Seminole County's Midway community gets more help preventing flooding

Seminole County focusing on neighborhood flooding

Seminole County Commissioners have made significant progress toward resolving chronic flooding issues in the Midway neighborhood, where residents report frequent flooding during heavy rains.

SANFORD, Fla. - Hurricane Ian left many flooded roads and yards in Sanford’s Midway community. Timothy Wright, a Midway resident, said any intense rain could lead to swamped streets and homes.

"It's bad, it's so bad," he said, "like messing up a lot of houses."

Wright said he’d welcome any fix.

"Hopefully it just don't flood no more."

Seminole County commissioners have taken another step toward solving the problem, approving deals with a dozen property owners to gain rights over their land.

"What we have to do is not acquire the property from the community, but acquire the rights to use the property through an easement," said Jeff Sloman, Seminole County project manager.

If everything goes according to plan, officials say the Midway project could be finished by early 2027. Access to the property will allow county crews to do all the necessary work to prevent more flooding in Midway.

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"The construction of new storm drain structures, upsized storm drain piping, and also new stormwater management ponds," Sloman said.

Neil Newton, Seminole County real estate management supervisor, said they were still speaking with fifty midway property owners, trying to convince them to sign on to the project.

"This is the most entailed, massive project for this community that I think has ever happened, so I think it's very important, and we're trying to address all those needs, but we need cooperation from the property owners."

Officials say the project will cost about $26 million. Emory Green, Jr., executive director of the Midway Coalition, said it was critical for everyone to sign on to the plan to help stop flooding in Midway.

"We've been working diligently with the county's representation to ensure that we work with those residents who have questions and concerns about the process and also what it means to gain access to their property."