Port Richey officials defend flood‑plain permit tracking after residents report faulty stop‑work notices

Port Richey officials and residents spent most of a city town‑hall session discussing post‑storm permitting, stop‑work orders and how the city is tracking repairs for FEMA damage assessments.

Veronica, a development‑services staff member who opened the discussion with a short flood‑awareness presentation, said Port Richey and Pasco County are highly vulnerable to flooding and storm surge. “Pasco County is one of Florida’s most flood‑prone areas with over a hundred miles of coastline and low‑lying neighborhoods,” Veronica said during her presentation.

The presentation was followed by extended public comment from homeowners who said they received inconsistent notices and, in some cases, stop‑work orders after performing limited repairs. Resident Clayton Arvidsson said he received a court notice ordering him to appear over an alleged stop‑work order despite an earlier city letter saying his home was not substantially damaged. “I get a court notice saying that we have to go to court on March 7 for a stop‑work order,” Arvidsson said, describing multiple rounds of notices, a later dismissal and continued difficulty getting clear guidance from city staff.

Other residents described similar experiences and asked why small, nonstructural repairs —…