First, welcome to the April 2026 meeting of the Alachua County Code Enforcement Special Magistrate hearing. The purpose of this hearing is to hear alleged code violations filed by the various departments of Alachua County, Florida. The Code Enforcement Special Magistrate was established by Florida Statutes Chapter 162 and Alachua County Ordinances to obtain compliance with various county ordinances and regulations. I have no authority to change the ordinances or any of the regulations we will be addressing today. That can only be done by the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners. I can determine if a violation has occurred, set a date for full compliance, and levy a fine if there is for non-compliance. My decisions can only be appealed to the courts and not to the county commission. The procedure will follow today as the secretary will call the case. County staff will present the case. The respondent shall have the opportunity to present its defense to the case and bring any documents that they wish. I will make a decision at a future date and the respondent will be notified by mail of that decision. All persons testifying today will do so under oath by swearing or affirming that they will tell the truth. Any evidence in the form of documents or photographs must be submitted to the clerk for inclusion in the record. A couple notes. First, if you have a cell phone, which I suppose most everybody does, please put it on silent or turn it off so it doesn't interrupt the proceedings. The hearing is being recorded. So everybody who expects to testify today, please stand and raise the right hand and I'll have
the secretary clerk swear you in. You got the text there. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give in these cases today will be the truth and the whole truth? Thank you. Please be
seated. So I see the first case has been withdrawn, is in compliance, so you want to call the second
case, please? Case number 26-001323, Alachua County versus Mid-Florida Distributors, INC. Okay. Is
someone here representing Mid-Florida Distributors, Inc.? Someone here representing Mid-Florida. Okay.
Don't see any. Please proceed. Case 26-001323. County received a complaint on February 11th regarding unserviceable vehicles. The property is located at 28 Southeast 44th Street, Gainesville, in Alachua County. Identified by parcel number 108-66-006-000. Owner of the property is Mid-Florida Distributors, Inc. Code Administration initiated enforcement proceedings and found there to be a violation of the following sections of Alachua County Code. 74.20B, unserviceable vehicles. The respondent was provided a reasonable time to correct the violations. Notice of violation was sent to the respondent that included corrective actions. Ongoing inspections conducted to date have determined the respondent remains in violation of the said Alachua County Code section. My last inspection of the property was on April 2nd. I have good service of notices and statements of violation to the respondent sent by certified mail, receipt, or postings. Copies have been invited to the magistrate and I request to be entered into evidence. I have had no contact with the respondent regarding the violations. Photographs being presented were taken by myself and accurately reflect the violations and ask that they be admitted into evidence. County recommendations respondent be found in violation of the said section of the code. Order the respondent come into compliance within 30 days by complying with the corrective actions listed in the notice of violation. If not in compliance, then pay a fine. Amount of $50 for each day the violation continues past the date set for compliance. County has incurred $280 in cost in bringing the action to hearing. Okay. Again, is anybody here representing Mid-Florida
Distributors, Inc.? Seeing none, please repeat call case number three. Case number 26-001259. Alachua County
versus Bellamy Gabriel. Is Gabriel Bellamy here? Gabriel Bellamy here? Seeing none, please proceed. Case 26-001259.
County received a complaint on February 10th regarding unserviced vehicles. Property is located at 6114 Northeast 78th Lane, Gainesville, Inalachua County. Identified by parcel number 176-11-005-000. Owner of the property is Gabriel Bellamy. Code Administration initiated enforcement proceedings and found there to be a violation violation of the following sections of Alachua County Code. 7-4.20B, unserviced of vehicles. Respondent was provided a reasonable time to correct the violations. Notice of violation was sent to the respondent that included corrective actions. Ongoing inspections conducted to date have determined the respondent remains in violation of the set Alachua County Code section. My last inspection of the property was on April 2nd. I have good service of notices and statements of violation to the respondent sent by certified mail, receipt, or postings. Copies have been provided to the magistrate, and I request to be entered into evidence. I have had contact with the respondent regarding the violations, which was on February 24th. Photographs being presented were taken by myself and actively reflect the violations and asked that they be admitted into evidence. County recommendation is to respondent be found in violation of the said section of the code. Order the respondent come into compliance within 30 days by complying with the corrective actions listed in the notice of violation, and if not in compliance, then pay a fine. In the amount of $50 for each day, the violation continues past the date set for compliance. The county has incurred $280 in cost in bringing the action to hearing.
Okay. Again, it's Gabriel Bellamy here. Gabriel Bellamy. Okay. Seeing none, please call case number four.
Case number 25-010557, Alachua County v. Gross Aura Life Estate.
Okay. So, I see somebody. Okay. So, if you want to have a seat over there by that podium, we'll let you speak after the county presents its case. Yeah, that's right there. It's fine. Make it easy for you to get there. All right. Please proceed.
My name is Natasha Washington, code officer for Alachua County. In code enforcement case 25-010557, the county received a complaint on October 3rd, 2025, regarding the property located at address 20405 Northwest County Road 239. In Alachua County, Florida, and identified by the partial number 05610-002-002. The only other property is Aura Gross. Code administration initiated an enforcement proceeding and found there to be a violation of the following section of Alachua County Code Ordinance. 404.82.55, recreational vehicle for living, sleeping, slash house. The respondent was provided a reasonable time to correct the violation. A notice of violation was sent to respondent that included corrective action. An ongoing inspection conducted to date have determined that the respondent remains in violation of the said Alachua County Code section. My last inspection of the property was on March 30th, 2026. I have good service of notice and statement of violation to respondent sent by certified mail, receipt, or posting. Copies have been provided to the magistrate, and I request they be entered into evidence. I have had contact with the respondent regarding the violation. The photograph being presented were taken by myself and accurately reflects the violation and asks that they be admitted into evidence. The county recommend respondent be found in violation of the said section of the code. Order respondent come into compliance within 90 days by complying with the corrective action listed in the notice of violation. And if not comply, then pay a fine in amount of $100 for each day the violation continues past the date set for compliance. The county has incurred $350 costs in bringing this action to hearing.
