Public comment on Meadowbrook, boat covers, Willowbrook
What the county recorded
This item is not from the published agenda
It is a stretch of the recording that this archive identified as a separate matter — a call to order, a recess, or something taken up that the agenda does not list. There is no official title, no staff recommendation and no disposition, because the county never recorded one. Everything below is inferred.
The source document
The county’s agenda for Board of County Commissioners, May 4, 2021
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
The county’s minutes for Board of County Commissioners, May 4, 2021
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
What was said
Machine transcription of 44m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 97% of 146 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
Okay. Now is the time for public comment. Citizens are given an opportunity to comment on any item this morning coming before the board during this section. The board also takes public comment on items to be placed on future board agenda and other business under their preview. Due to COVID-19 operations and to safeguard the well-being and safety of our citizens and
staff, today's public comment will be handled as follows. First, will we take comment public comment from those who have pre-registered for WebEx link and are currently on cue. After we will read into the record public comments, documents, PowerPoints, or videos. that have been identified by members of the public to be read out loud, played at the meeting or received and and filed.
Also those will be limited to three minutes each. Finally, we will take public comment from those currently signed up at the Kiosk. Comments are not to exceed three minutes. This new The format duh does not waive the request that when you address the board, comments are not directed toward personally toward any commissioner or team member. but rather toward the issues. This was provides
mutual respect between board members and the public. For WebEx and Kios participants, after stating your name and address for the clerk, the time we'll uh activate will be activating will start a countdown. After two minutes, one beep will sound, letting you know that you have one minute remaining. After the time of two up times up, two beeps will sound, letting you know that your three minutes are up and you should close your comments. WebAx participants will be
uh disconnected when their time is up in kiosks uh participants will be asked to step away from the kiosk. Madam Clerk, do we have anyone signed up on uh WebEx?
Uh yes Chairman, we do have people who have signed up. There's nine had signed up, but only four are in the queue. Okay. And possibly two could be in one. one.
All right.
Okay. Um the first one on the first uh citizen on public comment is Todd Pressman. Mr. Pressman, if you could um state your name and address for the record and then begin.
Uh Pop Trussman, [address removed] County Administrator.
Well yeah, for now. Can you hear me?
Yes. Yes.
Okay. Uh Mr. Chairman and Board members, um as you recall, I was representative for the Meadowbrook area for the residents and citizens, directly and indirectly for the um CPA. Now, we have heard rumors that there might be a reconsideration Uh that's not an agended item. So we're speaking of public comment. Um and there's other people to speak. Uh we prefer to speak if that request were to come up. However, Uh there has
been some communication with the applicant. There is no agreement There's nowhere near agreement. The applicant has been made aware from the citizens exactly what would be acceptable, which is an office level use that has not been presented, that has not been discussed as far as I understand. So any reconsideration on this request is absolutely unacceptable to the citizens in any manner. The commissioners weighed this issue very closely, spent many hours
in review of it, and our position is that no reconsideration is in order, nor is any reconsideration in any manner close to any kind of consideration by the citizens of any kind. That has been clearly communicated to the applicant. And uh is again not acceptable to the citizens. We would ask the county commission to remain with their votes. again, which were very closely reviewed and considered and we feel correct. and would be opposed
to any reconsideration request. Thank you.
Um Mr. Chairman Mariano. Has anyone on this board heard anything about a reconsideration? Because I have not.
No, not not by that word, I don't think, so
Um Commissioner Starkey, I know the um Applicant was reaching out asking if there could be a reconsideration. Oh. I I know when the um applicant um did reach out to me I had mentioned and I said why yesterday personally, I said, Why haven't heard any agreement with the citizens or the neighborhood m myself? Yeah, there's so there's not the or something with the citizens, you know. I I'm not considering one. Okay,
just I just I This is not up for discussion. We're in public comment. I know I just she asked
it before
being forthright.
It's my district and I want to see. I have not heard of a reconsideration. Okay.
