The City That Had Nine Residents
Weeki Wachee was a real city until June 9, 2020. That's when the Florida Legislature abolished it and transferred its assets and liabilities to Hernando County, through Chapter 2020-196 (CS/HB 1215). The House analysis says the city was one square mile, had a population of nine, and its residents were mostly employees living at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. Property owners there, it says, received no municipal services from the city.
The name lives on in addresses: all 1,278 Property Appraiser parcel points in the Gardens carry the situs city WEEKI WACHEE. The Gardens, a Census Designated Place of 1,138 people and 1,026 housing units, is unincorporated and uses ZIP 34607. The 20 parcel points inside the old city boundary are split among 34613, 34606 and 34607. A ZIP code won't tell you which kind of lot you own, so we start every job with the parcel, not the mailing address.
Inside the old city boundary near US-19 and SR-50 or out in the Gardens, permits now go through Hernando County either way. Concrete contractors in Weeki Wachee answer to the same county office on both sides of that line. Send the parcel number and we'll pull its flood zone before we price anything.
Zone AE at Every Sampled Point in the Gardens
In the Gardens, all 42 land sample points inside the community boundary fall in FEMA zone AE, the coastal floodplain, with static base flood elevations of 9 to 13 ft. The county also puts the Gardens in evacuation zone A. For concrete, the flood zone matters because it takes away the small-slab permit break that applies on lots outside a flood zone elsewhere in the county.
Hernando County's exemption list lets patio-style slabs under 500 sq ft go without a permit, but it says that doesn't apply to properties in a Special Flood Hazard Area. The county's exemption form for work valued under $7,500 also says it does not include any property located in a flood zone. So in the Gardens, a small patio slab still goes through the Hernando County Building Division.
The county regulates flood areas with its Flood Damage Prevention and Protection Ordinance alongside the Florida Building Code, and it takes elevation certificates and a Floodplain Development Sheet. Concrete contractors in Weeki Wachee have to plan thickness, edge and grade with that paperwork in mind, and we do. For the rest of the county, our permit guide explains how exemptions and the Notice of Commencement work.
Here are our typical ranges for Weeki Wachee and Weeki Wachee Gardens. Fill, base work and flood-zone paperwork are what move a job here.
| Job | Per sq ft | Typical project | What moves the price in Weeki Wachee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway (4 in., broom finish) | $8 to $14 | $4,000 to $9,800 | Short Gardens frontage, old slab removal, base on wet ground, county apron |
| Concrete patio | $7 to $12 | $1,680 to $4,800 | Permit in zone AE, grade toward the water, yard access |
| Stamped and decorative | $12 to $22 | $3,600 to $14,300 | Pattern, color, sealer, size |
| Concrete slab (4 in., reinforced) | $7 to $12 | $1,400 to $7,200 | Carport or porch size, fill depth, thickened edges |
| Sidewalks and walkways | $8 to $14 | $1,600 to $4,200 | Length, steps, job minimum on short runs |
| Repair and resurfacing | Quote only | Free written estimate after we see it | Storm damage, washed-out base, how level the slab still is |
These are ranges only. Your price comes in a free written estimate after we see the site, with every line spelled out and no hidden fees.
