St. Pete Neighborhood Flooded by Construction Runoff, Blames Developer

Weekend Storms Cause Severe Flooding

• 🌊 Residents in St. Pete's Distant Heights neighborhood experienced unprecedented flooding this past weekend, with water reaching waist-deep and inundating streets, yards, and garages.
• ⚠️ Homeowners reported that the flooding was worse than during recent hurricanes, a situation they attribute to a nearby construction site.

Construction Site Blamed for Runoff Issues

• 🏗️ Neighbors believe that muddy runoff from the Palm Lake Christian Church's affordable housing construction project, which began about a month ago, is clogging local drains.
• 🗣️ Residents had previously voiced concerns to the city council about the project's potential impact on neighborhood drainage.

City Investigates Developer Compliance

• 🧐 City public works teams visited the construction site on Monday to assess compliance and ensure appropriate sediment barriers are in place.
• 🏢 St. Pete's chief building inspector and deputy building official were also present to follow up with their findings regarding the developer, Newar Development.
• 🏠 Residents are concerned that common afternoon thunderstorms now pose a significant flooding risk to their homes due to the construction.

Developer and Church Respond to Concerns

• 💬 Fox 13 received statements from both the church and the developer.
• ✅ The church stated they have implemented additional mitigation measures to improve runoff management.
• ⚖️ The president of New Star Development indicated that the current drainage system meets Swift Mud and City of St. Pete requirements, and they will continue to monitor compliance.