Next.
The next uh Uh citizen signed up is Charles Thomas and there may also be another individual on that line. Mr. Thomas, if you could please state your name and address for the record record and then begin your comments. Thank you.
Yeah.
Mr Mr Thomas, we are unable to hear you. Is he unmuted?
Yes, he is. Okay.
Mr. Thomas, we're unable to hear you.
You sho you are showing is unmuted.
Okay. Uh The next individual is Luke. I believe the last name is Laret.
Loreau.
Thank you.
Mr Laroe, if you can please state your name and address for the record. Thank you.
Yes, thank you. It's Luke Lerot, [address removed]. And I too was working with Mr. Pressman. We made extensive presentations the last time that what we referred to as the Meadowbrook project came up. If that's not coming up today, then I I really don't have anything to add what Mr. Pressman had said. I do know that the rules for rehearing are is you need to bring something new to the table. There needs to be some new evidence or some some new information. Based
on the elaborate nature of the prior presentations and the extensive environmental research and comp plan research that was presented. Uh I don't know what new would change your mind, but if it's not on the docket, then I will wish you a happy day and thank you for the privilege of addressing you this morning.
Right. Then next individual is Jess uh Stemp Stempine.
Stempine.
Yen.
Yes, just stempion [address removed]. And I am speaking on behalf of what Mr. Pressman and Mr. Leraux were talking to. Also, if there is a reconsideration that comes up for that item. Regarding the land comp plan amendment at 54 and Meadowbrook, our residents have not been notified of any changes. We are not in agreement with what is proposed to go there. So wanted
to make sure that the commissioners heard that from one of the residents that live here. And just know that we don't support that comp plan amendment. And if it does come up under miscellaneous items, I would definitely like to speak on it at that time. Thank you.
Thank you for comments. Mm-hmm.
All right, uh Mr. Chair, we're gonna go back to Mr. Thomas. Charles Thomas, you are unmuted. Do you set your name and address for the record, please?
Is there a Jerry Thomas?
You show 'em on there or
And unmuted. Okay. We are showing that you are connected and unmuted.
Let's move on to the next one.
That's all I have, sir. That's
all I have.
Uh do we have any emails to be read in direct?
Yes, Mr. Chair, I have thirteen emails.
Okay.
Would you like to go to kiosk first?
Uh let me go to kiosks first. Does anyone a kiosk?
There is
no one at the kiosk.
All right, thank you. Go back to the read the emails.
Thank you, sir.
Right. The first email is from Tracy Kelly Cox, address [address removed]. Please read at the Board of County Commissioners Hybrid Virtual Meeting on 5421. Hello, my name is Tracy Kelly Cox, and I live at [address removed]. I'm a new resident and I am so happy to be here as I have waited a lifetime
to own property on the Gulf. I chose this area for many reasons, one of which was the house that I chose to buy is not deed restricted and does not have an HOA. I chose this community as I spent many years as a a vacation or in visitor here and fell in love with the community and its residents for its Welcoming attributes.
Hi am in the process of improving my home, thus improving the property values of the home in my area. High in the future, would like to build a dock and to cover a boat with a canopy as to protect my property from the elements that a boat and sunbrella Cover cannot just as I protect my car by putting it in a garage. I was hoping to do the same thing for the boat as they are exp they are expensive and need the protection of a canopy. Please consider this
in your thought process as to why you are not restricting as to why you are now restricting homeowners from using their property in a way to protect their property that is on the water, which is the entire reason why we are here. We have paid the premium price to be on the water here and tend to be for the remainder of our lives and to be able to put a canopy over my boat lift is essential. Thank you for letting me voice my opinion and please con and please consider it When making your vote as I will be watching, as I will
be living here for the rest of my life, uh the rest of my time.
