Largo passes resolutions to help homeowners rebuild from storm damage

LARGO. The city suffered more damage from Hurricane Milton than from Helen two weeks earlier, but combined they damaged hundreds of buildings, closed more than two dozen roads and knocked down 99 street signs.

At Largo High School, which served as a shelter for nearly 3,000 people during Hurricane Milton, police and first responders helped deliver a baby boy.

Amid the widespread destruction and hardship, the City Commission unanimously passed a half-dozen resolutions on Oct. 15 aimed at helping residents.

“Because of the nature of Hurricane Helen, we wanted to increase the amount of time property owners would have to get permits (for emergency repairs) and get this work done,” Community Development Director Cheryl Reed said of the first of six resolutions: three on every storm “So the length is a little longer than you’ve seen in previous resolutions for hurricanes of this type.”

Reed said they are “proposing 120 days for the first resolution that addresses certain types of building permits,” noting that the wording is consistent with the county’s plans to limit the legislation to “homeowners who own property in a homestead and/or have applied for a homestead designation.” .

She said that if 120 days is not considered sufficient, the city council would be “pleased to provide an extension to this period as there are property owners who will be carrying out significant work on their home”.

Other ordinances proposed temporarily waiving permit fees for fence repairs and tree removal for 60 days.

“It is extremely important for homeowners to be able to immediately remove those trees that are causing downed power lines and impacting our grid,” Reid said.

Commissioner Jamie Robinson expressed opposition to limiting the legislation to homesteads only.

“I just don’t understand the reason for it,” Robinson said. “If it’s an emergency and somebody lives in that property, it’s a rental house, wouldn’t they be eligible for a reduction in those fees?”

City Manager John Kerp said, “The idea was that commercial property owners wouldn’t need an exemption.”

Robinson responded, “That may be true, but I think it sets a bad precedent. It looks bad, visually. I think the goal here is just to renovate homes, whether they’re commercial properties or rentals.”

Commissioner Donna Holk agreed.

“(Tenants) are at the mercy of the people who own the property to make repairs,” Holk said.

Mayor Woody Brown said the proposed exclusion would hurt not only residential duplexes and rental properties, but also uninsured small business owners.

“They might have liability insurance, but they might not insure their building because it’s a little old house,” Brown said. “Over the past four years, the cost of insurance has quadrupled. So anything helps them.”

After Reid explained that staff was proposing a “complete fee waiver,” motions to approve hurricane fee waiver resolutions passed 7-0.

In related news, the board unanimously approved a resolution declaring a local state of emergency in Largo, allowing the city to receive hurricane-related funding and services, and a resolution calling for a moratorium on the $75 event fee during Month of small business in November.

“This will give Largo businesses the opportunity to host a variety of free events, such as sidewalk sales, on-site promotions, in anticipation of the upcoming holiday shopping season,” said Economic Development Coordinator Charles Stanton.

Stanton noted that businesses must still apply for a temporary event permit before the event begins.

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