Okay, thank you. Do you want to go ahead up to the podium and pull the microphone down to you? So, all right, and you state your name for the record.
My name is Aura Gross. Good morning.
Good morning. Are you the owner of the property?
Yes, I am Aura Gross.
Okay. So, tell me what you...
You know, I'm... You know, originally I'm from Ecuador, so I have no idea that for... I swear, for... I need a permission to have that fifth wheel there because it's been there for a long time. So...
Say a long time. How long?
You know, it was there, you know, for... I'm not sure because my husband, ex-husband, is the one who bought the property. So, I don't know if it was there when we bought the property or he put it there. So, it's been like there. So, I'm alone right now. And then I have two dogs. My other dog just passed away. They won't have cancer. So, I have my nephew who lives in Aura Gross. His girlfriend who comes and helps me with the dog and the property because it's five acres. So, I'm very particular about using the bathroom. I don't like nobody to use my bathroom, especially men's. So, I have that camper there for he can use if he need to use the bathroom. That's the main reason the camper is there. So, then I went to talk to Ms. Holly Barner and said, yeah, you can have that thing there. You are allowed because you can have a second unit. So, I start the process. I told you I have no idea that I need to have, you know, that. So, and then the permit to do the drain fill because the health department want me to do one extra line. Just came right now like March 27 or something like that. So, I'm in the process to get the price. So, somebody told me two hours, $3,500. Another one, Mr. Kyle, say $6,000 and it's two days. So, I need a second opinion about that. So, and then regarding that one, I honestly, your honor, I don't have any money to pay nothing right now. I was so, spending so much, all my savings, I never tried to save my dog. And so, it's like I, and I'm working right now. I only have the, thank God, the Social Security, the retirement, $450. So, at this point, it's a lot of stress for me, seeing all the money they have to invest. So, I, I know I'm violating this. I just want some time. If you can give me time because I talk to you.
Yeah. So, the county has proposed 90 days. Tell me what time you think you need. Yeah.
I talk to them and they say they don't allow me to pay. And, you know, I have to pay everything like this. And, say, can I pay you and you save it? No, you save and you pay me. So, I figure it out if I, if I get $450 a month. So, until, until I get like one save, $350,500. It's like a year, you know. And, and I still have to pay.
Let me stop you there and let me ask the county. Are she talking about the fees to apply?
She's talking about as far as what she has to pay for the building department to get that taken care of with the debt and everything.
So, it's the permit, it's the permit fees to do that?
Yeah. That's what I'm saying as far as that what they're asking her to do to bring it into compliance so that it can stay on the property. Yes. It's what's going to cost her to get it taken care of.
Okay. So, it's a cure to the problem is what she costs the bugging. It's not the, I'm trying to, because it's. Yeah.
It's not the fee that she has to pay for the county. Okay. But, is that as far as to have someone to do what needs to be done, what the county's asking.
And the drain field, and that, the most they cost me was $6,000. The other one cost me $3,000. So, and they don't give me credit, and I don't have a credit card.
Right.
So, and I can, I can try to find a job or something like that, but I still, I need like time for that. And, and if I go to be practical, you know, I have only $450 a month.
Right. Understood.
So, you know, that's, that's, that's my true.
Mm-hmm.
And then.
Okay. Can you have anything further at this time?
No, I have to say, as far as she has been working, as far as with the building department. It's clear to me, she's been trying to figure this out, working on, and I've worked with her. So, I did, as far as state, as far as 90 days. Right. I saw that. I understand, as far as the financial burden.
Okay. All righty. I'll take it into consideration. I'm likely to give you more time, but I'll think about how much more time.
Thank you so much. Mm-hmm.
Thank you for coming. As you saw, some people don't bother. So. What did you say? I said, thank you for coming, because as you saw, some people don't bother to even show up. No, no. So, okay. I appreciate you coming.
I apologize that I broke the law.
Right.
You know, I have no idea.
Right. I understand.
You know, like I'm retired because I don't know the law. The retirement, when I was at the hospital, consciousness, they make me sign. So that if they don't retire, maybe I have a little bit more of income.
Okay.
But I don't know, you know. I apologize. Thank you so much. Thank you for coming. Okay. Thank you, Ms. Washington. Everyone in the code and form, they do the job, but they are sometimes kind, gentle, and so nice. All right. Thank you.
Thank you for that. Appreciate it. Okay. That's it. On for that?
Yes, sir.
You're on the next one? Yes. Okay. So, follow the next case, please.
Case number 24-0138, Justice Suzanne.
Is Suzanne Justice here? Suzanne Justice, are you here? Seeing she's not here. Go ahead and please proceed.
My name is Natasha Washington, code officer for Alachua County. In code enforcement case 24-013838, the county received a complaint on November the 13th, 2024 regarding the property located at the address of 9820 Southwest Archer Road and identified by partial number 07087-002-001. The owner of the property is Suzanne Justice. Code administration initiated a code enforcement proceeding and found there to be a violation of the following section of Alachua County code ordinance. 74.20A, accumulation of junk.
Do you have any photographs of the accumulation?
The respondent was provided a reasonable time to correct the violation. A notice of violation was sent to respondent that included corrective action. Ongoing inspections conducted to the date have determined that the respondent remains in violation of the state of Alachua County code section. My last inspection of the property was on March the 27th, 2026. I have good service of notice and statement of violation to respondent sent by certified mailed receipt or posting. Copies have been provided to the magistrate and I request they be entered into evidence. I have had contact with the respondent regarding the violation. The photographs being presented were taken by myself and accurately reflect the violation and ask that they be admitted into evidence. The county recommends respondent be found in violation of the said section of the code order respondent come into compliance within 90 days by complying with the corrective action listed in a notice of violation. And if not comply, then pay a fine in the amount of $75 for each day the violation continue past the date set for compliance. The county has occurred a fee of $560 cost in bringing this action to hearing.
