Residents push city to enforce developer bond after months of unfinished Abbott Square roadwork

Mike Almeda, an Abbott Square resident, told the Zephyrhills City Council on July 14 that Lennar has left multiple street, drainage and landscaping repairs undone after recent curb-and-gutter work, and that the developer’s crews later damaged newly poured curbs when they milled the roadway. "They repair some curb and gutter ... then they decided that was when they were gonna rip up the pavement to repave it. In that process, they destroyed the brand new curb and gutter," Almeda said.

The issue matters to hundreds of neighborhood households because unfinished pavement and unresolved drainage have persisted for weeks, residents said. Almeda said Lennar told the city work would begin June 1 and be a five-week process; as of the July 14 meeting the neighborhood remained unpaved and some flooding fixes had not started.

City Manager William “Billy” Poe Jr. reviewed written responses he had received from Lennar and told council staff recommended setting a firm deadline. "My recommendation is they have 30 days ... to complete those tasks. And if they do not, then we will work through the process of pulling the bond," Poe said, noting Lennar had told staff some delays were caused by subcontractors and vendor onboarding.

Councilmembers and the resident pressed for firm action. Councilman Steven Spina urged an immediate bond pull, saying short-term delay had gone on too long; Councilman Lance Smith and Councilman Ken Burgess supported using the bond process if Lennar failed to finish the specified punch list. Council members instructed staff to collect the neighborhood’s punch list and deliver it to the city manager so staff could confirm which items were bond‑eligible.

What the council directed: staff will notify Lennar of a final 30‑day cure period tied to the outstanding punch list and the developer’s performance bond. If the company fails to complete the bond-eligible work within that period staff will initiate the statutory process to call the bond and contract to complete the work, the city manager said. Council did not adopt a separate ordinance or motion on the floor; rather the council endorsed staff’s recommendation and asked for the written punch list to be provided to the city manager immediately.

Background and next steps: At the meeting staff said some tasks had crews scheduled and engineers were coordinating on pond and stormwater pipe work, while other items remained pending because subcontractors would not return. Residents said landscaping and erosion concerns persisted and asked that the city seek full remediation if Lennar fails to act. The city manager said staff will confirm which punch‑list items are bond‑eligible, set the 30‑day deadline, and return to council with any formal action needed to call the bond.

Timing: Council and staff identified August 11 as the outer limit tied to previously communicated deadlines; the new 30‑day notice will be calculated from staff’s written letter to Lennar. The city did not set a different, immediate council vote calling the bond during the July 14 meeting.