Magistrate certifies abatement and administrative costs after city cut overgrown property at Port St. Lucie address

Officer Bender told the special magistrate that a violation hearing on Sept. 3, 2025 found high grass and weeds over 12 inches at 2138 SW Jeanette Avenue and set a compliance date of Sept. 10, 2025. When compliance was not achieved, the city abated the property on Nov. 17, 2025 and now seeks recovery of the abatement and administrative costs.

Officer Bender presented photos showing the condition of the property before and after the city cut, and asked the magistrate to order the respondent to pay $225 for the abatement and $411 for administrative costs related to the investigation and prosecution of the case.

Greg Dawson, sworn for the record, told the magistrate he had been ill and that he engaged a landscape company to correct outstanding violations and to perform weekly maintenance going forward. "Since that time, I've gotten a landscape company that will be coming in to correct all the violations... and they will be maintaining the property on a weekly basis," Dawson said.

Magistrate Keith Davis found proper notice, determined the property is currently in compliance, but certified the previously incurred abatement and administrative costs totaling $636 to be assessed to the respondent; he directed Mr. Dawson to consult with Officer Bender about payment handling.

The certification was limited to recovery of costs documented in the city's file and did not impose additional penalties at the March 11 hearing.