FORT MYERS, Fla. — Can you imagine a wall along parts of the Caloosahatchee in Fort Myers?

The city is investigating this to stop the flooding.

Short- and Long-Term Solutions for Caloosahatchee Flooding in Fort Myers

A Dean Park resident says they will build it, even though his family is still leaving the area.

“I don’t know how reasonable it is to think that you can build a wall that protects everyone,” says David Black, who lives in Dean Park.

Black’s home is in historic Dean Park and he says it had original floors and trim. However, because the house suffered so much damage from the storm, he and his wife now have to live in a trailer.

“These three hurricanes have depleted our resources and we simply do not have the resources to dedicate to rebuilding,” Black says.

He says he wants the city to build the highest boardwalk, but it’s too late for his family.

“You may be able to protect one area and then that will divert water to another area,” Black says. He goes on to share that he is not an engineer but the amount of time it will take to create the wall and depending on where he will live he does not see it being beneficial for his family.

At Monday’s workshop, City Manager Marty Lawing and the council discussed short- and long-term flood solutions.

They say the seawall extension was part of a hazard mitigation grant the city applied for after Ian.

Lawing says the application is under review with FEMA and is one of three projects totaling more than $30 million.

He continued to discuss where the potential wall could be located first. “The first strategy would be basically First Street, from Fowler Street to south of Edison, Florida Estates.”

This discussion is preliminary and the residents of this neighborhood have no hope.

The long-term solution could be a decade-long project with its own challenges.

“It would be a long design process, a long permitting process and environmental studies,” Lawing says.

Lawing says the short term should help downtown businesses before the next hurricane season.

“Each business could have a barrier designed and installed specifically for their building to prevent storm surge from entering their structures,” Lawing says.

If your neighborhood floods, whether it’s your home or business, city leaders invite you to be part of the discussion.

The next council meeting is Monday, November 4.