Title:
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Adopt an Ordinance to create the West Crystal Lake Management Municipal Services Benefit Unit [MSBU]; and adopt the initial variable rate assessment roll required for funding the requested public services and approve Interlocal Agreement with the City of Lake Mary. District4 - Lockhart (Tameka Morton, MSBU Program Manager)
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Division:
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Administrative Services - MSBU
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Authorized By:
Lorie Bailey Brown, CFO/Administrative Services Director
Contact/Phone Number:
Tameka Morton/ 407-665-7179
Background:
West Crystal Lake is a 130-acre lake located within Lake Monroe Watershed in the NW quadrant of Seminole County in Commission District 4 and is abutted by properties in the City of Lake Mary taxing district. Despite being located within the City of Lake Mary, West Crystal Lake is hydraulically connected to the County’s broader lake system and proper maintenance of West Crystal Lake benefits the entire system. The residents surrounding West Crystal Lake and the City of Lake Mary have requested ongoing lake management services, also referred to as Phase II services, to address natural lake deterioration and support restoration of water quality and ecological health.
The City of Lake Mary and County staff have been working on an interlocal agreement for the County to provide lake management services to West Crystal Lake since early 2024. The interlocal agreement, included in this agenda item, is the result of these efforts and contains specific authorization for two City owned properties to be included in the assessment calculations for the West Crystal Lake Municipal Services Benefit Unit (MSBU). In November 2024, waterfront community representatives submitted an application requesting establishment of a municipal services benefit unit to fund these services. The County’s evaluation confirmed the need for essential lake management services. The MSBU petition process yielded 71.4 percent support for creation of the MSBU district.
The proposed governing ordinance establishes the West Crystal Lake Management MSBU, encompassing 51 assessable properties. The two properties owned by the City of Lake Mary will be charged through the interlocal agreement at the same rate as the assessable properties. Thus, the total cost of the lake management services will be distributed over a total of 51 properties. Costs will be equitably allocated and funded through non-ad valorem assessments via the annual tax bill for the residential properties and annual invoicing for the city-owned properties. Phase II services are scheduled to begin upon adoption of the proposed MSBU ordinance. The estimated annual cost is $32,000, which includes contracted services, administrative costs, and contingency. Assessments will be levied in tax year 2026, with a maximum allowable annual increase as defined in the ordinance. Future year Phase II assessments will be determined annually and subject to Board approval.
Requested Action:
Staff requests the Board adopt an Ordinance to create the West Crystal Lake Management MSBU and adopt the initial variable rate Assessment Roll for Phase II services; and approve the Interlocal Agreement with the City of Lake Mary.