Solid Waste assessment notice: What North Port residents need to know

Solid Waste assessment notice: What North Port residents need to know

Published on August 18, 2026

Why did I receive a Solid Waste District assessment notice?

The Solid Waste District assessment funds North Port's residential garbage, recycling, yard-waste and bulk-waste services. It also supports related equipment and facilities. Unlike a property tax, this is a non-ad valorem assessment based on the benefit provided to residential properties-not the property's value.

For a developed residential property, the noticed FY 2026-27 amount is:

• Regular annual assessment: $332.75
• Proposed one-time transfer station assessment: $128.01
• Not-to-exceed total: $460.76

The increase shown in the notice is not proposed as a permanent 38.47% increase in regular collection costs. It consists entirely of a one-time charge to pay for a new Solid Waste Transfer Station in North Port.

This direction was first discussed at a September 2025 City Commission Workshop, where the Commission reached a unanimous decision to proceed with "pay-as-you-go" funding through non-ad valorem assessments. The density-based assessment methodology was chosen at a January 2026 meeting and formally approved at the Solid Waste District meeting in February 2026.

Why did vacant residential parcels receive this notice?

The cost of the new transfer station will be shared among all residential parcels that will benefit from and be able to use the facility, including both currently developed properties and residential parcels that have not yet been developed. The assessment is based on the transfer station's available capacity and the residential properties expected to be served over its useful life. As a result, vacant residential parcels are included because they represent future customers of the Solid Waste District and will benefit from the transfer station's availability when they are developed. Including these properties helps distribute the facility's cost across the full customer base it is designed to serve, rather than placing the entire cost solely on existing residents.

Why aren't properties north of the Myakka River paying for this transfer station?

Properties north of the Myakka River are not included in the assessment for the proposed transfer station because their solid waste collection vehicles are closer to the landfill and will continue transporting waste directly there. As a result, those properties will not receive the same benefit from the proposed transfer station as properties located in the service area south of the river.

The City has identified the future need for a second transfer station in the Wellen Park area to serve properties north of the Myakka River and already owns property for that purpose. When that facility moves forward, the City anticipates using a similar assessment methodology, with the costs shared among the residential parcels north of the Myakka River that will be served by and benefit from that transfer station.

What is the transfer station for?

The proposed transfer station would allow garbage trucks to temporarily unload trash within North Port to be sorted and prepared. Larger transfer vehicles would then carry consolidated loads to the Sarasota County landfill.

Currently, collection trucks must make lengthy trips directly to the landfill in Nokomis. A local transfer station, planned to be built on Silverleaf Road in the eastern portion of North Port, is expected to:

• Reduce travel time to the landfill;
• Reduce fuel consumption;
• Reduce wear and maintenance on collection trucks; and
• Reduce the number of additional trucks and employees needed as North Port grows.

City planning documents estimate approximately $13.05 million in operational savings over the first five years of operation. These savings will not begin until the station opens.

Watch the staff presentation to City Commission from Nov. 23, 2021 for more information.

Why is the City collecting the money at once instead of borrowing it?

In May 2025, voters did not approve a referendum to authorize up to $14 million in Solid Waste District revenue bonds. Those bonds would have spread the project's cost over as many as 30 years, with an estimated impact of about $2 a month per residence.

The City subsequently evaluated other options, including alternative financing and a public-private arrangement. The City Commission selected a pay-as-you-go approach because it avoids interest, financing costs and long-term debt obligations.

The tradeoff is that the City must collect more of the money upfront. Existing assessment revenue and reserves were not sufficient to cover the Solid Waste District's share of the project without placing the fund balance in a negative position.

• Public Notices