Okay. When you said you had contact, what's the status on the owner?
I had contact as far as with the owner and actually currently they're actually in the process of selling the property. Okay. I did speak with her Tuesday and she said that process is a positive process and as far as they are aware of the violation on the property.
Well, yeah, because the state and county code requires notification to the potential law. Yes, they are aware.
The new owners to be are aware of it. Okay. And they said as far as they're just going to come in there with their big equipment and take care of the issue all at one time.
Okay. All right. And that's why the 90 days I assume to let them. Yes. Yes, sir. That's great. Well, I'm glad you got somebody that's going to go in and take care of the problem. Again, is Suzanne Justice here? Seeing none. Okay. Please call the next case.
Case number 25-013368. Harvey, Christina.
So is Christina Harvey here? Is Christina Harvey here? Okay. Please proceed.
My name is Natasha Washington, code officer for Alachua County. In code enforcement case 25-013368. The county received the complaint on December the 29th, 2025. The property located at address 8802 Northwest 6th Place in Alachua County, Florida, and identified by partial number 06656-050-008. The owner of the property is Christina Harvey. Code administration initiated an enforcement proceeding and found there to be a violation of the following section of Alachua County code of ordinance, 74.36 nuisance overgrowth. The respondent was provided a reasonable time to correct the violation. A notice of violation was sent to the respondent and include corrective action. Ongoing inspections conducted to the date have determined that the respondent remains in violation of the said Alachua County code section. My last inspection of the property was on March 27, 2026. I have good service of notice and statement of violation to respondents sent by certified mail, receipt of posting. Copies have been provided to the magistrate, and I request they be entered into evidence. I have had contact with the respondent regarding the violation. The photographs being presented were taken by myself and currently reflects the violation and ask that they be admitted into evidence. The county recommends respondent be found in violation of the said section of the code or the respondent come into compliance within 90 days by complying with the corrective action listed in the notice of violation. And if not comply, then pay a fine in amount of $50 for each day. The violation continues past the date set for compliance. The county has incurred a $420 cost in bringing this action to hearing.
Okay. Again, it's Christina Harvey here. Seeing none. Okay. Thank you. Please call the next case.
Case number 25-007484, Alachua County v. Morris Daniels and Ernestine Daniels.
So are the Daniels here? Is Morris or Ernestine Daniels here? Seeing none, please proceed.
My name is Natasha Washington, code officer for Alachua County. The code enforcement case, 25-007484. The county received the complaint on July the 17th, 2025. The property located at address 17608 Southwest 191st Avenue in Alachua County, Florida and identified by partial number 05259-002-00. The owner of the property is Morris and Ernestine Daniels. Code administration initiated an enforcement proceeding and found there to be a violation of the following section of Alachua County Code of Ordinance 402.140B, improvement of property prior to issuance of a building permit. The respondent was provided a reasonable time to correct the violation. A notice of violation was sent to respondent that included corrective action. Ongoing inspections conducted to date have determined that the respondent remains in violation of the said Alachua County Code section. My last inspection of the property was on March the 30th, 2026. I have good service of notice and statement of violation to respondent sent by certified mail receipt or posting. Copies have been provided to the magistrate and I request they be entered into evidence. I have had contact with the respondent regarding the violation. The photographs being presented were taken by myself and accurately reflects the violation and asks that they be admitted into evidence. The county recommends respondent be found in violation of the said section of the code. Order respondent come into compliance within 90 days by complying with the corrective action listed in a notice of violation and if not comply, then pay a fine in amount of $100 for each day. The violation continues past the date set for compliance. The county has occurred $350 cost in bringing this action to hearing.
Okay. Again, it's someone representing the Daniels here. Seeing none. Thank you. Thank you. And then we're going to move on to the penalty phase. We're going to call the first case, please.
Case number 24-013733, Alachua County versus Lawson and McCoy.
There's somebody here representing Lawson and McCoy. Seeing none. County, please proceed.
Case 24-013733, Lawson and McCoy. Okay. Guilty, not in compliance. Prosecution cost is $280. Daily fine, $50. Total fine is $17,730. And the county requests a lien be placed.
Okay. And I assume it's still not in compliance.
Correct, Your Honor.
Okay. Let's call the next case.
Case number 25-011952, Alachua County versus Jans Robert J. Life Estates.
Someone here representing Robert Jane's life estate. Over by the podium, if you would, please. All right, county, please proceed. No, you stop. You were not.
Don't we come up here, didn't you?
Yes, I did. And you stopped. The county goes first. Yes.
Thank you, Your Honor. Case 250-11952, Jane's Robert J. Life Estate. Guilty, not in compliance. Prosecution cost is $350. Daily fine, $100 a day. Total fine, $4,750. County requests a lien be placed. And I would like to state, Your Honor, if the respondent could be sworn in. He came in after. Okay.
Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Please raise your right hand. Have you sworn in?
Yes, ma'am, I do. You swear?
Yes, he did. So, this is a penalty hearing.
All right. This is the penalty right here. Lifetime estate, January 18th, 23. I paid the clerk of the court, filed this theft system, Robert James. At that time, the lifetime estate came off of this property. This is all bunch of BS. I don't owe a damn thing Robert James does. Read your statue. Y'all messed up. You didn't do your job. She didn't do her job. She needs fired.
This is a penalty hearing.
Yeah, well, it's a penalty hearing. That don't stop me from talking.
No, and you've talked, and that's it. Okay, then. You tell me why.
Why has it got a lifetime estate on it? Why?
