Plant City residents demand action after '1-in-1,000-year' flooding

Flooding concerns after summer storm

First, it was Hurricane Milton. Then, on July 14, a powerful storm dumped more than 10 inches of rain in just four hours on Plant City. Jennifer Kveglis reports.

PLANT CITY, Fla. - First, it was Hurricane Milton. Then, on July 14, a powerful storm dumped more than 10 inches of rain in just four hours on Plant City. 

The National Weather Service calls it a "1-in-1,000-year storm," meaning there’s just a 0.1% chance of such a storm happening in any given year.

READ: Hillsborough County Fire Rescue proposes new station on 5.9-acre property in Plant City

What they're saying:

In the Roseland Park neighborhood, residents like Dorothy Kemp said the flooding has been worse than anything they’ve ever seen in decades of living there. 

"I was sitting on the couch… I watched it waiting to see if it was going to come close to the house, because I was afraid it was going to," Kemp said.

Dozens of frustrated residents packed a city meeting Monday night to demand immediate action. Some, like Allen Chapel AME Pastor Cheryl Ferrell, urged the city to reconsider ongoing development until drainage systems are upgraded. 

MORE: Hillsborough County Fire Rescue proposes new station on 5.9-acre property in Plant City

"It is imperative we revisit the drainage structures in place so that we can rectify the problem as the development takes place," Ferrell said.

The other side:

Plant City Manager Bill McDaniel said the July 14 storm was simply beyond what any system could handle. "When you get 10.4 inches of rain in four hours, you’re going to have problems," McDaniel said.

He pointed to ongoing infrastructure projects, including:

• $2 million for the Cooper Pond drainage project.
• $1 million in gabion basket improvements along the canal.
• Continued maintenance of primary drainage systems.

McDaniel said these upgrades should help reduce flooding risks this hurricane season, but residents remain skeptical after the recent back-to-back storms.