Interoffice Memorandum
DATE: August 25, 2025
TO: Mayor Jerry L. Demings and County Commissioners
THROUGH: N/A
FROM: Tanya Wilson, AICP, Director, Planning, Environmental, and Development Services Department
CONTACT: Renée H. Parker, LEP, Manager, Environmental Protection Officer
PHONE: (407) 836-1420
DIVISION: Environmental Protection Division
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approval and execution of State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection Standard Grant Agreement Wekiva Pond 6794 Retrofit Agreement Number: NS117 between the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Orange County in the amount of $665,000. A match in the amount of $441,111 is required. District 2. (Environmental Protection Division)
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PROJECT: Florida Department of Environmental Protection Grant Agreement Number NS117 Wekiva Pond 6794 Retrofit
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is to request that the Board approve a grant agreement between Orange County and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to provide funding for the construction of a water quality improvement project in the Wekiva and Rock Springs Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) area. The total amount of funding awarded by FDEP Grant Number NS117 is $665,000 with $441,111 match funds pledged by Orange County towards the total project construction costs. The funding will be made available through a cost reimbursement grant, which requires execution of a grant agreement with the FDEP. The grant agreement began July 1, 2023, when the application was initially submitted to FDEP for consideration of state funding. The grant agreement expires July 31, 2028 which allocates five years from the grant begin date to complete project related tasks including the following tasks: grant award recipients to be selected and notified, the project to be bid for construction, contracts to be executed, construction of the project to be completed, and for the post construction report to be prepared and sent to FDEP for final acceptance.
As background, the Wekiwa and Rock Springs BMAP were finalized in 2018 by the FDEP and Orange County was identified as a stakeholder and laid out Orange County pollutant reductions allocations.
To assist in meeting the pollutant reduction removal goal for nitrogen and phosphorus, FDEP is providing funding assistance for the construction of structural projects that will specifically target the reduction of pollutants in impaired watersheds.
The Wekiva Pond 6794 Retrofit project aims to enhance stormwater management and improve water quality in the Wekiwa and Rock Springs BMAP area. The project will retrofit an existing dry detention pond with advanced filtration media and structural modifications to significantly enhance its pollutant removal capabilities. The project has an approved permit (Number 27199-13) from the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) to construct the improvements. The grant funding will go towards the construction of the project. This project represents a comprehensive approach to addressing nonpoint source pollution and promoting sustainable stormwater management practices.
The Grant Agreement is included as Attachment 1.
This Agreement was reviewed by the County Attorney’s Office and approved as to form. The Environmental Protection Division presented this grant opportunity to the Grant Review Committee who were supportive.
BUDGET: N/A