EDGEWATER, Fla. – What was supposed to be a special meeting about the city manager’s future turned into a platform for frustrated residents of the Florida Shores neighborhood, which voiced concerns about flooding after a recent rainstorm.
Edgewater City Hall was filled Monday evening — not just with people interested in the city manager issue, but with homeowners demanding answers after severe flooding over the weekend.
“Every time we get a good amount of rain, I have a lake in my backyard,” a resident said. “I’m not just talking about a small lake; it’s my entire backyard.”
“This is your lived experience here, across this county, and across this state,” said another resident. “When you fill and build in wetlands, it pushes that water into underlying areas.”
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Tracy Hallock and Josh Szymczak, who live on Pine Tree Drive, shared a video of the flooding outside their home during Saturday’s storm.
“It’s just rain,” they said. “It wasn’t a crazy storm or anything, just a couple of hours of rain. Meanwhile, they keep building more construction, and it’s all elevated beyond the road. The water is pouring into our neighborhoods.”
Residents argue that construction is a factor with recent flooding.
During Monday’s meeting, the Edgewater City Council agreed to hold another session on Friday at 6 p.m. to discuss implementing a moratorium on new developments.
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