Community Listening Workshop

What is the Goal?

Through listening to and prioritizing resident voices and experiences, a group of local organizations are working together to help solve issues related to flooding and water quality experienced by the community of West Cocoa.

Who are the Partners?

Florida Sea Grant, Stetson University, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and Brevard County.

How Can This Project Benefit the Community?

This project's goal is to plan for green space, or green infrastructure, which has the capacity to absorb and filter rainwater impacting the West Cocoa area by using strategies, such as drones, geospatial modeling and community input. STEM opportunities for youth may also be available.

Additional Background:

This project will address issues related to water quality and sea-level rise in Brevard County through the implementation of green infrastructure. Outreach in this project to community members, especially those that have been historically under-represented, will help enhance the project. Moreover, community engagement paired with the other objectives will provide for a resilient local community, economy, and ecological system.

Brevard County, Florida is the 10th most populated County in the state and home to the Indian River Lagoon, the most biodiverse estuary in North America. With persistent water quality issues paired with imminent effects of climate change, the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC), in partnership with Florida Sea Grant, Volusia and Brevard Counties, municipalities, academia and non-profits, developed the East Central Florida Regional Resiliency Action Plan (RRAP) to address these issues.

Green Infrastructure and Low Impact Design are two strategies that can help improve water quality and mitigate flood impacts. Stetson University was awarded funding from Florida Sea Grant to work with Brevard County and other partners and stakeholders to identify opportunities and strategies implement green inf forward in Brevard County. Beginning in Spring of 2022 the grant will span 2 years. As a stakeholder driving process, multiple opportunities will be held to give the public an opportunity to learn about the project, give input about issues and opportunities, and stay up to date with the project.

The primary objective of the Florida Sea Grant Project is to define areas suitable for Green Infrastructure; features of nature or, that mimic nature, that can be utilized in 'improving water quality and reducing flood hazards.' Defining suitable areas will be done by assessing the association between land-cover change and predicted sea-level rise models.

Once defined, drones will be used to effectively provide high-resolution data for implementation of green infrastructure in these areas. Specific policy will be developed for potential implementation.

Community engagement will be of utmost importance, especially within historically under-represented communities. Moreover, this project will provide opportunities for students and researchers in development of their professional careers.

Host or Publisher Stetson University