PUBLIC NOTICE: Rebuild Florida Mitigation General Infrastructure Program
LAKELAND, FL (August 31, 2020) | The City of Lakeland anticipates applying for Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Program (GIP) funding provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address mitigation needs to ensure that the state of Florida is more resilient to future natural disasters. This program is being administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) through the Community Development Block Grant – Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Program. A total of $475,000,000 in funding has been allocated by DEO for the General Infrastructure Program.
The City of Lakeland has been designated as eligible to apply for this funding. In accordance with guidance supplied by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and HUD relevant to the impacts of COVID-19, the public input requirements for this program include the option to post information about proposed funding projects on a public website with the provision of a 14-day public comment period. A copy of this post and any public comments received will be provided to the DEO as part of the funding application submitted. The deadline for the application is September 14, 2020.
The City of Lakeland anticipates applying for grant funding for the following projects under the CDBG-MIT General Infrastructure Program as detailed:
Project 1: $1,000,000.00 for the City of Lakeland City Hall’s Reroofing – the funding will be for re-roofing the existing building, which is approaching 100 years old.
Project 2: $4,500,000.00 for the RP Funding Center Reroofing – the funding will be for re-roofing the existing building, which is approaching 46 years old.
Project 3: $1,850,000.00 for the City of Lakeland Se7en Wetlands Discharge Structure Replacement and Conveyance Rehabilitation - Design and replace a wastewater discharge structure and rehabilitate upstream and downstream conveyances to restore function to pre-Hurricane Irma levels while including additional protections for future storm events.
Project 4: $4,500,000.00 – for the City of Lakeland Se7en Wetlands Educational Center - The project's purpose is to build an Education Center pursuant to the Se7en Wetlands Master Plan. The Se7en Wetlands Education Center will provide water resource education, which in turn, provides a resilient community. Educational topics about water resources will be vast including wastewater, stormwater, and water infrastructure among others. Furthermore, Se7en Wetlands serves multiple community lifelines including; Safety and Security, Food Water and Shelter, and Energy as emphasized in the Department of Economic Opportunity’s Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Program.
Project 5: $7,000,000.00 for the City of Lakeland’s Fire Station #3 – the funding will be for the relocation of Station #3 to a new location.
Project 6: $4,000,000.00 for the City of Lakeland’s Storm Water Operations Building - Design and construction of entire new facility due to the department's growth - which is currently sharing space with Construction & Maintenance.
Project 7: $8,000,000.00 for the City of Lakeland’s Water Administration Building
Public Comment
To comment on the Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Program projects, please contact the following:
- Richard Baker, Facilities Maintenance Manager | Richard.baker@lakelandgov.net
- Sarah Malone, Environmental Scientist | Sarah.malone@lakelandgov.net (Se7en Wetlands Projects)
- Audrey J. Cain, Emergency Manager, City of Lakeland | Audrey.cain@lakelandgov.net.
Comments from the public must be received no later than noon (12:00m) on Monday, September 14, 2020. All comments will be considered, and proposed changes will be submitted to DEO. Additional information relating to the proposed projects and applications is available for review by request.
Activities that are typically eligible for funding under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, as well as specific additional activities as outlined in the State of Florida CDBG-MIT Action Plan for the program, are eligible projects if no other funding is available to meet the need. Applications are due to the DEO no later than September 14, 2020.
Special Accommodation
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 286.26, Florida Statutes, persons with disabilities needing special accommodation to participate in this proceeding, or those requiring language assistance should contact the City of Lakeland ADA Specialist, Jenny Sykes, no later than 48 hours prior to the proceeding, at 863.834.8444, Email: Jenny.sykes@lakelandgov.net. If hearing impaired, please contact the TDD numbers: Local - 863.834.8333 or 800.955.8771 (TDD-Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) or the Florida Relay Service Number 800.955.8770 (VOICE), for assistance.
Contact
About Lakeland
The City of Lakeland was incorporated in January 1885 and has grown to become one of the largest inland communities in Florida. With a current population of over 100,000, Lakeland continues to grow. It has been designated a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area by the US Census Bureau for over 30 years. With tourist attractions and gulf beaches only an hour away, Lakeland continues to capitalize on its ideal central Florida location along the I-4 corridor. The City owns and operates Lakeland Electric, the third-largest publicly owned utility in Florida and it was one of the first to offer power in the Sunshine State over 110 years ago.
For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please explore LakelandGov.net.
Citizens are also invited to follow the City on social media.