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Results of Brittle Road Within Lizzie Hart Sink Watershed Stormwater Improvement Feasibility Study and Department of Public Works Recommendation to Forego Pursing Alternatives
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BRIEF OVERVIEW
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFMD) and Hernando County cooperatively developed the Brittle Road Lizzie Hart Sink Stormwater Improvements Feasibility Study to include a resource evaluation of the Lizzie Hart Sink watershed, a level-of-service analysis (LOS), and identification and ranking of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to mitigate flooding and water quality impacts near Brittle Road within the Lizzie Hart Sink watershed. The Study was initiated October 12, 2023, by Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. and concluded July 16, 2025.
The Study provided flood protection benefits data and details, including water quality, project costs, property rights/acquisition needs, and permitting/mitigation requirements for proposed alternative Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) to help determine whether the County would move forward with design and construction of any or all of the alternatives.
The Study focused on the three following alternative CIPs:
PROJECT 1:
Includes a new inlet and culvert crossing under Brittle Road located approximately 300 feet north of Raintree Drive with a v-notch weir and a 12-inch diameter storm pipe discharging to the east.
• Project Cost Estimate: $79,134
• Benefit Cost Analysis: 0.21
PROJECT 2:
Includes a new inlet and culvert crossing under Brittle Road located approximately 450 feet south of Raintree Drive with a v-notch weir and a 12-inch diameter storm pipe with an in-line check valve installed north to Raintree, then east to a manhole located approximately 450 feet east of Brittle Road.
• Project Cost Estimate: $748,146
• Benefit Cost Analysis: 0.05
PROJECT 3:
Involves connecting the existing wet ponds located on the south side of Trail 28 with a 200-foot long, 4’ x 6’ box culvert; pipe crossing under Trail 28 just north of 17240 Brittle Road and an additional control structure within the pond located at 19008 Raintree Drive, discharging to the north.
• Project Cost Estimate: $427,923
• Benefit Cost Analysis: 0.28
The alternative CIPs were scored according to the ratio of the anticipated benefits of each CIP as compared to the costs associated with pursuing each of the alternatives. The Study showed that Option 3 had the highest benefit-cost ratio at 0.28. The conclusion of the Department of Public Works is that none of the alternatives are feasible and thus would not be pursued.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVES
Strategic Theme: D - Quality of Life
Goal D.1 Well-maintained existing community assets
FINANCIAL IMPACT
N/A
LEGAL NOTE
The Board has authority to act on this matter pursuant to Chapter 125, Florida Statutes.
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board approve the Department’s plan to forgo pursuing any of the alternatives associated with the Brittle Road Lizzie Hart Sink Stormwater Improvement Feasibility Study.