Phillippi Creek Dredging News

In the aftermath of the 2024 storm season, Sarasota County Commissioners have voted to have $45 million dollars allocated to Phillippi Creek dredging.

As many residents already know, the main channel and oxbow canals have become heavily silted in over the past few years. These areas both provide crucial storm water runoff for all of South Gate and surrounding areas and their maintenance MUST be a priority to prevent the devastating flooding we all witnessed during last year’s hurricane season.

For the first time funding is available for dredging and if we do not take action our community will be overlooked. South Gate residents must show our numbers and speak up to make sure our interests are prioritized.

Right now, County Commissioners are deciding the future of Phillippi Creek—and under current policy, homeowners are expected to pay for dredging.

That’s wrong. Phillippi is the largest stormwater system in Sarasota County, and it silted up under the County’s management. This isn’t about boating—it’s about flood protection.

How You Can Help

  • The SGCA Civic Affairs sub-committee has been formed to help in the efforts to have the creek dredged. If you are interested in helping out please fill the form out here: Join the Creek Sub-Committee

  • Contact ALL County Commissioners before May 21st meeting.

    1. Easy Option: If you are short on time, you can use a pre-written letter that will be directly emailed to the commissioners (your email will be sent a copy of the letter and email): https://southgatefl.com/creek

    2. You may also send your own letter to: commissioners@scgov.net

    3. Or you can send individual letters to each commissioner (remember, it is very important to contact all of them) jneunder@scgov.net, tmast@scgov.net, rcutsinger@scgov.net, tknight@scgov.net, mhsmith@scgov.net

    4. Make sure to mention:

      • Your name, address, and telephone number.

      • That the sediment in Phillippi Creek is the county’s responsibility, not the homeowners. Stormwater must be tasked with longterm maintenance of the creek without any new taxes. Stormwater needs to be moved from Public Works.

  • At this meeting, they’ll discuss the level of service and Stormwater policy surrounding Phillippi Creek. This is a CRUCIAL opportunity to shape long-term creek maintenance.

    • What to Say: Sediment in Phillippi Creek is the County’s responsibility, not the homeowners’. Stormwater must be officially tasked with ongoing maintenance of Phillippi Creek and its oxbow canals. The County must figure out how to fund proper maintenance without raising taxes or adding new fees until all other options are explored. We need a long-term, bank-to-bank maintenance plan—not just temporary, high-spot fixes and navigable channel. Stormwater operations should be moved out of Public Works and placed in a separate division or under a different department to ensure transparency, accountability, and proper oversight.

    • Tips: Keep comments to a minute or less. If someone else has already belabored a point just say you agree and move on.

  • This is the first time in our community’s history that there are funds available for dredging, and we must take action to ensure that South Gate will be included in the plan. 

    If we don’t speak up now, South Gate WILL be left behind. 

Latest News

Project Updates

To better cover all aspects of the creek dredging operation, overall status, and overlapping projects we have organized up the work into four sections: Emergency Silt Removal, WCIND’s US-41 Dredge, US-41 to Beneva Dredge, and the Dam Removal Project.

Project 1:  Emergency Silt Removal

Scope: The county will preform emergency maintenance on various “hot spots” on the creek before storm season begins. This project has been actively pursued by the SGCA Creek Committee and has gained support from all commissioners.

  • Project Status: Waiting on a list of hot spot locations to be identified by the county. A permit has been submitted to Army Corps of Engineers.

  • Planning and Scope: Unknown

  • Begin Date: Unknown

Project 2:  US-41 Bridge Project (WCIND)

WCIND is managing this project and only decided to dredge from the mouth of the creek. Dredging will stop at the US-41 bridge. The agency, in charge of maintaining inland waterways, stated publicly that there was no public interest that would warrant dredging past the Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar. We disagree with this assessment and will be pushing for more information on how this determination was made.

  • Project Status: Active

  • Planning and Scope: 90% Complete. Waiting on Army Corps of Engineers permits.

  • Begin Date: On or around June 1, 2025

Project 3: US-41 to Beneva & South Gate Canals

The county commissioners asked county staff to coordinate with WCIND in order to extend the US-41 dredging project north to Beneva. WCIND has surveyed the area and is using “cross sections” from 1992 in order to investigate the actual cost and scope of the project.

If this survey is completed and funding is secured before the end of the US-41 project, the county will work with WCIND to continue their project. Otherwise, the county will have to start over with their own contractors.

Permits in areas with no historic dredging may slow the process.

There is no secured funding for this project. The county hopes to use Resilient SRQ funding in order to pay for completion, however this funding remains uncertain. If there is no funding county staff is suggesting creating an additional taxing district to pay for the project.

  • Project Status: Not planned or started

  • Last update: Area surveyed (bathymetric data) by WCIND. The three oxbows in our community have not been surveyed, but WCIND has confirmed the County has asked for those to be included in plans.

Project 4: Phillippi Creek Dam Removal

Sarasota County Commissioners voted on a proposal for the removal of the Phillippi Creek dam, a long-awaited project that directly impacts flood risks in South Gate. The community has long advocated for a full removal of the remnant structure that has caused issues in the creak for over 60 years.

Timeline:

  • 2017 – Sarasota County (County), with cooperative funding from Southwest Florida Water Management District began to investigate the feasibility of removing the barrier structure.

  • January 2019 – The Phillippi Creek Barrier Removal Feasibility Study is released citing significant benefits in flood mitigation as well as water quality

  • April 2025 – The Sarasota County Commissioners approved a plan to begin the project.

    • This will require updating pricing and finalizing engineering

    • Any funds remaining will go to “construction” (demolition)

    • Watch the video from this meeting (25 minutes) of the approval and further explanation of the process

Our Community Stands for Full Removal of the dam

Why join?

South Gate is a community of 2000+ homes with borders of Beneva Road and Tamaimi Trail (East and West), and Hyde Park and Bee Ridge (North and South).

The South Gate Community Association (SGCA) was founded and incorporated as a not-for-profit voluntary association in 1956. Community assets include a beautiful property on the circle at Tuttle Avenue and Siesta Drive.  The five acre property is on the shore of Phillippi Creek and includes a historic Victor Lundy Community Center and swimming pool.  The Community Center uses include: South Gate Community Sponsored Events and a public rental venue for: Weddings and Receptions, Anniversary Parties, Celebrations, Meetings and Worship Services.  The pool is open during Spring through Fall and available to South Gate Community Association members at a nominal seasonal fee.

All monies raised by the South Gate Community Association go back into the community "to beautify said South Gate, and for the purpose of promoting social and recreational gatherings for its members, their families and friends, and toward the end of cementing a good fellowship and a social cooperative spirit in this community."

The above quote from our 1956 community charter drives our mission at the South Gate Community Association and the allocation of funds raised.  The funds raised through the voluntary memberships, pool memberships and event rentals go to maintain the assets (building, property and pool) maintaining community value (deed restriction enforcement and community beautification) and social activities.