Engineering company to examine Hurricane Ian damage in New Smyrna Beach

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Hurricane Ian dropped 20 inches of rain in some parts of Volusia County, including in New Smyrna Beach.

Now, the city is charting a course of action to prevent future flooding by analyzing issues such as developments' role in storm water management.

The residents who packed a meeting in New Smyrna Beach say they are tired.

They can't stand another hurricane.

“I can't handle another hurricane. I can't handle trying to swim for my life. I can't handle water," New Smyrna Beach resident Penny Nestore said.

Speaking at the Brannon Center, New Smyrna Beach leaders say help is on the way, and some of it is coming from the state.

Gov. Ron DeSantis okayed $750 million in hurricane relief for Volusia and other counties.

New Smyrna Beach's mayor was with the governor Wednesday in Daytona Beach Shores.

"The first installment is coming to the state of $100 million. The check was presented today. Volusia County will get $37.6 million of that," New Smyrna Beach Mayor Fred Cleveland said.

But for now, New Smyrna Beach has hired an engineering company, Jones Edmunds, to look at the flooding Hurricane Ian caused the city.

They'll look at such things as the city's stormwater system, which Michelle Lindsey says doesn't drain.

She lives in Corbin Park, a community built in the 1950s, which flooded.

"We had three feet of water in our house, so we lost our contents inside. It's hard. The hardest thing really is going away from my neighbors. The people in my neighborhood are amazing, and I can't speak highly enough of them, and we miss them,” Lindsey said.

New Smyrna Beach was no match for Ian's extremely high rainfall coupled with extraordinarily high tides.

One Venetian Bay resident says Ian left them looking like Venice.

"Just a complete canal system that really lasted a multiple-day event because we had tremendous drainage problem,” resident Joe Flyvka said.

Jones Edmunds Engineering and Consulting Services will issue its report and recommendations to the city by the end of May.

After that, the city will decide when to take its action.

The engineering firm will also analyze the impact of large new developments and stormwater management systems.

Right now, there is a moratorium on new residential development in the city of 10 acres or greater until Jun. 27 or later.

Related video below: Gov. DeSantis awards Volusia County with $37.6M to restore beaches

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