Winter Springs details 14 stormwater projects, seeks master plan and grants ahead of hurricane season

Winter Springs — The City of Winter Springs held a detailed briefing on Aug. 11 on 14 stormwater projects the city and its consultants have advanced since Hurricane Ian and more recently Hurricane Milton, a presentation that included project timelines, grant funding updates and steps toward a citywide stormwater master plan.

The briefing, delivered by David Hamstra, stormwater consultant with Pegasus Engineering, and introduced by Clete Saunier, the city’s director of public works and utilities, covered recently completed work, ongoing construction and state and federal grants the city has pursued to pay for repairs and mitigation. "Our goal obviously is not to start construction in the summer," Hamstra said, describing plans to advertise bids this fall for a major repair and to take advantage of the dry season.

The items discussed matter because Winter Springs continues to recover from repeated hurricane damage and officials say sustained investment will be required to reduce flood risk to neighborhoods, public facilities and utilities.

Hamstra said the city will focus this year on projects tied to Hurricane Ian and follow-up funding from NRCS after Hurricane Milton. A top near-term project is at Tuscula Crossings, where an August 31 structural failure two years ago emptied a retention pond into nearby wetlands and Lake Jessup. Hamstra said the current engineer's estimate for full repairs is "just a tad above $2,000,000." Pegasus has secured required permits from the St. Johns River Water Management District and expects to advertise for construction bids within weeks, with construction slated to begin in October or November and to take about nine months if weather allows.

Other completed or near-complete work Hamstra outlined includes a $750,000 bank stabilization and sheet‑pile wall at Gee Creek and Moss Park, multiple culvert and sediment removals identified after Ian, and localized drainage fixes such as a recent East Tradewinds swale installation. Hamstra said NRCS-funded debris removal tied to Milton is under way and that the city was able to add additional ponds and outfalls to sediment‑removal plans after coming in under budget on an earlier round of work.

Hamstra and Saunier also summarized three Hurricane Ian projects that are approved at the state level and awaiting FEMA execution: acquisition of one home, elevation work on three houses and flood‑proofing work for 12 sanitary sewer lift stations. Hamstra said state approvals are complete and the agreements are "sitting on FEMA's desk," a delay he attributed to federal processing.

The briefing addressed several neighborhood‑level projects: Deer Run Pond (modifying a control structure so the lake can be drawn down without temporary boards or PVC tubes), Bear Creek Estates/Northern Way (severing an older private drainage tie and routing runoff directly to Howell Creek with a new outfall and water‑quality structure), and smaller in‑town replacements such as a corrugated metal pipe behind City Hall that was replaced with a 36‑inch HDPE pipe.

Hamstra and Saunier outlined grant programs the city is watching — Community Development Block Grant‑DR (HUD), Elevate Florida (state mitigation), St. Johns grants and others — and explained that many programs prioritize low‑ and moderate‑income areas or have other eligibility limits. Saunier flagged a new state program, Elevate Florida, that offers one‑on‑one assistance to homeowners for buyouts, elevation or reconstruction.

On the master plan, Saunier said consultant Kimley‑Horn is finalizing identified drainage projects and cost estimates for each watershed, but that the city is waiting for Seminole County’s Howell Creek study to avoid presenting a bifurcated plan. The originally scheduled timeline calls for a draft master plan by Sept. 29, a public workshop Oct. 1, final report and commission adoption on Oct. 13 and a concurrent stormwater rate study presentation by Raftelis with a target of Oct. 27 to finalize rates. Saunier cautioned the schedule may slip depending on when the county study is delivered.

Commissioners pressed staff on sequencing of the master plan and the stormwater rate study. Deputy Mayor Cade Resnick said the commission should hold a separate workshop on the rate study before adopting a plan that will carry cost implications for residents. Saunier and city manager Kevin Sweet said the intent was for commissioners to first review the prioritized project list and costs, then have Raftelis model rate options for a phased approach.

Commissioners and Hamstra also discussed ongoing documentation and inspections for NRCS and FEMA work. Commissioners asked whether the city was conducting before‑and‑after inspections and video documentation for contractors performing debris and sediment removal. Hamstra and staff confirmed NRCS requires photographic and video documentation and said staff will pursue additional field verification where contractors have completed work.

