FYI Sumter County Building Permits and sinkhole remedation

[CSwofford147@comcast.net]

For everyone's information all that you need in Sumter County to go online and get a copy of any building permit for work done or being done is the address of the property in question. If anyone has any trouble using the system just call the Sumter County Building department and the will be happy to help you. I would like to know if other people have used this system and if the have used this system to identify sinkhole remediation work. It is very simple to use.

[perrjojo]

For everyone's information all that you need in Sumter County to go online and get a copy of any building permit for work done or being done is the address of the property in question. If anyone has any trouble using the system just call the Sumter County Building department and the will be happy to help you. I would like to know if other people have used this system and if the have used this system to identify sinkhole remediation work. It is very simple to use.
I am curious...do you live in TV? If so for how long? Are you happy here? Again, just curious.

[OBXNana]

I am curious...do you live in TV? If so for how long? Are you happy here? Again, just curious.

You read my mind!

[ilovetv]

You read my mind!

Ditto.

There's a fine line, I think, between staying personally informed on this and broadcasting a constant drumbeat of publicity that ruins the reputation of a neighborhood and its neighbors by pitting people against each other when they really need a unified, harmonious approach.

[graciegirl]

Ditto.

There's a fine line, I think, between staying personally informed on this and broadcasting a constant drumbeat of publicity that ruins the reputation of a neighborhood and its neighbors by pitting people against each other when they really need a unified, harmonious approach.


I'll Say!!!!!!!!!:BigApplause:

[buggyone]

Could it be the work of a malcontent troll - or (gasp) a Stonecrester?

[DougB]

Or a lawyer from the law firm Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe trying to drum up some business.

[graciegirl]

Or a lawyer from the law firm Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe trying to drum up some business.


My line of thought completely.

[JourneyOfLife]

I thank the OP for posting the information.

What prospective buyer would not want to know about something like that?

[Moderator]

Please keep comments focused on the original topic.

Moderator

[senior citizen]

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/feedback/faq.htm (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/feedback/faq.htm)

Florida's Department of Environmental Protection

Great website with commonly asked questions............many of which have been asked most recently with regard to the sinkhole problem. Many other subjects, not yet addressed.....

Scroll down below the 26 hyperlinks/questions.....
The answers are below, so you do not have to constantly click the hyperlinks......

Below that are yet more questions re Florida. All educational.

Question 15:
Is there a safe area of Florida in which to live with no chance of sinkholes? back to top (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/feedback/faq.htm#top)Technically, no. Since the entire state is underlain by carbonate rocks, sinkholes could theoretically form anywhere. However, there are definite regions where sinkhole risk is considerably higher. In general, areas of the state where limestone is close to surface, or areas with deeper limestone but with a conducive configuration of water table elevation, stratigraphy, and aquifer characteristics have increased sinkhole activity.
The only way to ensure that you don’t purchase property that might be prone to sinkhole activity is to not buy property in a karst region. Karst refers to landforms that develop due to the dissolving away, over geologic time, of geologic materials near the surface. In most cases that material is limestone. Learn about the local geology in an area you are considering purchasing land in and find out if it is a karst region.

[CassieInVa]

As a prospective buyer in the next 6 months, this is information I'm definitely looking at. Yes things can happen anywhere, but if I can hedge my bets and stay in an area where there is not a lot of sinkhole activity, I don't think that's such a bad thing. Does anyone know if this is something that has to be divulged if you are buying one of these houses?

[jbdlfan]

Soooooooo. Getting all the information you can on a property before you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars is now a bad thing????? This is great access to information that is in place to protect us. I applaud the OP and by the way, I believe they live in Glenbrook.

[buggyone]

As a prospective buyer in the next 6 months, this is information I'm definitely looking at. Yes things can happen anywhere, but if I can hedge my bets and stay in an area where there is not a lot of sinkhole activity, I don't think that's such a bad thing. Does anyone know if this is something that has to be divulged if you are buying one of these houses?

It may make good sense to put a clause in your purchase contract of a home that you will pay for a company to test for sinkholes for that house. I think it usually costs around $150. If sinkhole is found, you would have option of backing out of the contract with no penalty.

Naturally, any known or repaired sinkhole must be divulged by the seller.

[graciegirl]

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/feedback/faq.htm (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/feedback/faq.htm)

Florida's Department of Environmental Protection

Great website with commonly asked questions............many of which have been asked most recently with regard to the sinkhole problem. Many other subjects, not yet addressed.....

Scroll down below the 26 hyperlinks/questions.....
The answers are below, so you do not have to constantly click the hyperlinks......

Below that are yet more questions re Florida. All educational.

Question 15:
Is there a safe area of Florida in which to live with no chance of sinkholes? back to top (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/feedback/faq.htm#top)Technically, no. Since the entire state is underlain by carbonate rocks, sinkholes could theoretically form anywhere. However, there are definite regions where sinkhole risk is considerably higher. In general, areas of the state where limestone is close to surface, or areas with deeper limestone but with a conducive configuration of water table elevation, stratigraphy, and aquifer characteristics have increased sinkhole activity.
The only way to ensure that you don’t purchase property that might be prone to sinkhole activity is to not buy property in a karst region. Karst refers to landforms that develop due to the dissolving away, over geologic time, of geologic materials near the surface. In most cases that material is limestone. Learn about the local geology in an area you are considering purchasing land in and find out if it is a karst region.




I am posting this map again, in the hopes that people will see where reported sinkholes are and they are not. Hoping. They will SEE.
http://www.securefsi.com/images/sinkholefaq/sinkholetype-near-map.jpg

[njbchbum]

As a prospective buyer in the next 6 months, this is information I'm definitely looking at. Yes things can happen anywhere, but if I can hedge my bets and stay in an area where there is not a lot of sinkhole activity, I don't think that's such a bad thing. Does anyone know if this is something that has to be divulged if you are buying one of these houses?

