Oakland Park wants million-dollar stormwater pump to guard homes from damage
MIAMI - Oakland Park could soon have a new stormwater pump station to shield a neighborhood where homeowners see roads flood often during heavy rain events.
City Commissioners will hear a progress report on the floodplain management plan, which includes the estimate $1.6 million construction of a new pump added to the north portion of the North Andrews Gardens Neighborhood Drainage system near NE 62nd Street and NE 3rd Avenue.
The project could soon be up for bidding followed by construction, according to city records.
"As soon as the neighbors know about that they're going to be happy," Allende Holguym, who lives in North Andrews Gardens said.
His neighborhood is one of the lowest and last spots to drain in the northwest part of the community. Jose Portillo, who lives around the corner, said their streets flood everything it rains hard. Holguym said storms pushed high water into his driveway at least 10 times this year.
"(It looks lik) a lake," Holguym said. "All the neighborhood around here looks like a lake when we get lots of rain. Of course it bothers me because when you want to go out and you have small cars like my neighbor he sometimes has problems because water goes into the motor and (cause) damage."
He saw it worst in April when storms swamped Fort Lauderdale, Dania Beach and other parts of Broward County with record flooding. Some homes wrecked back then in Fort Lauderdale's Edgewood community flooded again Monday.
"We have PTSD," Edgewood resident Claudia Reyes, whose house flooded in April and still needs repairs, said Monday afternoon. "It's very stressful."
Since March, Oakland Park staff inspected 1,900 drainage structures and cleaned 160, according to city records. The city hired a contractor to improve five stormwater lines. Crews also excavated a swale in a park near NE 18th Avenue and NE 33rd Court to better protect neighborhoods in the southern part of the city.
The Broward County Local Mitigation Strategy provides support for hazard mitigation grant funding. In 2018, the city adopted a resolution that endorsed the Broward County Enhanced Local Mitigation strategy. The North Andrews Gardens pump station project progressed through design and permitting processes during the 2022-2023 fiscal year, according to city records.
The new pump will push stormwater underground through pipes into a retention field near I-95 and Cypress Creek Road, a city spokesperson said.
It should bring relief to Holguym's neighborhood. He hopes it protects property values too.
