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Residents press commissioners for faster stormwater fixes as city shapes 2026 legislative priorities
Summary
Residents described repeated home flooding and urged dredging and stormwater projects; commissioners directed staff to prioritize shovel-ready stormwater projects for the 2026 legislative agenda, discuss potential bonds, and coordinate with county Transform 386 funds and state legislators.
Several residents told the Ormond Beach City Commission on Nov. 4 that long-running drainage problems are causing repeated home flooding and urgent hardship, and commissioners responded by asking staff to quickly identify shovel-ready projects for legislative and funding advocacy.
"Our neighborhood is drowning with nowhere for any storm water to drain," resident Irene Tardo said, recounting historic flooding, multiple insurance claims and recent infill that she said worsened drainage in her Cumberland Avenue neighborhood.
City staff described existing efforts: an engineering stormwater master plan commissioned in 2020, ongoing detailed design work for hot-spot areas using Transform 386 county funding, and prioritization of projects that are shovel-ready so they can qualify for legislative or grant funding. "What we're working on is getting to those shovel ready plans," staff said, noting some projects are already 90% designed and that the city has budgeted money for others.
Commissioners and residents debated funding strategies. Several commissioners urged adding the affected neighborhoods to the city's 2026 legislative priorities and exploring options including state grants, county Transform 386 allocations, and a local bond to accelerate work. "If Orange Beach residents feel that something's very important, they'll approve a bond to finance it," Commissioner Riley said, noting the city previously used bonds for major projects.
Speakers also raised operational fixes: requests to prioritize ditch cleaning and dredging, and proposals for a neighborhood-level approach (adopt-a-drain volunteer programs) to supplement city maintenance. Staff said they would return to the commission within days with candidate projects and that some construction and pipe-replacement work is already underway in high-priority areas.
The commission agreed it will press legislative partners for water-quality and stormwater funding but emphasized selecting a limited set of projects with the best chance of getting funded. Several commissioners asked staff to also explore local financing options that could accelerate solutions while state funding is pursued.
