Notice Meeting on Retention Pond Drownings - August 25, 2026

Councilman Reginald Gaffney Jr. convened a notice meeting on August 25, 2026, to address the recent drowning deaths of children in retention ponds, with a focus on autistic children. The meeting included city council members, staff from the Mayor's Office, Public Works, Development Services, state representatives, healthcare providers, and members of the public. Discussions centered on current safety measures, potential solutions, legal considerations, and the need for immediate and long-term action.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dr. Rebecca Penna (Baptist Behavioral Health): Highlighted that autistic children are a vulnerable population with growing prevalence (1 in 33 in the U.S.) and that safety concerns extend into adulthood.
• Dr. Karen Samback (Baptist Behavioral Health): Emphasized the vulnerability of young children with autism due to differences in muscle strength and the trauma of families who have lost children.
• Jessica Wynne Barry (Wolfson Children's Hospital): Stressed that many families do not understand the drowning risk and called for increased community awareness.
• JC (behavior analyst): Advocated for increased accessibility of swimming lessons for autistic children, noting that many cannot participate in standard lessons, and suggested free locks and alarms with installation support.
• Chanel LeBlanc (Florida Department of Health in Duval County): Announced a swimming lesson voucher program prioritized for children with autism, available through the YMCA and JAX Mobile Swim School.
• Shannon (parent of two autistic boys): Emphasized a layered approach to drowning prevention (supervision, locks, alarms, swim instruction, barriers) and noted that a four-to-one slope does not prevent a child from reaching water. She questioned the inspection frequency of slopes and supported signage as an additional layer.
• Corinne Spass (Making Strides for Autism): Proposed a risk-based layered approach rather than a blanket fence requirement, and suggested a 90-day interim retention pond safety initiative including identifying high-risk ponds, correcting hazards, and prioritizing response when vulnerable individuals go missing.
• Eric Henry (aquatics manager): Noted that erosion undermines fences and that water movement is continuous, suggesting that other measures are needed.
• Stephen Speed (parent of autistic child): Expressed frustration that developers do not spend enough on retention pond safety, cited his child's elopement, and called for mandatory signage as seen in other states.
• Jamie Travis Litter: Urged the council to take long-term action, noting that a 2021 educational campaign was insufficient as drownings continue.
• Terina (parent who lost a three-year-old to drowning): Founded the "Swim for Rock Him" foundation to educate children on retention pond dangers and provide free swimming lessons. She requested city support, financial assistance, and inclusion of retention pond safety in school curricula. She noted that Florida is on track for the deadliest drowning year on record (76 children as of July 2026).
• Sonya Leggett (grandmother of autistic child): Proposed cameras and sensors on retention ponds, and mandated fencing as a last resort. She also called for an organization to support parents of autistic children.
• Sharon Bevins: Called for fences with locks on all retention ponds, warning signs, and increased adult supervision, noting risks to Alzheimer's patients as well.
• Ken Moore (neighbor of Stephen Speed): Invited council members to visit his community (Cooper's Meadow) to see poor development practices and urged legislation to address the issue during the development phase.

Discussion Items

• Councilman Gaffney opened the meeting, stating the goal to produce legislation. He provided data: six deaths in the last five years (April 2021 to August 2026), all autistic children, five in retention ponds and one in a detention pond. He emphasized that the primary focus is on autistic children but noted other drowning deaths as well.
• Steve Long (Operations Director, Public Works) described current safety measures: ponds with slopes shallower than 4:1 require no fencing; public ponds have a no-mow strip near the water to deter access; private ponds may have landscaping or buffers. He distinguished between retention (wet) and detention (dry) ponds.
• Councilwoman (unidentified) questioned whether children were considered in the design of slopes, noting that the 4:1 slope is based on adult safety. She also asked about signage, learning that there are no automatic signs on public ponds.
• Councilman Salem suggested categorizing ponds by risk level (e.g., near apartments as high risk) and researching best practices from other communities.
• Councilman Carlucci proposed a special committee to maintain momentum and suggested a menu of solutions (fencing, landscaping, slopes) with a one- to two-year timeframe for retrofitting.
• Curtis (developer) stated that developers follow city and water management district standards and are open to a combination of fencing and landscaping. He noted that retrofitting existing ponds is challenging due to ownership by HOAs and individual owners, but suggested working with water management districts.
• Mary (from Office of General Counsel) warned that Senate Bill 180 may limit the city's ability to impose stricter standards on new development, and that retroactive application could trigger Bert Harris Act claims. She and Jason Teal (Council Secretary) offered alternative approaches: incentivizing voluntary improvements (e.g., city-fronted costs repaid via tax bills) rather than mandates.
• Councilman Gay proposed short-term actions: identifying homes of autistic children near ponds, distributing public service announcements, and providing GPS trackers for children.
• State Representative Kimberly Daniels committed to researching state-level solutions and noted the importance of city-state collaboration. She suggested a statewide standard.
• State Representative Audrey Gibson echoed the need for statewide data collection to move legislation in Tallahassee and suggested insurance incentives for standardized pond safety.
• Councilman Carlucci moved to form a special committee chaired by Councilman Gaffney to keep the issue moving; this was supported by several colleagues.

Key Outcomes

• Councilman Gaffney stated he will not immediately draft legislation but will gather data and research best practices from other jurisdictions before proceeding.
• He will communicate next steps via email and media, and the meeting concluded with a commitment to continue the momentum through a special committee or standing committee assignment.
• The Mayor's Office expressed support for the council's efforts.
• No formal votes were taken, but consensus was reached to explore both regulatory and voluntary approaches, with a focus on short-term education and long-term infrastructure changes.