Special Magistrate Lonnie Grama found on Sept. 10 that Twisted Tides, at 211 East Cocoa Beach Causeway, remained in violation of multiple city code sections and ordered the business given 30 days from the date of the magistrate’s order to come into compliance before a lien will be recorded on the property.

Grama said the city’s previous May 14, 2025 order required Twisted Tides to pay a $2,250 citation and correct code violations by June 13, 2025, and provided that if compliance was not achieved fines of $100 for the first day and $200 for each subsequent day would apply. He noted that as of Sept. 9 certain violations remained unresolved.

The unresolved items listed by city staff included failure to obtain the local business tax receipt (BTR) under Section 13-2 (license/permit required), continued display of prohibited flag/banner signs under Section 5-004, and an unapproved grease interceptor under Section 19-43. City staff said the BTR application remained incomplete because the business had not passed required fire and utilities inspections and, they said, a state liquor license issue had delayed finalization.

Business owner Joseph Holstein told the magistrate he did not recall receiving the city’s compliance order in hand delivery. “If she delivered, I’m not gonna say she did or didn’t. I just don’t recall receiving it,” Holstein said. Grama confirmed the city’s record showed the order was hand-delivered May 29 and told Holstein the burden for property compliance rests with the current owner.

Grama ruled that the cited code sections remained in violation and said the city had an option to record the order as a lien immediately; however, the city agreed to delay recording a lien for 30 days from the date of the magistrate’s order to give the respondent time to comply. Grama said the order would be entered in writing and distributed to the parties.

The magistrate reiterated that payment of the local business tax is a separate tax obligation and that, while some state statutes affect issuance of state liquor licenses, the BTR itself is a tax. The city noted it would accept payment of the tax but inspections and approvals (certificate of use, fire, utilities) remained prerequisites to full administrative approval of operations.

No formal motion by the public was required; the magistrate’s oral determination will be reduced to a written order and distributed to the city and to the respondent.