HOLIDAY
A 20-foot "ground depression" opened on a residential road shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.
Pasco County spokesman Doug Tobin said the hole, which engineers call a "subsurface anomaly," is close to the intersection of Blue Marlin Boulevard and Parrot Fish Drive in the Gulf Winds subdivision. "At this point, we're not calling it a sinkhole until we get an engineer to actually confirm what it is," Tobin said. There are no pipes under the hole, so he said it does not appear to be the result of a problem with stormwater drainage.
An engineering team will bore into the ground and examine the area around the hole for the next two to three days, Tobin said. Specialists will file a report when they determine the cause and the best course for repairs.
Depending on the cost of the fix, Tobin said, either the county or the local homeowners association will cover the bill. A separate road is still open allowing access to Gulf Winds that will be clearly marked.
Vernon June, head of the Gulfwinds of Pasco County Homeowners Association, said residents "have a concern that there are construction defects" in roads around the development. He said there are cracks in the roadway and in some spots, the pavement has sunk below manhole covers.
June said he does not believe the depression is a sinkhole, and that such rumors hurt homeowners and property values.
Times staff