TAMPA, Fla. – Hillsborough County is launching a series of public meetings this week to gather critical input from residents about the cumulative flooding impacts experienced from seasonal rainfall and the 2024 hurricane season, which included Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton.
The effort aims to assess the extent of the flooding’s effects across the county and collect information directly from those living in the most impacted areas. This input will be used to help design potential regional flood mitigation and resiliency strategies.
The first meeting is scheduled for this Tuesday, May 7, at 6:30 p.m., and will take place at the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, located at 3910 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa, FL 33611.
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This South Tampa session is the first of four remaining public listening open houses being held over the next few weeks. The meetings are designed as informal gatherings without a formal presentation, encouraging residents to describe how the storm events impacted roads, private property, and businesses.
Hillsborough County has engaged an outside engineering firm to conduct an independent assessment of the impacts of the 2024 severe rain events on stormwater infrastructure. Community input gathered during this series of meetings is a crucial part of this assessment. A total of eight public meetings were planned, strategically located near areas significantly affected by the storms; four remain.
Hillsborough County is also facilitating virtual feedback opportunities for residents unable to attend in person. An online survey is available, and residents can learn about the assessment and provide feedback virtually on the Hillsborough County Education & Engagement Hub (HCFL.Gov/HCEngage) until May 19, 2025.
Upcoming Public meetings to evaluate and gather input on flooding impacts:
- Tuesday, May 7, 6:30 p.m. – Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, 3910 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa, FL 33611
- Monday, May 12, 6 p.m. – Victor Crist Community Center, 14013 N. 22nd St., Tampa, FL 33613 (USF area)
- Thursday, May 15, 5:30 p.m. – Jimmie B. Keel Regional Public Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave., Tampa, FL 33618 (Lake Magdalene area)
- Monday, May 19, 6 p.m. – Lennard High School theater, 2342 E. Shell Point Rd., Ruskin, FL 33570
Residents affected by recent flooding events are strongly encouraged to attend one of the remaining meetings or participate via the online platforms to share their experiences and contribute to the county’s planning efforts.
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