Environmental Planning & Policy

Disaster Planning in St. Petersburg, FL

Software used: SketchUp, Lumion, Photoshop

• St. Petersburg is located in Pinellas County on Florida’s Gulf Coast

• It has a Flood Vulnerability Score of 100/100 and experiences almost 70 floods annually

• The city faces increasing risk of flooding due to rising sea levels and high tides

• Future land use is expected to prioritize multifamily residential development, particularly in coastal regions and parts of the inland area.

• Green solutions can increase St. Petersburg’s resilience to natural hazards.

• Incorporating bioswales, permeable pavements, native vegetation, and green roofs can improve environmental quality and address stormwater flooding.

• Green solutions prevent inundation at the street level and provide benefits such as reduced energy consumption, local gardens, and rainwater capture.

Riparian Forest Buffers are a sustainable nature-based solution with numerous benefits, including preventing erosion, mitigating floods, improving environmental quality, restoring wildlife habitat, and balancing water and air temperatures. They are crucial for St. Petersburg to adapt to climate change and promote economic development, making it essential for the city council to invest in them.