Flood-plagued Edgewater begins moratorium on new development
By Joe Byrnes
January 7, 2025 at 1:49 PM EST
The Edgewater City Council voted Monday night to pause new development changes citywide in response to flooding that residents say is tied to runoff from new construction.
The one-year moratorium exempts two commercial corridors -- along Park Avenue and U.S. 1 -- and 11,400 residential units already in the development pipeline.
Edgewater, meanwhile, plans to aggressively tackle stormwater issues. It has hired the engineering consulting firm Jones Edmunds & Associates for $1.2 million to develop a stormwater master plan.
Officials hope to have that plan in hand by the fall.
That process began some time after Hurricane Ian caused flooding in the fall of 2022. Two years later, Edgewater officials say Hurricane Milton flooded 200 homes.
Residents of the flood-plagued Florida Shores community demanded the moratorium. Homeowners in that large, decades-old subdivision say new development, where the land is being built up, is sending stormwater their way.
"Please, people are losing their homes, flooding three, four times. My home’s at risk. Everybody's home's at risk that actually lives here," said Edgewater resident Robin Regacho, one of many who spoke to council.
Several residents wore black shirts bearing the words “Make Edgewater dry again” in white letters.
Volusia County Chairman Jeff Brower has called a county moratorium, as well. He told the council everyone is watching them.
"We cannot look the suffering citizens of Volusia County, of Edgewater, Florida, in the eye that have lost their homes multiple times and say it's going to hurt business if we do this moratorium," he said. "It's immoral."
Business leaders spoke against the moratorium -- citing fiscal impacts, the potential for higher fees, economic development concerns and Edgewater's current lack of a city manager or city engineer.
Several representatives of Habitat for Humanity urged the council to carve out an exception for affordable housing.
Councilwoman Charlotte Gillis, like the majority of the council, said the city needs to "pump the brakes" on new development while it addresses flooding.
"I've had other people make comments that I'm letting, you know, small amounts of citizens who are very angry at meetings run me or my vote," she said."They do not see the massive amount of people who come to me on a daily basis, the people that come to me crying in the grocery store about their flooding, and that can we please do something."
The moratorium passed 3-1 with Councilwoman Debbie Dolbow voting against it.
The council also approved a moratorium on building permits that cover more of the ground, increasing the impermeable surface area, in the Florida Shores drainage basin.
The one-year moratorium exempts two commercial corridors -- along Park Avenue and U.S. 1 -- and 11,400 residential units already in the development pipeline.
Edgewater, meanwhile, plans to aggressively tackle stormwater issues. It has hired the engineering consulting firm Jones Edmunds & Associates for $1.2 million to develop a stormwater master plan.
Officials hope to have that plan in hand by the fall.
That process began some time after Hurricane Ian caused flooding in the fall of 2022. Two years later, Edgewater officials say Hurricane Milton flooded 200 homes.
Residents of the flood-plagued Florida Shores community demanded the moratorium. Homeowners in that large, decades-old subdivision say new development, where the land is being built up, is sending stormwater their way.
"Please, people are losing their homes, flooding three, four times. My home’s at risk. Everybody's home's at risk that actually lives here," said Edgewater resident Robin Regacho, one of many who spoke to council.
Several residents wore black shirts bearing the words “Make Edgewater dry again” in white letters.
Volusia County Chairman Jeff Brower has called a county moratorium, as well. He told the council everyone is watching them.
"We cannot look the suffering citizens of Volusia County, of Edgewater, Florida, in the eye that have lost their homes multiple times and say it's going to hurt business if we do this moratorium," he said. "It's immoral."
Business leaders spoke against the moratorium -- citing fiscal impacts, the potential for higher fees, economic development concerns and Edgewater's current lack of a city manager or city engineer.
Several representatives of Habitat for Humanity urged the council to carve out an exception for affordable housing.
Councilwoman Charlotte Gillis, like the majority of the council, said the city needs to "pump the brakes" on new development while it addresses flooding.
"I've had other people make comments that I'm letting, you know, small amounts of citizens who are very angry at meetings run me or my vote," she said."They do not see the massive amount of people who come to me on a daily basis, the people that come to me crying in the grocery store about their flooding, and that can we please do something."
The moratorium passed 3-1 with Councilwoman Debbie Dolbow voting against it.
The council also approved a moratorium on building permits that cover more of the ground, increasing the impermeable surface area, in the Florida Shores drainage basin.