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Residents press Atlantic Beach to prioritize stormwater and community garden funding
Summary
At the Aug. 29 budget workshop, residents urged the commission to act on stormwater management and urged use of funds for local priorities: one resident asked staff to examine whether the school board stopped paying stormwater fees; the environmental stewardship member requested money for an edible orchard and that tree mitigation funds prioritize trees, not landscaping.
Two members of the public used the budget workshop to press the city for faster action on stormwater and to fund local environmental priorities.
Mitch Reeves commended the city manager’s presentation and urged the commission to review stormwater fee collections and the use of reserve dollars for capital fixes. Reeves said the school board stopped paying the stormwater fee several years ago and asked the city to investigate whether that loss affects revenues and whether the city should pursue recovery or litigation; staff did not provide documentation during the meeting and the assertion remained unresolved. Reeves also asked whether the city should pay off a $1.2 million loan for Selva Preserve now rather than continue $120,000 annual payments through 2033, saying immediate capital fixes could protect homes from flooding.
Sarah Boren, who identified herself as an ESC member, supported raising the stormwater fee to sustain operations and maintenance and asked the commission to fund small ESC priorities. Boren said the ESC proposed roughly $67,000 (later reduced in discussion to about $37,000) and asked the city to fund an edible orchard community‑garden pilot to address a local food‑desert designation. She also urged that tree mitigation funds be used predominantly for new tree plantings (the city manager noted the fund’s rules permit up to 20% for understory/landscaping and 80% for canopy trees).
Both speakers framed their requests as near‑term priorities that would improve resilience and neighborhood quality. Staff and commissioners responded with procedural answers (timing of budget cycles and grant opportunities) and noted the commission must weigh recurring costs against one‑time capital needs.
What’s next: staff will include stormwater funding options and work with ESC and department staff to refine requests for potential appropriation in FY2025; the Sept. 9 hearing will reflect the commission’s direction on enhancements and any fee changes.
