USA Flea Market, Pasco County Reach Agreement

PORT RICHEY, FL — Pasco County has announced it has reached an agreement with the USA Flea Market following the discovery of hundreds of code violations earlier this month. While the deal calls for the demolition of most buildings on the Port Richey property, it does leave the door open for a possible reopening sometime down the road.

Under the agreement inked by county officials and the 11721 U.S. 19 flea market’s owner, all structures on the property must be demolished by Sept. 1. That date is also the deadline set for removal of any debris from the site following the demolition.

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“The agreement allows the owner the option of regaining the original skeleton support structure (iron supports/wood poles) on the main flea market building,” a Thursday email from Pasco County said. The owner requested this in the agreement to enable an assessment of “whether the original support poles can be used in a possible future construction of a new, open-air flea market.”

All other buildings, including those that front U.S. 19, must be torn down, the county said.

The settlement was inked on June 21 and announced on Thursday.

The county announced the immediate closing of the flea market earlier this month following an intensive code inspection. "The investigation uncovered hundreds of fire, building and electrical violations that pose a significant threat to public safety,” county spokeswoman Tambrey Laine wrote in an email to media announcing the closing.

The county also released a video of its inspection at the 11721 U.S. 19 N. property, along with a listing of some of the more pressing concerns. According to county code enforcement officials, inspectors found unstable beams supporting an enclosed structure, extension cords used in place of normal wiring, unpermitted electrical work, a leaky roof, exit signs leading to block exits and a “water line with open electrical wires wrapped around it.”

USA Flea Market has been in business for more than 50 years. The venue, which spans more than 40 acres, was recently taken over by new management, according to its website. Prior to the closing, the market was open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the year.

How soon a decision on whether to rebuild or not will be made is not immediately clear. For more information about the market, visit its website.

Video and screenshot courtesy of Pasco County