Local residents say that the Sunset Golf Course property often floods during storms. When it was an active golf course, players commented on the flooding, noting that the course remained muddy a week after a rainstorm.

While the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, calls for a base flood elevation of 7 ½ to 8 feet in the neighborhood, the golf course as well as the homes in the surrounding community were built at a flood elevation of 4 ½ feet, leading to drainage problems when the area is overwhelmed with storm water.

To gain approval for any development plan, a developer must show—through engineering and drainage studies—that it will be able to retain all water runoff on its site, typically by incorporating water management systems such as lakes, internal canals and the like. Drainage and water management plans must be approved by the city, state and water management district. The developer must ensure that the property does not drain to the neighboring community—a significant concern for those living around Sunset Golf Course.