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Consultants present Islamorada stormwater master plan, propose nine projects and ESU rate change
Summary
Consultants for the Village of Islamorada presented a stormwater master plan identifying nine conceptual projects (three prioritized), estimating roughly $4.0 million in probable engineering and construction costs and recommending code updates and ESU rate changes to fund implementation.
Gary Q., a water‑resources engineer from WSP, told the Village Council on July 7 that the Stormwater Management Master Plan identifies nine conceptual projects to improve drainage, water quality and roadway level‑of‑service across village watersheds. "The total cost for all of these projects, if they were to be implemented, is a little less than $4,000,000," Gary said during the presentation.
The plan builds on a 2024 watershed management plan and adds targeted water‑quality measures such as vegetative filter strips and underground cascade separators, and flood‑level improvements aimed at roadways that fail the village level‑of‑service threshold (defined in the study as more than four inches of flooding at the edge of pavement). Consultants said three projects—identified as projects 1, 3 and 5—were unanimous high priorities. WSP gave estimated costs for the priority sites: Project 1 (Royal Palm / Old US‑1): about $175,000; Project 3 (connected exfiltration and cascade separator): about $400,000; Project 5 (Palermo Drive / Venetian Boulevard area): about $600,000.
The consulting team also emphasized tidal and sea‑level‑rise impacts on stormwater performance and recommended policy and code updates to incorporate tidal flooding risk into stormwater design and assessment authority. Erin (consultant) noted the village’s existing stormwater assessment program and design criteria are geared to rainfall‑driven flooding and recommended expanding legal authority and updating technical design manuals to account for tidal flooding.
On funding, consultants reviewed the current Equivalent Stormwater Unit (ESU) rate—about $32 per ESU annually (roughly $2.66 per month)—and presented a conceptual increase to about $6.67 per month per ESU (about $80 per year) as a scenario that could support a phased implementation while remaining comparable to neighboring jurisdictions. Elizabeth (consultant) advised sequencing grant matches and using phased local revenue alongside grant opportunities.
The council did not adopt the plan at the meeting; staff were asked to return with refined costs, phasing options and specific ordinance language (Division 30/stormwater code) for later consideration. The consultants recommended the village coordinate the stormwater projects with a separate roadway vulnerability study before raising road elevations as part of certain solutions.
