River Ridge CDD begins planning for storm surge resilience, seeks board and staff liaisons

At the Oct. 22 meeting, PSGRC General Manager Eric Long told the River Ridge Community Development District Board that storm surge has had increasing impacts in recent years and outlined an action plan to build community resilience over the next five to ten years.

Long proposed creating an advisory and review panel and asked the CDD to designate a Board representative and a staff or engineering representative to help coordinate with other agencies as needed. He cited scenarios from a topographic analysis showing a hypothetical 10- to 12-foot storm surge could flood an estimated 45%–55% of the community, stressing that effective mitigation could require a decade of coordinated work and multiple agency partners.

District Counsel Tony Pires noted the Army Corps of Engineers has presented conceptual ideas in nearby Collier County that could inform projects if outside funding becomes available. The Board agreed that Mr. Long and newly appointed Supervisor Keith Merrill will help lead outreach and coordination; Mr. Krebs, the District Engineer, was authorized to assist as necessary.

The Board did not approve any immediate expenditures at the meeting; members instead endorsed staff-level participation and asked for further planning and interagency outreach. Next steps described in the minutes include formation of the advisory panel and identification of intergovernmental partners, with further updates to come.