Bonita Springs city council to vote on expanding flooding plan deadline

Hope for families nearly five years after hurricane Irma left behind devastating damage in Southwest Florida. The city of Bonita Springs is moving forward with a solution to tackle flooding.

The flooding plan is to use flood control measures such as pumps and reservoirs. Phase one is designing this and Wednesday night the Bonita Springs city council will vote on expanding and the deadline for the project neighbors say is vital to protecting their homes.

Doris Bell is one of many homeowners of what is now Bonita Terra, who lost pretty much everything in hurricane Irma. The flooding from Hurricane Irma was terrible.

“Everywhere you looked was water,” Bell said. “Everyone’s yards, the ball diamonds, everything was just water.”

In 2017 the community was called Citrus Park. Before Irma, hurricane Harvey just missed the community but, according to Bell, “That left a foot of water in my brother’s home.”

Then Irma finished his home off two weeks later. These stories aren’t unique. They’re why the city of Bonita Springs came up with the Citrus Park East Bonita Stormwater Project.

Once FEMA approves the design and construction plans the federal government will release the money necessary to make it happen. The work should be done by February 2024.

Elly McKuen is the senior project manager in public works for the city of Bonita Springs. “We have really doubled down on trying to locate and revamp those areas that were flooded following the storm,” Mckuen said. “And so that’s one of the projects that we’re working on.”

Bell said she can’t wait. Now settled in her new, post-Irma home. Bell said it will be nice to stop worrying every time a storm approaches.

“I don’t think you can build anything too strong. And we are all over 1600 mobile homes in our park. So there’s a lot that can go wrong,” Bell said. “We survived 25 years so I hope to have another 25 without a hurricane.”

As far as designs for the project, the city said it’s still considering a few different options. But, if the city council votes Wednesday night to extend the deadline for phase one plans would be finished by this November.