The Residential Drainage Citizens Advisory Committee met on November 6 to discuss ongoing drainage problems and city efforts to improve stormwater flow, including major construction projects aimed at preventing flooding like that seen during Hurricane Milton.
Staff updated the committee on infrastructure work and a new culvert inspection system designed to identify aging pipes before they fail.
Color-Coded Culvert Inspections
The city has developed a new protocol for inspecting culverts—the pipes under driveways that allow water to flow through ditches. When residents request an inspection through Palm Coast Connect, staff now assigns green, yellow, or red ratings.
Green means the culvert is clear. Yellow indicates the pipe is “starting to show signs of deterioration and it’s starting to be compromised,” according to staff. Many culverts are 30 to 50 years old and have already reached their useful life.
When a culvert receives a yellow rating, code enforcement sends the property owner a courtesy letter. “The courtesy letter says to the resident that, ‘Hey, you’re starting to see signs of corrosion inside this culvert pipe. The culvert pipe belongs to the resident. It is part of their driveway,'” staff explained.
Red-tagged culverts are those that have completely failed or collapsed and require immediate replacement.
Major Projects Underway
Staff described several large-scale projects aimed at improving water flow during heavy rain events. During Hurricane Milton, emergency relief pipes under Interstate 95 washed out Old Kings Road when water discharged from a canal.
The city is now evaluating three “pop off” pipes under I-95 that discharge into Graham Swamp. Engineers are studying the swamp’s capacity and the pipe elevations to improve the system’s performance.
“We have to be careful how much water we discharge into Graham Swamp currently because it winds up flooding the woodlands over in this area,” staff said, noting that many homes in that area also flooded during Milton.
Construction is currently underway on Colbert Road to increase pipe sizes. “This project is really going to provide quite a bit of relief to these neighborhoods,” staff said. The larger pipes will allow water to flow “more efficiently through the system and be discharged.”
The city has also cleaned canals and waterways, including one owned by the Florida Inland Navigation District.
Specific Property Drainage Case
The committee reviewed a report on flooding at 66 Parotti Lane, where a neighbor alleged that a newly constructed house at a higher elevation contributed to water problems on the lot.
Staff showed that the city recently replaced pipes crossing Parotti and Persimmon, and engineers determined existing pipes to the canal were sufficient size. The new home has a berm separating the properties and gutters that drain to the front yard.
“According to the photo, I don’t think code enforcement or the city manager is asking the committee to make a recommendation either way,” staff said, adding that the case remains open.
One committee member suggested a French drain on the property could help. Staff confirmed yard drains already exist between the two properties.
Public Outreach Efforts
Staff updated the committee on stormwater education efforts. The city website features several short videos explaining how ditches, swales, and culverts function, along with customer responsibilities.
Stormwater brochures are available at city events and at city hall’s customer service desk. Staff members also carry brochures in their vehicles to distribute while working in neighborhoods.
The stormwater department has a community outreach coordinator who responds to Palm Coast Connect cases, typically within the same day. The goal is to respond within three business days.
Committee Future Uncertain
The committee discussed whether to continue meeting. Staff noted that to end the committee early, “it will need to be approved by city council.”
The committee is scheduled to sunset in February but must meet monthly according to its ordinance. Members agreed to schedule a December 11 meeting before making any decisions.
No new applicants have applied to join the committee despite recruitment efforts.