That's your problem, not mine.
No, it's not my problem. It's y'all's problem. It said the statue says it automatically comes off when I filed this paper. That clerk of the court, David K. Griffiths, I'm the owner. Not no lifetime estate. Y'all send papers to the post office? I can't get them. I signed for it. You're not Mr. James. I can't get them. The only reason I got this paper, my brother knows the post office later. I can't even get the mail you send to me. You're wrong, and you're wrong. Y'all have treated me. Y'all violated my civil rights. Both of you.
You can get an attorney.
I don't need an attorney to know my civil rights have been violated. Why do you attorney for it?
Because you're going to have to appeal this if you don't want to have it. I don't have to appeal it.
Y'all need to get your business straight. There's no lifetime estate. Why do you keep saying it?
Because that's what the record shows.
That ain't the record. That's not the record. The 23, it was taken off. It says when I filed it, automatically it comes off. Automatically. I don't have to do nothing. You know what the lady told me to clear the court? She said she probably got to go back where they put that lifetime estate on. Over in Baldwin and I paid somebody to do it. That man's dead. It doesn't make any sense. It makes none. Y'all didn't do your job. Just a minute.
That's it. We're done. Thank you.
Good. That's right. We're done. You need to do your job. It's not my job to do it. I'm not a lifetime estate. I'm David K. Gretz. I've done nothing to you people. And y'all are treating me just as disrespect. We're done. You said I was a drug dealer. You said I wasn't a farmer. You're a liar.
Your cases?
Yeah, I know I'm going. You ain't got to show up where the door is. No sense to do that. You ain't got no sense to take a lot of state off. It's what y'all dealing with around here. They ain't fired a whole bunch of y'all. Yes, sir. Okay.
Okay. Anything else from the county?
No, Your Honor. Thank you.
You're welcome. All right. Now call the next case, please.
Case number 25-009130, Malachua County versus Chakran Faiz Mohamed.
Someone here. Okay. You want to come over to the podium? We'll let the county go first, and I'll let you speak. Okay? Go ahead.
Case 25-009130, Chakran Faiz Mohamed. Guilty, not in compliance. Prosecution cost is $280. Daily fine, $100 a day. My total fine is $5,080, and the county requests that a lien be placed.
Okay. Your opportunity to speak.
Okay. I just don't know.
What is it for? Basically, there was a consent order, or excuse me, a decree said that you were in violation. You had written down the time to correct.
What is the violation? I don't understand. I'm sorry. What is the violation?
You needed actual permits.
For what?
So you took permits out already.
Yes.
For the windows and the doors.
Yes.
You replaced the service. So you got that. What you needed was a permit to reduce the ceiling height, and you installed a ceiling joist. Okay. And a beam on the rear porch, and interior electrical work. So you put in an application after-the-fact permit back in October 2025. Okay. But you never actually paid for the permit, so it has not been issued. So we need for you to have the permit issued, and then you can complete the work.
I hired the company, and they want too much money, and I need to shut the thing up. I don't want to do the work.
So this is a penalty phase. Basically, you're either in compliance or not. County's saying you're not in compliance because the permit hasn't been issued, and so at this point, the fines will tend to accumulate.
The last time I came, she said I wanted to hire an engineer. I went, and I called the engineer. He came, and he told me you need like $125,000 to fix the house. That's out of my reach. I already put $60,000. And there's another guy came in. He said, I'll take over. Just let me go see. So I let him, and then he backed up the last minute. And now I'm stuck. I don't have the fund to fix the house. And now I saw this, and that's why I came. That was never, you know.
Yeah, so what's going to happen is the fines will tend to accumulate, will continue to accumulate. Once you get into compliance, you can come back before me, and in fact, there's several people that will do that today, and seek to have those fines reduced. Okay? What I'm supposed to do? I don't understand. You're supposed to fix the house and bring it into compliance. So you need a permit, and you need to comply with the terms of that permit. Okay, permit for what? I'm sorry. She listed the things that you did that you needed an after-the-fact permit for. So inside electrical, joist, beam, all that stuff has to be.
Okay. The beam you said is what? Yes. Here's my son. Okay.
Hello. My name is Mohamed. Please state your name for the record.
Mohamed Chakaroun. Okay. My father here purchased this property as an investment opportunity from a gentleman who was a, he does, you know, he purchased properties, and he fixes and resells. This property was purchased, it was not even looked at. It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. Now, when they tried fixing all of the, whatever needed to be fixed, the ceiling joist and all of that stuff was already like that before he bought the property. Okay. We tried to comply by going to, you know, getting the permits for the windows and all of that stuff. We had to get an engineer. I got two different, three different engineers, two different engineers. They all want 100 plus thousand. Okay. Just to do the plans. Okay. Like, it's not even including the work or anything like this.
So that's just an engineering plan so that you could then get the work.
Correct. In this case, I mean, we're stuck. We can't really do anything, you know. It's going to keep building and building and building. And what are we supposed to do?
That's basically what the system does, basically. And that's where we have the reduction side of it. If you then come into compliance, then those can be reduced at that point.
Okay. So we have to get into compliance. Okay. I have one question. Sure. The guy who was going to take over this work, actually, he wanted to buy the house from us.
Okay.
Okay.
And that's an alternative. You could sell the house.
Right. He wanted to buy the house from us. And he said, you know, okay, let me go. Let me fix what I got to fix or whatever and get the permit for it. And then a building inspector came after he pulled the permit for the ceiling joist or whatever and came and added more stuff to him, like the plumbing lines and things like this. And then the guy backed out after that.
Yeah. Yeah, so that's the problem. When you get an inspection, they're going to look and see anything that's potentially in violation. It's not just what he's requested. They're going to look at the entire envelope and picture. Right. I suspect that's what happened. They came in and found that there were other things that did not meet code at the facility.
