By Christine Moore, Orange County Commissioner/District 2
It has been a tough week for residents in District 2.
It is apparent that there will be more storms coming, if not this year, in the future. We can learn many things from Hurricane Milton.
Here are details of the worst problems people faced in District 2. A few details about how the county is handling the situation are listed.
Monroe Ct – pumping out water at low idle.
Piedmont Wekiwa at SR 436 – water is receding. Two lanes are now drivable.
Reata Way & Gaucho Way – sections are barricaded. Pumping started on Tuesday.
Mustang Way – portions of the road are closed and waiting for water to recede.
Radiant Circle – a sinkhole was remediated.
Virginia Drive – contractors are pumping to reduce flooding on private property
Earlwood – the road is now open.
Holly Creek – pumping is ongoing to reduce flooding.
I gladly worked 18-hour days to assuage fears, report flooding, and address other concerns. You may report problems to 311 or use the 311 app at any time. However, I kept my phone charged and answered texts, calls, and messages through Facebook.
The county’s first task after the storm passed was to place generators on lift stations. No one wants sewage to back up into homes. Then, it is important to work with Duke Energy to remove trees tangled in power lines. Never try to remove trees near power lines yourself. Even before the public works team can start cutting tree limbs, Duke is called. We lost a precious man in the Pine Hills area who touched a live wire.
A special shout-out to our pond manager, Jeff Charles. He answered a myriad of calls about breached ponds, swollen drain wells, and the like. All his team’s hard work matters in an instant during severe flooding. He makes sure ponds are well-maintained. This means more than just cutting grass. They manage soil conditions, excess debris, and pond wall integrity.
As to having the stamina to prepare for a hurricane, I found more and more elderly people without family or friends to assist in this process. It is vital we understand the limitations of our neighbors and show some concern. The most successful neighborhoods are well acquainted with and offer to meet specific needs like filling sandbags, moving outside furniture, providing generators, etc.
Many of you that flooded are in low-lying areas. Some of these areas were built before codes that limited construction adjacent to wetlands. Have you checked the 100-year flood zone map? Flooding occurred in many flood zones and areas next to wetlands.
Then there are those areas with long, systemic flooding issues. Again, roadways that are in low-lying areas will always fill up with water and will naturally recede after a storm. Yes, in some cases, expensive fixes are preferable. However, finding the millions of dollars necessary for remediation is challenging.
I would like to mention a few special cases. Remember, the county staff and I have visited trouble spots in District 2. I welcome you reporting problems when you first view them. This morning, I visited a sinkhole off Beggs Road. I found the contractor and county staff had just remediated the sinkhole.
As for the major flooding, that is simply difficult. The ground is saturated, and in the Pinto Road area, the water cannot drain due to the lack of capacity in Lake Gandy. When Pine Hills Road was built, they left homes lower than the road. I wish I had been on the BCC at the time. Staff is working on short-term pumping in this area of Lockhart. I will follow up with discussions of any long-term solutions.
If you haven’t studied how water drains in northwest Orange County, I will give you a short primer. We drain to the St. John’s River and out to the Atlantic Ocean through Jacksonville. Pine Hills drains to Lockhart and then up the Little Wekiva River. Apopka drains either towards the Wekiva River or to Lake Apopka.
On a personal note, I had too much water draining into my home’s foundation during the hurricane. I have a compost pile for which I can repurpose to raise these few areas. I also experienced water intrusion through a few window seals. So, I will be recaulking the windows. And sorry to say, I have a broken window I never fixed from when my then teenage daughter sneaked in. It leaked, and I had to put towels in that windowsill. She is now the mother of three of my grandchildren. Yes, a lack of maintenance and repairs can haunt any of us.
So, I encourage you to evaluate what went well and what didn’t. Now is the best time to make the necessary repairs and complete maintenance.
