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St. Pete hosting community meeting to discuss solutions to flooding issues in areas like Shore Acres

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Published  February 13, 2024 10:01am EST
St. Petersburg
FOX 13 News

St. Pete community meeting on flooding issues

The City of St. Petersburg is inviting anyone living in high flood risk areas, like Shore Acres, to attend a meeting to discuss solutions for flooding problems in those areas.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - On Tuesday, the city of St. Petersburg will host a community meeting on flooding issues in parts of the city. 

Many residents have continued to see setbacks due to recent storms in the area, and officials will be looking for their feedback as they look for solutions. 

READ: Shore Acres community slammed by more flooding after severe weather in St. Pete

A 'Resilience Community Listening Session' will be held at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital Research and Education Building on Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Residents in the highest flood risk areas in St. Pete will have the opportunity to share feedback and concerns on making their communities more resilient. City staff and representatives from other key agencies at the state and federal levels will also be present.

READ: Shore Acres residents fed up with flooding take matters into their own hands: ‘We need solutions’

Shore Acres residents have already been proactive about trying to find solutions to the constant flooding they've dealt with.  More than 1,200 of the 2,863 homes in Shore Acres were flooded when Hurricane Idalia brushed 100 miles off the Pinellas County coast last August.

Since then, unnamed winter storms and even high tides have caused water to seep into already damaged properties, leaving people frustrated and defeated.

Shore Acres Civic Association President Kevin Batdorf said the ultimate solution to the problem is raising all the homes and then the streets. But right now they need to work on temporary ‘band-aids and stitches,’ which was brought up in a private meeting with Mayor Ken Welch last week. 

READ: 'Shore Acres Strong' logo unites community after Hurricane Idalia, raises money for relief fund

"Right now, we're going to focus on the tidal flooding, which is water that comes into the streets during a normal high tide.  It should never happen," Batdorf said. "The long-term solutions are going to be based on surge flooding, which comes from tropical storms and whatnot. Can't control water coming over the wall unless we build the walls higher."

The Resilience Community Listening Session will be open to the public. Seating will be limited, so attendees are encouraged to pre-register here. 

Upon registration, attendees are also encouraged to provide input in advance to help ensure the Resident Feedback portion of the presentation is informative and comprehensive.