Lakeland to hold public meeting for Lake Bonnet drainage basin

LAKELAND, Fla. — The City of Lakeland is taking steps to reduce flooding near Lake Bonnet.

City leaders plan to hold a public information meeting to update residents on their Lake Bonnet Drainage Basin Hazard Mitigation Project on Thursday. They say the project will reduce the risk of future flooding in the May Manor Mobile Home Park and surrounding areas.

For as long as Mark Argenzio has lived in May Manor, he says flooding has always been an issue. Argenzio keeps photos on his phone of flood events dating back to 2015. He says the worst was Hurricane Milton last year, which left him and his late wife with several inches of water inside their home.

“We had to stay here and ride right through it, so it was rough. I mean, it was only about six inches of water in the house, but it was enough, you know?” he said.

The New York native says he knew his home was in a floodplain when he moved to the 55-plus community. It’s just a few feet away from Lake Bonnet’s drainage basin, which he says he’s glad is finally getting some attention.

“It’s been discussed for a long time, and after Irma, they assured us they were going to do something about it,” Argenzio said.

The purpose of the project is to restore the wetlands around the project corridor, remove excess sediments that have accumulated in the lake, and improve the conveyance system in the Lake Bonnet Drainage Basin. The project also aims to enhance the overall well-being of the community and the natural environment of the area.

Spokesperson for the City of Lakeland, Jamin Smith, says the city secured $42.9 million in funds from the Florida Department of Commerce (DOC) to help with improvements.

“So from that, we’re working with an outside organization to figure out the best way to implement that within the community,” Smith said.

If you’d like to attend the mitigation project meeting, it will be held this Thursday, Nov. 13, at The Well from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The meeting will also be streamed live via GoTo Webinar. Residents must register online to attend.