Your Question Answered
Q: I live on an LWDD canal, can I purchase additional footage behind my home?
A: LWDD canal rights-of-way are typically not for sale. Minimum right-of-way boundaries must be maintained to provide sufficient access for routine and emergency maintenance of canals and flood control infrastructure.
Chapter 4, Section 4.5, Lake Worth Drainage District Right-of-Way Operating Policies, states LWDD wishes to retain its current ownership, or other right-of-way interest(s), unless releasing this interest(s) would benefit LWDD in terms of liability, ease of maintenance, or other such benefit.
That said, where eligible right-of-way interest(s), either fee simple ownership or easement, has been requested to be purchased by an adjacent property owner and determined by LWDD to exceed LWDD’s minimum requirements for canal maintenance and operations, right-of-way may be purchased only if approved by the LWDD Board of Supervisors. On a case-by-case basis, LWDD Board will consider selling LWDD right-of-way determined to be in excess of LWDD right-of-way requirements for the specific canal.
In summary, LWDD may consider selling additional right-of-way interest, either fee simple ownership or easement, behind a property if it exceeds the LWDD’s minimum requirements for canal maintenance and operations and if the sale would benefit both parties. The decision would be made on a case-by-case basis by the LWDD Board of Supervisors.
