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Residents demand review after incomplete permits for 20th Street lift station project
Summary
Residents told the Atlantic Beach commission the 20th Street lift‑station project was advanced with incomplete permits — missing electrical, flood‑proofing and fuel‑tank details — and urged an independent review to ensure FEMA grant compliance and neighborhood safety.
Residents pressed Atlantic Beach commissioners on Feb. 9 to halt further work on a 20th Street lift station until the city verifies that permits and site plans comply with FEMA and building requirements.
"They were incorrect. They were incomplete. They lacked information and specification as a permit would require," Ken Simon told the commission, citing missing electrical, flood‑proofing and fuel‑tank details in the permits that were signed off last year. Simon asked the commission to hold responsible parties accountable for an Aug. 25, 2025 approval he said was flawed.
Brenda Simon, who said the project has been stuck for nearly two years, urged a full, independent review. "We have a lot of evidence of things that were not done correctly," she said, adding that perceived relationships between staff and outside consultants made objective review difficult.
Interim City Manager Kevin Hogancamp said staff will examine the project's due diligence and report back. "I'm going to look at it objectively, thoroughly," he said, describing his review as part of steps to determine how the permitting and engineering process went wrong.
Mayor Ford framed the problem as more than a local permitting error because the work is tied to federal flood‑mitigation funding. "This is a FEMA grant for a hardening of a lift station in a flood zone," the mayor said, noting FEMA requirements for site plans and design. He said the city previously used a site plan from a different project that did not match the current site and that earlier staff flagged compliance gaps.
Commissioners and residents pressed for rapid but careful action: residents want the permit refiled correctly, the city to evaluate whether concrete pads or other construction must be corrected, and engineers to reissue a site plan that meets FEMA and building standards before work proceeds.
Next steps the commission discussed included completing an updated site plan, deciding whether to replace the current engineering consultant if it does not respond, and sharing project plans publicly so neighbors can review them. No formal action was taken; commissioners directed staff to investigate and report back.
The discussion tied to other items on the agenda, including related stormwater and infrastructure priorities the commission will review during upcoming budget and planning sessions.