Right. So, in order for the whole house to get up the code, we got a quote from one company. It's like $210,000. Mm-hmm. You know, and it's just not affordable. We can't do it.
Mm-hmm. Unfortunately, you wind up stuck with property like that, particularly if you haven't done an investigation in advance to find out what all the flaws are before you buy. It's called an audit, an engineering audit. Right.
So, what is our next step? If we want to sell the house like this?
Well, if you want to sell the house, both state statute and the county code require you to let the buyer know that there are these issues and problems there and that you have this situation. If they do a search of the record, they will find that there's this outstanding lien that will be coming up.
I have one more question. If we were to hire a real estate lawyer to go after the guy that sold us the house like this, is that a possibility?
Sure. You can hire an attorney to do it. I don't know whether you have a case or not, but that's what the attorney would look at it and tell you, whether you have a case that you could bring or not.
Okay. So, after it gets into compliance?
Then you would let the county know it's in compliance. Uh-huh. Okay? And at that point, the fines would stop. Okay. And then you have the ability to come back before me and ask for a reduction of the fines based on circumstances that happened. Okay.
Another thing, there was the last time that we were here, you told my father that if we needed more time to, you know, to get into compliance, you said that we can talk to the county and we can request more time. I called the county on two or three separate occasions to get more time so we can try and, you know, get into compliance. And they told me because it was in a special magistrate, we're not, we couldn't, that they can't change the date.
Yeah. So, they can come back before me to ask for a request for additional time. At this point, it sounds to me what you've told me is that it would take a long, long time.
Yeah, it will. It will take time.
Because you don't have the means based on what you've been told it would cost to fix the property. So, yeah, so you can certainly ask for an extension of time. But at this point, typically, we don't grant them unless it's a short period of time. I need an extra 30 days. I need an extra 50 days or 60 days. But it sounds to me like you're talking maybe a year or two potentially before you'll be able to figure out.
So, until now, I don't know what's the problem because the engineer said he's going to contact the lady. I mean, I'm sorry. And he's going to talk to her. And he said, you know, he sat for half an hour talking the same, you know, repeating himself. He got paid and left. I don't know if he contacted you or not because I don't know what's the problem. He told me everything is good, you know. He looked, everything goes, and he left. He got $500 and he left half an hour.
Did he give you anything in writing?
No, sir. He said he wanted to contact the officer. And we didn't know what happened.
But, Kelly, did you get contacted by somebody?
No, I did not. I don't understand.
This guy that he's talking about, he's an engineer that we got from the building department, somebody who works in the building department. So, I called the guy. It was the day that we had the magistrate a month ago or whatever. We met him at the house. We went to the house because we live in Orlando. We're not from Gainesville. We went to the house. We met the engineer there. He walked around the property for two or three hours mumbling the same thing.
Did he actually go into the structure? Yes. He went inside. He went inside. Yes.
He said, everything good. I don't know what they need. He wants to contact her. He said, I need to contact the county and figure out what is the problem.
Well, he is the county. That's what doesn't make sense to me. Are you sure he was from the county?
I'm absolutely positive.
Did you get a business card or a nickname?
No, I got an email from a gentleman. His name is Tom Sherry. He works for the building department. And he gave me a list of ten engineers. And he was one of them.
If he gave you a list of ten engineers, those are not county employees.
Yeah, I know that. I'm not saying that he – I'm talking about Tom was. Tom was the –
Yeah, I understand.
He gave me a list of ten engineers. I called each one that I could. Some of them didn't even want to take the job. Sure. Like, there is too small of a job for them or something like that. I don't know. Anyway, he came and he walked around the house for two hours.
When you say he, are you talking Tom Sherry? No, no, no.
His name is – The engineer. His name is – his name is Uri Luzens.
Is there a county employee by that name, Missy?
Missy Daniels with Alachua County. No, Tom Sherry is one of the permitting specialists in the department. Right, I knew that. So, it sounds like he gave them a list of engineers and what would then happen, and without pulling this up, I'm assuming the building department said, you need an engineer to certify all the work you've already done before we'll issue. So, that engineer would have to do a report that then gets submitted to the county. They pay for the permits. Right. And then it gets inspected. It sounds like the engineer probably walked. Right.
So, the person who walked around was not a county employee.
Yeah, yeah. I know that. I'm not saying –
So, that sounds to me like you have an issue with him because he took your money and didn't issue you a report.
Right, right. No, what I'm trying to impose here is that we tried, and we're trying – I have no doubt about that.
That's not an issue for me. You've clearly been trying, but you got yourself in a situation where the structure was much worse. than you might have realized. Right. So, there's not a lot we can do at this point, and none of the fines go. And go ahead and try to get either one cellet or get, you know, sufficient engineering and permits to actually fix the house.
Now, if we pull the – if we end up doing that and are able to pull the permit for those engineering plans or whatever it is, is it going to be like every single time the building inspector comes, they're going to find something new to add on? Because we just want to get rid of the property. We don't want to keep –
Right.
You know what I mean? We don't want to keep going through this.
Well, when they issue the permit, I'm assuming that they will come out and look at the property, and the permit will specify exactly what needs to be done. Okay. And that will be based on your engineering work, okay? Okay. Okay. Thank you for coming, and I'm sorry you got stuck with that house.
I'm sorry, but I still don't know where to go. Well, it sounds to me like you had two options. I need to finish this. I can't keep, you know, keep driving two hours every two or three months, you know, and I get fined and fined. You know, I don't know.
Well, you have to decide whether you're going to sell the property as is.
I need to sell it. Okay. I mean, I lost. I just, you know, I don't need this. It's a mistake I did.
Okay, put it on the market for sale as is. As is. Go with that, and then you're going to have to disclose the fact that there's going to be means.
I would tell, yeah. Right.
So you do all that, and the new owner will take on that.
