TOWN OF HAVERHILL MINUTES SPECIAL MAGISTRATE HEARING May 27, 2025 Present: Special Magistrate William P. Doney, Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) Joseph Petrick, Town Attorney Dominic DeCesare, Deputy Town Clerk Jean Wible, Assistant Town Clerk Virginia Botello, Respondent Vinton Griffiths and Respondent Jorge Usma. I. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 9:00 A.M. by Special Magistrate William P. Doney. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Special Magistrate Doney approved the minutes of April 22, 2025. III. SWEARING IN OF WITNESSES: Special Magistrate Doney administered Oath to Code Enforcement Officer Joseph Petrick, Assistant Town Clerk Virginia Botello, Respondent Vinton Griffiths and Respondent Jorge Usma. CODE ENFORCEMENT REPEAT VIOLATION, FINE ASSESSMENT AND STATUS HEARINGS: CASE NO. 24-00143 GRIFFITHS, VINTON 5092 CLUB ROAD HAVERHILL, FL 33415 PCN: 22-42-43-35-05-05-040-0010 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: HAVERHILL RIDING ESTATES W % OF TR 40 & TR 41 /LESS SLY 126.54 FT IN OR653P1600 NATURE OF VIOLATION: Chapter 58 Article IX Division 14 Section 58-584 Maintenance and appearance standards for all real property Chapter 14 Section 14-7 Unsafe buildings and structures Chapter 38 Section 38-9 Parking of motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, watercraft, and trailers in residential districts. 1 Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) Petrick testified this Fine Assessment case was in reference to a Single-Family property that went before the Special Magistrate on February 25, 2025, for a shed on the property without an approved building permit, inoperable vehicles on the property, a trailer not screened from view, trash debris, dirt piles, vegetation overgrowth, driveway in disrepair and the house was in need of painting. He stated the Order from the Special Magistrate hearing was sent to the Respondent on February 26, 2025, via certified mail to the address listed on the Property Appraiser's website, the Order was posted at the property and posted on the Code Enforcement board at Town Hall. The Order gave the Respondent until March 28, 2025, to comply or a fine of Two Hundred ($200.00) dollars per day may be imposed. He stated that as oftoday, the property came into compliance with Town Code Section 14-7 by removing the shed. However, the property remained in violation ofTown Code Sections 38-9 and 58-584. He stated that no permit application had been submitted to the Town for the repair or replacement of the driveway. The house was painted, and the mailbox was repaired. He stated that he had spoken with the Respondent on a few occasions regarding ways to come into compliance and about today's hearing. Respondent Vinton Griffiths requested additional time to come into compliance. Code Officer Petrick stated the Town was requesting a fine ofOne Hundred Fifty ($150.00) dollars per day beginning March 28, 2025, and continuing until compliance achieved. The cost to bring this case before the Special Magistrate was $24.59. ORDER It is the Order of the Special Magistrate that a fine in the amount of Eight Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty ($8850.00) Dollars is hereby assessed at the amount of One Hundred Fifty ($150.00) Dollars per day for the Code violations which have existed on the property from March 29, 2025 to May 27, 2025, a period of fifty-nine (59) days, and such amount will continue to accrue at the rate of One Hundred Fifty ($150.00) Dollars per day until compliance is achieved. In addition, costs are assessed in the amount of $24.59. CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATION HEARING: CASE NO. 24-00142 COMPLIED MARENT INVESTMENTS LLC 5220 CLUB ROAD HAVERHILL, FL 33415 PCN: 22-42-43-35-28-000-0010 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: BETHANY ESTATES LT 1 2 NATURE OF VIOLATION: Chapter 58 Article IX Division 14 Section 58-584 Maintenance and appearance standards for all real property Chapter 38 Section 38-9 Parking of motor vehicles recreational vehicles, watercraft, and trailers in residential district. CEO Petrick determined the Respondent complied prior to the Special Magistrate hearing, therefore, no reason to move forward with the case at this time. CASE NO. 24-00149 USMA, JORGE 1021 CHERYL ROAD HAVERHILL, FL 33415 PCN: 22-42-43-26-06-000-0063 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: WOODLAND PARK N 100 FT OF S 210 FT OF LT 6 NATURE OF VIOLATION: Chapter 58 Article IX Division 14 Section 58-584 Maintenance and appearance standards for all real property Chapter 14 