Port Richey panel asks City Council to seek Army Corps study after Sunset Boulevard flooding analysis

On Monday, April 14, the City of Port Richey Resiliency and Restoration Committee voted unanimously to recommend that City Council request a study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assess the city’s low-lying areas and the federal channel and to explore options such as levees, pumps, or other structural measures.

Committee members said the recommendation follows a review of updated sea-level data and a focused look at Sunset Boulevard, a repeatedly flooded corridor. The committee discussed elevation baselines, trade-offs between raising roadway grades and stormwater drainage, and short- and long-term options for protecting access and property.

Committee Chairman Tom Rock said the committee wanted to “reset a little bit” with a baseline view of sea-level rise and local elevations before making specific recommendations. Members reviewed updated regional guidance that used Clearwater metrics and noted increases since earlier reports; the committee discussed raising the Sunset Boulevard low point (reported in the meeting as around +2.85 feet NAVD) toward a higher target to reduce routine tidal inundation and improve egress during high tides.

Discussion centered on three categories of response: (1) road- and property-raising to maintain vehicular access, (2) localized hardening such as seawalls and closing or rebuilding private boat ramps that allow seawater onto the roadway, and (3) stormwater and drainage solutions — including lift stations, oversized pipes, and storage basins — to reduce the frequency and depth of ‘‘blue‑sky’’ (tidal) flooding. Committee members warned that raising roads without addressing drainage could trap water and transfer impacts to neighboring properties.

Members also discussed scale and cost. One committee member estimated that an initial engineering study for the most affected corridor could be in the low millions and said raising even a short segment of roadway could reach multiple millions of dollars; another participant cited an example figure discussed in the meeting of roughly $4,000,000 to raise a particular road segment and suggested a comprehensive study could cost in the millions as well. Committee discussion repeatedly returned to trade‑offs: raising an arterial grade can improve egress but can worsen adjacent drainage unless paired with stormwater capacity upgrades.

After the debate, a committee member moved that the committee recommend the Army Corps study; the motion was seconded and carried with all members voting yes. The committee chair directed staff to transmit the committee’s recommendation to City Council as a formal item at the next council meeting.

The committee also discussed related next steps: pursuing a citywide stormwater master plan as a steering committee activity, coordinating with regional agencies (including Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and SWFWMD), and seeking grant funding or partnerships to offset engineering and construction costs. Members noted the committee would continue to examine short‑term measures to reduce nuisance flooding while the city pursues larger, multiagency solutions.

Looking ahead, the committee flagged the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council meeting (noted on the packet) and indicated members attending would share findings with regional planners and seek technical guidance and funding options.

The motion to request the Army Corps study was recorded as approved and will be forwarded to City Council for action.