VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The city of Virginia Beach hosted a public open house tonight at the Bow Creek Recreation Center to update the public on its ongoing stormwater projects to counteract flooding in prone residential areas.
Project and program managers Michael Mundy and Tim Hare presented the current plans and expected timeline for the designed stormwater projects in the city.
"During Matthew this area flooded. About 1,000 houses unfortunately flooded, so we want to improve the drainage in the area," said Mundy.
In 2016, Hurricane Matthew devastated parts of Virginia Beach, where some homes were flooded with several feet of water.
"During Hurricane Matthew there were house islands and car islands in the neighborhood. You didn't see anything else. It was all water," said Windsor Woods resident Richard Engel.
These stormwater mitigation projects include implementation for the neighborhoods of Windsor Woods, Princess Anne Plaza and the Lakes.
"We have to install three sets of tide gates in the areas where the water can come into the city. So when you talk about timeline, we have to get all three gates in, and then we need to put two pump stations in also, so it's going to take some time," said Mundy.
Hare says recovery, not prevention, is the goal.
"Their flooding risk is going to be reduced. You can never eliminate flood risk," said Hare. "No one expected Helene and what it did to North Carolina. It's just catastrophic. But what we can do is make ourselves more resilient. That, accompanied with other things, means we'll recover faster."
Residents were able to ask questions and hear from those involved in project design. After the open house, many felt reassured for the future.
"It does nothing but fill me with a lot of appreciation that the city has consistently, not only kept residents updated on the progress of the various projects that are going on in the city, but we have had so many neighbors impacted by the various storm surges and hurricanes that the city's action and reaction is nothing but a benefit," said Princess Anne Plaza resident Ruth Snyder.
"It's the worse thing to have your house flooded," Mundy said. "It sets you back so much so you don't want that to happen to anyone ever again. That's why we are doing these improvement projects.
Tonight's public open house will not be the last regarding the city's progress, the city said. Additionally, the stormwater mitigation projects could start construction in 2026 and end by 2032.