Key Largo Neighborhoods Included in Proposal to Receive Funding for Flood Mitigation Projects

The state of Florida is rolling out a brand new measure to counteract environmental issues facing Florida’s coastal areas. The Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise and Resilience Plan will be presented to the state legislature for approval of  funding for a variety of projects to deal with the effects of global warming, sea level rise, flooding, and more. The Department of Environmental Protection has been working on this plan for months, and received applications from all over the state to include different areas and neighborhoods. Monroe County submitted applications county-wide for inclusion in the plan for funding. Of the six applied for, two Monroe County neighborhoods were selected - both in the Key Largo real estate market.

The two Key Largo neighborhoods up for funding in the Statewide Flooding and Sea Level Rise and Resilience Plan are Stillwright Point and Twin Lakes. Both are top single family home neighborhoods in Key Largo that commonly experience flooding from storm surges, excessive rainfall, and annual King Tides. The hope is that by applying grant funding to projects in the neighborhoods, flooding can be reduced for neighborhood residents.

Twin Lakes homes in Key Largo are located at Mile Marker 103. The proposal includes elevating roads in the neighborhood as well as a plan for managing stormwaters. The plan for Twin Lakes is ready for the construction phase, and is estimated by the county to cost $7.8 million. The amount included in the grant request accounts for 50% of this cost, at $3.9 million.

Stillwright Point Key Largo can be found at Mile Marker 105. Road elevation and stormwater management are also in the plans for Stillwright Point, which is often inundated with flood waters from storms and tides. In Stillwright Point, project funds are requested for planning, engineering, and permitting of the project. Funds requested amount to $1.18 million, approximately 50% of the $2.37 million that it will take to complete.

Monroe County is hoping that when the state legislature meets in the upcoming session, all funds requested will be approved. This is a stepping stone for Monroe County to address the real environmental issues facing residents of the Florida Keys.