The City of North Miami revealed a preliminary Stormwater Master Plan last week aimed at tackling the persistent street and home flooding that inundated neighborhoods during last year’s heavy storms.
Developed through a collaboration between the city and engineering consulting firm RJ Behar, the $11 million update to its 2012 plan identified 22 flood-prone areas in need of immediate action.
Solutions include the construction of new exfiltration trenches and drainage pipes, a new retention pond in Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park, and upgrades to existing flood management infrastructure. If approved by the City Council, the improvements will be implemented over the next five years.
RJ Behar project manager Hans Murzi details the steps of the project.
Still reeling from the impact of past floods, many North Miami residents at the Stormwater Master Plan workshop were quick to voice their concerns, questioning whether the plan would make a difference in their communities.
Eileen Bicaba was among the residents who spoke out, sharing how she felt that the plan failed to address the flooding issues she has been dealing with for years.
Severe flooding in the Bicabas' backyard is seen here. Beneath the water lies a large porch, with only its pillars visible above the surface.
Bicaba, a resident of one of the city’s 22 vulnerable areas, said she often has to park far away and wade through water to reach her home due to a lack of drains under her street. She criticized the city for relying on ineffective drains and outdated groundwater data in development plans.
“Having these promises means nothing if nothing ever gets done,” said Bicaba. “They keep giving our land and money to private enterprises. And as I said before, build the infrastructure first.”
In January, Bicaba and her husband filed a lawsuit against neighboring property owners, claiming that nearby development projects beginning in 2018 — including land elevation changes and tree removal — had redirected unmanageable amounts of stormwater onto her property and caused significant damage.
The Bicabas keep sandbag supplies in their backyard for rainy days.
An attorney for the defendants — Citadel Plaza, LLC, Delmas Homes, LLC, North Miami Self Storage, and 135 Memorial LLC — filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in March, arguing that the Bicabas missed the deadline to sue under Florida’s four-year statute of limitations. The motion also insinuated that the original complaint was too vague.
A hearing in that lawsuit has been set for June 18, court records show.
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After eight years of urging city officials to take action, Bicaba said she has seen many proposals come and go without funding or approval, and says that she will not trust any new plan until one is fully financed.
“It is a greater issue, and everybody is suffering. Something needs to be done before it is too late. The state needs to come in and take over. That’s what needs to be done. These people can’t be trusted,” Bicaba said.
Severe weather in June 2024 forced several North Miami residents to leave their cars behind.
After listening to the half-hour presentation of the master plan, resident Sara McDevitt stepped up to the podium to say her worst fears had been realized.
McDevitt argued that the plan overlooked several vulnerable areas, further adding that the French drains already in her neighborhood have never worked properly during her 20 years living there. Simply adding more drains, she believes, will not fix the problem.
“When I see people chopping down trees or laying more concrete in an area that’s super flood prone, it just gives me anxiety,” McDevitt said. “I had hoped to see something a little bit more innovative and forward-thinking, and I don’t feel like we have it.”
Concerned citizens pepper the conference room of North Miami City Hall.
The master plan includes eco-friendly efforts like permeable pavement, planter boxes and bioswales among its solutions.
Having seen similar green solutions work in other communities, McDevitt believes they are a step in the right direction, but the proposal’s lack of comprehensive steps toward those solutions has her questioning whether the city will implement them at all.
“For a year now, we knew that they were doing this planning, but the only point where we got to be involved was when it’s done,” McDevitt said. “When you have a lot of community members that could be your eyes on the ground, why weren’t we engaged?”
In response to residents’ concerns, city officials said the $11 million will be set aside specifically to address the most immediate issues, and that more sweeping changes would come after the arrival of grant funds. The master plan aims to provide immediate relief, but its long-term improvements are estimated to take 15 to 20 years to implement.
Geo Darder calls for unity between city officials and North Miami citizens.
Geo Darder is both emotionally and financially invested in North Miami. An owner of several properties, Darder recalled having to clean the sewage that rose out of toilets every time a flood hit one of the properties he recently beautified.
Darder welcomes development in his community, but not at the cost of his quality of life. If he has to pay property taxes for city projects, he expects there to be funds when problems like flooding arise.
Despite this, he believes that city officials and community members pooling their efforts are capable of effecting long-lasting change.
“We are a city that is actually being noticed, and people are watching our every move–good and bad,” said Darder. “Let’s show them that we can make good things happen in this city.”
This story was produced by The Miami Times, one of the oldest Black-owned newspapers in the country, as part of a content sharing partnership with the WLRN newsroom. Read more at miamitimesonline.com.
