Flooding cost $4 million, and the rules themselves are being challenged
Hoover paid up to $4 million to settle flooding litigation tied to commercial redevelopment, while a separate resident lawsuit asks a judge to void the city’s stormwater rules outright.
Where it stands
Not fixed
Hits residents
7/10
Years covered
2021–2026
Sources
4 linked
- up to $4M
- City settlement of the Riverchase-area stormwater litigation
- $10/yr
- Hoover’s residential stormwater fee, set in 2018 and unchanged since
- $1.5M
- FEMA funding to buy out four flood-prone Hoover properties
As of 2025-04
As of 2026
As of 2026-04
What happened
Heavy rainfall in October 2021 triggered years of resident complaints about stormwater flooding, and the city has responded unevenly. In April 2025 the council voted unanimously to pay up to $4 million to settle litigation over repeated flooding at U.S. 31, Lorna Road, and John Hawkins Parkway tied to a 2015-2016 commercial redevelopment; a private property owner separately agreed to pay $500,000 toward repairs. Separately, in June 2024 two residents, Katie Thomas and Sheree Beavers, sued Hoover in Jefferson County Circuit Court asking a judge to void the city’s stormwater regulations and any waivers issued under them, arguing the Planning and Zoning Commission had no authority to amend rules the City Council had adopted. No ruling has been reported. In March 2026 the council formally declared stormwater problems in five residential areas a matter of “public purpose,” the legal predicate for the city to work on what had been treated as private property. In April 2026 FEMA approved about $1.5 million to buy out and demolish four flood-prone Hoover properties. The city’s residential stormwater fee has been $10 a year since 2018.
Timeline
Heavy rainfall causes widespread flooding, beginning sustained resident complaints.
Hoover Sun (hooversun.com) ↗Residents Katie Thomas and Sheree Beavers sue to void the city’s stormwater regulations.
280 Living (280living.com) ↗Council votes unanimously to pay up to $4 million to settle the Riverchase-area stormwater litigation.
Hoover Sun (hooversun.com) ↗Council declares stormwater problems in five neighborhoods a matter of “public purpose.”
Hoover Sun (hooversun.com) ↗FEMA approves about $1.5 million to acquire and demolish four Hoover properties.
WBRC (wbrc.com) ↗
Who's involved
Katie Thomas and Sheree Beavers
Residents suing to void the stormwater regulations
Scott Promer
City engineer from 2026
Former Mayor Frank Brocato
Approved the settlement in 2025
Mayor Nick Derzis
Backed the 2026 public-purpose declarations
The other side
The city has cited state law barring work on private property absent a council finding of “public purpose.” Brocato said of the settlement: “Rather than continue on fighting it in court, we’ve worked out an agreement with all parties.” Mayor Derzis said some residents had “raging rivers” running through their yards before the March 2026 declaration.
Open questions
- The disposition of the Thomas and Beavers lawsuit could not be determined. A resident-advocacy source reports a February 2025 order compelling document production; that remains a single-source, unverified claim.
- Which four properties FEMA is buying out, and where, is not stated in any source reviewed.
Sources (4)
- 1Hoover council OKs up to $4 million to settle Riverchase stormwater litigationHoover Sun · Apr 22, 2025 · hooversun.com
- 2Two Hoover residents sue the city over stormwater management280 Living · Jun 17, 2024 · 280living.com
- 3Hoover City Council declares 5 stormwater projects as having public purposeHoover Sun · Mar 10, 2026 · hooversun.com
- 4FEMA approves $19.9M flood mitigation for Alabama and 4 other statesWBRC · Apr 23, 2026 · wbrc.com
Last checked July 29, 2026