The City of Palm Coast announced a new pilot program by the Stormwater and Engineering Department aimed at improving swale maintenance across the community. This initiative targets specific problem areas by selectively regrading and resodding high spots in swales, providing solutions without the need for complete overhauls. This program is part of the city’s ongoing commitment to enhancing infrastructure and services for residents.
Since its launch in May, the pilot program has focused on spot regrading in the P section, while full regrades have been completed in the R and W sections. Currently, efforts have shifted to spot regrading in the W section and full regrades in the northern part of the P section. In July, work will continue with targeted regrading in the B and L sections. This phased approach allows the City to address specific problem areas more effectively, ensuring that swales with minor issues are maintained efficiently while optimizing overall functionality.
“Many properties have well-functioning swales that only face issues due to high points, often from recent construction,” explained Stevens. “This pilot program enables us to address these specific areas, improving swale function for more residents while maintaining high maintenance standards.”
While the swale maintenance pilot program will expand to other parts of Palm Coast in the coming months, some areas of the City’s 1,222 miles of swales will still need full regrading and resodding. Last year, maintenance crews completed 40 miles of swale work and aim to reach 44 miles by year-end. The Stormwater and Engineering Department will evaluate the program’s success to decide on its continuation.
Along with this new pilot program, the City of Palm Coast is also launching a comprehensive “Palm Coast Progress” webpage to inform residents about capital improvement projects. This resource will provide residents with detailed updates on capital improvement projects essential for maintaining and enhancing the City’s amenities and services.
Palm Coast Progress will feature up-to-date information on a range of projects, including:
- Roadway Projects
- Utility Projects
- Parks and Recreation Projects
- Stormwater and Engineering Projects
- Fire Projects
“Palm Coast Progress is a key part of our commitment to transparency and keeping our community informed,” said Mayor David Alfin. “Through this webpage, residents can easily view the City’s investments into our capital improvement projects and understand the benefits they bring to our city.”
Residents can visit www.palmcoast.gov/pcprogress to stay informed about ongoing and upcoming projects. The City will update the pages weekly, providing continuous insights into how these projects are expected to enhance services and amenities across Palm Coast.
melodye buckingham says
have lived here going on 8 years and they have yet to do anything on brushwood la, why I ask?
Shark says
They pay someone to mark where the underground wires are and then they cut them when they dig them up. My swale was dug up tree times and it is still a lake days after it rains. The first question they should ask anyone working on the swales is – DOES WATER FLOW UPHILL OR DOWNHILL !!!
JimboXYZ says
See the photo of the driveway with the pipe going underneath the concrete ? I already use my Home Depot shovel and clear those pipes of dirt/soil, tree limb/palm frond debris & grass/weed growth for free & it’s not even the swale in front of my property.. My driveway is one of the few that the concrete was poured as a u-shaped ditch with no pipe under the concrete. I’ve been maintaining the swales & still getting charged for City of Palm Coast swale fees (storm water line item ?) in the utility bill every month. They aren’t doing any swale work on my property. I figure if I maintain it it saves me driveway damages that I’d need to clear with Palm Coast because the main water valve is located dead center of the driveway at the edge of the asphalt road. They did put in underground telecom cabling over the last couple of days, those folks ended up hitting the main water line and that required a repair today. They ended up disrupting water service for the day.
Jim says
If there is any point included in this missive, I missed it.
JimboXYZ says
The point is, clean your driveway pipes out & this won’t be a monumental problem that involves a construction crew.
CPFL says
Interesting, I have never seen you out cleaning that swale in the picture. Explain to me how you were out there cleaning that swale without my cameras alerting me you were there? Wonder why my dog never barked at you cleaning out MY swale pipe.
Let me know how long this shovel is that you use to get all up in that pipe to clean it out, my standard size shovel is not up to the task.
JimboXYZ says
They test the fire hydrants periodically and that floats any wood debris & blasts any dirt clogs to the ends of the pipe. At that time one needs to use he shovel to clear that pipe. And it doesn’t take a long shovel to get a few feet into the end of the pipe. If you let it build up, you’ll certainly have a bigger mess & clean out. Trust me, I took photos of my work, tell me where to send them for you so that you have all the evidence you need to figure it out.
Your dog didn’t bark ? Sounds like your dog is about as lazy & worthless as you are.
Ray W. says
The irony of JimboXYZ’s comment is that he often posts comments worth considering. But, perhaps out of laziness, or a lack of desire, he just cannot exercise a certain level of intellectual rigor every time he types, i.e., he occasionally posts worthless comments. It is difficult for him to navigate a worthwhile point when his wheels have fallen off.
For example, JimboXYZ posts a very good comment on caring for his own property. I admire him for that. Thank you, JimboXYZ. And he didn’t blame the Biden administration for the clogged swales.
But when he posts about inflation, his are worthless comments, because he is too lazy to learn that both Trump and Biden are responsible for today’s inflation.
Trudenflation and Trudenomics are the best ways to understand today’s ever-changing economic conditions. There will come a time when the effects of pumping almost $5 trillion in unfunded stimulus money into our economy will wear off. At that time, the blame can begin to belong to whomever occupies the White House. Our children’s generation will likely blame my generation for the nearly $35 trillion in debt (and climbing) that we are leaving them, and they would likely be right if they did.
Jay Tomm says
Pure BS. I’m in the R’s. They tore up my perfectly fine swale along with the brand new one next to me for the house they built 3 months ago for no reason. They were fine. No drainage problems. Then they used cheap SOD that looks like garbage & doesn’t match the existing grass. They did this to all of them & it all looks like garbage. Yet the left a few untouched? Why?
Waste of tax dollars.
CPFL says
Jay,
I called in a complaint with the city because they tried that BS of putting in Bahia grass instead of St. Aug. They sent a guy out the next day, end of day it was gone, and new St. Aug or Zoysia sod was in place..
John H Rydell says
I just returned from a 10 day cruise looks like someone did one of my neighbors swale(one that didnt need it really)but my yard ifms flooded as i write this my pool pump is underwater but they do ONE and not any that really need it i was attempting to cut the grass but after walking in ankle deep water gave up.ill bet now i get wrote up fof my yard like i have before.hmmmm somethings wrong w this picture why do everyone pay the ridicoloys fees for nothing at all.FRUAD ANYWHERE ELSE
Doug says
It’s interesting that the city doesn’t keep up with the swales in new construction. There have been two new houses built just beyond my house, swale depths are not the same and they don’t line up. Where water used to flow on the empty lots before water just stands now. I’ve noticed this problem on other new houses in my area.
Grassy Knoll says
What a great approach, fix the high spots. The house next to me is three years old, and the front yard is up to a foot higher than my swale, it blocks all the houses upstream from me from being able to drain, so we all have flooded swales. I’m thinking that his yard is higher than mine because he is a republican, but not sure, it could be that Biden made them put the yard higher. But seriously, glad to hear they are taking this approach. Enjoy the weather, get outside.
Billy says
The caption for the photo should read – How many clueless people does it take to destroy a swale ?