County Authorizes Limited Debris Clean-up in Gated Communities

“To create safe passage” of vehicles on roadways upon declaration of a disaster, within a gated community, a new ordinance has been adopted to collect and remove debris from private gated communities and/or private roads, with FEMA “more likely” providing reimbursement for the debris removal. Up to now, FEMA has denied any application for debris removal reimbursement involving private communities.

FEMA’s early targeting of debris removal is to make highways and roads safe for travel and to remove debris if it constitutes a health or safety hazard. Hurricane debris removal costs are shared 75/25 between FEMA and the state with removal, storage and disposal performed by local governments or by contractors selected by those governmental entities. Pheasant Walk on the east side of Military Trail above Clint Moore had incurred more than $20,000 in removal costs using their landscape contractor, but the County was only offering $15,000 in repayment “because that’s what it would have cost the county to do the job,” but Commissioner Burt Aronson said that if Pheasant Walk was reimbursed, “then I want other communities included.”
Last week’s action to permit country debris removal in general from gated community roads at least now gives the county a statutory basis to argue that health and safety were at issue and therefore the county should be reimbursed, and permits residents in gated communities to receive the same road clearing treatment as those along public roadways.