Hurricane Ian destroyed more than 6 miles of seawalls in Punta Gorda Isles and nearly a mile in Burnt Store Isles for a total of 40,000 linear feet, city officials said. In addition to funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state of Florida, Punta Gorda will have to pay 5% of the cost. 

According to pricing from marine construction firm Charlotte County Seawalls, the ballpark number for a typical concrete seawall replacement in Punta Gorda is in the high $40,000s to $50,000. 

A typical lot in Punta Gorda Isles is 80 feet wide, and in 2023, residents paid $1,100 for canal maintenance. 

City Council discussed Feb. 21 the extensive damage Hurricane Ian caused to the city’s labyrinth of canals. There were 590 canals in Punta Gorda Isles and Burnt Store Isles that needed repair after the hurricane. 

Canal Maintenance Division is responsible for the maintenance of seawalls and dredging of canals within the Burnt Store Isles and Punta Gorda Isles canal districts. Other duties include depression filling, seawall patching, cap patching, cap replacement, maintenance of navigational aids, inspections and related tasks. 

While the city is repairing seawalls section by section, a plan to convert septic systems to a sewer system is being pushed into the future.  

Mayor Lynne Matthews said the Florida Legislature won’t approve any septic-to-sewer projects this year. She spoke with state Sen. Ben Albritton in Tallahassee and said he seeks an overall plan to provide funding for septi-to-sewer conversions statewide. 

The city originally hoped to begin work in 2028, but Matthews said it will occur later than that. 

Originally, the city thought conversions would cost between $18,000 to $20,000 per property, but the actual cost is about $30,000 per property, Matthews said. 

City Manager Melissa Reichert said the properties subject to an eventual septic-to-sewer conversion are in Charlotte Park. Once initiated, each property would receive an assessment payable over a period of years. 

A number of septic-to-sewer conversions are ongoing in Port Charlotte.