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Sarasota County residents ask County Commissioners for answers, solutions following Tropical Storm Debby

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Published  August 27, 2024 5:04pm EDT
Sarasota
FOX 13 News

County leaders questioned over flooding issues

Kimberly Kuizon reports

SARASOTA, Fla. - Some Sarasota County residents spoke their concerns to County Commissioners on Tuesday morning. 

"Our roads were flooded. I was stuck for four days unless you had a large truck," said Lynn Inganamort. 

Inganamort lives in the Artistry development. 

While water trapped her inside her home, it didn’t seep inside unlike the Laurel Meadows neighborhood next door. 

"We feel for them we are trying to help them lost 84 of 85 homes they are lower in elevation. They were covered in water," she said. 

Inganamort addressed commissioners during their first meeting since tropical storm Debby brought more than 17-inches of rain to the rea. 

"I’m pro development, but before you do anything further out east, we have the one Cow Pen drainage ditch that is taking everything down, supposedly, but it can’t possibly be enough that those acres and acres of land were collecting. Please consider a pause until you have the solutions and you can prove to a wider area, not just that community, that’ll we will all be safe," she asked the commissioners. 

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She wasn’t alone. 

"The more the community is paved, the more the development takes over what is the natural ability to absorb water and run off the more flooding we will all see," said Tom Matrullo. 

Later in the day, commissioners addressed the need to look into and update storm water standards. 

RELATED: Laurel Meadows residents feel shut out by local leaders following Tropical Storm Debby

"I’m just having heartburn with our storm water and the data I’m receiving. I’m having some heartburn that we are at 1992 standards. 1992 I was in high school," said Commissioner Joe Neunder. 

Commissioner Mark Smith echoed his comment. 

"What I’ve heard today is we need to take a look at those regulations and take a hard look at them," said Commissioner Smith. 

Residents are calling for immediate action, as hurricane season ramps up. 

"It was a really bad situation that we feel those in charge should have prevented. We hope that you can do that next time," said Inganamort. 

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