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Climate change report reveals concerning trends for Jacksonville

Some city leaders are hoping the report will be taken into account while considering a rezoning on Black Hammock Island.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Folks living on Black Hammock Island have gotten used to seeing rezoning signs lining Cedar Point Road.

A developer is trying, yet again, to add nearly 100 homes to a 50 acre chunk.

Some city leaders are hoping a new report plays a role in the process.

"We take the data sets and we start to weigh the pros and cons," said Jacksonville Chief Resilience Officer Anna Coglianese during a presentation for a city committee.

Coglianese has spent months forecasting climate change impacts in Jacksonville.

The forecast includes 10 times as many high tide flooding events, and 40% more days with the heat index over 90.

Credit: City of Jacksonville
Credit: City of Jacksonville

It has city councilman Al Ferraro raising questions.

"They are showing us a map with the flood plains and their concerns about resiliency, and they're trying to drop a neighborhood right in the middle of that," said Ferraro.

Most of Black Hammock Island is zoned to allow one house per acre to manage flooding concerns, but the current proposal would double that.

A similar plan failed in 2020, but this time, Ferraro thinks there may be no stopping the bulldozer.

"This is the part that I'm talking about when I hear corruption in our city," said Ferraro. "This vote probably is already sealed and dealed."

The plan is working its way through some committees before hitting the city council's agenda for a final vote.

  

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