CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — A state environmental lawsuit tied to the troubled Inverness Village 4 subdivision has reached an agreement in principle, but residents say real relief will only come if the deal leads to visible change on the ground.
According to a mediation report filed Jan. 30 in Citrus County Circuit Court, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and Van Der Valk Construction, along with several related companies, reached a preliminary agreement during mediation on Jan. 27.
WATCH: Homeowners hope lawsuit's settlement will bring relief to sandy, unfinished neighborhood
The agreement is not yet final and remains subject to a formal written settlement.
For homeowners like Kerri Gladden, the news brings cautious hope.
“I’m hoping to see some accountability and some responsibility,” Gladden said.
Years of infrastructure problems
Inverness Village 4 has become known for its sandy, unpaved roads and lack of a completed drainage system. During heavy rains, water rushes downhill and erosion worsens. Even emergency vehicles have struggled to navigate the neighborhood. Last year, a Citrus County Fire Rescue truck became stuck in one of the sandy intersections.
“We think about it every time we go outside,” Gladden previously told Tampa Bay 28. “Every time we get in the car.”
Gladden, who uses a wheelchair, says the unfinished infrastructure has made daily life especially difficult.
“I feel trapped. I feel lied to,” she said.
Homeowners say they believed roads and drainage would eventually be installed at a reasonable cost.
However, relentless finger-pointing between the Citrus County government, the home builder and the person who sold many of the lots to the home builder has led to a stalemate and no solutions for the neighbors, who feel that the neighborhood’s lack of infrastructure poses a public safety threat.
Although the neighborhood’s roads were dedicated to the public, Citrus County has said no roads were ever constructed and has declined to maintain the right-of-way.
What the FDEP lawsuit alleges
The FDEP filed its lawsuit in November 2023, accusing Van Der Valk Construction and related parties of conducting construction activities without obtaining required stormwater permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
State inspectors documented construction activity beginning in 2022 and alleged the development qualified as a “larger common plan of development” disturbing more than five acres, which triggered federal permitting requirements.
The state sought civil penalties and an order halting construction until proper permits were obtained.
The newly filed mediation report does not outline the terms of the proposed settlement. It states only that an agreement in principle was reached and that attorneys will update the court once a formal agreement is completed.
Reached by phone Wednesday, Chris Matser, a co-owner of Van Der Valk Construction, said he could not discuss details of the tentative agreement but believes it will be good for both parties.
A separate lawsuit targets drainage
The DEP case is not the only legal action surrounding the development.
Last July, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) filed a separate lawsuit against Van Der Valk Construction, Citrus County government and several other entities connected to the project.
That complaint alleges homes were built without securing required environmental resource permits. SWFWMD says those permits are necessary before construction that affects wetlands, alters surface water flows or contributes to water pollution.
According to SWFWMD, the lack of a drainage system “has resulted in flooding, erosion and other off-site environmental impacts.”
In court filings, the water management district said its enforcement action is aimed at bringing the development into compliance.
Waiting for results
For homeowners, any settlement will be judged by what changes outside their front doors.
“Who is financially responsible?” Gladden asked. “What do they plan to do for us homeowners that are stuck in this mess?”
The DEP settlement could mark progress, but until a final agreement is signed and infrastructure improvements begin, many in Inverness Village 4 remain cautious.
“I don’t think that the resolution is going to be anytime soon,” Gladden said previously. “Unfortunately, I think it will be years.”
For now, the legal pieces may be moving. Whether the roads will change is another question.
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