Rock Pit Lake: A Neighborhood in Crisis
A Lake Filled with Concrete
Chunks of concrete are piling up and headed for eternal submersion into what was once the jewel of a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood: Rock Pit Lake.
Residents Frustrated with Unregulated Filling
Vera Armbrister and her husband have lived in the area for 50 years. She expresses her discontent and confusion regarding the situation: "I really don’t know what’s going on, and we have never seen anything like this… over here, I just cleaned the dust off of it because there’s so much dust coming from this." She’s referring to the dust from the concrete being dumped 400 feet away, which makes its way to her property on dry days and water rising on wet days.
Drainage Issues Uncovered
The landowner, Jordan Zahlene, had applied for permission to fill in Rock Pit Lake, stating that a nearby drain would funnel any water into the lake. However, after the NBC6 Investigators discovered discrepancies in the plans, the city came out and found that it was not draining. The city and county confirmed that an adjacent FPL service center lot was not contributing to the water, as stated in the application. However, they also found that a 16-acre area along Northwest 16th Street was draining into the lake.
County Demands Modifications
The county is now demanding that the landowner pay over $10,000 to modify the plans to include that water. Jordan Zahlene stated that they "want to do what’s right for the environment and the neighborhood." His engineer has concluded that the additional water would not cause flooding during major storms, but the county wants more information before approving the modifications.
Filling of Rock Pit Lake Continues
It could take 100,000 dump truck loads, clean concrete, fill, and construction debris to fill the 28-acre lake, which is in some spots 60 feet deep. Meanwhile, the drain on the street remains blocked from draining.
A Neighborhood in Crisis
Vera Armbrister described the situation: "Anybody that’s going around the corner, it’s so much water that it’s a mess."
Conclusion
The filling of Rock Pit Lake is causing significant disruption to the surrounding neighborhood, with dust and water filling the streets. The lack of proper drainage is causing frustration and concern among residents. It is crucial that the landowner and local authorities work together to find a solution to this issue to alleviate the suffering of the community.
FAQs
Q: What is happening to Rock Pit Lake?
A: Rock Pit Lake is being filled with concrete, fill, and construction debris.
Q: Why is this causing a problem?
A: The filling is causing dust and water problems, leading to flooding and mess in the surrounding neighborhood.
Q: Who is responsible for the filling?
A: The landowner, Jordan Zahlene, is filling the lake.
Q: What does the county want from the landowner?
A: The county is demanding that the landowner pay over $10,000 to modify the plans to include the water from the 16-acre area along Northwest 16th Street.
