Careful planning, budgeting required for north-end drainage improvements

The Sleepy Lagoon and Buttonwood neighborhoods have long had an issue with drainage. A drainage committee and the town are committed to realizing improvement.

Drainage has been a long-standing issue on the north end of Longboat Key, specifically in the Sleepy Lagoon and Buttonwood neighborhoods.

“When I started the drainage committee, I saw a kayak go down Marbury Lane. Kayaks should not be going down roads,” said June McGroary, former president of the Sleepy Lagoon Homeowners Association and one of the founders of its drainage committee.

To continue to address drainage problems, the town has allocated funds in fiscal year 2024 and the town’s long-range plan.

In the 2024 fiscal year budget, the town of Longboat Key’s Streets Fund will provide most of the money for drainage-related projects. From that fund, there’s $1,035,040 allocated to the Village Stormwater Project, $467,000 to the Norton Street Improvements Design, $1,765,971 to the Stormwater Management/Drainage Improvements and $36,035 to the Storm Drain Improvements.