'It's a waiting game': Recovery stalled amid floodwaters in some parts of Volusia
Volusia County officials have cleaned up thousands of cubic yards of debris as efforts continue, and some areas remain underwater.
Volusia County Public Works Director Ben Bartlett and other county officials shared an update this week on recovery efforts and damage.
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The county began storm debris collection on Oct. 5. Through Oct. 17, the county had collected about 60,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris.
The county estimated collection totals will be 300,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris and 180,000 cubic yards of construction and demolition debris.
"That 60,000 cubic yards is about a football field area piled about 28 feet high, so we're going to have to get that up to about 150 feet high before we get done," Bartlett said.
It takes a while for the construction and demolition debris to emerge, he said. That includes drywall, carpet and furniture. So far about 2,100 cubic yards of that debris has been collected, including 1,600 from the beaches.
Volusia County communities still underwater
Recovery is stalled in some areas along the St. Johns River, which remain flooded
Areas still seeing flooding as of Tuesday include Stone Island, Lake Harney Woods, DeLand, Astor and Lemon Bluff, Bartlett said.
"Basically at this point with those folks as far as getting the roads open, it's a waiting game, waiting for that river to come down," he said.
Other areas seeing flooding include Pooser pond, Deltona and Enterprise.
"These are mostly areas where there's closed basins where the water falls it's like a bowl and it fills up," Bartlett said.
The county has offered city officials in those areas the possibility of moving some of the water into county retention ponds that have room, he said.
County Manager George Recktenwald said part of State Road 46 is still underwater so people can't approach Lake Harney Woods from the west. He said the Florida Department of Transportation estimated the earliest the road would reopen is the end of this week.
People can live on their properties in an RV
Volusia County officials extended the emergency declaration for the county and will allow people to live in an RV or mobile home on their properties as they rebuild.
To accomplish that, the County Council agreed to waive part of the County Code, which County Attorney Michael Dyer said prohibits RVs and other mobile homes from connecting to water, sewer or electric lines for residential purposes unless they are in a recreational vehicle park.
Some Volusia residents still need shelter as they recover from Tropical Storm Ian.
Kevin Captain, community information director for Volusia County, said that 134 residents have received help from FEMA's Transitional Sheltering Assistance program.
"This is where they are able to provisionally find a motel or hotel room while their home is being repaired," Captain said.
People who had been staying at the Ocean Center shelter in Daytona Beach had to leave Monday, he said.
"Those that were impacted by the storm that were not able to go back to their homes because of uninhabitable damage or repair, those people were able to be screened and they were provided a shelter at two of the Baptist churches that work with FEMA," Captain said. "They joined forces to be able to provide sheltering."
More resources reopen in Volusia
Several areas have opened to beach driving, including in Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach and Ponce Inlet, according to a county presentation. Daily updates on vehicle access are available at Volusia Beaches mobile app.
Of the 140 dune walkovers in the county, 69 are open.
Lighthouse Point Park and Frank Rendon park have significant damage and are still closed, Bartlett said.
Damage assessment
As of Tuesday, the damage assessment total for Volusia County had reached over $316.1 million, Captain said. That includes damage to 5,498 single family homes and 623 businesses, among other damage.
Also, 44,825 residents have registered for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he said.
Emergency permitting open house for Tropical Storm Ian damage
Approving structural repairs is an ongoing effort with residents, county staff and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Officials from the county, the FDEP and coastal cities plan to have an open house Wednesday to talk about emergency permitting for temporary and permanent repairs. The focus is on coastal structures, but officials will be on hand to discuss repairs to properties in general.
The open house will be from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Daytona Beach Shores Community Center at 3000 Bellemead Drive.
"Representatives will be available to answer questions and assist with state or local emergency permitting, especially with respect to seawalls, sand sources and walkover repairs," according to a county news release. "Residents, consulting engineers and contractors are encouraged to attend so city, county and state employees can guide them through the process."
Residents should contact their own city staff for permitting requirements if they live in Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach or Ponce Inlet. People who live in unincorporated areas should contact Volusia County government.
The county released several contact numbers for permit questions:
Volusia County permit for vehicle access for closed beach driving areas: 386-238-4668 or 386-257-6000, ext. 21319
Volusia County temporary permit: Jennifer Winters or Ryan Chabot, 386-238-4668
FDEP field permit: Trey Hatch, 904-832-6757
FDEP Coastal Construction Control Line permit: Doug Aarons, 850-245-7672.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Tropical Storm Ian recovery delayed with flooding in parts of Volusia
