North Port seeks citizen input on plan for long-term recovery, resiliency after disasters

Staff Report
·2 min read

NORTH PORT – The city of North Port is hosting an open workshop for residents from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. May 2, as it works on a long-term recovery and resiliency plan following the impacts of Hurricane Ian. 

The city is partnering with the Olson Group, Ltd., which specializes in aiding local governments with emergency preparedness and recovery.

Experts from the Olson Group will facilitate the workshop, which will be in the multipurpose room at the Morgan Family Community Center, 6207 W. Price Blvd.

The work session will focus on how North Port can rebuild in a way that improves its ability to recover from future disasters. Input from the public and community stakeholders will be incorporated into a long-term resiliency plan.

“While we continue to recover from the historic effects Hurricane Ian had on North Port, it’s important that we capture the lessons learned and work to improve our ability to respond to future threats,” City Manager Jerome Fletcher said in a prepared statement. “It’s essential that we hear feedback from our residents that can help us build a safer, smarter and stronger community.”

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The banks around Water Control Structure 106 located on the Cocoplum Waterway, east of North Port Boulevard, collapsed Friday. The structure was completed and put into use in late 2020, early 2021.
The banks around Water Control Structure 106 located on the Cocoplum Waterway, east of North Port Boulevard, collapsed Friday. The structure was completed and put into use in late 2020, early 2021.

The original portion of the city was platted within the drainage basin of Big Slough – also known as the Myakkahatchee Creek – after General Development Corp. drained the land by building 80 miles of canals and waterways.

It proved particularly vulnerable to downstream flooding in the days after Hurricane Ian, as rising floodwaters ruptured some bridges – notably along Price Boulevard – and caused erosion along the Cocoplum Waterway banks.

Plans for a virtual session for those who cannot attend the in-person workshop will be announced later.

Learn more about hurricane preparedness and storm readiness at https://bit.ly/3V4moJN.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Hurricane Ian impacts: North Port to hold workshop on long-term recovery