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Commission Ponders Meeting on Flood Rule Violations

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: December 22, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - Numerous inquiries from nervous coastal residents have convinced the County Commission to try to set up a workshop on dozens of alleged violations of federal flood-zone regulations in West Pasco.

The county should plan to invite officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to meet with the public early next year, Commissioner Ann Hildebrand suggested.

She believes many coastal residents might be ignorant of building restrictions in flood-prone, low-lying areas of West Pasco, primarily west of U.S. 19.

A single workshop might be easier than meeting with individual owners, Chief Assistant County Attorney Barbara Wilhite said.

On Nov. 27, commissioners discussed cracking down on coastal flood-rule violators to protect a 15 percent discount on flood insurance policies in effect here.

Without action on the alleged violations, flood insurance could get more expensive for all residents, commissioners say.

The county continues to review at least 130 flood-rule cases FEMA has referred to Pasco officials for possible action, Cindy Jolly, Pasco development director, said this week.

Enforcement is the "correct move," Commissioner Jack Mariano responded.

State environmental regulators should be invited to any workshop, Mariano said. Officials of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection could explain water quality issues from pollution at homes in violation of flood-zone restrictions.

Mariano suggested conducting water quality tests at the same time as FEMA officials inspect homes.

Residents have illegally built living quarters on ground floors of homes in flood-prone areas, Assistant County Attorney Joe Richards explained at the November meeting.

Under the FEMA rules living areas must be constructed above the "base flood elevation" of the area. This usually means parking and storage are about the only permitted uses of first-floor building space in flood-prone areas.

In some cases, home buyers might have inherited flood-rule violations without realizing it, Richards said.

The 130 alleged violations FEMA referred to the county could only be the tip of the iceberg, Commissioner Michael Cox said in November. He wouldn't be surprised if more coastal residents are in violation than in compliance, speaking from his experience as a former mayor of the city of Port Richey.

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