Titusville declares local emergency after 15-inch storm; council orders top-priority review of stormwater and wetlands policies

Mayor Connors opened the Oct. 28 City Council meeting by describing the flash rainfall that began Oct. 26 and declaring a local state of emergency for Titusville on Oct. 27 to enable faster response and access to resources.

The city manager told the council that roughly 15 inches of rain fell in a six-hour period — an event the National Weather Service characterized as a 1-in-500-year storm — and that the city’s operations had been heavily taxed but functioning. Staff reported water intrusion at City Hall, the City Hall Annex, the Harry T. Moore Center and the fire department headquarters. Of the city’s 104 lift stations, 53 triggered high-level alarms and 24 remained on alarm during the briefing; the South Street lift station experienced a 12,000-gallon raw wastewater overflow and the master pump station reported a 60,000-gallon raw wastewater overflow. City…