Soooooooo. Getting all the information you can on a property before you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars is now a bad thing????? This is great access to information that is in place to protect us. I applaud the OP and by the way, I believe they live in Glenbrook.

It is great to know where sinkholes have been and have been remediated and the ground stabilized; and Gracie's map is most informative for anyone considering a move to Florida...BUT...I have yet to find a website that provides accurate information on where and when the next sinkhole in The Villages will occur. Makes me wonder if I will ever want to move from our little piece of heaven on the historic side.

[graciegirl]

It is great to know where sinkholes have been and have been remediated and the ground stabilized; and Gracie's map is most informative for anyone considering a move to Florida...BUT...I have yet to find a website that provides accurate information on where and when the next sinkhole in The Villages will occur. Makes me wonder if I will ever want to move from our little piece of heaven on the historic side.



I can't figure out what the gist, focus, reason and point is to the OPs post. Maybe someone can clarify it for me?


By law any remediation activity to a sinkhole MUST be disclosed to a potential buyer.


I am just tryin' to "hep".

[Skybo]

I can't figure out what the gist, focus, reason and point is to the OPs post. Maybe someone can clarify it for me?


By law any remediation activity to a sinkhole MUST be disclosed to a potential buyer.


I am just tryin' to "hep".


My guess, based on this thread and others by the same OP, is that the OP is trying to gather data on repair costs for (non-catastrophic ground collapse) sinkhole damages in TV. And one possible reason for collecting that data would be to support his hypothesis that self-insurance for sinkhole damage would be worth consideration for Villagers.

[Mr.Big]

I can't argue with a sinkhole test done before purchasing a home at buyers expense. Tennessee requires seller to pay for Termite inspection before closing a home can happen.

[TVMayor]

Could it be the work of a malcontent troll - or (gasp) a Stonecrester?
Back on topic. The same county web site referred to by Charles Swofford will tell you CSwofford lives in TV.

[perrjojo]

I can't argue with a sinkhole test done before purchasing a home at buyers expense. Tennessee requires seller to pay for Termite inspection before closing a home can happen.

An inspector can look around and if there are no large cracks in walls and windows or unusual depressions in the ground he will determine that there is not an active sink hole. That test is very inexpensive, however it does not tell you if you are sitting over a potential sinkhole.
A test for a potential sink hole is done by an engineer and the cost is around $10,000.

[Mr.Big]

An inspector can look around and if there are no large cracks in walls and windows or unusual depressions in the ground he will determine that there is not an active sink hole. That test is very inexpensive, however it does not tell you if you are sitting over a potential sinkhole.
A test for a potential sink hole is done by an engineer and the cost is around $10,000.

Thats true. Even a regular home inspection may come back clean, such as electrical, and the home could possibly burn down the next day due to faulty wiring! I believe that I would still pay the $160 for a "little" peace of mind!

[Happydaz]

As a prospective buyer in the next 6 months, this is information I'm definitely looking at. Yes things can happen anywhere, but if I can hedge my bets and stay in an area where there is not a lot of sinkhole activity, I don't think that's such a bad thing. Does anyone know if this is something that has to be divulged if you are buying one of these houses?

This comment is key to what concerns many homeowners. You are not looking to see former sinkhole activity to choose a particular house, but an "Area" to purchase in. So, it appears, you would avoid homes within 5, 10, or 20 miles from any sinkhole. You may be out of luck in Florida.

[janmcn]

I am posting this map again, in the hopes that people will see where reported sinkholes are and they are not. Hoping. They will SEE.
http://www.securefsi.com/images/sinkholefaq/sinkholetype-near-map.jpg

This comment is key to what concerns many homeowners. You are not looking to see former sinkhole activity to choose a particular house, but an "Area" to purchase in. So, it appears, you would avoid homes within 5, 10, or 20 miles from any sinkhole. You may be out of luck in Florida.

If you look carefully at the map in an earlier post, you will see there are very few sinkholes south of the Tampa Bay area. Collier county (Naples) had none, Lee county (Fort Myers) had two, Manatee county (Bradenton) had three, and Sarasota county had a handful. This is since 1954, sixty years, if this map is accurate.

[Happydaz]

If you look carefully at the map in an earlier post, you will see there are very few sinkholes south of the Tampa Bay area. Collier county (Naples) had none, Lee county (Fort Myers) had two, Manatee county (Bradenton) had three, and Sarasota county had a handful. This is since 1954, sixty years, if this map is accurate.

Thank you for the info. I am soon moving to southern Florida around the Everglades as this looks like an area that has no sinkhole activity. Does anyone know if there are any retirement communities like The Villages in that area that I could look at? Just kidding! (That map is very helpful. It shows that central Florida has more sinkhole activity than the rest of the state.)

[iaudit]

The map above map is useless, the one of Sumter county is almost six years old.

http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/pages/11100/f11158/f11158.htm

[graciegirl]

The map above map is useless, the one of Sumter county is almost six years old.

Sinkholes of Sumter County, Florida , 2008 (http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/pages/11100/f11158/f11158.htm)



I can't find any point on this map that I recognize. Don't understand the dots and what exactly they stand for. I kinda think this one isn't much help either.

[looneycat]

If you look carefully at the map in an earlier post, you will see there are very few sinkholes south of the Tampa Bay area. Collier county (Naples) had none, Lee county (Fort Myers) had two, Manatee county (Bradenton) had three, and Sarasota county had a handful. This is since 1954, sixty years, if this map is accurate.

and the area around the villages looks pretty clear as well.....