Resident says elevated neighbor build caused repeated flooding; city staff cite constricted culvert

A Palm Coast homeowner told the City Council on Sept. 2 that his house floods every time it rains and blamed a neighbor's elevated rebuild for changing drainage patterns. Jeremy Davis said the city approved the elevation of a house at 62 Paraty Lane and that the change sent stormwater onto his property, causing recurring damage and what he called a failure of the city's enforcement and permitting process.

The claim prompted a staff response from city officials. City Manager said stormwater staff inspected a nearby residential culvert at 70 Perotti and found “a pipe inside of the culvert pipe that’s concreted in,” which reduces capacity. The manager said the city originally issued a 15‑day corrective order and later changed that to a courtesy notice giving 365 days to complete repairs.

Davis read aloud documents he said included pre‑ and post‑elevation surveys and accused the city of “approving the elevation at 62 Paraty” without confirming downstream capacity. He also said the city sent 11 workers and a sheriff’s deputy to remove a single PVC pipe at his property and described that response as “intimidation.”

City staff described the structural problem at the culvert as a constriction that “is smaller” and confirmed it is located “at the end of the run” of the swale. Staff advised that the constrained pipe contributes to the localized flooding and said they would follow up to ensure corrective action.

Mayor and council members praised stormwater staff for rapid field response after recent storms. At the meeting Council members asked staff to provide follow‑up and ensure the violation is resolved, and the city manager repeated that stormwater will continue inspections and enforcement.

The record at the meeting shows discussion only; no formal council directive, ordinance or funding action to alter drainage infrastructure was adopted at the Sept. 2 session. The resident urged further accountability and threatened continued public pressure if repairs and enforcement are not completed.