Special magistrate in Fort Myers Beach grants three continuances, imposes $9,500 fine and authorizes lien

John Van Laningham, the town’s special magistrate for code compliance, convened the Fort Myers Beach special magistrate hearing at 9 a.m. March 3 and approved several case continuances and one order imposing fines and authorizing a lien.

The magistrate approved minutes from the Jan. 6, 2026 hearing without objection and then heard a series of code-enforcement matters. Staff requested a continuance in Case 20240733 (Midwest Decoration Company, 146 Hercules Drive) because the respondent has applied for a building permit and is completing a small amount of work; the magistrate continued the case to May 5, 2026.

In Case 20250800 (BNB Properties of Fort Myers LLC, 1668 I Street), counsel Colton Thomas appeared and confirmed his client is coordinating remediation with the building department. "I have no objection to the proposed order, and I'm grateful for the town's flexibility in connection with our pending remediation work," Colton Thomas said. The magistrate granted a continuance to May 5, 2026.

Staff asked that Case 20250802 (Byron and Christine Thomas, Palmero Circle) be continued to Aug. 5, 2026 to allow an appeal of a building-permit revocation to proceed; the magistrate granted that continuance.

At a status hearing for Case 20250819 (John Daniels, recorded address in the transcript as 25250 Bahia Via), staff summarized the prior proceedings and reported that the respondent had been found in violation on Oct. 29, 2025 and later achieved compliance. Staff said costs of $250 were paid on Feb. 9, 2026 and requested entry of an order imposing accrued fines at $250 per day for 38 days, totaling $9,500, and authorization to file a lien; the magistrate entered the order and authorized lien filing. (The transcript lists the compliance date as Jan. 12, 2025, which appears inconsistent with the other dates recorded; that year is presented here as written in the record and may be a typographical error in the transcript.)

Staff also reported that Case 2025085312 (Adrian Turner, Fairview Boulevard) had an earlier order of compliance and taxation of costs that have since been paid and required no further action.

The magistrate said drafts of the continuance orders and the order imposing the fine would be circulated to the parties and adjourned the hearing at about 9:08 a.m.

Actions taken at the hearing included three continuances (cases 20240733, 20250800, 20250802) and one order imposing fines with authorization to file a lien (case 20250819).