- April 24, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
LAKEWOOD RANCH — Residents in Lakewood Ranch Community Development Districts 1, 2, 4 and 5 will see slight increases in assessments in fiscal year 2013, despite core budget reductions in three of four districts.
Lakewood Ranch’s irrigation water provider, Braden River Utilities, is raising its rates by 50% to improve infrastructure and pay for other necessary projects. The change resulted in a cost increase between $86,000 and $100,000 annually, per district.
District 1’s operating budget, set at $1,685,350, represents a 4.7% increase over fiscal year 2012 and an average per household increase of $61 annually, or $1.17 per week. Of that increase, $53 per unit can be attributed directly to the BRU increase, which is about $86,200.
Although the district saw a $21,140 reduction of its core budget, it also saw line-item increases for security patrol, reserve contributions for capital improvements and reserve costs and personnel costs.
District 2’s operating budget, set at $2,400,030, represents a 2.7% increase over fiscal year 2012. Residents can expect to see an average 2.5% increase in assessments, with an average per-unit increase of $31, or 60 cents weekly, Zielinski said.
Although the district’s core budget decreased by $32,050, it saw line-item increases for personnel costs, special projects, road reserves and reserve contributions for capital improvements.
District 4’s operating budget is set at $1,713,640, which indicates a 3.8% increase over fiscal year 2012. Assessments are expected to increase per household by $1.12 per week, or an average of $58 annually. In District 4, the BRU rate increase accounts for $57 of the $58 increase, and the district’s budget would have decreased by $33,160 despite increases in other budget line items, Zielinski said.
In District 5, homeowners will see an 11% budget increase over fiscal year 2012, bringing the 2013 budget to $2,287,360. Homeowners can expect to see an average increase of $285 in annual assessments, or $5.48 weekly. The BRU rate increase alone represents $104 of that increase.
District 5 also continues to face storm drain/inlet repairs — and costs associated with a lawsuit over them — as well as an aging road infrastructure that needs repaving and resurfacing. The district’s budget includes the use of $175,000 in general reserves to mitigate costs.
Budget adoption hearings for the districts have been set for Aug. 23, at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., at the following times: 8 a.m., CDD 4; 8:30 a.m., CDD 1; and 9 a.m., for CDDs 2 and 5.
Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].
In other business:
In CDD 1:
• Operations staff will work with a landscape architect to develop a long-term plan to assist the district with landscape beautification efforts.
• A representative of the Summerfield/Riverwalk Homeowners Association said meetings will now be held monthly, with alternating times of 4 and 7 p.m.
In CDDs 2 & 5:
• CDD 2 and 5 supervisors updated their sidewalk maintenance policy to include a provision the district will notify homeowners of sidewalk repairs occurring at their property and that homeowners are responsible for any damages they cause to the sidewalk.
• CDD 2 supervisors requested operations staff present them a long-range plan for Lake Uihlein bank repairs at next month’s meeting.
In CDD 4:
• Supervisors scheduled a public hearing on a proposal to amend their usage policy for the dog park. Under the new proposal, membership fees of $100 annually for non-residents and $50 for residents, would be pro-rated, each dropping by half as of July 1. Supervisors are slated to vote on the new policy at 8 a.m. July 19.
