Hallandale Beach State Of The City Part 4

There will be flooding. That is an uncomfortable statement, but it is an important one. We cannot engineer our way out of every extreme weather event. We have experienced storms capable of dropping extraordinary amounts of rain in less than 24 hours. No drainage system can guarantee that every street will remain dry under every circumstance. Think of the first hurricane that creates a 10-foot surge. What we can do is prepare.

Last year, I updated you on the steps we have taken to address these emergencies. We have reevaluated our entire emergency response systems and protocols. These protocols include all types of events, from storms and mass-casualty incidents to cyberattacks, not just weather events. Not only did we reevaluate we expended money to make sure that we have an Emergency Notification System for floods, but we also have high-water rescue vehicles and a multitude of other resources to help our community through emergencies.

I'm extremely proud to say that our Staff continues to do an excellent job of keeping us safe. As South Floridians, we understand hurricane preparedness. We focus on shutters, impact windows, generators, and roofs. But increasingly, we must think about water.

As a Former Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Water Council, I have spoken nationally about these issues. My greatest concern has always been flooding. King Tides have become more noticeable. Extreme rainfall events are becoming more disruptive. And addressing flooding isn't simply about installing another pump. It means drainage. It means pumping capacity. It means seawalls.

It also means helping homeowners and businesses understand how to make their properties more resilient. There are now products and programs for waterproofing. In fact, just this July a new state law that waives all permitting fees core these types of improvements was just implemented.

Hallandale Beach, due to my request, is now part of A1A regional resiliency projects. Water doesn’t recognize city boundaries. The Project is being implemented by the Florida Department of Transportation in partnership with Broward County, Hollywood, and Hallandale Beach.

Our neighbors have faced similar challenges. Hollywood and Dania Beach have experienced significant flooding in areas surrounding A1A and their waterways. These projects take years to plan and implement and are expensive. Vital and also necessary to sustain our economy. National lending agencies are looking at cities and evaluating if they're taking measures to invest in resiliency. Without these types of programs projects in the pipeline, it directly impacts our economy.

Hallandale Beach cannot solve regional flooding alone. Water coming from surrounding communities ultimately affects us, which is why cooperation with Hollywood, Broward County, FDOT and our other regional partners is so important.

Two years ago, I talked about beginning what I called our "Year of the Shovel." Today, approximately $330 Million in projects are underway throughout the city. For those of you who live or work here, sometimes it feels like there is construction on every street. I understand the frustration.

But we aren't tearing up Hallandale Beach to tear it up. We are rebuilding Infrastructure that must serve this city for decades to come. Our drainage planning includes connecting Existing Pumping Infrastructure while identifying areas where additional pumping capacity will be necessary.

Residents understandably wanted these improvements yesterday. But resilience requires tremendous investment and takes time. That does not mean we wait to address problem areas. We continue implementing targeted improvements and projects throughout the city while the larger systems are being designed.

As always, I am available anytime for your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our city a better place on my Phone/Text at: (954) 632-5700. Or you can email me at: jcooper@cohb.org. Please visit me on my Facebook page at: MayorJoyCooperHB. Like! Follow! And share!