In a determined effort to fortify its vulnerable coastline against the rising threat of sea-level rise and increasingly intense storms, the City of Sarasota has formally requested $82 million in federal funds for a suite of critical stormwater and resiliency projects.
The push for funding follows the historic flooding that ravaged the region during the 2024 storm season, leaving key areas like St. Armands Key inundated.
Mayor Liz Alpert, backed by a unanimous 5-0 City Commission vote on Monday, November 3, outlined the comprehensive funding request in a letter to the Sarasota County Commission. The city is aiming for a substantial portion of the $211 million in federal hurricane recovery dollars that Sarasota County is set to disburse through its Resilient SRQ Program.
A Race to shore-up St. Armands Key
The centerpiece of the city’s request is the $25 million St. Armands Resiliency & Flood Mitigation Project, deemed the most critical infrastructure priority.
St. Armands Key, a low-lying, bowl-shaped barrier island, is home to the vital commercial hub featuring more than 140 storefronts and restaurants that support approximately 1,100 jobs and generate $135 million in annual sales.
The island’s current stormwater system, which relies on pump stations due to its natural, flood-prone topography, has proven dangerously inadequate.
The pump stations were “overwhelmed and/or not fully operational” during severeflooding in both 2023 and $2024.
Moreover, the Key serves as the sole mainland connection for SR 789, a crucial evacuation route handling 32,000 vehicles daily.
Increasing nuisance tides and a 2024 “king tide” event that followed Hurricane Debby’s 3-foot surge have already forced the closure of the circle 6-8 times annually, flooding roughly 120 businesses and residences.
Interim City Manager Dave Bullock emphasized the urgency of the situation on Monday. “This is not the first nor last time St. Armands will flood. There is an elevation issue,” Mr. Bullock stated. He later added, “The infrastructure projects are subject to a lot of competition, and I think, for us, if someone were to ask what’s most important, you’d pretty much have to say St. Armands.”
The Resilience Imperative
Hydrologic modeling paints a stark picture: the existing pumps provide a less than 5-year level of service, a figure projected to drop to less than a 2-year level by 2035 due to projected sea-level rise.
The proposed $25 million project—a joint effort with the Town of Longboat Key and Sarasota County—is designed to drastically overhaul the island’s defenses. Key adaptation measures include:
• Pump-station retrofits with generators.
• Installation of tide-check valves.
• Construction of underground storage vaults.
• Use of permeable pavement and bioswales.
• Deployment of flood barriers.
These measures are intended to restore a 100-year flood protection level of service, eliminate structural flooding and roadway closures, and maintain access to the critical evacuation route even during 3-foot surges. The project is also expected to significantly reduce environmental damage by removing approximately 1,400 pounds of nitrogen per year before discharge into Sarasota Bay.
Mr. Bullock noted that addressing stormwater will be a “central component” of the city’s long-term “visioning” for the future of St. Armands.
The Looming Deadline
The County Commission will hold its deciding meeting on which projects receive the competitive Resilient SRQ funding on Tuesday, December 16th, 2025 at the Robert L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice.
Given the intense competition for the limited federal dollars, the City of Sarasota is urging residents and stakeholders to express their support for the St. Armands project to the County Commissioners ahead of the December vote.
Contact Your County Commissioners…
The Sarasota County Commission will decide on funding for the St. Armands Resiliency & Flood Mitigation Project on Tuesday, December 16th, 2025. Residents and stakeholders are urged to contact Commissioners to express their opinion on the $25 million request.
Individual Commissioner Contacts
District Commissioner Email Address
District 1 Mike Moran mmoran@scgov.net
District 2 Mark Smith mhsmith@scgov.net
District 3 Neil Rainford nrainford@scgov.net
District 4 Joe Neunder jneunder@scgov.net
District 5 Ron Cutsinger rcutsinger@scgov.net
Email ALL Commissioners: commissioners@scgov.net
