Stormwater manual update and work session
Summary
Manatee's stormwater design manual is stuck in the 1990s while newer watershed studies show flooding the old FEMA maps miss entirely. Staff is drafting fixes — NOAA Atlas 14 rainfall, street inundation standards, floodplain compensation rules — but state law (SB 180) has tied the county's hands on some stricter standards, and full watershed plans won't be done until 2028-2031.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 2
- Last 30 days
- 0
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Sep 17, 2026.
Impact analysis
Watershed plans run three to five years each, and the county lacks a stormwater utility fee to fund the backlog of flood-mitigation projects.
Everyone in flood-prone neighborhoods — newer developments would be designed to realistic rainfall data and evacuation routes would get priority protection.
Developments built under outdated maps face growing mismatch with newer watershed data, and neighborhoods on aging local streets remain at the bottom of the protection hierarchy.
Mentions & discussions (2)
Planning Commission — September 17, 2026
Manatee's stormwater design manual is stuck in the 1990s while newer watershed studies show flooding the old FEMA maps miss entirely. Staff is drafting fixes — NOAA Atlas 14 rainfall, street inundation standards, floodplain compensation rules — but state law (SB 180) has tied the county's hands on some stricter standards, and full watershed plans won't be done until 2028-2031.
Board of County Commissioners Special/Work Session — May 6, 2026
The county's stormwater manual is outdated. The boards agreed to update it and schedule a work session — preceded by a regular meeting discussion so residents understand the county's regulatory limits.
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