LONGWOOD, Fla. — A Seminole County homeowner who plugged her community’s drain pipe with concrete in April has been given a short deadline to replace the pipe – or have others do the work on her dime.
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Judge Donna Goerner issued an emergency injunction against Diane Goglas after two days of testimony that culminated with Goglas taking the stand to talk about why she did what she did.
“Nobody wants to claim responsibility for what’s happening to my property,” Goglas said, complaining about sink holes that had opened up in her yard. She blamed breaks in the pipe for the damage.
Goglas said she hired the concrete crew to fix the pipe, which contradicted a letter she sent neighbors in March asking for money and warning about property damage if the neighborhood didn’t comply.
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Since then, the flooding along N. Shadowbay Boulevard has worsened with every storm. Cars have gotten stuck and water is seeping up through the foundation of at least one home.
Judge Goerner appeared disturbed by testimony that a neighbor was almost unable to receive a delivery of oxygen because the water was too high.
Goglas testified that she was working with an engineer and expected a cost estimate for the pipe’s replacement by Friday. She was already under pressure to do the work because of a looming $250-per-day fine code enforcement hit her with last week that is scheduled to begin October 1.
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Goerner’s ruling allowed Seminole County workers to enter the private neighborhood and replace the pipe if Goglas doesn’t meet the deadline, but Goglas would be billed for it either way.
“We are so grateful,” HOA treasurer Robin Rodriguez said in the hallway shortly after the injunction was announced. “So very grateful. It’s a little surreal after six months of living this.”
Goglas refused to respond to a question about how confident she was that she’d meet the judge’s deadline. As the elevator doors closed, she told reporters she believed the entire neighborhood should pay for the pipe’s replacement.
“It should be a united thing,” she said.
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