Next to email. is from Marie. Uh Man Cuso. Address is [address removed]. To all involved, I find the commissioners going after this witch hunt to have a personal agenda. I find it to be against my rights as a waterfront homeowner to protect my very expensive cabin cruiser boat. When we bought our home two years ago, we inquired about
boat covers and were told we were allowed to proceed. At the time, we did not move forward with the cover, but plan for the future. This is the reas this is the main reason I purchased my home to be within a coastal community of boaters and to be on the water, with easy access to the Gulf, front. The comments about the blocking views is absurd to me. Most of us live on a canal and not golf front. If you were golffront, it would not obstruct the view you purchased. I travel all over the state of Florida and the boat lift covers
are everywhere to include lakefront and golf front homes. Why is that why is it that the boat covers are allowed in lakefront residential areas in Pasco County but not a loud gulf rent. take a look at the Moon Lake area and other lakes in within Pasco County. Why have they not received code violations or told to to remove? Sea Ranch area in which I live is not governed by an HOA, and we never had any issues until one until unt until one said Commissioner Has
a personal dislike and the others followed suit with no regard to the community in which they are voted in by. The waterfront communities have never been studied or coastal residents asked for input on this matter. This is my opinion, is just another strong hold commissioner out to prove a point that does not live within a Gulffront community. I live in a very attractive street in our community. We have discussed this matter at our neighborhood gatherings, and we will help fight for our rights to protect our boats in
the world. Way in way we can. We should be focused on future plans for the Hudson Beach area and the much-needed dredging of our channels and canals. We aren't commissioners focused on the homeless prom Why aren't commissioners focused on the homeless problem within our coastal areas and raising crime rates? within our communities, instead of fighting against the very members that voted them into office. We are coastal community and we should be left to function as one.
Okay, the next email.
is from John and Bev uh Baird.
Address is [address removed]. My wife. Beverly and I have lived in Hudson for twenty two years in September twenty ye in September twenty years at [address removed] in Sea Ranch, but always on the water. I do not have a c a cover on my boat lift, but wish I did, as it would be nice to protect the four forty thousand I have invested in my boat. These lifts that are removable canvases are not an eyesore like you think. In fact,
we hardly notice them. Yeah. We hardly notice them other than it looks like a great way to protect your investment. I have heard that they may be a hindrance to navigation. This I would doubt, as we don't use a sextant to cruise k canals canals or golf. Please take it from a twenty two year resident couple that are not a they are not a problem to me or anyone who lives out here. I doubt that we have any county commissioners living in C Ranch to complain. If
so cl if so close your eyes. Please allow us our freedom as most active uh political figures are trying to control us or restrict us. We are people, not sheeple. Let us live At And enjoy the time we have on this earth. Thanks, John and uh Beverly Baird.
Next email is from Carol Van Dusen. Address is [address removed]. My comment is in reference to the decision the BCC made at the 2-9 2021 meeting to have boat lift canopies removed. Mr. Moore and Mrs. Mims Starkey made comments during discussions about the Miami, Palm Beach, and West Palm Beach area. They said they don't have them nor do they allow them. Starkey said uh To Google
earthy area and see for yourself. Well, I did just that after looking over the area. The conclusion I have come to is this. They don't have them because there is no place they could they would be practical practicable. They have most, almost all, I'm sorry, they have almost no areas that would be similar to our coastline in Pasco County. Almost all their canals and rivers are commercial. They have mostly very large boats. And even have ships in the canals and rivers. You can't put coat covers over these types of vessels. You're not comparing
apples to apples when you use that area of Florida for comparison. It's sad that you think we should be like the Miami Palm Beach area. We are old Florida in Hudson and we like it. You are on the BCC to represent our needs here. We are not we are nothing like the area. area or like that area and we never will be. This whole issue about boat covers seems to be coming from a very small area in Gulf Harbors. Even the twenty ten ordinance seems to have come about in the same in the in the same small group to Gulf Harbors.
