Hurricane recovery efforts dominated discussions at the Madeira Beach City Commission workshop and regular meeting on November 13. The city’s October meetings were canceled due to ongoing recovery efforts following recent storms.

Damaged Jetty Sparks Debate

City Manager Robin Gomez reported significant damage to the John’s Pass jetty, which had been battered first by Hurricane Idalia and then by more recent storms. The jetty’s concrete sidewalk and railings were already a liability, with a prior lawsuit resulting in a $50,000 insurance payout.

“As part of our review, we decided the jetty needed to be removed and replaced,” Gomez said, noting that the sidewalk was removed last week.

However, Mayor Ann-Marie Brooks expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, stating that a professional engineer should have assessed the damage, and the matter should have been brought to the commission and the public for discussion.

“I was not happy the jetty was removed without input from the commission or residents,” Brooks said.

Some commissioners echoed her concerns, while Gomez estimated it would take six to nine months to rebuild the jetty.

Ordinances to Ease Storm Recovery

The commission unanimously passed two ordinances on first reading to assist residents with storm-damaged homes:

1. Revised Definition of “Substantial Improvement”
   • Previously, Madeira Beach used a one-year lookback period to calculate repair costs, which penalized homeowners for recent renovations when assessing FEMA’s 50% rule.
   • The new ordinance eliminates this lookback period for storm repairs.
   • “This is fantastic — homeowners shouldn’t be penalized for improving their homes before a storm,” said Commissioner Ray Kerr.
2. Permit Fee Reductions
   • Permit fees were reduced from 2% to 1% of improvement value.
   • Fees for hurricane-related construction are waived entirely through September 2024.

Community Development Engineer Marcie Forbes noted these changes could benefit up to 500 properties, expediting recovery for homeowners.

Debris Removal Progress

Gomez updated the commission on debris removal efforts, reporting that contractor DEC had cleared over 381,000 cubic yards of storm debris since October 16. The city’s cleanup is 85% to 90% complete, with hazardous materials like paint to be collected during the final pass. Completion is expected by early December.

“It’s looking much better, but there’s still work left to do,” Gomez said.

Forbes added that while building permits for interior remodeling and other repairs, replacements, and installations, will take a few more weeks to issue, but the city is allowing homeowners to upload photos of damage to speed up the process.

“If anyone is without hot water or air conditioning, let us know—we’ll work through it to get people comfortable,” Forbes said.

Financial Impacts

Finance Director Andrew Laflin estimated the city could face over $5 million in lost revenue this fiscal year due to the hurricanes. Losses span across ad valorem taxes, utility fees, parking revenue, marina operations, and more.

“I’m confident we can cover operating expenses, salaries, and maintenance, but we may need to reconsider some capital improvement projects,” Laflin said.

Despite the challenges, the city is pressing forward to support recovery efforts and help residents rebuild.

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(Image credit: Patrick Heinzen)