Sanford Marina Hurricane Recovery &
FEMA Funding Update
The City is actively working to restore the downtown Marina, while pursuing federal funding, to support the full rebuild following damage from Hurricane Ian.
Current Status as of March 23, 2026:
- FEMA Appeal Pending
- Design & Permitting Underway
- Next Update Expected in June 2026
Project Overview: (See Spectrum News 13 Coverage)
The Sanford Downtown Marina sustained significant damage as a result of Hurricane Ian in September, 2022. The City estimates repair costs to be approximately $18.2 million to restore the Marina to pre-disaster design with certain alterations required by current codes and standards, as well as dredging work. As a result of this damage, the City filed a claim with FEMA under the Public Assistance Program and has worked with FEMA to conduct site inspections, capture disaster-related damages, and formulate a scope of work to restore the Marina.
In November 2024, the City inquired about the status of the Marina project. FEMA did not provide any update on the status of their review so the City requested assistance from Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) and FEMA, specifically on the Environmental and Historic Preservation review. On February 20, 2025, the City, FDEM, and FEMA held a meeting to discuss the environmental review and seek assistance with the process. In this meeting, FEMA informed the City that FEMA now had unidentified questions about the project, and stated “it is not a $18 million project” and stated it would disregard the results of the previous site inspections conducted approximately two years earlier, and FEMA needs to conduct new site inspections.
In April 2025 FEMA conducted new site inspections. In May 2025, FEMA updated the Grants portal to estimate repair cost of $6.4 million, approximately $11.8 million lower than the City’s estimate. A determination letter was later sent to the City reflecting this estimate. FEMA provided no explanation or rationale for the changes. In October 2025, the City filed an appeal to FEMA that was submitted to FDEM by protocol, FDEM subsequently forwarded the appeal to FEMA on December 17, 2025. The deadline for FEMA’s response to the appeal is June 15, 2026.
Design & Permitting:
Dock replacement & dredging design and permitting work commenced in October 2025. The City is meeting all of the requirements of pre-application meetings with Florida Department of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and 5 other entities required to obtain permit approval.
Preparing, completing, filing, and approving permit applications can take up to 2 years with these agencies. Construction will begin after permit approval. Estimated construction time is unknown at this time until permits have been approved.
Commitment to Restoration:
The City remains committed to working with FEMA and FDEM to secure necessary funding to restore our Marina which is not only essential for its recreational and public use, but also as a significant economic driver for the region. The City’s claim focuses on restoring the Marina to its pre-disaster design with necessary codes and standards upgrades as required. We look forward to collaborating with our federal and state partners at FEMA and FDEM to complete our Marina restoration.
Marina Day Slips Now Available in Downtown Sanford!
Enjoy convenient, complimentary, docking in the heart of historic downtown Sanford. Thanks to the support of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the National Park Service, boaters can take advantage of free day slips along the east side of Veterans Memorial Park located at 110 E. Seminole Boulevard.
Dock, explore, and experience historic downtown Sanford – you are just steps away from unique galleries & shops, breweries & distilleries, theaters, eateries, festivals and parks. Sanford always has something wonderful happening and all are welcome!
Day slips are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are intended for daytime use only. Overnight docking is not permitted.
We look forward to seeing you!
Update as of 09/24/2025:
Update as of 6/5/2025
- The City is aware of the strong public interest in the status of the work to restore our Marina, and we appreciate the community’s passion for this important public asset. We understand and empathize with residents who are frustrated by the pace of recovery nearly three years after Hurricane Ian. The City shares that frustration.
- To ensure an accurate and expert-driven repair plan, the City engaged marine engineering professionals with over 46 years of experience. These specialists conducted a thorough assessment of the damage and provided a detailed scope of work necessary to restore the Marina infrastructure.
- According to the assessment by marine engineers hired by the City, Ian caused approximately $18 million dollars of damage to the docks and basin. Part of the damage cannot be seen from the surface as it is in the form of silt that was pushed into the basins from the wind and waves that needs to be dredged. The rest of the damage was to the docks, the pilings securing the docks.
- The City worked with FEMA to assess the damage and determine what would be reimbursed. FEMA originally agreed to the scope and budget but recently determined it would do another review. The City is currently working with FEMA and our consultants to come to an agreement that will allow restoration of the Marina to move forward.
While the City began assessing needed improvements to the Marina in 2021 and set aside money for development of a new Master Plan in December of 2021, the lease of the Marina to the longtime operator did not end until May 31, 2022. The City was in the process of assessing the entire facility to determine the best course regarding insurance at the time of impact from Hurricane Ian; however, the docks and basin itself, which took the brunt of the damage from this event, are not insurable for hurricane damage.
Items the City of Sanford has completed to date:
- Mitigated mold from flooding of dry storage building
- Refurbished ship’s store
- Improved parking at ship’s store
- Installed new sanitary system pump out equipment
- Repaired the travel lift and forklift
- Reroofed dry storage building
- Installed storage racks in dry storage building
- Painted and waterproofed dry storage building
The City of Sanford has been working tirelessly to restore the Sanford Marina following major damage from Hurricane Ian in 2022. We’ve partnered with marine engineers with decades of experience to assess and plan the necessary repairs. We know the community is eager to see progress and so are we—we’re committed to restoring this important community asset for all.
The City is committed to restoring the Sanford Marina to its previous condition. We remain transparent throughout this process; we are doing everything we can to coordinate properly with our FEMA and State partners on this project and will continue to provide updates as soon as new information becomes available.