Why is the county so in bed with this area? Why aren't people in Mr. Mariano's district just as important? Do we not have as much money? Are our homes not as nice? We want a voice in our district affairs. We don't want Gulf Harbors making our decision. Release District 5 from this ordinance. We don't want it. We don't need it. Make us happy and get
The next email is from Ken Howell. Address is [address removed]. I'm comment today today to express my feelings about some things the BCC had spoken about at the 29 2021 meeting when you voted to have a boat lift covers removed. Mrs. Starkey said, My neighbors don't want them. Well, guess what? Your neighbors don't have to get one. I have one and I love it. Some of my neighbors also have them. Why should your neighbors'
opinions matter more than my neighbors' opinions? If you Google Earth, you will see a lot of places where they appear to be in a cluster. You will you know why that is. One person has one installed, his neighbor sees it and thinks, man, that's a great idea. I want one of those. Next thing you know, the neighbors put them up. These covers are very well built and modern looking. Some boat members give the impression that they that they are going to be a blowing
over the neighborhood. You make it sound like there are movie Sharknados But instead of sharks flying around in the wind attacking people, we will have vinyl covers flying around everywhere in the neighborhood seeking out people to attack. If wind blew off my vinyl cover, it wouldn't be any more dangerous than anything else found outside our home. If we have those types of winds, we have probably already been ordered to evacuate the coastline. The wind is not going to blow the frame away. Magnified this
issue unnecessarily to justify your reasons for voting against them. We have thousands of aluminum carports everywhere in the county. Most of them are only held up by three or four aluminum poles and secured with small metal uh small sheet metal screws. These are very much m more likely to blow around and injure people than a piece of vinyl fabric, yet we still have them. Point is you can't protect everybody from everything. Most people are smart enough to seek shelter in a high wind event. BCC says they are navigation hazards. This,
too, is overhyped to justify not allowing them, These are twelve to fifteen feet over the water. No way do they interfere with boat traffic. If they are a problem, your boat is way too big for the area or you are on a cruise ship that made a wrong turn. My seven years I have never heard a person say, Man, that's one minute. Mm-hmm. Man, I had a hell of a time mo motoring my boat around because of all the canopies and boat houses in my way. In closing, I am asking the board to
reconsider having boat covers removed. Don't let one neighborhood against them decide for everyone else on the coast. Thank you for listening.
Next email is from Clyde Ware.
Address is [address removed]. My comments are in reference to the BCC voting to possibly have boat covers removed. At the 29-2021 BCC meeting, commissioners use the word viewed nine times. Some even stated it as a right So I sent them an email and asked them to explain what are the parameters of a view of a the of a right to a view. Where does this view start and
where does it end? As it as is norm these days, none of them sent back an answer. They are not answering any emails. I think they are still in COVID mode and hiding in their bunkers. After all, it worked for Joe. After reading everything I can find uh about Florida riparian rights, this is the conclusion I have come up with. This is just my opinion. Other people may read all about Uh I'm sorry, other people may read all they can find and come up with their own opinion. Good luck. When they refer to right to view,
it is where the water touches your property and does not mean any possible thing you could see from your property. If you go to property appraisers map site, you can see your property lines. If you extend them out into the water between these lines, this is your right to view. There are some exceptions like a sharply curved area or coves or lots that have crazy angles. These areas are normally split evenly between adjoining properties. If you are on a canal and in most cases your right to view is directly in front of you, not
to the left or to the right. You and your neighbor have the right to build fiers, docks, lifts, etc. You have no right to view to a view that goes over to your neighbor's property. You can't take away his right to build by extending your right to a view. I do not write the following
I do not write the following. It was written by a lawyer. Right to view and right to ingress and egress. Florida Common Law recognizes that riparian rights specifically include the right to an unobstructive view and the right of ingress to and egress from the water. Florida Common Law is in its recognition of a right to unobstructive view. The Florida Supreme Court clarified that the right to ingress and egress includes the right to erect. Um wharves, piers, and docks in order to facilitate
access to and the use of navigable waters. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection in Recognition of Potential Conflicts among competing rights. Has acknowledged that an order of priority has been implied through various Florida court decisions. Specifically the dominant riparian right is usually the near shore right of ingress and and to and egress from navigable waters, which takes precedence over the right to view and other specific rights. When what does the B S what the BCC
did on six one twenty ten is questionable and possibly illegal. They took right-of-granted to me in the state constitution and gave them to a neighbor. They did not have the power to do this, the right to view The right to view thing really needs to be looked into. Thank you for listening.
