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Resident asks for more time, cites $13,000 culvert/driveway cost; magistrate directs cleanup and loan-application steps
Summary
Matthew Pelton told the Port St. Lucie special magistrate he cannot afford estimated $13,000 to repair a driveway and drainage culvert; the magistrate continued the case to March 11 and directed him to clear the culvert so public-works can inspect and to apply for a public-works loan program if eligible.
Matthew Pelton, the respondent in case 25-14212, told the Port St. Lucie special magistrate on Jan. 28 that he cannot afford an estimated $13,000 to repair drainage and a driveway and asked for an extended compliance period.
Pelton told the court he had been off work after an arrest and related injury and that he is saving about $1,000 a month toward repairs. He also said nearby city drainage along Port St. Lucie Boulevard has been ineffective since he moved in and asked whether his timeline could be tied to broader city work on that drainage.
City public-works representative Armstrong said the city has a loan assistance program for culvert repairs but that the program applies to failed culverts (not mere blockages). Armstrong said the resident would need to remove debris so a public-works inspector could determine whether the culvert is failed and therefore qualify for loan assistance. He explained the loan can be spread on the tax roll in multi-year increments.
Magistrate Davis’s ruling and next steps
Magistrate Davis said he would continue the matter and set March 11, 2026 as the next date. He instructed Pelton to either apply for the loan program or demonstrate he was ineligible by that date; he also asked that Pelton clear the culvert debris so inspectors can evaluate whether the public-works program applies.
Direct quotes
"I don't have a problem fixing the drainage...to get it fixed ... it's gonna cost me about $13,000," Pelton told the magistrate.
"There is a loan program through the public works department for culvert repairs," Armstrong said, noting inspections are required to determine eligibility.
Why this matters
If the culvert is eligible for the loan program and Pelton qualifies, the program could reduce upfront costs by allowing repayment over several years on the tax roll. If Pelton cannot qualify or does not remove debris for inspection, the magistrate may resume enforcement, which could include certification of fines or abatement authority.
What remains unresolved
Pelton’s allegation that the Port St. Lucie police caused an injury that kept him from attending an earlier hearing was stated in his testimony; the transcript records no city response on that point. The magistrate’s March 11 continuance is conditioned on whether Pelton applies for the loan program and whether the culvert inspection shows program eligibility.
