Notices

The Town of Esto is providing public notice as part of the environmental review process for its Florida Small Cities CDBG project. The full notice is provided below and attached as a PDF.

Early Notice for Public Review of a Proposal to Support Activity in a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) and Wetland.

April 3, 2026

Town of Esto, Florida
3312 2nd Avenue South
Esto, FL 32425
850-263-6521

To: All Interested Agencies, Groups, and Individuals

This is to give notice that the Town of Esto, Florida, as the Responsible Entity (RE) under 24 CFR Part 58, has determined that the following proposed action under the Florida Commerce Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and Grant No. 26DB-N02 affects areas in the FFRMS floodplain. The Town of Esto will be identifying and evaluating practicable alternatives to locating the action in the floodplain and wetland and the potential impacts on the floodplain from the proposed action, as required by Executive Order 11988 and Executive Order 11990, and, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management.

The proposed project is located within the limits of the Town of Esto’s municipal limits except for short extensions into the right of ways of County Rd. 2 and SR79 which are located in Holmes County. The proposed activities will replace waterlines along the Town of Esto’s stretch of State Road 79. The Town also proposes to replace a storage building at the Town’s water treatment and storage facility. Proposed unaddressed needs would resurface an existing paved walking path around a pond in John Clark Park.

The extent of the FFRMS floodplain was determined` with the 0.2 Percent Flood Approach. The proposed project area is located within FIRM Panel 12059C0100D, effective 12/17/2010. According to areas mapped by FEMA as being within the FFRMS flood plain, approx. 1,390LF of SR79 and the potentially all of the walking path will be impacted. Assuming a 4’ wide area of disturbance around along the waterline, approx. 5,560SF or 0.13Ac. will be disturbed but returned to grade. No impacts will occur in the water utilities compound. It is apparent from FEMA mapping that none of the perimeter path at the park is in the 100-year flood plain, but assuming the entire five-foot (5’) path is to be repaved, 5’ * 1,752LF could impact the 500-yr flood plain, adding approximately one (1) inch of pavement or 730 cubic feet of storage that could be lost from the total in the 500-year flood plain. A de minimus amount of the total. The maximum total area that could be affected by these proposed activities is 0.20 acres if all of the above improvements are included in the final project selection. Potential impacts might include temporary inundations during a major flood event.

According to the National Wetlands Inventory, the only mapped impacts might occur at the John Clark Park. However this mapping appears to be legacy mapping prior to the development of the park with adequate drainage and the stormwater facilities constructed to maintain the park. IF wetlands do still exist, the mapped impacts would cover approximately 850LF of the proposed repaving. No new fills are expected to impact any known residual wetlands as no paving is proposed outside of the existing path footprint.

There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in floodplains and wetlands and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Commenters are encouraged to offer alternative sites outside of the floodplains and wetlands, alternative methods to serve the same project purpose, and methods to minimize and mitigate impacts. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comments about floodplains and the wetland can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplains and wetlands, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.

Written comments must be received by Mr. Ben Tew, Town Clerk at 3312 2nd Avenue South, Esto, FL 32425, (850) 263-6521 on or before April 22, 2026. A full description of the project may also be reviewed from 8:30am to 12:00pm at the Esto Town Hall at 3312 2nd Avenue South, Esto. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Mr. Ben Tew, Town Clerk at (850) 263-6521, before noon on weekdays. Comments may also be submitted by email to: EstoTownClerk@gmail.com

Greg Wells, President, Esto Town Council
Environmental Certifying Official