The next email is from Gina Love.
Um Miss Love's address is [address removed]. Good morning, Chairman and members of the board. Thank you for your for this opportunity to address you. Commissioner Mariano is going to make comments under Old Business. I urge you urge you to consider what he's going to say. My name is Gina Love. I live at [address removed] in Lakeside Woodlands, right across the street from a huge sinkhole that opened up in August 2019. I'm a Pasco County teacher and a single mom raising a 12-year-old son. That's Single and the
fallout from it have altered our lives in very negative ways. After testing, by at least two geotech technical companies using ground penetrating radar and with the occurrence of the Florida Emergency Management Team, it was determined that a section of Willowbrook Court had to be closed permanently because it was unrepairable. The barricaded area included six homes, one of which is mine. That's when my nightmare began. I could no longer drive to up to my house. I have to park behind the
barricade approximately 50 feet from my garage. Some of my neighbors have to park approximately 200 feet from their garages. For me, that means that when I leave for work in the morning, I am walking in the dark to my car. No trash pickup days. I have to drag my two trash pails 50 feet in each direction. When I go food shopping, I have to get my I have to get my wagon from the garage, wheel it to my car Car, load the groceries into the wagon, and then pull the loaded wagon back to my garage. Sometimes it requires two to three
trips. The Bink Beacon Woods Cave System, that is the cause of many of the sinkholes in our area, runs under Willowbrook Court and under my house. Right after the big sinkhole opened up across the street from my house, I had a large sinkhole open in my rear yard because my son pulled played in this yard and my little dog ran around in that yard I had the sinkhole filled in immediately at a cost of five thousand dollars. The county emergency management staff under the direction of Andy Faso worked very hard to try
to help us. They responded to Willowbrook Court several times to check the status of the sinkhole, hired a geotechnical company to examine the hole and used ground penetrating radar to check the underground anomalies and over the past year and a half submitted several funding request to FEMA. So are s usable are resale So our unsaleable and potentially dangerous houses could be acquired by the county and demolished. The funding requests to FEMA are repeatedly denied. I constantly hear noises coming
from under my house and I fear the house can collapse at any time. To assure my son's safety I sent him to live with my parents in Odessa. Now I only get to see my son on weekends. This is not only taking an emotional toll on me, but also on my son. We need to be together, but can only happen with your help. Thank you.
The next email is from Carl, Giortani.
No address provided.
