PANAMA CITY BEACH — The City Council on Thursday approved two projects to address flooding issues in Gulf Highlands and The Glades after listening to residents complain that it’s time for a little less talk and a lot more action.
Residents of both communities said they were frustrated by the inaction since their homes were severely flooded out in July of 2013. They dished out numerous ideas they thought could alleviate flooding, but in the end, the council went with the two proposals brought before it by staff.
A few residents were unhappy that their sections of the neighborhood would not get immediate relief, but county staff said they are limited in funding and that this is a good first step.
“Anything you all can do for us would be greatly appreciated,” said Joyce Cash, the secretary for Gulf Highlands’ homeowners association.
In 2013, the council approved a survey to examine flood basins in The Glades and Gulf Highlands subdivisions, which includes the area surrounding Seaclusion Drive where many homes flooded during the July 4 storms of that year.
Many homes in the area that flooded were built prior to the adoption of the city’s stormwater ordinance, which requires structures be built at least 1 foot above the road.
The city has been awarded federal “hazard mitigation” grants. One of the city’s stormwater consultants, Preble-Rish, Inc., applied for the funds.
The firm will conduct stormwater engineering services for the “Gulf Highlands Stormwater Improvement Project,” which could be underway by early next year.
“I am actually happy to talk about this because I think it’s good news for us,” said city stormwater engineer Kelly Jenkins
The council approved a $99,700 engineering contract with the firm as well as an agreement between the city and the Florida Division of Emergency Management related to use of $109,256 in grant money for the drainage project.
In August of 2013, CDM Smith was hired to analyze different scenarios to see whether infrastructure improvements could help alleviate some of the flooding for 100-year rainfall events. The report concluded that adding two, 54-inch culverts at Front Beach Road near the Pompano’s Restaurant parcel, and lowering a portion of the existing weir, would provide five inches to six inches of relief to many Gulf Highlands residents during a 100-year storm event.
Councilman John Reichard expressed frustration with the firm, saying it moved slowly in making progress on the project and the city needs to consider that the next time it decides which stormwater engineering firm it hires.
“In the last year and a half, it’s been a year late in getting this to the folks in Gulf Highlands,” Reichard said. “In the last year and a half we’ve just been doing an analysis.”
Jenkins said the project itself entails adding additional pipe under Front Beach Road near Pompano’s Restaurant. The contract the council approved of spending will pay for Phase One of the project, which involves engineering work. The project will take a couple of years and cost a total of $690,000.
The grant requires a 25 percent local match, but Jenkins said hopefully the county can pitch in the 25 percent.
“We’re hoping to get it fully funded,” she said.
Cliff Knauer, the vice president of Preble-Rish, said Wednesday that the drainage project is going to lower the flood elevation about a half a foot for the upstream basin.
“A lot of houses that did get flooded only flooded by a few inches,” he said. “It could be a huge deal. It is going to fix the flooding potential for a large portion of houses (in the subdivision). I’m told about 400 houses flooded (in 2013).”
The council also approved of another agreement with another city stormwater consultant, McNeil Carroll Engineering, Inc., to perform engineering services for wetland delineation for a ditch widening project north of the Glades subdivision.
In August of 2013, CDM Smith was hired to analyze scenarios to see if proposed infrastructure improvements could help alleviate some of the flooding for the 100-year rainfall events.
“The report suggested making a few different improvements that combined would be able to drop flooding levels in the area approximately (a little more than seven inches) where most damage occurred to the residences. One of the recommendations is to widen the channel that the Glades discharges to on the north side of Back Beach Road that then outfalls into West Bay.”
In other action, the council:
- Listened to a preliminary report from City Manager Mario Gisbert about possibilities of building another exit and entrance to Colony Club.
- Approved an ordinance that would require those who want to modify an appeal of a Planning Commission’s land development code decision to file it no later than 10 days from the hearing before the City Council.