Commissioners highlighted staffing and long‑term funding concerns. Commissioner Victoria Bruce and others said stormwater will require decades of attention and additional city staff and equipment. Saunier acknowledged the need to consider staffing and capital equipment alongside capital projects and funding strategies.

Where it stands now: Pegasus and staff will finalize bid documents for projects under design, NRCS sediment work will begin after a pre‑construction meeting, state‑approved FEMA projects are awaiting FEMA execution, and Kimley‑Horn will present a draft master plan once it can incorporate the county's Howell Creek study. Commissioners asked staff to schedule an additional workshop on the rate study before adoption.

Speakers

- David Hamstra — Stormwater consultant, Pegasus Engineering (presenter) - Clete Saunier — Director, Public Works and Utilities, City of Winter Springs (presenter/introducer) - Kevin McCann — Mayor, City of Winter Springs (presiding) - Cade Resnick — Deputy Mayor, City Commissioner - Victoria Bruce — Commissioner - Sarah Baker — Commissioner - Mark Caruso — Commissioner - Kevin Sweet — City Manager - Kimley‑Horn (consultant referenced)

Authorities referenced

- National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) — federal erosion and sediment funding (referenced by Pegasus) - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) — Hazard Mitigation/mitigation projects (referenced by Pegasus) - St. Johns River Water Management District — permitting authority for wetland/water management issues (referenced by Pegasus)

Actions

- Staff to advertise Tuscula Crossings repairs for construction bids (engineer estimate ~ $2,000,000); target construction to begin in October/November 2025, contingent on weather. - Staff to continue NRCS‑funded debris and sediment removal projects (Milton/Ian funds) and complete required before/after documentation. - Staff directed to pursue a state lease option for Wetland Park design revisions to reduce wetland impacts and secure permits. - Kimley‑Horn to finalize master plan draft when county Howell Creek study is delivered; city staff to host a stormwater workshop and coordinate Raftelis rate study presentations per updated schedule.

Clarifying details

- Tuscula Crossings: current engineer estimate "just a tad above $2,000,000" (Pegasus); emergency temporary fill placed June last year; plan to replace with sheet‑pile wall. - Gee Creek/Moss Park repair: ~$750,000 (NRCS funded) for sheet‑pile wall and armoring. - Hurricane Ian FEMA projects: acquisition of 1 home, elevation of 3 homes (homeowners provided 25% match for some), flood‑proofing of 12 sanitary sewer lift stations; state approvals received, FEMA authorization pending; city match for lift‑station work currently estimated at $1,100,000 (subject to bid results). - City has roughly 73 ponds; long‑term pond sediment maintenance funding remains unresolved.

Community relevance

- Geographies affected: Tuscula Crossings area, Gee Creek/Moss Park, Deer Run Pond, Bear Creek Estates, Howell Creek watershed, Lake Jessup, citywide stormwater system (45‑acre town‑center watershed referenced) - Impact groups: residents living in flood‑prone neighborhoods (roughly "350 homes" flooded during Hurricane Ian was cited during discussion), homeowners adjacent to ponds/creeks, sewer lift‑station service areas - Funding sources discussed: NRCS grants, FEMA HMGP (pending), state Elevate Florida, CDBG‑DR/MIT (HUD), St. Johns River grants, city match funds

Meeting context

- Engagement level: multiple commissioners engaged in detailed Q&A; presentation lasted ~30–45 minutes with extended Q&A and public comment later in the meeting. - Implementation risk: medium — several projects depend on securing and executing federal/state grants and on timing of county watershed study. - History: many projects began after Hurricane Ian and continued through post‑Milton work; Kimley‑Horn has been working on the city's master plan for months and will incorporate county studies where available.

Searchable tags: ["stormwater","flooding","Tuscula Crossings","Gee Creek","NRCS","FEMA","Kimley‑Horn","stormwater master plan","Lake Jessup"]

Provenance

- topicintro: {"block_id":"b-258","local_start":0,"local_end":200,"evidence_excerpt":"Thank you, mayor McCann, city commissioners. I'm Clete Saunier, the director of public works and utilities. And it's my privilege tonight to introduce to you the city stormwater management consultant, David Hamstra with Pegasus Engineering."} - topfinish: {"block_id":"b-1979","local_start":0,"local_end":200,"evidence_excerpt":"I went as quick as I could, so we can ask questions and let you all resume your evening business."}