Mr. Chairman, members of the board, thank you for this opportunity to address you. Commissioner Mariano is going to make comments under old business. I urge you I urge you to give serious consideration to what he is going to say. My name is Carl. Uh Gar Garitani. My wife and I live at Lakeside Woodlands for thirty-eight years until we decided to downsize about eleven months ago. Our daughter, Gina Love, and her grandson Gavin moved into Lake Wood Lakeside Woodlands five years ago so they
could be close to us. They live just six houses away from us on Willowbrook Court. Gina moved near us near because she was concerned. With our advanced age, we would need help with some things, and she would be close enough to help us. Even though she is a single mother and a school teacher raising her son without any help from her ex-husband, she would find time for her old elderly parents. At some point, my wife and I decided to downsize and move into a community where they maintained the outside of the house because those chores were getting to be too
much for me. Our plan. Was that my wife and I would find a community we wanted to move to and Gina would sell her house and follow us there. Our plan was shattered in August of 2019 when a huge sinkhole opened up across the street from my daughter's house after investigation by Pasco County State Emergency Management Personnel and GPR testing. It was determined that a section of Willowburg Court was unrepairable and had to be closed permanently. My daughter's house is within the barricaded area. Since the barricades went up, my daughter can no longer drive to her house. She has to
park behind the barricade and walk to her house every day, rain or shine, warm or cold weather, daylight or n or nighttime. This has been going on for a year and a half and there is no end in sight. Andy Fossa and the emergency management staff have tried to help by applying To FEMA several times for grant money to acquire the affected homes and demolish them because of the potential danger of collapse and unstable roadway. Each time their funding request has been denied. The Beacon Woods cave system runs under parts of the Willowbrook Court
and my daughter's house. Because of the threat of more sinkholes up uh opening near or under her house and the fact that she hears noises coming from under her house, Gina. sent Gavin to live with me and my wife in Odessa. So not only does Gavin not have his father in his life, but now he only sees his mother two days a week on the weekends. No child should have to live like that. Due to the sinkhole, the barricade, an unreparable road, and the danger of collapse, Gina's house and the other affected homes will never be able to be sold, and these
people will be doomed to live as I've described for the rest of their lives unless you agree to help them. Please help.
The next email is Mary Jane Sessa.
Address is [address removed].
My name is Mary Jane Sessa. I live at [address removed]. Even though my home is outside the barricades, the closing of the road still remains a hardship and worries me every day. I lost my husband in December. Prior to his passing, there were four occasions where he uh defibrillator went off and 9 eleven was called. I watched as it took the ambulance and fire trucks extra minutes to back up and make the U-turn to get off of my street and my husband to the hospital. Being over eighty and with my own medical conditions,
I'm afraid any extra time to get help could be detrimental. All of the delivery vehicles having to use my driveway to turn around has caused damage to my mailbox as well as my lawn. As a widow, um on limited income, I can't afford to replace my lawn and continue to get new mailboxes. I watch my neighbors with disabilities between the barricades using wheelbarrows to carry items and limping to their vehicles. that are parked far away. Children can't play outside because we worry for their safety. I
may not live within the barricades, but I am one of the fifteen homes that the county recommended to be demolished. I live uh by myself and with anxiety every day, wondering if my house is safe. I just want to feel safe again. Thank you for your time.
So I have um the next one is Tom and Mary Murray.
Let's see.
We are Thomas E. and Mary Jane Murray and we live at [address removed]. Our home is part of the barricaded road closure imposed by the EOC with ground penetrating radar voids and anomalies were found under our particular road area. The problem first started in August thirteenth, twenty nineteen, when the retention pond between Willowbrook Court and Sylvan Drive developed several.
You can view this on Google.com, Fox News, October 16, 2019, Lakeside Woodland Sinkholes, and also on ABC Action News, October 25th, 2019, which addresses the twenty the 76 depressions comprising sinkhole activity. Vencing around the retention pond filling in voids along the roads, barricades, federal FEMA and state funding attempts, observed damage of geological activity and structural damage. The consensus now focuses
the r on the road closure that will never be reopened. The road is unreparable. This problem is not like anything else that has happened in Pasco County. It is an extreme and unf unforeseeable, unforeseen event. which has continually impacted our quality of life for almost two years. There are three homes in the barricaded area where four handicapped individuals continue to reside. We cannot park in our driveways, We have to haul our garbage outside in the and the barricades and transport our groceries and purchases to
our home via a wheelbarrow. Major issues now arise with the inability to get contractors to do anything for us because they cannot get close to our home. Some examples that we are experiencing are needing a new roof for our home to renew homeowners insurance, replacing the air conditioner and ductworked system. Attic insulation removal that has to be suctioned out of the attic due to rodent infestation. Contractors need to have access to the roads for their trucks to complete the work. The garbage trucks have to back down
the curved road. um eleven hundred feet to pick up garbage. Mosquito control cannot go down the road to spray, even though we pay taxes to have it done. The county cannot clean our sewer system because cannot get into our section of the road. My husband had a cardiac event requiring emergency help. Even though the ambulance and fire truck came within five minutes, they could not get close to our home due to residents of homes parking their cars outside of the barricade. With all due respect, we need your help. The EOC has been working very hard
to obtain funding from the federal FEMA and state government to no avail. Thank you to them as the Thank you to them and the county administrator for attending our last meeting. Also thank you to our Commissioner, Mr. Mariano, for his continued support. Out of the 14 homes and one lot, only seven homes want to want the buyout. This is one half of the monies originally requested in the beginning. Your consideration and action in the quality of our life matter uh would be gratefully appreciated.
