Orange County directs short-term flood fixes for Reams Road, asks staff to study limited development moratorium

Orange County commissioners on Feb. 11 directed staff to move forward with near-term flood-management measures for the Reams Road/Phuket Road corridor and asked for additional study of a limited moratorium on development that would restrict wetland and floodplain impacts.

The Commission heard a detailed work-session briefing from Susan Usack, deputy director of Public Works and county engineer, who summarized historical flooding, ongoing infrastructure projects and several interim strategies staff recommends while longer construction projects proceed. Usack said the county has identified recurring roadway flooding at the Summer Lake Boulevard/Phuket Road/Reams Road intersection and presented both temporary and long-term options.

Why it matters: the corridor carries tens of thousands of daily trips and has closed for multi-day stretches during recent storms, cutting access to work and services and raising public-safety concerns. Commissioners described business closures and household impacts tied to past roadway flooding and pressed for steps that reduce near-term risk while projects are built.

Staff recommendations and timelines

- Short-term operational steps (Strategy 1): Public Works will expand pre-storm inspections and deploy temporary flood-protection devices such as Tiger Dam. Usack said, "Strategy 1 implementation is quick to implement and it's ongoing ahead of major storm events." The county estimated the purchase cost for flood devices at about $200,000; staff said they will also seek grant funding to reduce the county share.

- Interim roadway lift (Strategy 2): Staff evaluated two overlay options. A 10-inch overlay that would fully raise the roadway above the 100-year elevation was estimated at roughly $14 million and considered infeasible because it would be removed during later widening. Instead, Public Works proposes a 3-inch asphalt overlay for key sections to raise the pavement above a 50-year, 72-hour event; staff estimated the cost at about $140,000 and said the overlay could be completed before the next hurricane season.

- Development-design change (Strategy 3): Staff asked the board to direct the county engineer to require more stringent stormwater design for new projects in the Reedy Creek subbasin, including capping discharge to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CF TOD) system at 13 cubic feet per second per square mile (13 CSM) for new development. Usack said larger on-site ponds and altered design frequency would be needed for new projects; the board was told additional construction costs would be site-specific.

Longer-term projects and constraints

Public Works described funded capital projects that address the corridor in the medium term: the Phuket Road widening and associated multiuse trail, estimated construction cost about $28.6 million and fully funded; and a proposed bridge south of Green Bay Boulevard, with a conceptual construction estimate of about $80.2 million. Staff said both projects depend on permitting, design milestones and coordination with utilities. Usack noted the need to restart the Section 404 permit process with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after state delegation changes, and said construction schedules remain contingent on permit approvals.

Board discussion and legal caution on moratoriums

The board debated whether to adopt a temporary development moratorium in the affected area. County attorneys and legal staff warned that a moratorium must be supported by a clear public-purpose nexus and defensible factual basis to withstand likely legal challenge. As one county attorney told the commissioners, "If we don't have the data to back it up, then we won't recommend it." John Weiss, deputy county administrator, summarized staff’s position: "Staff is recommending strategies 1, 2, and 3. Staff is not recommending strategy 4." The staff memo and presentation described two moratorium options: a narrower prohibition on projects that cause wetland or floodplain impacts (option 1), and a broader pause on development (option 2). Staff listed risks including potential Bert J. Harris takings claims and economic impacts to the development community.

Votes and board direction

No ordinance vote took place. After extended discussion, commissioners gave clear direction to implement Strategies 1 through 3 and asked staff to develop additional analysis and draft language for the narrower moratorium option (Strategy 4, option 1) so the board can consider it later. Commissioners expressed differing views: several voiced support for the narrow moratorium as a temporary tool to protect public safety while the drainage manual and road projects proceed; others said they preferred letting strategies 1–3 and code updates proceed because a moratorium could invite lawsuits if not fully justified.

Costs, impacts and next steps

Staff provided the following estimates and constraints cited during the meeting: Tiger Dam procurement ~ $200,000; 3-inch overlay ~ $140,000; full (temporary) 10-inch overlay ~ $14,000,000; Phuket Road construction ~ $28.6 million (fully funded); conceptual bridge cost ~ $80.2 million (funding identified). Staff estimated the corridor carries roughly 30,000 trips per day and said Reams Road was closed for 16 days during Hurricane Ian (September 2022). Public Works said the drainage manual update and related basin studies will be delivered in 2025–2026; the major roadway projects are scheduled for multi-year design and construction with target completions in the late 2020s, contingent on permits.

Ending

Staff will proceed with the interim measures and design-direction items (Strategies 1–3) and return with additional legal analysis, draft ordinance language or a workshop on the limited moratorium option. A specific return date was not scheduled; staff suggested a follow-up work session could be set in coming weeks once modeling and legal review are complete.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: motion to approve the remaining consent items after staff pulled item C14 (25-203) for additional review; motion passed 6–1. - Procurement committee selections (board votes, unanimous): selection of HNTB Corporation as general engineering consultant and AECOM Technical Services Inc. as alternate; selection of COMSIC Employee Assistance Program Inc. for employee assistance program with ranked alternates MCH International LLC and Cigna d/b/a Evernar Care Solutions Inc.

Quotes used in this article are taken verbatim from the Feb. 11, 2025 board transcript and are attributed to speakers identified in the meeting record.