Magistrate orders cleanup and fines for Fountain property where RVs and trash were found

A Bay County special magistrate on July 10 accepted code enforcement's recommendation that the property at 19826 Brandon Road in the unincorporated Fountain area be found in violation of Bay County Code section 17-2 and Bay County Land Development Regulation section 3504.

Code enforcement manager Catherine Ashman introduced the case and Investigator Rick McKinnon testified that inspections beginning Jan. 8, 2026, showed multiple recreational vehicles, trash and derelict vehicles on the parcel. McKinnon said certified notices were mailed and re‑inspections documented continuing violations; contact with the owner's son indicated the owner is deceased and probate is pending. McKinnon said the case remains out of compliance and a compliance hearing is scheduled for Aug. 14, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

A neighbor, Shannon Stewart, told the magistrate she has cleaned the site ‘‘every day’’ but that occupants of a camper refuse to leave and that the camper’s owner stays there with his 15‑year‑old daughter. ‘‘They’re refusing to leave,’’ Stewart said, pressing that probate and the owner’s incarceration have complicated removal.

The magistrate accepted code enforcement’s proposed order: 10 days to remove junk, trash and debris under Bay County Code section 17‑2; 30 days to cease habitation of the recreational vehicle per the Land Development Regulation requirement; an initial fine of $1,200 with a $25 daily fine as described in the order if compliance is not achieved; and lien authority if fines are unpaid. The magistrate noted interest in assessing fines against responsible parties rather than solely against the owner who is incarcerated and directed parties to report progress before the next hearing.

The case will return for a compliance hearing on Aug. 14, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.