The next email is Uh Kelly Usher and Mike uh Solkorski.
I want this email read into the record during the May 14th B O C meeting. Hello, we live at Um [address removed] in Hudson at Lakeside Woodlands Community. Mike and I are right outside the barrier of the closed road. We are fortunate enough to have our driveway, but outside our house is a parking lot for the houses that do not. Thankfully we have cameras in uh in our cars, which helps us to back out safely. It is a maze at times. August thirteenth, twenty nineteen was the day that
we had two depressions open in our backyard around the same time. It opened in the retention pond. That day I was bathing the dogs. I kept hearing strange noises. I thought Mike came home early. It sounded like the garage door open opening. I went out to look and it was not him. Then it kind of freaked me out, so I looked around the inside of the house and then uh to then to the front yard nothing so I went back to bathing the dogs. When I finished I took the dogs outside out back to go potty. I saw a big
hole with wires and broken pipes where the dog's fence uh fenced in area is. Thankfully it did not Just let thankfully I did not just let them run out. I called Mike and told him to get home. There was a big hole in the ground. When he came home he walked the backyard and found another depression. What was scary about the one in the grass was intact, yet it ended up being deeper than the one by the house. The large hole was around ten by ten and around ten
feet deep. It was a couple yards from the cement patio. The other was a bit smaller in size, but we were told deeper than the other. Mike had made m um had made many phone calls to see what to do. Eventually he talked to L R E and uh to give them to have them come over and fill the holes. While they were filling them, a third appeared. Looking back now and knowing what we know, we should have never had filled them. We learned at our EOC meeting that filling them
could make it worse, spreading it down spreading it all down the cave system. That was a cost of $6,400 out of a pocket. They did try to charge over $8,000, but thankfully Mike knew enough to calculate how much dirt and foam was used. And it was not worth the price they were trying to give. We were and still are fortunate for them from EO we are still we s we were and still are fortunate for the help from EOC. They were there for us since the beginning of this nightmare, and yes, it is a nightmare. It is a
fear of the unknown. When it happened in August for a few months, we had the support of the news too, but then the coronavirus happened and we slid to the back burner. Believe me, I get it. I am a CMA at Moffitt Cancer Center. Because of this, we stopped the in-person meetings with the EOC and received monthly. Yeah. They tried getting us grant money from FEMA. It was always declined. We really believe now it is a bigger job than what the EOC can't assist
with and that FEMA will not help with. Since we do not qualify for any grants moving forward.
I think that's uh two minutes.
The next email is from Barbara German.
Address is [address removed]. My name is Barbara Gurin. My husband, William and I are homeowners that reside in between the barricades in Willowbrook Court in Lakeside Woodlands. We purchased our home unaware of the caverns underneath in two thousand in January twenty nineteen. In August thirteenth, twenty nineteen, just side of seven months of living in our new home, a very large sinkhole opened up across the street with many more to follow
closely around us. We also had anomalies in our front and backyard that we had to keep filling. After testing was completed, I believe it showed a total of seventy six anomalies. As a result, our road had to be closed permanently, leaving us without access to our driveway. We have been forced to park Uh gross carry groceries, garage pails, etc. over 150 feet away from our house for a total of 300 uh feet each trip. My husband and I are seniors with health issues.
