San Marco Publix parking garage floods on opening day despite concerns from locals

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Aliera Peterson captured video Thursday showing people wading through ankle-deep water in the parking garage at the new Publix in San Marco on opening day.

“That was after five to 10 minutes of moderate rain,” Peterson said. “I just shudder to think what it’s going to be like when we get a really severe storm.”

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Action News Jax checked First Alert Doppler Radar, and it appears San Marco got about 3/4 of an inch to an inch of rain in about 30 minutes near the Publix.

Peterson says locals had been voicing their concerns about potential flooding for months at town hall meetings and to city council members.

She says they were assured flooding wouldn’t be an issue.

“This has been a long-known problem, and with 20 years to consider what was going to happen on this lot, it just seems like very little was done despite the known issues,” she said.

Read: After two decades, much-anticipated Publix opens at Shoppes at East San Marco

Peterson recalls seeing standing water at the site before crews began building the structure over a year ago.

She made it clear that she and others in San Marco are excited Publix is there; she just asks the flooding issue be addressed.

“It’s just disappointing that it’s going to be a little bit of a challenge, even though we thought they’d have that sorted out,” she said.

Action News Jax reached out to Publix and the developer, Regency Centers.

A spokesperson for Regency Centers said in part, “Our teams have identified what we believe was the problem and are addressing it as we speak. There’s been plenty of rain at the site since that area’s construction has been completed without any issue, but — of course — yesterday was an outlier.”

Action News Jax made contact with Publix Friday afternoon. Publix is working on our request.

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