A proposed 811-home development in Melbourne has advanced, even as nearby residents still mopping up from recent flooding warn that paving over more land could make their flood problems worse.
According to WKMG, the proposal advanced amid pointed objections from neighbors who say they are still dealing with the aftermath of a storm that soaked the region just days earlier. Mary Koller, who has lived near the Pines development for 21 years, told the council her garage and both of her porches flooded during that storm, and said she worries about the city paving over land that currently absorbs water.
Residents Describe Infrastructure Failing During the Storm
Jessie Corby, who spoke against the project during public comment, said, “We watched retention ponds fail, roads wash away, waterways fail,” according to the same WKMG report. Corby also said two people died in the storm, according to the outlet’s account of her comments.
Stormwater reported preliminary totals of more than 23 inches in Grant-Valkaria and nearly 20 inches in Palm Bay, noting that in some locations the volume of water exceeded the capacity of local drainage systems to convey runoff. The National Weather Service, in a forecast discussion reported by FOX 35 Orlando, said rainfall of up to 16 to 22 inches across southern Brevard County led to widespread flooding stretching from the Melbourne area south to Grant-Valkaria.
Developer Points to Wetlands Preservation and Early Infrastructure
D.R. Horton’s Juliet Misconi, the company’s forward planning and land development manager, told the council the company has made changes to the project in recent weeks and plans to address traffic concerns early in construction. She said D.R. Horton intends to preserve 46 acres of wetlands on the site and add curb extensions aimed at reducing stormwater runoff, with most of those improvements built or substantially built in the earliest phases of construction.
Misconi said the company has partnered with one of the state’s largest FDOT contractors, a firm she described as specializing in complex roadway projects and maintaining existing traffic during construction. She said the adjustments came out of a community meeting with stakeholders the prior week. Despite those changes, some residents said at the meeting that the modifications do not go far enough to ease their concerns.
What Happens Next
D.R. Horton is expected to return to the Melbourne City Council next month for further steps in the approval process.
For residents like Koller and Corby, flooding remains a concern as the project moves forward.
