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Pasco residents press county for immediate and long-term fixes after Hurricane Milton flooding
Summary
Residents from Dade City, Hickory Hills and surrounding areas told the Pasco County Commission on Feb. 11 that flooded roads, blocked access and unmaintained drainage contributed to property damage after Hurricane Milton and earlier storms; county staff said teams are investigating short-term and long-term responses.
Dozens of Pasco County residents told the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 11 that stormwater from Hurricane Milton and earlier development has repeatedly trapped homes and blocked emergency access in parts of Dade City and Hickory Hills.
The most urgent accounts came from Kimberly Barnes of 36653 Palm Street, Dade City, who said her house was surrounded by water during the Oct. 10, 2024 storm and that the only way they left the house that morning was by canoe. Barnes said the development Heritage Hills, annexed by the city of Dade City, placed a retention pond and a “pop-off” drain in a location she said saturated the neighborhood and that she has not received a clear answer in two years about who is responsible for maintenance.
“The drain still sits over the fence line of this development with dead trees and it’s unmaintained. I am still waiting for answers after 2 years of who is responsible for this and why it’s allowed to be placed there,” Barnes said during the public-comment period.
Why it matters: residents said the flooding created safety and access problems — some properties have been effectively inaccessible for months — and they pressed the county to report a clear short-term fix while studying longer-term drainage and pump improvements.
Other speakers from Hickory Hills and Moore Drive described repeated flooding going back to 1998 and 2004 and said recent storms have again overtopped yards and roadways. Patrick Knight, who said he built a retirement home in Hickory Hills, asked what steps the county is taking to “purge” floodwaters and to prevent future flooding from nearby development such as Tara Woods and Morningside Drive construction. Victor Lemus (spoke as Victor Lemus/Loomis in the record) told the board that his access road has been impassable for four months and called the condition a public-safety hazard for emergency vehicles.
Residents also questioned the role of nearby pumping and of developers in moving stormwater. Donna DeLeo said she believes pumps installed by Lennar Homes — and later stopped at the county’s direction — temporarily moved water onto her property and that she later developed a leg infection she attributes to contaminated water. Several speakers cited prior mitigation steps taken by the county, such as temporary pumps and culvert work after the 2004 floods, and said more permanent channel- and culvert-level fixes are still needed.
What county officials said: Commissioners and staff did not take formal action during the public-comment period. Chairman Starkey (not present for roll call but listening) and Commissioner Oakley said county teams are actively working on short-term responses while also evaluating longer-term drainage solutions. At the meeting the clerk identified Bradford from Public Works; Oakley and other staff urged affected residents to meet with Public Works staff on site. A county official told the audience that teams were “out there looking at it today” and pledged follow-up for specific properties.
No formal vote or ordinance came from the comments; county staff said they will continue site inspections and follow up with residents who provided addresses.
Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the scale of complaints and asked staff to continue on-the-ground assessments and to report back with recommended short-term measures and a plan for longer-term drainage improvements.