Section 14-7 Unsafe buildings and structures Chapter 38 Section 38-9 Parking of motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, watercraft, and trailers in residential districts Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) Petrick testified that this case was in reference to a Single-Family property that was issued a Courtesy Notice on December 19, 2024, after the Town received a complaint regarding a Recreational Vehicle (RV) being occupied in the backyard, a structure built in the backyard without an approved building permit, and vehicles, including the RV parked on the grass in the backyard. He stated the Courtesy Notice gave the Respondent thirty (30) days to comply. CEO Petrick spoke with the tenant on December 19, 2024, who was argumentative and uncooperative. At that time, CEO Petrick asked the tenant to contact the landlord and ask him to give CEO Petrick a call. CEO Petrick stated that in late March 2025, the complainant contacted him to say the violations were continuing. CEO Petrick met the complainant at her property on March 26, 2025, where he observed from her property and the street, a boarded broken window at the rear ofthe house, a mailbox in disrepair, weeds and vegetation overgrowth, trash and debris in the backyard all in violation ofTown Code Section 58-584, wires hanging down which appeared to be electrical that needed to be secured, two (2) shed structures on the property with no approved building permit from the Town, chain-link and make shift fencing was put up without an approved building permit from the Town in violation of Town Code Section 14-7. He stated that on March 26, 2025, he issued A Notice of Violation (NOV) and Notice ofHearing (NOH) to the Respondent sent via certified mail to the address listed on the Property Appraiser's website, the Order was posted at the property and posted on the Code Enforcement board at Town Hall. The NOV and NOH gave the Respondent thirty (30) days to comply by abating the violations. CEO Petrick stated that he had been 3 communicating with the Respondent regarding the violations and discussed ways to come into compliance. On May 23, 2025, CEO Petrick met with the Respondent at the property for a compliance inspection where it was revealed that the property remained out of compliance with Town Code Sections 58-584, 14-7 and 38-9. CEO Petrick stated that at the time ofthe compliance inspection, he observed that the hanging wires were cable wires, not electrical wires and must be secured. Respondent Mr. Usma testified that he has been having issues with the tenants regarding their lack of cooperation in following the rules. He stated that he had spoken with the neighbors of the property, and they were not happy with the tenants. He was asking for more time to clean up the property. He explained that he does not have a lease agreement with the tenant as it expired last year and he is trying to get them to leave the property, but it takes time. He stated he will obtain a building permit application for the fence and windows and begin cleaning up the property this weekend. Code Officer Petrick stated the Town was requesting compliance within sixty (60) days or a Two Hundred ($200.00) dollars per day fine be assessed and a Fine Assessment Hearing on August 26, 2025, ifnecessary. The cost to bring this case before the Special Magistrate was $39.92. ORDER It is the Order of the Code Enforcement Special Magistrate that Respondent shall comply with the above-reference Code Sections by July 27, 2025. If Respondent does not comply within the time specified, a fine in the amount of Two Hundred ($200.00) Dollars per day may be imposed for each day the violation continues to exist. Costs in the amount of $39.92 are assessed. NOTICE OF HEARING In the event Respondent does not fully comply with the Town's Code ofOrdinances within the time specified, a Fine Assessment Hearing shall be held before the Special magistrate on August 26, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. at Town Hall, 4585 Charlotte Street, Haverhill, Florida to determine whether Respondent continues to be in violation of the above-referenced Code sections and to consider the assessment of a fine. 4 FINE REDUCTION HEARING: NONE ADJOURNMENT The hearing adjourned at 9:18 A.M. Minutes prepared by Deputy Town Clerk Wible and adopted by Special Magistrate Doney on June 24, 2025. L / < Jeanf. Wible, Deputy Town Clerk Special Magistrate, William Pboney 5 SIGN IN SHEET TOWN OF HAVERHILL SPECIAL MAGISTRATE HEARING TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2025 Name E-Mail Address Signature Aptton 6fHS AOGE OWA