Church plans to begin construction to resolve drainage dispute

It’s going to take several more weeks to find resolution to a drainage dispute between Christ Church of Longboat Key and its next-door neighbor.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District has provided Christ Church notice of a Feb. 26 deadline to complete construction on a redesigned pump system for stormwater runoff. However, SFWMD public information officer Susanna Martinez Tarokh said it will take about six weeks for the pump to arrive.

“The pump will not be available for installation prior to the notice deadline,” Tarokh wrote in an email. “Christ Church indicated they will start construction prior to Feb. 26 to prepare the site for the pump system.”

The preparation includes removing trees, curbing and crushed shell from the bioswale adjacent to the property owned by Ross Toussaint, who lives on General Harris Street.