South Tampa's long-running drainage fight took a step forward when the Tampa City Council approved the South Howard Flood Relief Project, Tampa Bay 28 reported.
The plan is to address repeated flooding that has pushed stormwater into streets and homes in nearby neighborhoods.
Homeowners in Parkland Estates and Palma Ceia Pines could see relief if the project moves ahead, though the vote may not end the conflict — the South Howard Business Alliance still opposes the plan, and that could lead to a legal battle.
Here's what to know
Under the Sept. 17 approval, an underground drainage system would be built beneath South Howard Avenue, moving water that now collects in roads and homes out to the bay.
Tina Adams, a Parkland Estates homeowner, said that waiting for the vote sent her stress level soaring.
"My Apple Watch kept going off — high heart rate — and Harry [Coleman], who's sitting next to me, said, 'Breathe deeply, breathe deeply,' because it was definitely a nail biter till the end," she told Tampa Bay 28.
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Coleman said years of flooding have deeply disrupted his family.
"It took everything. We moved out of our house for six months," Coleman told Tampa Bay 28. After hurricanes, he explained, his family had to live elsewhere from October 2024 until April 2025.
For Bill Kolega of Palma Ceia Pines, the issue goes beyond property damage.
"With a three-year-old and a five-month-old, what really worries me is am I going to be able to make it to a school two blocks away to pick him up, or worst case, we need to go to the doctor or the hospital. How would we get there?" he told Tampa Bay 28.
More background
Coleman noted that flooding can leave residents on their own.
"Fire trucks will even stop and not enter the floodwaters because that's a very expensive vehicle. You're cut off from everything in the rest of the city when those storms come," he told Tampa Bay 28.
Adams indicated that aging infrastructure is a major part of the problem.
"The water comes out of the storm drains, and that's what flooded our homes because the pipes are too small. They're 75 to 100 years old, and they need to be replaced," she said, per Tampa Bay 28.
Kolega reviewed the engineering report before supporting the project and argued the effort wasn't simply a narrow neighborhood request.
A petition he started drew nearly 600 signatures, with support from across Tampa, not just nearby residents, Tampa Bay 28 reported.
He also pushed back on the argument that the project directs too much money to one part of the city, pointing out that Tampa has roughly 15 major stormwater efforts underway, nearing launch, or wrapping up.
What's being done?
According to Coleman, the project was structured to limit disruption for commercial activity.
Coleman said city officials split the work into 24 sections "to provide the least disruption to the businesses," per Tampa Bay 28.
The South Howard Business Alliance remains opposed.
"They made a decision. I think it was a bad decision. I think the plan will not work," Steve Michelini told Tampa Bay 28. "... Every legal possibility will be examined and explored, and the attorneys were in there, sitting there, taking their notes and monitoring the hearing."
Adams and Kolega hoped the project could move forward without deepening tensions between neighbors.
Adams said she hoped businesses would recognize the need for the work, while Kolega said his family chose the area partly because of the South Howard business corridor.
"It's meaningful relief to people who have been flooded and chased out of their homes, their sanctuaries where they're supposed to be safe," Coleman told Tampa Bay 28. "And the fact that City Council was able to do this for those families means the world to all of us."
Where can I learn more?
For more on how communities are dealing with flooding, these articles examine flood protection, city-scale stormwater design, and homes built to endure severe weather.
• In Savannah, a company executive shared crucial flood protection methods as hurricane season intensified.
• In New York City, officials expanded Blue Belt flood solutions to improve storm response.
• In East Palo Alto, crews installed rain gardens and channels to prevent neighborhood flooding.
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