OKEECHOBEE -- During a November hearing, the Okeechobee Special Magistrate reduced the fines on two properties, dismissed cases in which code violations had been corrected before the hearing date and set fines on properties in violation of county code.

At the Nov. 21 hearing, the magistrate heard testimony regarding a request for a code enforcement fine reduction for property owned by Franklin Howse and Shawn Howse, whose primary address is in Michigan. On Sept. 19, 2018, a daily fine of $30 was placed on the 101500 N.E. 12^th Lane property due to code violations. The property was purchased by the current owners on Nov. 21, 2019.  The violations were resolved as of Jan. 10, 2020, and an inspection found the property to be fully in compliance. The property was out of compliance for 478 days, accruing a fine of $14,340. The county’s administrative and out-of-pocket costs related to this code enforcement matter totaled $1,904.08. The magistrate reduced the fine to $1,904.08.

The magistrate also recommended another fine reduction. The 16633 N.W. 296^th St. property is owned by Greater Good Rescue ME Foundation Inc., purchased on Dec. 17, 2020 for $100,000. A daily fine of $100 was assessed against the property beginning on Nov. 11, 2022. The property was brought into compliance on June 26, 2023. The property was out of compliance for 227 days, resulting in an accrued fine of $22,700. Administrative and out-of-pocket costs incurred by the county totaled $1,867.65. The magistrate reduced the fine to $1,867.65.

In other business:

The 17284  N.W. 266^th St. property owned by Carol S. Herbst and Robert Dean Schiller-Sulprizio was found to be in violation of county code. The owners were ordered to clean up the violations by Jan. 11, 2024 or face fines up to $250 per day.

The 1083 N.E. 16^th Ave. property owned by Trustees of New Hope Lodge No. 450 (Andrew Epps and W. J. Butler, trustees) was found to be in violation of county code. Property owners were ordered to remove all violations by Jan. 11, 2024 or face fines up to $250 per day.

The 39803 N.W. 19^th Ave. property owned by Rebecca J. Bennet was found in compliance with county code. Since the code violations were resolved, the complaint was dismissed.

The 16534 N.W. 282^nd St. property owned by John D. Meara was found in violation of county code. The property owner was ordered to resolve the violations by May 16, 2024 or be subject to a fine of up to $250 per day.

The 17336 N.W. 298^th St. property owned by Eli Maria Da Cunha was found in violation of county code. The property owner was ordered to bring the property into compliance by Jan. 11, 2024 or face fines up to $250 per day.

The 20480 NE 294^th Street property owned by William Roque Alonso was found to be violation of county code. The property owner was ordered to bring the property into compliance by Jan. 11, 2024 or face fines up to $250 per day.

The 14869 N.W. 304^th St. property owned by Kristal Hoover and the estate of Earl G. Hoover was found to be in violation of county code. The property owner was ordered to pay the assessed amount of $100 per day, beginning Feb. 16, 2024 and each day after until the property is in compliance. A code enforcement officer will visit the property on Feb. 15, 2024 to determine whether the code violations have been resolved. 

The 14817 N.W. 30^th St. property owned by Kristal Hoover and the estate of Earl G. Hoover was found in violation of code. The property owner was ordered to pay an administrative fine of $50, beginning Feb. 16, 2024 and continuing each day thereafter until the property is in compliance. The burden rests on the property owner to request a re-inspection. If the property is re-inspected and found to be in compliance by Feb. 15, 2024, the fines will not start.

The 19315  N.W. 282nd property owned by Kevin Kates was found to be in violation of county code. The property owner was ordered to remove the RV off the property and to bring the property up to code. The property owner was ordered to pay a fine of $100 beginning Dec. 15 and continuing each day thereafter until the property is in compliance. The burden rests on the property owner to request a re-inspection. If the property is re-inspected and found to be in compliance by Dec. 14, 2023, the fines will not start.

The 3567 N.W. 38^th Ave. property owned by Nvdia E. Espinosa was found to be in violation of county code. The property owner was ordered to pay a fine of $100 beginning Dec. 15 and continuing each day thereafter until the property is in compliance. The burden rests on the property owner to request a re-inspection. If the property is re-inspected and found to be in compliance by Dec. 14, 2023, the fines will not start.

The 5601 S.E. 89^th Terrace property owned by Robert Scott was found to be in compliance with county code. Since the property owner corrected the violations before the hearing, the case was dismissed.

The 20325 N.W, 282^nd St. property owned by Katva Victoria Ridore was found to be in violation of county code. The property owner was ordered to pay an administrative fine of $100 beginning Jan. 12, 2024 and continuing each day thereafter until the property is in compliance. The burden of requesting a re-inspection is on the property owner. If the property is in compliance by Jan. 11, 2024, the fines will not start.

The 6733 N.W. 151^st Terrace property owned by Debra Cyr and the estate of Richard Cyr was found in violation of county code. The property owner was ordered to remove outdoor storage of vehicles, household goods, trash and debris, remove the derelict structure and resolve all citations by Jan. 11, 2024 or be subject to fines of up to $250 per day.

The 1401 State Road 70 E property owned by  Pools USA and Xtreme Pool Services LLC was found to be in violation of county code. The property owners were ordered to pay an administrative find of $100, beginning on Jan. 12, 2024 and continuing each day thereafter until the property is in compliance. The property owner has the burden of requesting a re-inspection. If the property is in compliance by Jan. 11, 2024, the fines will not start.

The 3731 S.E. 28^th St. property owned by Jeri Dee Byrd Hughey was found to be in violation of county code. The property owner was ordered to remove all cited violations, have applicable permits issued and start all required building inspections by Jan. 11, 2024 or be subject to fines up to $250 per day.

The 19520 N.W. 80^th Dr. property owned by Billy S. Rolen and Debra A. Rolen was found to be in violation of county code. The property owners were ordered to pay a fine of $50 per day beginning Dec. 15, 2023 and continuing each day until an inspection by a code enforcement officer determines the property to be in compliance. The burden of requesting a re-inspection rests on the property owners. If the property has been re-inspected by Dec. 14 and found to be in complaince, the fine will not start.

The 15839 N.W. 300^th St. property owned by Luiz Amorim and Weder Jose Dias was found to be in violation of the county code. The property owners were ordered to remove all cited violations, have all required building permits and start required building inspections by May 16, 2024 or be subject to a fine of $250 per day.

The 19727 N.W. 262^nd St. property owned by Jose Revnaldo Maldonado was found to be in violation of the county code. The property owner was ordered to remove the unpermitted structure. The property owner was also ordered to pay an administrative fine of $100 per day beginning Jan. 12, 2024 and continuing each day until the property is in compliance.

The 15782 N.W. 244^th St. property owned by Israel A. Arrovo was found to be in violation of county code. The property owner was ordered to resolve the violations by Jan. 11, 2024 or face fines of $250 per day.

The 16882 N.W. 298^th St. property owned by Mara Marrero and Daniel Marrero was found to be in violation of county code. The property owners were ordered to resolve the violations by Jan. 11, 2024 or face fines of $250 per day.

The 3524 S.E. 33^rd Terrace property owned by Leonard Edwards and Mary A. Edwards was found in violation of the county code. Property owners were ordered to pay an administrative fee of $100 beginning Dec. 15 and continuing each day thereafter until the property is in compliance. It is the burden of the property owners to request a re-inspection. If the property has been re-inspected by Dec. 14 and found in compliance, the fine will not start.