As part of their ongoing efforts to address stormwater issues, the town of Indialantic approved the purchase of land from Eastminster Presbyterian Church, to serve as a drainage retention area.
After staff recommended the purchase, it was placed before council during a regular meeting on March 13, and the council agreed to buy the property.
Mayor Dave Berkman said the purchase of the land is part of the town’s overall stormwater improvement project. “The land will serve as a filtration system prior to dumping in the Indian River Lagoon,” Berkman said. “The project has been projected to eliminate 24 percent of nutrients from the stormwater prior to it flowing into the lagoon.”
He said the town anticipates a significant grant for the project based on the nutrient reduction and they are currently evaluating what green scape can be used on the land to help make it more attractive.
Virginia Barker, director of Brevard Natural Resources Management, advised town staff that “the project should significantly reduce discharge volume, total suspended sediments, and phosphorus loading to the lagoon.”
“Stormwater is one of the major pathways for pollution reaching the Indian River Lagoon,” Barker said. “Finding areas to treat stormwater is often challenging. This Indialantic project is an important step towards cleaner water and a healthier lagoon.”
The land, located at the northwest corner of Second Avenue and North Riverside Drive, is officially categorized as Lots 15 and 16, Block 1, Indialantic by the Sea.
The purchase price for the 100-foot-by-115-foot parcel is $215,000.
According to the staff report, the land elevation is conducive for water-quality treatment, the site is approximately 125 feet from the outfall for the B5 Drainage Basin, and there are approximately 11,175 linear feet of storm sewer pipe that feed water past the site.
“Purchasing this property as a means to treat stormwater before it reaches the lagoon shows great lagoon leadership by the town of Indialantic,” said Dr. Leesa Souto, executive director of the Marine Resources Council.
“Thank you to the town council for taking this initiative. It will take many more projects like this one to bring our lagoon back to health.”
