Atlantic Beach wants federal help to keep homes near Cutlass Drive and Hopkins Creek from flooding during heavy storms.

The city filed a Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Program application for a drainage project at the intersection, according to a public notice posted Tuesday. The project would add roughly 51 linear feet of 48-inch reinforced concrete pipe and 45 linear feet of 36-inch pipe. The new pipe would run alongside the existing box culvert at the Cutlass Drive crossing.

The goal is to reduce flood levels north of the box culvert during a 25-year, 24-hour storm event, protecting homes between Aquatic Drive and Skate Road.

Crews would also install a new stormwater inlet, demolish and rebuild sections of roadway and curb, excavate and regrade Hopkins Creek at the crossing, and restore roadside ditches and embankment slopes.

The city considered two alternatives and rejected both. Doing nothing would leave homes exposed to repeated flooding. Building a larger second box culvert would cost significantly more without measurably better performance, the city's notice said. The pipe option won out.

Second phase of a broader drainage program

The Cutlass Drive work is Phase II of the city's Aquatic Gardens-Hopkins Creek Stormwater Improvements program. Phase I enlarged the box culvert at Aquatic Drive and improved Hopkins Creek hydraulics at a total cost of about $2.93 million, fully funded by state and federal grants, according to the city's project page. A March 2026 update on that page said the major flood-control components were complete and full project completion was expected by the end of April.

Construction funding awaits federal review

The city already has a $500,000 state allocation earmarked for Phase II construction. FEMA approved funding for the project's design, and the current application seeks construction dollars to supplement that state money.

The grant application falls under Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The grant has not been awarded; FEMA and the Florida Division of Emergency Management are reviewing the application.

One note for homeowners: The project will not change FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Properties in the 100-year floodplain before the work will remain there after it.

How to submit public comments

Written comments are due within 15 days of the Sept. 22 notice. They can be mailed to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Mitigation, 2489 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100, or emailed to [email protected].

Residents who want more information or a copy of the project findings can contact Atlantic Beach City Engineer Steve Swann at 904-247-5874 or [email protected].