Posted on November 7, 2025
SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Some homeowners are still recovering following devastating flooding in 2024 that left their homes feet underwater. Many of those impacted lived along Sarasota County’s Phillippi Creek.
A project to dredge the creek is slated to get underway early next year. The plan calls for a dredge that is 50 feet wide and 4 feet deep.
During a county commission meeting Wednesday, homeowners raised concerns surrounding the existing 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.
Mackenzie saw the creek rise and damage his home and property last year. He blames a lack of county maintenance in the creek over the last two decades.
“We want to make sure it is done right and we don’t want to cut 50 feet through it and then a month or two, it just fills right back in with sand. We want to make sure we are measuring twice, cutting once. We want to make sure we are removing as much sediment as possible for stormwater conveyance for the future. We live in Florida, we are going to be having these rainstorms and hurricanes, so we just wanna be prepared for that,” said Commissioner Joe Neunder.
It’s unclear how long it will take for staff to come back to the board with a potential price tag and how that might impact the timeline of the project, which is slated to begin early next year.
