Miami-Dade County Commissioners, at their September 1 regular meeting, were expected to establish special taxing districts for lake maintenance in the communities of Lake Patricia and Lake Hilda after Miami Lakes residents living in those communities collected signatures from their neighbors to allow the county to maintain the cleanliness and appearance of their lake.
For many years, the lake maintenance responsibility has been funded and managed by a small group of concerned residents.
Before the special taxing district can be established, the county required residents to complete a three stop process, including collecting at least 50 percent of signatures of fellow neighbors in both communities, the county initiating a comprehensive study of the proposed areas, and a special election for residents living in those communities to determine if they want the special taxing district.
Also at the meeting, county commissioners were expected to give their final vote on two ordinances to create the special taxing districts and a resolution for the fees associated with the lake maintenance.
If the special taxing district is approved, the combined annual costs of the district’s lake maintenance services for the initial maintenance program for Lake Hilda are estimated at $22,7243 ($202.85 per lot) for the first year and $11,634 ($103.88 per lot) for the second year.
For Lake Patricia, the fees are $22,144.57 ($303.35 per lot) for the first year, and $10,423.98 ($142.79 per lot).
The expenses for the lake maintenance program will be continuous and service costs following district implementation are to be appointed to individual properties within the district on a unit basis.
Earlier this year, the Miami Lakes Town Council unanimously approved a resolution in support of the residents’ request for the lake maintenance special taxing district.