Cocoa Beach commission reviews stormwater vulnerabilities, approves contracts and a trash-fee increase

The Cocoa Beach City Commission on Oct. 16, 2025, received a city manager report on recent localized flooding and the city’s multi-decade stormwater vulnerability assessment and approved several contracts and a garbage fee adjustment tied to the existing solid-waste contract.

City Manager A.J. Hudson told commissioners the city experienced a heavy rainfall event that produced about "5 and a half inches of rain," high groundwater during a King Tide and localized flooding in neighborhoods including Woodland, Cedar, parts of Ocean Beach Boulevard and around State Road 520. Hudson said the flooding contributed to infiltration into sewer lines and left the treatment plant near capacity, and that the city asked residents to cut back on water use while staff worked to reduce plant volume.

Hudson also briefed commissioners on a citywide stormwater vulnerability assessment being conducted by Geosyntech engineers that he described as state-required; the target completion is June 2026, with an update planned for the commission’s Dec. 4 meeting. "There are no quick fixes to the flooding," Hudson said, adding that proposed solutions include larger pipes, additional outfalls and backflow preventers. He also stressed that the stormwater fund is an enterprise fund paid through the utility bill rather…