated to other projects in the same sub-lagoon. Unless otherwise agreed to by the County Commission, if a substituted project costs more than the project previously included in the Plan, the requesting partner must provide the balance of costs. During the November 2020 meeting, the Citizen Oversight Committee recommended adding twenty-four (24) new projects that were submitted by the community plus six (6) projects identified by staff.
The total revenue expectation from the ten-year surtax is decreased from $494 to $489 million, including economic growth. The total cost of projects, performance measures and reserves included in the proposed 2021 draft, with 2.5% inflation, is $489 million.
Download: 2021 SOIRL Plan Update Draft (DOCX 25.2MB)
2021 SOIRL Plan Update Draft (PDF 222pp 12MB)
Citizen Oversight Committee Meeting Info:
SOIRL COC meetings are held monthly at the Brevard County Commission Chambers in Viera, Florida.
Following CDC Guidelines, public meeting attendance is limited in the Commission Chambers. Prior contact with the COC staff is required to attend the meeting or participate in-person.
Citizens are encouraged to participate in the meeting via:
- Online Zoom Meeting:SOIRL COC Zoom Meeting Link
- Broadcast on Brevard's Space Coast Government TV website
- Facebook Live on the Save Our Indian River Lagoon Facebook Page
Save Our Indian River Lagoon meeting videos are archived on YouTube at Brevard SOIRL COC Meeting Video Playlist.
About the SOIRL:
The Save Our Indian River Lagoon (SOIRL) Program outlines Brevard County water quality projects that improve the health, productivity, aesthetic appeal, and economic value of the Banana River and Indian River lagoons. Funding for the IRL improvement projects is raised through a November 8, 2016 referendum that established the SOIRL Program and Trust Fund.
The SOIRL Citizen Oversight Committee (COC) reviews and updates the SOIRL plan, recommends restoration projects, and audits each project's finances.
It is estimated that the plan will bring in up to $484 million in revenue over 10 years to fund projects that will reduce or remove about 1.3 million pounds of excess nitrogen and 106 thousand pounds of phosphorus annually from the Indian River Lagoon.
January 15, 2021 Save Our Indian River Lagoon Progress Report
