Phased Future Planning: Building Coastal Community Resiliency

For the Sleepy Lagoon neighborhood in Longboat Key, Florida, an initial study identified alternatives and recommendations to address stormwater concerns. With only two stormwater inlets and one outfall; roads as low as elevation 1.0 NAVD88; private sea walls below elevation 2.0 NAVD88; adjacent home finished floor elevations as low as elevation 2.4 NAVD88; recorded King Tides over elevation 2.5 NAVD88; and constrained right-of-way, a phased approach to building resiliency for the community was developed. The initial phase currently being implemented is the construction of a stormwater management system in conjunction with roadway elevation to address the most immediate threat of King Tides and Sea Level Rise. Careful examination of existing topography and home elevations provided the foundation to design a roadway profile that maximized the elevation of the roadway, while having no adverse impacts on adjacent low elevation homes. The design includes preemptive planning for a future addition of a stormwater pump. Public engagement to educate and build awareness is a major part of the project, including public meetings, constant correspondence with residents, and face-to-face meetings with residents. An online portal, SMARTS, was used for direct communication with residents providing information, updates, and documents for review and comment regarding the impacts on their specific property due to the roadway elevation. In 2024, the community was impacted by the storm surge associated with Hurricane Helene and Milton. These storms emphasized the need for the identified future phases which are dependent on elevating the sea walls and homes.