Debby Sarasota County Petition
8/13/24
We, as residents and tax payers of Sarasota County, have all been affected by the recent severe flooding disaster in our community. Many neighbors have lost their homes or have substantial repairs with insurance questionable for many who had no idea they could be subject to such a disaster. It will take some time to put a cost to this disaster. One thing is for sure, we have all realized we are all vulnerable and there is a lot of uncertainty. For some, recovery might be unattainable. We are requesting the following:
- A Comprehensive Hydrology Study
We need to know why this happened, what is the extent of the problem, where else in the County are we vulnerable, how can further damage be prevented and what are prevention options? At least 3 reputable providers must be considered with transparency to us and benchmark reports. A monitoring component must be included. Quality is a priority and there should be no connection for who is hired with local developers.
- Land use changes in vulnerable watersheds should be paused
Pause Comprehensive Plan amendments including but not limited to changes to the 2050 Plan, rezonings, special exceptions and any UDC change that will increase density and intensity of development projects in the vulnerable areas.
- Waste water spillage analysis report and prevention plan
With over 6 million gallons of wastewater spillage an incident report must be completed including activating a prevention plan, updating and activating a beach routine water sampling and public warning and signage system to protect the health and safety of our residents, visitors and animals as HB 165 takes effect.
It seems no one anticipated the flooding that took place and still is precipitated by Debby. We are going to experience more storms soon. Ignoring the significance of what we have just experienced is irresponsible particularly in your position as our County Commissioners. Transparency will be of the essence as we navigate solutions for the health and safety of our community.
We. the undersigned, want the hydrology study, land use pause and wastewater spillage and prevention plan to be initiated now.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
August 25, 2024
August 21, 2024
Seeing this grow so quickly reminds me that my neighbors are hurting just as much as my own family is right now. This momentum proves that we refuse to be ignored while our homes remain at risk. We are finally gaining the attention needed to demand real accountability for this flooding.
Reached 100 supporters
August 18, 2024
August 15, 2024
My own home is still a mess and I know many of you are in the same position while waiting for answers. We are almost at one hundred signatures so please post the link to your own social media pages right now to help us reach that milestone before the next county meeting.
680 Comments
Public servants especially need to be conservative in planning for future water management. In this case, conservative means looking forward at rain projections, rather than historic data that says our every other year rainfalls are each hundred year events.
I have 4” of sewage water in my home from Debby. A manhole in my driveway. A neighbor that swears this was all a sewage problem. That in 35 years it hasn’t flood like this in 34, and that was a category 4. 3.5 millions of gallons of sewage. This cannot happen again!
The time has come to stop real estate development in areas threatened by possible flooding Also, do not allow developers to raise the elevation of existing lots to comply with building codes, when this causes the flooding of neighboring lots.
I have lived in the same house for 34+ years. We have been through multiple hurricanes but we have NEVER seen 5 feet of water in my back like we experienced with tropical storm Debby. This building has to be stopped and reevaluated. Thank you.
Please reserve the 49 acres in Gulf Gate for floodplain management, infrastructure, mitigation, bay health initiatives. Sarasota County needs offset areas due to the amendments made to The Comprehensive Plan and increased impervious surface from development.
Sarasota County seems to be in denial about what it needs to do to be ready for 2025.
Wellen Park development dammed Gofried Creek causing storm surge that used to be absorbed by Taylor Ranch to flood hundreds of homes that had never flooded once since their construction in 60’s. They caused many families & retirees to lose their homes permanently leaving them zero equity because they must now spend $350,000 to Raise their homes 10 feet off the ground to comply with current building codes At least the new residence of Wellen Park Won’t have to worry about their land being flooded anymore
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Debby Sarasota County Petition
8/13/24
We, as residents and tax payers of Sarasota County, have all been affected by the recent severe flooding disaster in our community. Many neighbors have lost their homes or have substantial repairs with insurance questionable for many who had no idea they could be subject to such a disaster. It will take some time to put a cost to this disaster. One thing is for sure, we have all realized we are all vulnerable and there is a lot of uncertainty. For some, recovery might be unattainable. We are requesting the following:
- A Comprehensive Hydrology Study
We need to know why this happened, what is the extent of the problem, where else in the County are we vulnerable, how can further damage be prevented and what are prevention options? At least 3 reputable providers must be considered with transparency to us and benchmark reports. A monitoring component must be included. Quality is a priority and there should be no connection for who is hired with local developers.
- Land use changes in vulnerable watersheds should be paused
Pause Comprehensive Plan amendments including but not limited to changes to the 2050 Plan, rezonings, special exceptions and any UDC change that will increase density and intensity of development projects in the vulnerable areas.
- Waste water spillage analysis report and prevention plan
With over 6 million gallons of wastewater spillage an incident report must be completed including activating a prevention plan, updating and activating a beach routine water sampling and public warning and signage system to protect the health and safety of our residents, visitors and animals as HB 165 takes effect.
It seems no one anticipated the flooding that took place and still is precipitated by Debby. We are going to experience more storms soon. Ignoring the significance of what we have just experienced is irresponsible particularly in your position as our County Commissioners. Transparency will be of the essence as we navigate solutions for the health and safety of our community.
We. the undersigned, want the hydrology study, land use pause and wastewater spillage and prevention plan to be initiated now.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
August 25, 2024
August 21, 2024
Seeing this grow so quickly reminds me that my neighbors are hurting just as much as my own family is right now. This momentum proves that we refuse to be ignored while our homes remain at risk. We are finally gaining the attention needed to demand real accountability for this flooding.
Reached 100 supporters
August 18, 2024
August 15, 2024
My own home is still a mess and I know many of you are in the same position while waiting for answers. We are almost at one hundred signatures so please post the link to your own social media pages right now to help us reach that milestone before the next county meeting.
680 Comments
The Manasota region is one hydro-ecological system with multiple subsystems. You cannot pave over one section without affecting another. Most current development design criteria and standards are obsolete and ineffective. Some were never adequate.
Public servants especially need to be conservative in planning for future water management. In this case, conservative means looking forward at rain projections, rather than historic data that says our every other year rainfalls are each hundred year events.
I have 4” of sewage water in my home from Debby. A manhole in my driveway. A neighbor that swears this was all a sewage problem. That in 35 years it hasn’t flood like this in 34, and that was a category 4. 3.5 millions of gallons of sewage. This cannot happen again!
The time has come to stop real estate development in areas threatened by possible flooding Also, do not allow developers to raise the elevation of existing lots to comply with building codes, when this causes the flooding of neighboring lots.
I have lived in the same house for 34+ years. We have been through multiple hurricanes but we have NEVER seen 5 feet of water in my back like we experienced with tropical storm Debby. This building has to be stopped and reevaluated. Thank you.
Please reserve the 49 acres in Gulf Gate for floodplain management, infrastructure, mitigation, bay health initiatives. Sarasota County needs offset areas due to the amendments made to The Comprehensive Plan and increased impervious surface from development.
Sarasota County seems to be in denial about what it needs to do to be ready for 2025.
Wellen Park development dammed Gofried Creek causing storm surge that used to be absorbed by Taylor Ranch to flood hundreds of homes that had never flooded once since their construction in 60’s. They caused many families & retirees to lose their homes permanently leaving them zero equity because they must now spend $350,000 to Raise their homes 10 feet off the ground to comply with current building codes At least the new residence of Wellen Park Won’t have to worry about their land being flooded anymore
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The Manasota region is one hydro-ecological system with multiple subsystems. You cannot pave over one section without affecting another. Most current development design criteria and standards are obsolete and ineffective. Some were never adequate.