TAMPA — Wet weather has a lot of people in a south Tampa neighborhood wondering about the future of a stormwater project that is expected to help with the flooding there.
It is an issue residents say has been going on for decades.
Most residents say to bring on the storm water project that’s going to fix this isse, but a lot of the business owners along South Howard Avenue are concerned this project may do more harm than good to their business.
Dr. Natalie Rougie, owner of Palm Wellness, is one of those who are worried about what will happen if city leaders approve a new stormwater project outside her front door.
“To potentially, for me, to incur months of jack hammering and construction affecting my business, it doesn’t feel like an even exchange,” Rougie said.
She is worried about noise, traffic and structural issues, but city officials say they have factored all of that in and plan to monitor the vibration levels and noise and to redirect traffic.
“Absolutely, we know it’s going to be disruptive, a disruptive project,” said Brandon Campbell, the city’s mobility director. “Every infrastructure project has its challenges. With this one in particular, we are planning to help the South Howard business area with a marketing campaign and a high-touch surface with our contractor.”
The $100 million project is expected to take years to complete and reduce flooding for more than 200 homes and businesses.
It can’t get started soon enough for David Adams, who has lived in this area and documented the flooding for more than 10 years.
“When your house catches on fire, you call the fire department, the fire department comes,” Adams said. “When somebody shoots a gun, the police department comes. It’s been 11 years since it’s been flooding in our neighborhood, and nothing’s been done, despite the fact this group of people still don’t want a solution for us.”
An attorney for the SoHo Business Alliance agrees there needs to be a fix but thinks there are other options.
“Our position has always been that the flooding should be addressed, but this is not the solution to address it,” said attorney Edward de la Parte. “The city was planning originally to put a pump station and a force main that would’ve avoided South Howard Avenue.”
De la Parte sued the city on behalf of the SoHo Business Alliance because they say the city withheld important documents about the project, and now that those documents are being released, de la Parte says there is information that they believe should stop this project. They plan to present their findings to city leaders.
The City Council is expected to make a final vote on this project at the end of the month. The city is also holding a community meeting next week to update the public on the progress of the plan for the project.