Item 8B - Stormwater ManagementCITY OF ATLANTIC B EACH
AC~NDA l'fEM #8D
MARCH 14 2016
CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM ON STORMW ATER MANAGEMENT
AGENDA ITEM: This is a for mal request for the City Manager and s taff to reeva luate the
C ity storm-water control system and to develop a contingency plan to
preve nt the flood in g of re sidences and business dw1ng peak rainfa ll
events. Additiona ll y, it is requested th e C ity Manager and s taff prepare a
report that details the cost of a storm water system review and potenti a l
upgrades .
SUBMITTED BY: C omm issioner .J ohn M Sti n so n -..)Vv\~
DATE: The 241h ofFebntary 20 16
BACKGROUND: In November 2015, The C ity of Atlantic Beach experienced a peak rainfall
event in which numerous homes were floode d , areas of the Cit y were impassable for a period of
time and c iti zens incurred the expen se and inconveni e nce of damage to C ity parks.
At a recent C ity Commission meeting, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) presented C ity officia ls and s ta ff with a review of the ra infall event of Novemb er 20 15.
111 the NOAA presentation, NOAA officials s ta ted this mos t recent event was not an un common
experience for the City of Atlantic Beach and that the C ity h ad experienced such floodin g
perhaps three times within the last 2 0 years, including the most recent event. Further, it appears
the NOAA offic ials believe that events o f this type could prove more fi·e quent in the future .
If the history is correct and the City of Atlantic Beach can expect mo re event s s uch as th e rainfall
event of the 7°' and gth of November 2015 , there are four obvious responses City officia ls could
choose. T hese responses are:
I ) Acc ept th at rainfa ll events capable of overwh elming storm-water management resow-c es
the City has at its dis posal will continue, and ask the c itizens to endure the
inconvenience, cost and disruption su ch events create.
a . T he presenter believes thi s is a n unacceptable response, to subj ect parents and
children to huddle on second floor leve ls of their homes to avoid the influx of
water, the danger of flood ed e lectdcal c ircuits and the lo ss o f private property.
2) Identify areas of Atlanti c Beach that are s ubj ect to flooding and begi n the process of
purchasing residences and businesses located wjthin these flood zones, th ereby requiring
the remaining residents to bear the burden of s uch expense.
a . The presenter believes thi s is a n unaccepta bl e response tor a Ci ty whose purpose
is to provide acceptable levels of service to citizens, including safety, basic
services, and infhtstructure. lt is probab le ch oosing this response wou ld cause
taxp ayers to endure more expense than if the storm-water syste m was improved.
3) Reevaluate the stmm-water management system where it has proven inadequate. Include
as a part of the E mergency Management plan, contingency r esponses s uch as; pumping
1
AGENDA ITEM# 8B
MARCH 14, 2016
CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM ON STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
storm-water storage systems down prior to anticipated heavy rainfall; installation of
tidewater backflow prevention systems to eliminate the impact of high tides preventing
storm-water systems from evacuating sufficiently during a rainfall event; contingencies
for additional pump capacity during a rainfall event; and coordinating with adjacent
communities maintenance, improvements and requests for assistance from State and
Federal agencies for additional resources.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: The City ofNeptune Beach is cunently working to make
application to the State of Florida for one million, eight hundred thousand dollars
($1,800,000.00) in assistance to improve their storm-water management system. Although the
City of Neptune Beach has experienced flooding problems at different times and of a different
nature than has the City of Atlantic Beach, it is interesting that the City ofNeptune Beach is
focused on some drainage systems shared with the City of Atlantic Beach.
Can the City of Atlantic Beach partner with our neighbors to improve the entire drainage
system? Do Neptune Beach plans take into consideration the needs of Atlantic Beach since
portions of the drainage system are shared? Should Atlantic Beach reconsider the 50% pervious I
impervious restriction recently relaxed?
CONCLUSION: The City's storm-water management should be prevalent on the minds of
every resident. Florida historically experiences rainfall in amounts not seen in much of the
United States. And the proximity and frequency of tropical storms further increases demands on
the ability to protect residents. This recent event highlights the inadequacies of the storm-water
management system and the cunent emergency response plan in use by the City. A review of the
affected areas and systems is required promptly.
BUDGET: Time, focus and expense of City staff to consult those familiar with such systems
and to describe the cunent storm-water system, evaluate data and make recommendations based
on feedback received from those consulted.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that City staff prepare a presentation for the City
Commission detailing affected areas of the City and the obstacles to improvements to stmm-
water systems in these affected areas. City staff should also begin meetings and consultations
with anyone familiar with sto1m-water system construction, improvement and contingency
efforts. Results of these meetings including recommendations, justification and expense should
be presented to the City Commission as soon as practical.
2