If I do this, can we stop the fine, or I don't understand.
Well, the fines will stop after the work is done. Then you come back, and you can ask for a reduction. The magistrate will explain that.
Or the buyer will buy it subject to the fines, and the buyer will deal with those issues and bring it into compliance. Okay. Because that's the most likely scenario is if you sell it, the buyer will come in and fix it properly, and then it will be in compliance. And then they can come back and seek a reduction of the fine.
Oh, okay. It's going to take time to sell it, you know. It's not that, you know. I don't know. Okay. I don't know what to do, man. I still don't know what to do. Thank you.
You're welcome. Thank you for coming.
Thank you, sir. So what do you need to pay now? I'm sorry.
Nothing at this point. I call, I guess, case number 11.
Case number 25-009267, Alachua County versus Green Ayers and Green.
Someone here representing the Green Ayers or Greens. Seeing none. Okay. Please proceed. Okay, thank you.
Michael Williams, Code Enforcement Officer, Alachua County. With regard to Case 25-009267, Green Ayers and Green, there was a determination that the property was guilty, not in compliance. Prosecution costs of $140 remains. Daily fine of $50 was imposed. Total fines to date $3,010. I actually did an inspection as recent as the 27th of March. Property still remains in violation. Counties requested imposition of a lien.
Okay. Any contact with the owners at all?
Not as of recent. In the past, lots of contact, but nothing as of recent. Okay. Okay.
All right. Okay, case number 12. Case number 25-009951, Alachua County versus Watson-Sherry.
All right. Please, someone here. We can go ahead and step over by the podium. Proceed.
Case 25-009951, Sherry Watson, guilty in compliance as of March 5th. Prosecution cost is $350, daily fine $100 a day. Total fine is $5,350, and the county would like to request a lien be placed.
Okay.
It's your turn to speak. I would like to plead for mercy and forgiveness.
Well, you can do that through a separate process. Okay. Now that you're in compliance, what you would have to do is pay the prosecution costs. Okay. And then you can come back when you, if you want to stick around, right after you, there's a couple of folks who are going to seek reduction of fines, so you get a sense of what that process is. So you have the ability to come back in and ask for a reduction. Reduction. That's what I'd like to do. Yes. Okay. Great. And that's a separate process you can do for our secretary and clerk.
Okay. Okay. So I come talk to you?
Yeah, yeah.
Right now or later? Later.
Later. It'll be either next meeting or whenever you want to do it. Because now it's stopped. It's not going to get any bigger. Okay. And so, and what we can do is if you're going to come in for that reduction, what we can do is ask the county to hold placing the lien temporarily until we get you back in and hear that case. So, okay.
All right. And I'll go pay my parking right now. Okay. Yeah. Do that. Yeah.
Because it's coming up close to 10 o'clock. Anybody else in here need to go pay their parking? You do? All right. I'll tell you what. Let's, because we're now going to move into reduction fine. Are you part of the reduction? Which one are you? Okay. You're the first one up. Okay. So go ahead and do your parking. We'll take a 10-minute break and let you go out and do your parking because it's going to take a little bit. So we're recessed until 10 o'clock. Before we begin the reduction hearings. I will now hear requests for the reduction of fines and rescission of liens. The decision to grant or deny your request is solely within my discretion for submit to Florida Statute Chapter 162 and county ordinances. The decision to grant or deny your request is solely within my discretion. In making my decision, I may consider recommendations from the Lachua County Code Administration. Please state precisely what you are requesting and why you believe that I should grant your request. You may present any information that is relevant to your request. The only purpose of this hearing is to consider a reduction of fine or rescission of liens. This is not an opportunity to discuss the original finding of guilt for the violations. Please refrain from commenting on the original proceedings since I have no authority to resist the final action. So would you call the first one, please?
Case number 25-005913, Alachua County v. Corp. Berry Jr. So, you go first.
You go first. It's your request. Yeah, it's totally different than the other. This is your request to reduce.
Berry Corp, owner of the property. When we had the hearing back in February, paid the court cost or prosecuting cost, I guess you would call it.
That's you. You wouldn't be here without doing that. So that's one of our requirements.
And at the time of the hearing, I was confused and a little perturbed, so I didn't say anything because I was afraid I would put my foot in my mouth. I've done that myself. Yeah. I appreciate that. So, my issue with the fines are that they're based on a date that I disagree with as far as being back in compliance. And I think I can show at least why I believe it's true based on the evidence that was already presented.
Do you have something you brought a picture or something? Yes. Okay. So they can put it on the overhead for you.
Okay. Let me get these correct here.
They're in that thing. They can put them on the overhead for you. And if there's a certain order you'd like them in? Yeah.
Two of these were ones that Officer Webb already presented.
Okay.
The others, okay. So these are the order. They'll go in? Yes, sir. Okay. All right. So I'll show this one first. Yes, please.
Okay. And you just instruct him which ones you want up in the order you want. Okay.
So Officer Webb took the one you see now on January 15th. Mm-hmm. After I had, yeah, sorry. After I had emailed her saying I had got all the overgrowth cut, she came out and took this picture. And then the next picture she did on the 4th of March. And this one she said, I'm back in compliance.
Mm-hmm.
So I would like to ask Officer Webb, is the difference between these, besides the lighting. Obviously a different day. Right. Is the difference between these, that patch of green growth that you see on the previous picture over the fence on the left, is that what you were saying was why I was not in compliance?
So I am Officer Benjamin. And as stated before, Your Honor, he's here to only speak on the cost that he owes, which is the $2,400. Mr. Corp has had various opportunities to submit evidence to combat the violation. Mr. Corp and I have a very lengthy code official relationship. I've been to his property multiple times over the past few years, and I've given him grace multiple times. But due to the fact that the complainant also has been graceful, I decided this time it's time to take it a step further. This is the first time I've brought him to a special magistrate hearing. So I do understand how stressful.
