Special magistrate trims liens, orders compliance windows for multiple Fort Pierce properties

Special Magistrate Jamie Burrow on July 15 reduced liens and ordered compliance deadlines across a slate of Fort Pierce code-enforcement cases, saying the city’s interest could be served by lowering penalties while owners take steps to bring properties into compliance.

Burrow reduced a $5,618.26 lien for CMoon Development Group LLC’s lot at 523 North 26th Street to the administrative cost of $783.67 and gave owner Shannon Bustamante 30 days to pay. Bustamante, who was sworn for testimony, told the magistrate he had purchased “over 20 different lots in Fort Pierce,” said he has an approved permit and plans to build “a really big duplex” on the lot, and asked for leniency because the violations predated his ownership. The city’s code representative recorded that staff had received an $850 offer and recommended acceptance; the magistrate instead implemented the administrative-cost reduction and set a 30-day payment window.

In a separate lien-reduction request for 707 Avenue J, the magistrate reduced a $13,371.04 balance to the administrative cost of $1,024.30 and allowed 30 days to pay. Developer Joseph Basso told the court he is “self funding 20 homes to the community” and described financing strategies to make houses affordable, saying the lien could prevent a sale to a very-low-income buyer. City staff had reported a $3,000 offer and recommended acceptance; the magistrate ordered the administrative-cost reduction.

The court also handled multiple nuisance and lot-clearing matters. For 1803 Avenue D, the magistrate found a nuisance related to accumulated pallets and wood and ordered removal within 45 days, warning of $100-per-day fines and authorizing the city’s nuisance-abatement program if the owner failed to comply. Respondent Eric McCoy told the court the pallets are part of his livelihood, saying he strips wood and “sell[s] the pallets for $3” to support his household and requested extra time; the magistrate granted 45 days but signaled she would not extend the deadline beyond that.

For 2634 Mohawk Avenue, with an interpreter present, owner Brian Osorio said he had recently acquired the lot from a relative and had mowed the lawn but still needed to remove trash and debris. The magistrate ordered seven days to finish debris removal and warned of $100-per-day fines thereafter; Osorio acknowledged the schedule was reasonable.

At 805 Texas Court (an estate property), city staff said progress had been made but requested additional time. The magistrate ordered 14 days to cut grass, trim vegetation and remove trash, again warning of $100-per-day fines if the owner did not comply. For a parking citation at JC Park, the magistrate found a violation of the city parking ordinance and ordered the $78 fine be paid within 15 days or forwarded to county court.

The magistrate reminded respondents that failure to meet the ordered deadlines would cause liens or fines to revert to their prior amounts or trigger the city’s abatement procedures. Several respondents were told they have 30 days to appeal the orders.

The hearing included routine procedural matters (evidence admitted, photographs entered as city composite exhibits) and concluded with a clerk’s listing of additional cases to be rescheduled or handled administratively. The magistrate then adjourned the session.

The actions taken at this hearing were administrative code-enforcement orders by a judicial officer acting as special magistrate; none were legislative or policy adoptions. Several respondents said they are actively preparing sites for development or habitation, and the magistrate repeatedly tied reductions or compliance windows to demonstrated remediation or forthcoming payments.