McKay Creek flooding can't be stopped

The city decides to abandon plans to alter the creek and will begin to buy out homeowners. Engineers say more than $10-million would not control it.

By MICHAEL SANDLER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 15, 2002

LARGO -- Faced with the prospect of never being able to stop flooding along McKay Creek, officials are expected to abandon the idea of trying and will set aside a million dollars to bail out homeowners in its path.

An engineering consultant hired by the city said alternatives to fix the creek are too costly because flooding of homes cannot be avoided.

Instead, TBE Group, the consultant, has recommended a plan that calls for routine maintenance to slow erosion, and a city-initiated program to buy those homes affected most by flooding.

Engineers estimate as many as 13 homes are affected now, with the possibility of more being added in the future.

"No matter how much money we spend, we could spend well over $10-million and still not resolve the issue of flooding," said city engineer Mike Staffopoulos. "At that point, the cost-effectiveness of those options plays a factor."

Commissioners are expected to vote tonight on setting aside $2-million for the project, with half of that expected to kick-start the home-buying fund.

That's a departure from the plan in 2001, when the city began interviewing consultants.

City officials then promised relief from the constant threat of floods by pursuing a long-term plan for the creek. Largo dedicated $900,000 that year to spend on McKay Creek, another $1.7-million set aside in 2002 and hired TBE Group to pursue a plan.

This summer the consultant returned with disappointing news.

Widening and deepening the creek would cost as much as $14-million, and even that could not guarantee the homes would be free from flooding.

So the option left is to buy homes as they come on the market, create a buffer between Largo Medical Center and the east side of East Patlin Circle, and maintain the creek from further erosion.

The fund could grow with demand.

"It depends on how many people are willing to sell, and what's the market price," said Staffopoulos. "A million dollars was seen as just a starting point."

Kyle Kimsey doesn't buy the consultant's assessment.

He has owned his home on Patlin Circle since 1976. His house was flooded in 1988 by storms that caused nearly $25,000 in damage. Since then, he has kept sandbags piled on his back door, preventing flooding the six times water has come up over his back step.

"They can fix it," he said. "I like where I'm at. I made improvements on this home. Of course, if the price is right, they can have it. But I'd like to see the city make improvements."

Largo maintains the parts of the creek within its boundaries, while Pinellas County is responsible for the creek in its unincorporated areas.

A developer moved the creek several decades ago to build more homes in Biltmore Estates, just south of West Bay Drive.

-- Michael Sandler can be reached at 445-4174 or sandler@sptimes.com.

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