My husband is a Purple Heart Vietnam veteran who continues to suffer both mentally and physically from the war. His physical limitations make it very hard for him to travel that extra 300 feet. So we had to purchase an An electric scooter to assist him. My husband watches me struggle to use a wheelbarrow to get groceries to my door. He sees me dragging large uh gr uh garbage cans, past the barricades, and worries about me getting hurt. We continue to notice changes happening in our home. Some of these changes include part of the
garage ceiling collapsing, gutters breaking away from the house, tile floor and fireplace cracking, Kitchen sink's collapsing underneath. Kitchen cabinets collapsing, closet doors are not closing, cracks on driveways are getting larger, and there is shifting in front in the front, sides and backyard. These are just a few examples, but every w every day we hear noises and live in fear, wondering what will happen next. This constant worrying, stress, and anxiety is taking a toll on the both of us. My husband
is having heart problems and I was diagnosed with an ulcer. Overall, it's affecting our health and quality of life. We appreciate all efforts made by the Pasco uh emergency management team to try and end this 21-month nightmare. Unfortunately, by no fault. Yeah. They were unable to do so. We need your help to get this resolved so we can enjoy the rest of our lives. Please help us and our neighbors.
Last email.
This is emails from Candace and James Streitenberger. Address is [address removed]. I want this um sorry. First off, I would like to thank everyone here. In taking the time to listen to our concerns, I understand how crucial your work in office is, especially in these unprecedented times. However, our unique situation is also unprecedented. And at this point, downright scary. Myself,
my husband and our nine year old daughter reside at [address removed] in the Lakeside Woodlands development in Hudson. You may remember nearly two years ago our quiet neighborhood flooded the news with seventy-six depressions, some sinkholes opened in under three months. Some of the depressions were on private property and at this point most filled by the homeowners. However, the largest sinkhole that lies directly across the street from my home remains opened. As a result of this extensive ground collapse, Pasco
Emergency Manit Management sent out several engineer companies. During the investigation, a void was discovered under Willowbrook Court directly in front of our driveway. The reports indicate that any vibration from traffic could potentially cause the road to crumble, so out of the safety concerns the road was closed. More research and investigations proceeded to come up with a solution to fix the road, only to discover the void under the road could not be fixed due to a massive cave system below. All of the engineering companies agreed
potential work above the cave system could cause the cave to collapse, causing further damage to other properties. Therefore, Pasco Emergency Management made the decision to close portions of Willowbrook Court permanently. The road blocked In the roadblock includes a total of six homes. Pasco Emergency Management announced they would assist in seeking out federal grants to purchase our homes. We know Pasco County Emergency Management worked diligently in seeking out assistance, and for this we are thankful. However, now nearly two years later, grant
after grant has been denied for purchasing our homes. I cannot go on on about I can go on and on about the inconvenience of not Having access to our homes, the inconvenience of parking 250 feet away from our home, and yes, I've measured. The inconvenience of hauling groceries to the house in a wagon, the inconvenience of routine auto maintenance as my husband is forced to work on our cars in the middle of a road instead of the safety of a garage. The inconvenience of hauling soccer balls, coolers, and folding chairs back and forth between the car and the house multiple times a week
since our daughter plays competitive. Soccer with Florida Premier. The inconvenience of sometimes doing all of this in the rain. The inconvenience of constant delivery mix-ups because FedEx and UPS are inconvenience. The financial inconvenience of our well no longer functioning normal. The end of August 2019, we contacted a company who came out to examine our well when it stopped pulling water.
out of safety concerns, he was unwilling to dig to examine the well. The contractor indicated that he felt the surrounding extensive ground collapse was involved in our well. That's three minute marker.
Okay.
That's the last email.
That's the last email?
Yes, sir.
Okay, with that we now conclude the public hearing comment portion of the meeting and we will move on to um RS1 resolution.