Roff Says 25-Foot Setbacks for Wares Creek are Needed and Not a New Development

Bradenton City Councilman Patrick Roff

BRADENTON – Councilman Patrick Roff might be more familiar with the Wares Creek Dredging Project than anyone involved. Not only does he represent the district in which the largest part of the creek sits, but he lives on it and owns the seawall that protects his family's home. Roff's involvement goes back nearly to the beginning of what's become a two-decade project.

The councilman says that the reduction in scope is not a major issue and acknowledges that the 163-ft. of additional dredging along the river was always a ”wish list“ item, something that was investigated while the project took shape, but says that once it was deemed inessential and thus ineligible for state or federal funding, it became immediately clear that it wouldn't be feasible because of the enormous cost. What Roff doesn't understand is Manatee County's current concerns regarding the 25-foot setbacks of the dredge.

”I don't understand why this issue is being rediscussed,“ Roff told The Bradenton Times in an interview. ”It's been two and a half, three years that this was part of the plan. The corps had made it clear that they weren't gonna touch it with less than that.“

In fact, Roff says that when the USACE originally inspected the seawalls they were so concerned with their instability that they did not want to get within 50 feet of them, and that 25 was a compromise that included the injection of a hold-harmless clause for the USACE.

”You have to understand, we're talking about 1930's era seawalls, said the Councilman. ”Two guys literally poured them by hand with a wheel barrow. They're in 35 to 40 foot sections, not connected, with no reinforcements. We already had one collapse on the bend of Virginia Drive and we saw what happened.“

photo by Craig Jorgensen

Roff explained that even at 25 ft., water will trim off the corner as the basin flushes until eventually there is a 45-degree angle, and that the resulting build up that settles in will only be about 17-18 feet out. He believes that if they go significantly closer, those antiquated seawalls will collapse at some point. In Roff's estimation, the USACE plan set to go forward is not only adequate, but essential.

”It is the single biggest hindrance to the revitalization of that neighborhood,“ argued Roff. ”We're talking about a community in the heart of Bradenton with gorgeous homes that all have sidewalks, mature trees, you can walk to churches, to the schools. But no one wants to move there because of the fear of flooding. It's a place that Realtors steer people away from because of flood potential.“

Roff says that any alternative immediately proves financially infeasible, which leads him to wonder what motive anyone would have for waffling.

”The only thing I can think of is that somebody wants to see this roadblocked,“ said Roff. ”There is no money to do anything else. Who wants to pay for it? Nobody. Do you ask the homeowner to pay for it? Maybe – as someone who owns one I could agree to that, but then you run into who's going to be responsible for the seawalls if you dredge closer without the corps? What if they collapse? Now you've got $150,000 to replace it, and that's more than the property's worth.“

Roff argued that the significant added expense of any other plan isn't going to find financial support and that the issue impacts more than just local residents.

”It’s a blight on downtown at low tide,“ said Roff, ”there's the flooding further up, and it can reach far beyond downtown Bradenton. I mean we had a foot and a half of water in the DeSoto Square Mall at one point because of flooding. How are businesses supposed to succeed in situations like that? This isn't just a neighborhood or even a city issue. The entire county has a vested interest in it.“

Click here to read the email exchange between Manatee County and USACE regarding concerns about the dredge.