7. Community Partnerships for Stormwater Improvement

Introduction

Nutrients in urban and suburban stormwater are a major source of nutrient loading to tidal tributaries and Sarasota Bay. Opportunities abound for stormwater management projects on publicly owned lands, including parks and preserves, utilities, drainage areas, and buildings, funded by federal and state grants and low-cost loans (see Chapter 9.3). But most urban and suburban lots, notably those adjacent to waterways and the bay, are privately owned. Private landowners typically lack the technical expertise, interest, or financial resources to treat stormwater on their own properties. Furthermore, significant portions of Sarasota County were developed before state stormwater regulations were adopted, so many older developments lack stormwater management. In unincorporated Sarasota County, approximately 60% (~52,000 acres) of privately owned parcels do not have stormwater management. Public-private partnerships are necessary to bridge this management gap. Creating cost-share incentives for private landowners to implement BMPs will reduce financial barriers to nutrient reduction practices. Providing funding for improvements on private land, coupled with technical consultations, also magnifies the influence managers and experts can have on the wider adoption of standardized BMPs. In addition, private lands near sensitive natural resources or those that offer connectivity with publicly managed lands could be prioritized.

Improving stormwater quantity and quality is identified as a priority in Sarasota County Government’s Stormwater Master Plan (1987) and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (2021 in prep). The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) also supports ongoing initiatives that reduce urban runoff in its Strategic Plan 2019–2023 (SWFMWD 2019) and Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Plan for Sarasota Bay (SWFWMD 2002).