Council prioritizes paving and water projects for next fiscal year; East Palm Drive flagged for study

Council discussed priorities for paving and water/sewer projects for the next fiscal year and asked staff to develop cost estimates for a handful of streets and two water projects.

Council member who prepared the map recommended three paving priorities: a shorter but badly crowned street from Highway 35 to a nearby connector (noted as simpler to repair), Avenue A (Wheeler to Johnson) because of high traffic, and both sides of Pompano Drive/Pelican Cove boulevard. Council also added East Palm Drive and Thirteenth Street to the evaluation list after members described severe surface deterioration.

Public works staff recommended prioritizing water work at Lamont (identified between Greenwood and Deberry) and Myrtle; they said water upgrades are a higher immediate priority than sewer work for those segments. Staff noted some drainage issues on commercial corridors that will require engineering design and possible RFQ for a consultant to assess complex pipe conditions.

Staff said they will prepare cost estimates for East Palm Drive and return with a ranked list for council consideration. The council also discussed enforcement and truck routing where heavy trucks were damaging McCampbell and Guile roads; staff said the county may be responsible for some segments.

Why it matters: The council will use the prioritized list to allocate limited capital and maintenance funds; early selection of shorter, urgent repairs can reduce long‑term costs.

Ending: Public works will return estimates and a ranked project list for council consideration at a future meeting.