NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — The City of New Smyrna Beach hosted a public forum Wednesday night to discuss drainage improvements for the city’s Corbin Park neighborhood.

It was the last chance residents got to give input before officials modify plans and move ahead with final design and permitting in early 2024.

What You Need To Know

  • The City of New Smyrna Beach is seeking residents' input for upcoming drainage improvements in the Corbin Park neighborhood

  • The project will cover an area of 474 acres, extending from State Road 44 in the northern boundary down to Magnolia Drive

  • Numerous homes in that area experienced severe flooding during hurricanes Ian and Nicole

  • City commissioners set aside $3.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for this project that will impact hundreds of home

According to New Smyrna Beach city engineer Kyle W. Fegley, the project will cover an area of 474 acres, extending from State Road 44 in the northern boundary down to Magnolia Drive. The city will install a network of pipes, collection basins, curb inlets, manholes and other devices to try to help the area to recover quicker from flooding events.

“What we’re trying to do is abate flooding and address some of the typical, like the mean annual storms that we get, knowing that if we get another 21 inches of rain there very well may be flooding, but the area should not be impacted as badly,” Fegley said.

This is in part because a lot of homes in the area experienced flooding during Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. Resident Karen Decker said her home flooded during Ian and she and her husband are still making repairs.

“It was awful. We evacuated. We weren’t able to get in because of the whole road was flooded, too,” Decker said. “We couldn’t go until three days after. So, by that time, everything in the house was destroyed. It was devastating.”

Although it’s been more than a year since Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida, looking back at the pictures is still devastating for her.

“It’s very hard looking at those pictures. I don’t want to ever re-live that,” Decker said. “We got back in our house in December. It wasn’t finished, but my husband had it liveable and we got furniture. The community helped out with that.”

Decker’s home is located on Swoope Drive, one of the streets where the City of New Smyrna Beach is looking to make improvements in their stormwater management system.

She said many of her neighbors who experienced flooding have sold their homes.

“My husband wants to sell, but, you know, everybody thinks that a lot of people have to,” said Decker. “My neighbors have.”

But she said they decided to stay and remain optimistic about the future. 

“Move forward and hope for the best, prepare for the worst. See what they have to say at the meeting,” Decker said.

City commissioners set aside $3.9 million in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for this project that will impact hundreds of homes.

They hope to start construction in mid-2024.