Posted on December 3, 2025
SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — Sarasota County announced Monday that work to dredge Phillippi Creek will begin this month.
The long-awaited project comes following a devastating hurricane season in 2024. Following Hurricane Debby, some homes along the creek were left feet underwater.
Some of those families are still working to rebuild. They believe a lack of maintenance in the creek worsened the impact of Debby’s record rainfall.
Phase one of the dredging project includes high spots from Tuttle Avenue to Beneva Road. The channel dredged will be about 50 feet wide and four feet deep.
Last month, residents expressed concerns about the plans.
“Fifty feet does not really touch the issue. Down from our house, it is 357 feet wide, and it is full of sand. That would just quickly fill back in. What we are asking for is a maximum allowable width for a dredge,” said Kristy Molyneaux.
“You don’t paint three walls in a room; you paint all four and you complete the project. That is what needs to be done here. Once they start this thing, they should be doing the whole thing and getting it right. They are not using taxpayer money in a wise way there, and we want them to use it to the best of their ability and make this good for everybody, because it isn’t just about us, it is the whole community,” said Ed Mackenzie.
Commissioners heard from concerned citizens during a meeting last month. A motion was passed unanimously to look into the cost and possibility of expanding the width of the dredge from “seawall to seawall” with 15-foot buffers on either side. Those details have yet to come back to the board.
In the meantime, the project will begin as planned. Phase one is slated to take approximately six months to complete.
To learn more about the project, click here.
