EDGEWATER, Fla. – The Edgewater City Council adjourned Monday after accepting a settlement offer from Lennar Homes, framing the deal as a win despite losing a lawsuit to the construction company.
Under the agreement, Lennar will move forward with its housing project, though the city said a proposed “phase 5” that would have added more homes will not happen. City officials touted the settlement as a victory because Lennar scaled back its construction plans from the initial number of homes — a reduction the company had already made before the lawsuit was filed.
Edgewater Mayor Diezel Depew is spoke out after the city lost a lawsuit to Lennar Homes, a case tied closely to the city’s ongoing struggle with flooding and what leaders call unchecked overdevelopment.
In a statement released ahead of Monday night’s shade meeting, Depew said the city has “stood firm” on pausing development until long-standing flooding problems can be addressed. He said Edgewater is still working toward the goals of its development moratorium and called the latest Lennar case “the worst” he has seen.
Depew argued that “big money” developers continue pushing projects that he believes could worsen flooding in surrounding neighborhoods. He said residents’ repeated flooding experiences should have been “enough to do the right thing.”
The mayor also said the city needs a stronger legal team, one that will “fight and stand” for families affected by flooding as Edgewater continues its development battles.
Lennar was not immediately available for comment. News 6 will continue to follow developments and provide updates from city leaders on what this means for the moratorium and the city’s long-term flooding fixes.
The debate in Edgewater is unfolding as cities and counties across Florida grapple with the effects of SB 180, a new state law that sharply restricts when local governments can strengthen development rules.
Opponents argue the measure strips communities of home-rule authority and undermines years of planning aimed at protecting sensitive land and reducing flood risk. More than two dozen local governments, including Orange and Manatee counties, have sued the state over the law, while others such as Destin, Lake Alfred, Windermere, Delray Beach and Alachua have joined in support.
Even cities not in the lawsuit, like Palm Coast and New Smyrna Beach, say they’re watching closely. For Edgewater residents already frustrated by flooding concerns, the outcome of that legal fight could shape how much control their city keeps over future growth.
[MORE: Flooding woes continue in Volusia]