Melbourne Beach hears $323K plan to upsize Basin 10 storm sewer after intense downpour

An engineer from Haley Ward told the Melbourne Beach commission at a workshop that a short, intense rainfall on June 3 produced about 3.3 inches of rain in roughly an hour—an event the engineer said corresponded to roughly a 10‑year, 1‑hour storm—and that rapid ponding exposed a conveyance bottleneck in Basin 10.

"It clocked in at about three and a half, 3.3, in in about an hour that morning," said David Bagot of Haley Ward, who recommended upsizing the main storm sewer along Cherry Drive between Rosewood and Oak Street to increase outflow from the basin. Bagot said the prioritized improvement would bring the trunk roughly to a 42‑inch equivalent and that the work, modeled before construction, would likely produce the largest reduction in peak ponding at low points near Cedar and Cherry.

The recommendation is the central technical takeaway of a Haley Ward proposal that includes updated modeling, design, bid support and an initial construction estimate. Bagot presented preliminary figures: about $49,760 for the engineering/design and bid support tasks the town would need to advance the project, and a construction estimate "north of $300,000"—he identified the estimate specifically as approximately $323,000 in his budget discussion. He also said a limited TV (video) inspection of downstream pipe reaches could be done for roughly $3,000 and is optional but useful to confirm downstream integrity.

Town Manager A. Marie Smith, who introduced the presentation, told the workshop the town has not budgeted the design funds and that any immediate use of reserves would require a public vote at a regular commission meeting (workshop sessions cannot appropriate funds). "They are supposed to put in their proposed order to the judge on Friday the 12th, but the judge can take as long as he wishes to respond," Smith said in a separate earlier item when clarifying a court filing timeline raised by a resident; she later said she is exploring grant and financing options and will present options at the next regular meeting.

Residents packed the workshop and described repeated, sometimes frightening flooding in Basin 10. "It's absolutely terrifying," said resident Eric Sander, describing water over sidewalks and near doorways and urging the town to move quickly. Other residents recounted property damage and close calls with vehicles and said they have seen the problem grow over roughly the past decade.

Bagot described technical details the town would need to address in design: replacing seven existing curb inlets with ditch‑bottom inlets to reduce throat clogging, confirming the baffle box tie‑in (he said existing county drawings show the structure is likely large enough to accept a larger pipe), and updating the stormwater model to reflect the proposed upsized conduit so the commission can see projected reductions in peak stages before committing to construction. He cautioned that upsizing farther west of Oak Street or all the way to the river would be more invasive and could require additional rights‑of‑way or property impacts.

Commissioners and staff discussed timing and financing. Smith said the town has issued an RFP for grant writing help and is exploring a mix of grants and financing; she told the workshop the commission could vote at a future regular meeting to use reserves for design if it chooses, and that larger capital financing (for example a bond) would likely require voter approval.

Several residents urged the commission to begin at least the modeling and design work now to shorten the timeline between engineering and potential construction. Bagot said his firm can split the scope so the town could advance modeling and design tasks first if the commission authorizes partial funding.

The workshop closed with a procedural motion to adjourn; no construction contract award or final funding decision was made at the session. The commission will consider funding options, grant‑seeking results and whether to place any financing measure on a future ballot at upcoming public meetings.