Magistrate hearing roundup: multiple continuances, stipulations and permit deadlines set

At the Town of Loxahatchee Groves special magistrate hearing on May 4, magistrate Andy Barnard accepted multiple signed stipulations, granted several mutually agreed continuances to May 20 and set permit-issuance compliance deadlines of Sept. 1 (with a Sept. 8 fine-assessment hearing) for several properties with unpermitted structures.

Code compliance staff presented a string of cases involving business operations without business tax receipts; outdoor storage and equipment screening violations; unpermitted pole barns and other accessory structures; and alleged improper uses of parcels zoned single-family or vacant. For many of those cases, the town received or showed affidavit-of-posting and certified-mail service evidence; the magistrate entered notice documents into the record before granting continuances or approving stipulations.

Several cases the magistrate continued to May 20 included CE2649/CE2656 (Bridal Road companion cases), CE2662/CE2661/CE2670 (nursery/retail business parcels), and the Tonda Group lien-reduction petition. The magistrate noted consistent remedies: compliance, permit issuance, or removal of prohibited structures. The town repeatedly said the daily fine for continuing violations is $250 and sought administrative-cost recovery of $409.66 for today's hearing in multiple matters.

The magistrate emphasized the hearing's remedial purpose: "My job here is to give you reasonable time to come into compliance," Barnard said, explaining that the tribunal's role is to provide enforceable deadlines without being punitive.

Separately, the magistrate assessed continuing fines in one long-standing order (totaling $24,250 as of May 4 for case CE2556) and accepted multiple signed settlement agreements that specify longer compliance windows and potential daily fines if those agreements are violated.

The magistrate adjourned the hearing at 11:54 a.m.