So that's based on a complaint? Is it based on complaints?
Yes. He's from, you know, the complaint has placed multiple complaints on his property. And Mr. Corp knows very well that I have given him ample time every time to, you know, cut the grass. His front yard has consistently been over the years, over the 18 inches. I've seen him notice this. He's fixed it. Sent him another notice. He's fixed it. But it gets to a point in time where it has to progress for the owner to understand that it shouldn't, you know, remain in violation, you know. And I actually expressed to him multiple times on, like, if he needs assistance, I can help him with that. Maybe, you know, do some community outreach because he does say that he has health concerns. And that's why I had given him over the years all the extensions, all the phone calls, all the emails. So, at this point in time, it was necessary for me to progress this case. So, I do understand it could be stressful, these situations. But at this time, we're only here to discuss the reduction of fines of $2,400. So, I won't speak on the violation at this moment. Okay. Because he is, he is, he was in violation. He is now in compliance. And we're only speaking of the fines that he wants reduced. So, at this point, I have no other commentary on this case other than he could speak on the request for reduction.
Yeah. And you've given me in your documentation financial reasons. Because typically what this is, is people have a reason, either finances or something that it has a significant impact on them or inability. And that's, that's what my role is in terms of that, in terms of what the statute allows me to do is take in it. And you've given me some of that. Do you have more about that? I mean, obviously, if you say if there's a lien place, it prevents you from being able to fix your home and things like that. So, if you could give me more information about that, that is what gives me grounds to reduce the fawn.
Okay. My contention with this was, can you skip to the last picture? Mm-hmm. No. I'm sorry. So, when I, I'm sorry. Is that up? Yeah.
It's, I know what, look your left. Okay. For some reason, it's not the only one.
I don't remember if, if Officer Webb took this one or if I took this one. I honestly don't.
No, that is not my photo. All my photos have my name and date on them. So, that's not mine.
I took this one when I originally emailed her that I've gotten everything but the back corner done. Is there a way I can get a little bit of time? Mm-hmm. She emailed me back the next day. We can't do any more extensions, which I understood. I took that afternoon, rearranged the schedule completely, took the afternoon off, went back in that corner and cut everything down. And if you look. Can you zoom in on that? Yeah. On the, on the upper fence line?
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
You may have to move the photo around a little bit just to, there, there you go. Okay. Now, take a look at that. What are you pointing at?
Do you happen to have a date and time when this photo was taken?
This was the evening that Monday, I think. Remember if that was the 12th or 13th.
This is when you asked for an extension and she said that there was.
I will say I've never received any personal photos from this report.
I don't remember if I sent it to her or not. I'll be honest. Yeah. Okay. Now, if you go back to the original picture I gave you, sir.
The very first one? Yes. Okay. The one that she took? Yes. Okay. You're going to have to zoom out for that a little bit.
Okay.
Or just shift it over.
Yeah, just shift it over.
Okay. You can see now that growth is no longer above the fence line. It's laying down because I went and cut it. Mm-hmm. So it was down at the time. I had gotten everything cut. I just hadn't been able to move the debris out yet. Right. My contention was that I was back in compliance at that point. Right. And I could understand where someone could look at that and say, you're still seeing growth or whatever. But if you look even closer to those, you'll see some of the leaves have started to turn yellow, which happens when you cut your lip.
Sure.
Yeah. So all I was trying to say, and I wanted to say this the last time, but I was afraid I was going to lose my cool, was that I was in compliance on that date, at least to my understanding. Right. If I've misinterpreted the law, that's on me. Right. But I don't want to pay a fine when I don't think it's fair. Okay. I understand everything we've gone through. I've gone through and paid the prosecution cost because I absolutely...
It's a requirement. The statute says that you've got to do that if you want to come back for a reduction. Right.
Well, I paid that because I was guilty of that. Right. My yard was bad. Right. But I thought I was back in on the client's date. Okay. So my contention was, why should I be paying a fine when I was in compliance?
I understand where you're coming from. I know exactly where you're coming from.
Now, on top of that, yes, this is going to be a heavy financial burden. I've already secured money to go out and buy new yard equipment. I haven't done that yet. I'm going to do that this week or this weekend so that I can keep the property in compliance. But this is going to be another payment on top of everything else I'm already paying. And if I have to pay the court costs, I'm going to have to also pay this over time because I don't have $2,000 lying around.
I understand.
$2,400. Whatever the... It's right now. $2,400.
Get this right here. It's exactly $2,400. Right. Okay.
All right. That's all I have. Okay. All right. Thank you for coming. Thank you. Yes, sir.
Thank you. I appreciate it. And I will get you... I'm going to tell you, I will give you a reduction. I'll sit down and figure it out. But... Okay.
Okay. Okay.
Would you call the next case, please?
Case number CE-2012-02014. Latowah County versus Roth Taylor. Roth, husband and wife, Ralph Fusio, new owner.
Hello, fellow art... Hello. We were outside together, stuck luckily in at the artwork from the kids on the wall. Yeah. So, it's your turn. You get to go first.
Thank you, sir. So, there's a few contributing factors to this. You know, I think you have my hardship summary. Yes, sir. There's a, you know, financial hardship, which kind of all these pieces fit together. I recently acquired this property. Right.
And we appreciate you doing that, by the way.
I moved my son back here. Okay. I actually... My son grew up on this street. Okay. Just a few doors down. Okay. And he knew the previous owners of this property. Matter of fact, he would go down there and, you know, polish furniture for them, things like that. Unfortunately, the Roths, Betty specifically, she had cancer twice. First time, went into remission, she beat it, then it came back. I believe that is a contributing factor as to, you know, what happened.
Why she was unable to...
