Port Orange council sets 5‑mill maximum as $4.4M state stormwater awards advance planned projects

Port Orange city leaders said the city received $4,400,000 in state appropriations and outlined how that money, combined with other grants and local contributions, will fund several large stormwater projects while the City Council set a maximum property tax rate of 5.0 mills per $1,000 of assessed value.

The appropriation breakdown presented at the council’s meeting said $3,000,000 is earmarked "in support of construction of the Sugar Forest Pepper Hill area stormwater project" and $1,400,000 for a master lift station near Ponce Inlet, according to City Manager Wayne. The city manager told the council that the Sugar Forest project is in design and that "the anticipated construction start would be in the first quarter of 2027." He added Port Orange already has matching funds and other grant efforts under way to extend the work across a multi‑year capital plan.

Why it matters: Port Orange officials said the state appropriations and matching sources reduce how much of the cost falls to local taxpayers, but the scale of recommended stormwater projects means the city will continue pursuing federal and county programs such as CDBG/Transform 386 and Resilient Florida. Council members and residents repeatedly tied the city’s budget…