Community Development District 4 is girding for battle as a Villages couple plans to plead for more time to stabilize their sinkhole-damaged home.
A Marion County code enforcement hearing is set for 9 a.m. Dec. 12 regarding the home of Frank and Jan Neumann on McLawren Terrace in the Village of Calumet Grove. The Neumanns remain locked in a battle with their insurance company and have indicated they have no desire to move back in.
Their home was declared uninhabitable since the sinkholes first appeared Feb. 15.
The Neumanns are asking Marion County for an extension of time to address the difficult situation they face.
CDD 4’s position is that allowing the property to linger is a threat to public safety as the property has not been stabilized.
“No more extensions of time should be granted,” said District Counsel Valerie Fuchs.
To make their case, CDD 4 will have legal representation, as well as testimony from geotechnical engineers. CDD 4 Chairman Jim Murphy also will attend the hearing.
The sinkholes could end up costing residents of CDD 4 about $900,000, which will pay for the replacement of stormwater pipe and rebuilding the intersection. CDD 4 supervisors earlier this year voted to raise assessment rates by 20 percent.
As much as the Neumanns and their neighbor, Doris Morrill, have suffered through after the sinkholes forced them from their homes, their neighbors have suffered, too, supervisors agreed.
“Those neighbors are going through hell,” said newly elected Supervisor Mark Hayes.
Morrill’s property has been sold and now a contractor hopes to rehabilitate the house, not tear it down.
However, Marion County shut down the contractor because the contractor was working without a permit.
The Neumanns’ property is still within the 60-day timeframe to bring the property into compliance with code enforcement regulations, according to Marion County. The recent change of ownership restarts the 60-day deadline to bring the former Morrill property into compliance per code enforcement regulations.
Marion County issued the following statement when contacted by Villages-News.com:
“Marion County Code Enforcement continues to work with both property owners and the Community Development District to remedy the situation relating to 17086 and 17092 SE 79th McLawren Terrace.”
The code enforcement hearing will be held in Marion County’s Growth Services training room, 2710 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala.
