SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – Fifty-six homeowners in the Laurel Meadows subdivision have filed a civil lawsuit against Sarasota County seeking between $15 million and $20 million in damages following flooding caused by Tropical Storm Debbie in August 2024.
The lawsuit centers on an alleged breach in a dike along Kalpen Slough that plaintiffs say allowed floodwaters to inundate the neighborhood. Laurel Meadows is a residential subdivision located east of I-75, directly off Iona Road near Lorain Road, positioned around several lakes.
Attorney Stephen D. Hutton, who represents the 56 homeowners, said the breach in the dike was documented as far back as 2018 through LIDAR measurements and may have existed for decades…