Facts vs. Fiction

FICTION: The City is raiding other stormwater project accounts to pay for the SoHo Project.

FACT: The City is redirecting funds from 12 stormwater accounts. These accounts include money saved from projects completed under budget, projects canceled due to a lack of easements, and projects no longer necessary because they were addressed through other engineering solutions.

ALSO:

• The City has already completed 43 stormwater projects across the City.
• 6 projects currently under construction
• 4 projects in design phase
• 7 future projects in the planning phase
• The City is conducting a watershed master plan to identify future needs.
• The City has also received $70M in grants to date, with more expected in the future.

The South Howard project will not prevent the City from continuing to invest in needed stormwater improvements.

FICTION: The City’s plan uses 100% of the stormwater assessment for a minimum of 5 years.

FACT: The City is increasing the amount of assessment dollars from $8.4 million to a total of $33.7 million. That accounts for 28% of the Improvement Assessment dollars over the next 20 years leaving $85 million for additional projects, or about 72% of the fund.

Additional grants or other funds that may be awarded during construction would also reduce the amount of assessment dollars needed for the South Howard project. 

Critically, the South Howard project was among the original regional priorities identified when the improvement assessment was created in 2016.   

FICTION: The City should go back to the drawing board and find a cost-effective alternative.

FACT: This is the most cost-effective alternative. City and project engineers studied and thoroughly investigated 18 other alternatives, which are publicly available on the website at shstormwater.com Notably, the current plan provides the best balance of effectiveness, feasibility, cost, and community impact.

Fiction: Other engineers say there are better ways to address the flooding.

Fact: No engineer has proposed another viable alternative to this project, or at least any option that would not be far more expensive or more disruptive. 

FICTION: Palma Ceia Pines is not included in the project and receives no benefit.

FACT: The project extends directly into Palma Ceia Pines by connecting to the AMI Pond near the HCA Hospital. The design removes 95% of the flooding from Parkland Estates and Palma Ceia Pines and eliminates structural flooding under the strong summer storm scenario.

Under a Milton-like storm, modeling shows a 70% reduction in structural flooding, which protects more than 220 homes and businesses.

FICTION: The project only helps 220 homes.

FACT: The benefits of this project extend far beyond a specific number of properties. Flooding regularly disrupts roads and limits access to homes, businesses, HCA Hospital, medical offices, and other essential services, affecting hundreds, and potentially thousands, of residents, patients, employees, customers, and emergency vehicles.

Under a Milton-like storm, modeling shows the project could reduce structural flooding by 70%, protecting more than 220 homes and businesses, including HCA Hospital, an apartment building, and a multi-physician medical office building. During Hurricane Milton alone, more than 325 homes and businesses flooded, demonstrating the significant impact severe flooding can have throughout the area.

FICTION: Computer models can’t measure the real benefits because the underlying system is broken

FACT: The neighborhoods are shaped like giant bowls and contain inadequate drainage. 

The flood models assume the pipes are clear, meaning perfect maintenance. Real-world data and photos back up these models. They show significant flooding will occur under a strong summer storm with or without maintenance.

Maintenance is important, but maintenance alone cannot solve the underlying capacity and drainage problems in these neighborhoods. If it could, the project wouldn’t be needed.

The South Howard Flood Relief Project is one piece of a much larger citywide stormwater program. Funding South Howard does not mean the City is abandoning other neighborhoods or stormwater projects. The City will continue designing, building, and funding projects throughout the City while using the stormwater assessment fee for its intended purpose: addressing flooding and improving the City’s drainage system.