KEY LARGO, Fla. — A community in Key Largo was told it would be second on the county’s list to receive flooding relief.
However, there has been pushback, and residents in Stillwright Point will have to wait longer for help.
Emille Stewart, a resident of the Stillwright Point community, said it would take a hurricane for flooding to get really bad in front of her house.
Still, Stewart said she has to drive through high tides to leave the neighborhood.
Earlier this month on Local 10’s This Week in South Florida, Monroe County Administrator Christine Hurley said the $40 million project to raise roads and install a stormwater system would not move forward in some areas because not enough people agreed to participate.
“When you go to design these projects, you have to use a lot more land to provide the stormwater treatment, the pump stations, and the things that you have to create to deal with this water,” Hurley said. “And we have not received—I’ll say—interest.”
Stewart said giving up residential property to ease road flooding isn’t realistic for everyone.
“The county expected for everybody to make this clear at their own expense as well,” Stewart said. “So that means I have to have all my palm trees removed, the fence removed, and all my pavers up. They can never go back. This has to be gravel forever.”
“If this is the one-size-fits-all plan that the county really wants to go with—the one the engineering firm put forward—I don’t see that any development in the county will sign off on this.”
Monroe County leaders told Local 10 News they are in the process of creating a new program.
They also plan to ask residents if they are willing to contribute to the financial cost.
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.