Million-Dollar Plan the Fix Flooding Problem in Gulf Breeze Neighborhood
GULF BREEZE -- A Gulf Breeze neighborhood has been dealing with flooding problems for years. Now, the county has a solution but it comes with one million dollar price tag.
You can see some homes here on Ramblewood Drive have sandbags ready. They need them during the storm seasons .
This neighborhood was built years ago without a proper drainage system.
On a perfect day like this, Ramblewood Drive looks like any neighborhood.
But, when there are heavy rains drainage problems and flooding begins.
Hank Enos, lives along Ramblewood
Water at least knee deep at the end of the end of the driveway and on two occasions we had water in the garage.
The county wants to install new drainage pipes and put in a retention pond here but, two homes are in the way.
The county is asking the homeowners to sell their properties, so they can be torn down to make room for the pond.
Craig Baird owns one of those homes.
He and his neighbor are asking 250,000 dollars a piece for their houses which is less than what they're worth during the height of the housing market, but much more than their current appraised value.
Craig Baird
As far as the asking price, I'm sure people are going to look at this over the appraise the value, and think were trying to take advantage of the county
No we're not. When you have to consider that have to pay off an existing mortgage, you have moving expenses you have attorneys, real estate fees everything that goes into it, we're certainly not making off like bandits on this deal
Commissioner Lane Lynchard says they're asking the state for about 75 % of the drainage project through a grant program.
The county will pick up the rest of the one million dollar price tag.
Lane Lynchard
When you look at the number of homes that will benefit and business that will beneift and the recurring problem we've had in that neighborhood, I think we gotta do everything we can for the residences
Craig Baird
This is always going to be our family home while it stands, but me and my neighbor feel if we can help our neighbor's that's part of it
The county commission would have to approve the purchase of the two homes.
It hasn't done that.
It's waiting to hear back from the state about the 634,000 dollar grant.
Lynchard says that could take 6 to 8 months.
You can see some homes here on Ramblewood Drive have sandbags ready. They need them during the storm seasons .
This neighborhood was built years ago without a proper drainage system.
On a perfect day like this, Ramblewood Drive looks like any neighborhood.
But, when there are heavy rains drainage problems and flooding begins.
Hank Enos, lives along Ramblewood
Water at least knee deep at the end of the end of the driveway and on two occasions we had water in the garage.
The county wants to install new drainage pipes and put in a retention pond here but, two homes are in the way.
The county is asking the homeowners to sell their properties, so they can be torn down to make room for the pond.
Craig Baird owns one of those homes.
He and his neighbor are asking 250,000 dollars a piece for their houses which is less than what they're worth during the height of the housing market, but much more than their current appraised value.
Craig Baird
As far as the asking price, I'm sure people are going to look at this over the appraise the value, and think were trying to take advantage of the county
No we're not. When you have to consider that have to pay off an existing mortgage, you have moving expenses you have attorneys, real estate fees everything that goes into it, we're certainly not making off like bandits on this deal
Commissioner Lane Lynchard says they're asking the state for about 75 % of the drainage project through a grant program.
The county will pick up the rest of the one million dollar price tag.
Lane Lynchard
When you look at the number of homes that will benefit and business that will beneift and the recurring problem we've had in that neighborhood, I think we gotta do everything we can for the residences
Craig Baird
This is always going to be our family home while it stands, but me and my neighbor feel if we can help our neighbor's that's part of it
The county commission would have to approve the purchase of the two homes.
It hasn't done that.
It's waiting to hear back from the state about the 634,000 dollar grant.
Lynchard says that could take 6 to 8 months.