Why they were, you know, her and her husband, why they were unable to kind of come into compliance at an earlier date. I also, when I started, we... This case has a 2012 in it, which means it started in 2012. It's a very old case. We have some a lot older, though. I believe. I was quite caught off guard. I actually did not find this case. And even when I try and search right now, I'm unable to really dig it up when I go and I dig through any of the standard tools. Okay. Now, the... We moved away from Gainesville in 2012. That's when this case started. And I found an article talking about all of these feral chickens that were running that whole neighborhood. They actually had officers go out and pull them out of the trees in the evening time.
I remember the code enforcement board dealing with this.
So, this has been going for a long, long time. Right. I know the property has been in compliance for some time.
Yeah, you wouldn't be here if you weren't in compliance.
Yeah, obviously. I moved my son back here to try and get him back into his roots. He is 20 years old. Two years ago, he was involved in a horrific motorcycle accident. I did not submit all of the... Like, I have lots of medical records here. I moved...
And I would prefer you not have him in the record.
That's why I did not do it. I did submit one picture of him when I walked into the ICU. So, you could know that I wasn't just...
Right.
I have no doubts to just... Stories. He sustained brain injury as well as destroying his entire body. Went from a state swimmer to, you know, and on his way to Air Force to learning how to reuse his limbs. I've moved him back to Gainesville for two reasons. One, he grew up here and had a very good life. So, trying to get him to reconnect with some of those pieces. Sure. Well, he heals. Second piece, the SHANs, has the Brain Injury... It's the Brain Institute. ...Neural Resilience and Rehabilitation Center, which is led by Dr. Jaffe, who was a Department of War Head Surgeon of Neurology. It's a very good program. So, I got him into that program. So, these are the pieces. He has been unable to work since his accident. So, I've been supporting an adult.
Right.
I also have multiple children that I support. I'm very fortunate to be able to have some resources, but those resources are stretched thin. Right. I just got a bill from his trauma therapist here for three sessions for $450. Right. Because we have not met our deductible yet, so all of that comes out of the pocket. So, those are kind of those pieces. Then, the financial pieces. I've already spent approximately $5,000 trying to bring the property into, what I would say, compliance. Even though these are not cases, there was definitely overgrowth. The house had been left in disrepair. Right. I went through, I replaced, the plumbing was leaking, kitchen faucet was dripping underneath the, you know, slopping around. The water heater needed to be replaced. The air conditioning was not working. They were using, you know, the kerosene heaters in the house. All the house walls were black from kerosene, that kind of thing. You know, I've spent, I believe it's $1,200, or I have it written down, $1,350 to bring the heating and air conditioner back up to.
You got off lucky on that because they can go a lot more than that.
I got a very old school guy, David Lewis. He knows how to work on them, so he brought that into condition. $650 to haul furniture and trash. There's some pictures that show before and after. They were, had like a hoarder type situation going, even the front porch was full of mattresses and furniture, all kinds of things. There was rats. We killed several very large rats within the first, you know, month of being there. Permitting for the water heater, that's when I learned about this, is when I tried to get the permit.
Oh, okay.
To install the water heater, they're like, you can't get a permit because there's this lien. I'm like, oh, okay, and that's when I started working with Scott Krajewski prior to him retiring, and he was working with me. Also, you know, a whole bunch of different supplies. I've replaced every supply line, every shutoff valve, every, lots of different pieces, outlets, you know, things like that, just trying to bring things into order, weather stripping, and then there was not a stove. I don't have receipts for the stove.
That's not that critical. I mean, I don't need the actual detail, what I need generally from you. And you've already met a lot of it in terms of my needs and stuff.
I don't know if, so I've been working with Gina. I know she was going to print some pieces off. Yeah. Missy, I believe that's your name. Yes, ma'am. Do you have the photographs? I tried to put together some before and after just so you could get a sense of.
I don't have to have them at this point. I'm comfortable, if the county is comfortable, because I know the county has a position on this, too.
The county has no objection to his request. I can certainly show them, but I don't even think these before and afters were what the property was cited for.
Right. Yeah, but I have no doubts that you've put a huge amount of effort into the house and the costs and stuff like that. Does the county have, let me ask the county, do you have a position on this?
The county has no objections to his request to reduce the fines or eliminate the extra.
Yeah, and I can tell you traditionally, just for historical context, in situations like this, it's usually been like 1% of the amount owed. Because we want to keep a record that it's actually, some has been paid. But this clearly brings the property back to a viable, taxable property that the county is going to get taxes on, and it puts it into a, which is where the county wants. The county doesn't want, as you know, we don't want the money. We would rather have compliance and have it back on the tax rolls and have it be, you know, a good house in the neighborhood.
You want benefit for the community. Yeah, exactly. You want the community, one, to be safe. Right. Two, to be able to enjoy the community and be able to look at it and be proud of living here.
So I can tell you right now, I'm prepared to give it a reduction of 99%. It'll be a nominal amount of money. But that leaves the record clear that, you know, there's still some payment on it. And we do that for later cases that come before us and say, well, I should be zero. And we're going to go like, well, no, you know. So where does that work out to? $78, I think. Is that right?
Yes, it's a $78,000 kind.
So 1% of that would be $78. And once the lien goes away, the county will remove the lien.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Yes. Okay. I appreciate it. I'm sorry you have to deal this with it on your son. But I'm glad to see you doing it. You're bringing him back. And you've got him at the great place. Yeah. So thank you for coming.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Thank you, Mr. Anything? Oh, we have, I noticed, not related to you, have an extension request. Both parties are in agreement. So I'm going to grant the extension on that.
I can pay that today.
Yeah. If you want to work with Gina, you can do that today. Their offices are downstairs and such, or however you want to do it today.
Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Mr. Okay.
Anything else before the court? Seeing none, it's concluded at 1020. Thank you, Your Honor.
Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Your Honor.