Golden Beach residents press council for rapid action on Flamingo Ditch drainage; council agrees to pursue grants and mitigation steps

Residents of the Flamingo Ditch and Golden Beach neighborhoods urged Venice City Council on Wednesday to accelerate fixes for chronic stormwater flooding and storm‑surge vulnerabilities, and councilmembers signaled they will pursue mitigation funding and near‑term maintenance steps.

Several residents who experienced repeated flooding after recent storms spoke during public comment and during the CIP workshop, saying they want a clear, public timeline and city action before the next hurricane season. Councilmembers responded by explaining why the Flamingo Ditch project is not in the CIP now and describing next steps to make it eligible for federal mitigation grants.

Why it matters: Flamingo Ditch and similar coastal stormwater challenges can produce repeated property flooding and create significant public concern. Residents asked for a town‑hall meeting and for visible, immediate action while the city advances engineering options and grant applications.

What the council heard and directed

Public testimony: Residents and community groups asked for transparency and faster action. Bayat Layman, speaking with the Flamingo Ditch steering committee, thanked the council for the discussion and urged a town hall. Resident Israel Salinas, 591 Flamingo Drive, requested a public meeting and said the community needs reassurance that emergency measures will be in place for the coming hurricane season. Dr. George Davis, speaking for Venice Thrives, supported the residents’ requests.

Why Flamingo Ditch was not in the CIP: Acting City Engineer John Kramer told council the CIP lists capital projects with a defined scope and budget. Staff did not include Flamingo Ditch in the current CIP because the engineering consultant’s final recommendations and a defined project scope and cost were not available when the CIP was prepared.

Near‑term and grant actions: Kramer and staff said the engineering consultant (Coastal Protection Engineering) is preparing options, including non‑capital maintenance recommendations (such as contractor contracts to keep an outfall open) and possible capital fixes (for example, backflow valves and other structural measures). City staff told council they will: place Flamingo Ditch on the Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) list so the project becomes eligible for federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds; pursue emergency maintenance contracts for the coming hurricane season to keep outfalls open; and work with the consultant to prepare application materials for first‑come, first‑served grant opportunities.

Council comments and consensus: Councilmembers expressed strong support for residents and urged staff to prioritize grant preparation. Councilmember Paul Smith urged staff to treat the matter as urgent and to pursue available grants aggressively; Councilmember Carol Frank encouraged a town hall and urged staff to use every available funding tool. Several members emphasized that any capital project will require permitting and potential legal work (for example, easements and private‑land access), and that staff should ensure the city’s legal exposure is managed as solutions are developed.

Clarifying details from staff

- Staff noted that some near‑term recommendations from the consultant are maintenance‑oriented and not capital projects, and therefore would not be budgeted in the CIP but can be implemented quickly with emergency contracts. - To be eligible for certain federal mitigation funds, a project must be listed on the city’s LMS; engineering staff planned to bring that item forward on the next council agenda. - Stormwater fund capacity was discussed: Senney said staff generally plans roughly $1 million per year for stormwater capital projects and that the fee structure is adjusted based on anticipated projects.

Ending

Councilmembers agreed to prioritize Flamingo Ditch in grant outreach and to ensure emergency maintenance capability is in place before hurricane season. Staff will return with LMS action and with grant‑application steps and cost estimates as the consultant finalizes options.