Initiated by Plant City’s Christine Miller, District 4 County Commissioner, Hillsborough County is hosting a series of eight public meetings to gather input about the 2024 cumulative flooding impacts of seasonal rainfall, and Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. On April 29, the county held the District 4 public meeting at Plant City High School. The open house event ran for two hours, and saw 75 residents come through to tell their stories, and find out more about flooding from county representatives.
Ken Willaford lived on the north end of Plant City on Joe McIntosh Rd. “We’ve never really had any water that just stood on our property,” he said. “When Milton came through, we had eight inches of water flowing across the county road onto our property. The family owns roughly 20 acres, 19 acres was under water. And some places the water was three feet deep. The water flowed across the road for three days….The house flooded—all the carpet, all the tile, everything. We couldn’t live in it. We moved out. We are out of it now. We are in the process of building another house. FEMA came out and took hundreds of photographs. There was thousands and thousands of dollars in damage. FEMA gave us the minimum amount, which was around $7,000 dollars.”
Hillsborough County has engaged an outside engineering firm to conduct a thorough, independent assessment of the impacts from 2024’s double-the-average rain, and the downpour from Milton, on stormwater infrastructure. The next steps involve gathering additional input on how the storms affected the people and businesses in the county. The public meetings will explore the extent of the impact, potential regional flood mitigation, and resiliency strategies.
“I was flooded,” Danielle Kimbrell said. “The entire neighborhood flooded. I am concerned with wetlands, and water in Rowena Mays Park, which is right across the street from my home.”
Community input is requested during these open houses. Residents are encouraged to come out to describe what they saw and experienced from storm impacts on roads, private property, and businesses. The eight public meetings will occur across the county, strategically placed to be close to residents who were affected most by the storms.
“I want to thank County Commissioner Christine Miller for asking for this post-Hurricane Milton discussion, and for the Board of County Commissioners for supporting it,” Plant City Mayor Nate Kilton commented. “The City of Plant City Commission is in unanimous support of this process, and the public comment opportunities are very important information for the consulting firm. City manager Bill McDaniel and I had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with representatives from Black & Veatch—the consulting firm—to share our extensive observations regarding stormwater issues and concerns with specific comments regarding the impacts from Hurricane Milton.”
In addition to the meetings, the Hillsborough County Engagement & Education Hub is available until May 19 to receive public input on flooding impacts. Go to HCFL.Gov/HCEngage to give feedback. The county is relying on resident input to make changes.
“The residents of Hillsborough County have been facing unprecedented stormwater issues for quite some time now,” Miller said. “These challenges were only exacerbated by the most recent, highly active, hurricane season. For too long, these problems have been persistent and overlooked. That is why, when I was appointed 10 months ago, I made it my first priority to take meaningful action, and ensure this issue received the attention it demands. As the newest Commissioner on the board, I experienced firsthand the confusion and lack of clarity during the storms. I found myself asking questions, and too often, there were no clear answers from any single agency or department. It became clear to me that we can no longer afford to operate in silos or reactively. It’s time to invest in the answers. We must develop a coordinated, data-driven approach that not only informs Hillsborough County’s stormwater planning but also equips our three cities and partners like the Southwest Florida Water Management District with the tools they need to act. That’s why I’ve supported the community meetings hosted by Black and Veatch, with the full backing of Hillsborough County. My team and I recently attended one in Plant City, where the room was alive with engaged residents, county experts, and engineers working side by side. These forums are vital. They allow us to gather stories, collect visual evidence, answer pressing questions, and, most importantly, create a space for productive and transparent dialogue. I look forward to a similar experience at the upcoming meeting in Ruskin. We are still in the information-gathering stage, but it is an essential foundation for lasting change. With the collaboration of residents, county staff, and professional partners, we’re assembling the data and insights we need to design a long-term, cost-effective, and resilient solution. My goal is clear: to make this process transparent, inclusive, and results-driven. We owe it to our constituents to ensure that before every storm season, we are stronger, more prepared, and better protected. I look forward to continuing this work with our partners and the community to finally resolve these issues—not just for today, but for generations to come.”