APOPKA, Fla. – City and county leaders are preparing for a critical meeting Wednesday night to discuss a short-term solution to persistent flooding at Border Lake.
While both sides agree that action is needed, tensions are rising over what is driving the conversation. For years, heavy rain has repeatedly flooded roads, homes and businesses near State Road 436 and Piedmont Wekiva Road.
Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore has been pushing for an immediate fix by redirecting excess water into a nearby lake. However, Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson believes some officials, including Moore, may have political motives at play.
Moore has been vocal about her frustration, arguing that the city has been slow to act.
“I don’t know what the mayor of Apopka is doing to present his option that has no funding or if he’s going to hear our short-term [solution]. If you ask me, it should be a collaborative meeting,” Moore said earlier this month.
Nelson, however, insists that the city is on board with the county’s short-term plan but says Apopka needs a seat at the table.
“We were never against it, but we also need to be at the table. If we’re not at the table, we can’t agree to something we’ve never seen,” Nelson said.
He also acknowledged that the county’s plan redirecting excess water from Border Lake into Lake Paige is not ideal but could provide temporary relief.
“The county plan looks like a viable plan. It would take excess water off of Border Lake and into Lake Paige, which isn’t ideal because it’s going to go into the drainage well, but it solves a short-term problem,” Nelson added.
Flooding in the area has been a major concern for years, particularly following hurricanes and heavy storms. At a recent Apopka City Council meeting, emotions ran high when the topic was initially left off the agenda.
“Because the five lakes that would be involved in our plan are all your lakes, it is going to be your decision as to what process or procedures you would use to try to stop the flooding,” Moore argued.
Nelson, however, questioned why Moore had not pushed for action sooner.
“Where was she three years ago? She didn’t care about it after [Hurricane] Irma no response from her then. So here we are, and now it’s an issue for her because of whatever her political aspirations are,” Nelson said. “This shouldn’t be a political football that we’re slinging around. These are people’s lives, people’s businesses. We need to sit down and figure out a solution.”
The Apopka City Council meeting is set for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Leaders will discuss potential next steps and whether a collaborative approach can finally bring relief to residents impacted by repeated flooding.
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