City Council Finds Martha Haines Guilty of Parking Violation in Venice

The Venice Special Magistrate for Code Enforcement convened on September 3, 2025, to address several code violations and parking citations. The meeting began with the magistrate issuing a ruling based on sworn testimony and evidence presented regarding a respondent's violations of Chapter 88 of the building regulations. The magistrate found that the respondent had violated Section 2.2.2, which pertains to required permits, as well as Section 4.1.2, which addresses unlawful acts under the city code. As a result, the respondent was ordered to forfeit a $25 appeal filing fee and was assessed a civil penalty of $5,000 for the violations, which included $2,500 for each infraction. The penalties must be paid within ten days, or additional fees will apply.

Following this ruling, the meeting transitioned to a parking citation case involving Martha Haines. The city’s certified parking enforcement officer, Kimberly Brown, presented the case concerning a parking violation that occurred on April 19, 2025, at Grazier Park, located at 740 Barcelona Avenue. Officer Brown reported observing a 2017 silver Lexus ES 350 parked improperly, specifically within ten feet of a driveway, which violates Florida State Statute 316.1945. During the enforcement inspection, photographs were taken to document the violation.

Martha Haines contested the citation and submitted a photograph of her vehicle taken on the same day as the violation. The magistrate allowed for the presentation of evidence from both sides before concluding the hearing.

The next hearing is scheduled for October 1, 2025, as noted by the magistrate, who acknowledged an oversight in the procedural agenda. The meeting concluded with a clear outline of the decisions made and the next steps for the involved parties.