Growth FAQ - Engineering

I live in an established neighborhood, but the lot next to me is vacant. A large house is being built on that lot, but it is flooding my yard. Is there anything that can be done?

There are three points that relate to this question. First, the Zoning Code includes standards for setbacks and lot coverage. Setbacks establish a minimum distance between the structure and the property lines. Lot coverage limits the percent of the property that can be developed. Both standards result in mandatory green space, which allows for water to drain into the earth rather than flowing off site. Second, to obtain a building permit, the applicant must demonstrate that the site will be properly graded to convey drainage to an appropriate stormwater pond. Third, despite the protections in the Code, there may be rare cases when a property adjacent to an active construction site is impacted by additional water draining across their site. If that happens, please call us at 850-891-7001 (option 4). We will send an engineering inspector to the construction site to determine the source of the flooding and to seek to resolve the problem.