Special Magistrate Amity Barnard on Oct. 1 heard more than a dozen code-enforcement cases for properties across West Palm Beach and issued time-limited orders requiring repairs, landscaping, permitting or abatement, with fines if owners do not comply.

The cases covered unpermitted building work, vacant and deteriorated structures, unpaved parking areas, overgrown lots and businesses operating sidewalk cafés without permits. City code enforcement officers presented photographs, notices of violation and affidavits of posting; property owners or their representatives spoke in several matters and in most cases agreed to the timelines the magistrate imposed.

Why it matters: The orders set firm deadlines and monetary penalties intended to prompt repairs and code compliance in residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors. Several decisions also noted public-safety or health concerns (for example, mold or material dumped on vacant lots) and authorized faster remedies if owners do not act.

What the magistrate decided

Votes at a glance (case number — address — ruling):
- CEBLD25070789 — listed in the file as 41230 Fourth Street — Found violation of Section 110.1 (work without required permits). Respondent ordered to obtain required permits/inspections and bring the work into compliance within 30 days or be assessed $50 per day thereafter. (City evidence entered; respondent absent.)

- CE25073903 — property referenced in the record alternately as 1140 State Street and 1100 State Street — Multiple exterior and registration violations cited (including sections 181.03(b); 74-34(a)(1)(H); 18-106(g); 94-71(c); 182.09(a); 182.12(c)). Magistrate granted the city’s request for 8 months to comply or $100 per day after that. (Property manager Morgan Milstead accepted the 8 months request at hearing; she had asked for 12 months.)

- CE25073908 — 1040 State Street — Similar vacant-structure and registration violations; magistrate ordered compliance within 8 months or $100 per day.

- CE25083973 — 1031 Eighteenth Street — Landscape/unpaved parking violation (section 94-442(c)(1) among others). Magistrate ordered 120 days to comply or $100 per day.

- CE25073872 — 5258 Bloomfield Drive — Respondent (through counsel) submitted a signed stipulation granting 90 days (until Jan. 2, 2026) to comply; magistrate approved and signed the stipulation. If not complied by that date, a $200-per-day fine will start.

- CE25083974 — 1033 Eighteenth Street — Unpaved parking/landscape violations. Magistrate ordered 120 days to comply or $100 per day.

- CE25083971 — 1910?25 Eighteenth Street (owner identified as Reginald Glass) — Multiple exterior, landscape and unpaved-parking violations. Magistrate granted 120 days to comply or $100 per day (gave slightly more time than the city requested for consistency with nearby cases).

- CE25084015 — 4600 Fourth Street — Hurricane-hazard/tree overhang on electrical lines (section 74-4(c)(1)). Magistrate required compliance within 45 days or $100 per day; owner reported contact with FPL and expected the work to be completed within the period.

- CE25084002 — 281330 Ninth Street (vacant lot) — Palm trees and edging obstructing the public right-of-way and excessive growth. Magistrate ordered 15 days to comply or $100 per day.

- CE25083976 — 63040 Ninth Street — Clean-and-sanitary, trash, fence maintenance and outdoor storage violations remain; magistrate ordered 30 days to comply or $100 per day.

- CE2509450 — 1610 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard — Multiple right-of-way and maintenance items; city had received a COU (certificate of use) application and requested 30 days to complete outstanding items. Magistrate ordered 30 days to comply or $100 per day.

- Sidewalk-café permit matters (multiple business files): magistrate entered the city’s recommended compliance periods for businesses that had applied or were in the process of applying for permits: Susayama (rescheduled, affidavit issue), Clematis Pizza (CE25083969) — 60 days to obtain a sidewalk-café permit or $50 per day after 60 days; Ganache Bakery (CE25083952), Hot Pie Pizza (CE25083951), Peachwave (CE25083953) and similar café cases — generally 60 days to comply or a one-time fine (record indicates the city proposed a $250 one-time fine where the owner had not applied). Several business cases were continued or rescheduled for administrative reasons when the affidavit-of-posting or other service documentation was not in the file.

- CE25083982 — 1106 Eighteenth Street — Trash, debris, exterior algae/mildew on structure and other clean-and-sanitary violations. Magistrate ordered 30 days to comply or $100 per day.

- CE25083957 — 221037 Eighteenth Street (vacant lot) — Magistrate found the property presented health/safety/welfare violations after code officer testimony and ordered compliance within 10 days; the magistrate authorized city abatement of the entire lot if violations were not corrected within that period.

- CE25073884 — 1013 Thirteenth Street (vacant lot) — Multiple maintenance and outdoor-storage violations. Magistrate ordered 30 days to comply or $100 per day.

- CE25083956 — 1910 Beautiful Avenue — Rental-property violations (rental license/COU not on file, tenant complaint alleging mold). The city noted the owner had begun the licensing process; magistrate ordered 30 days to comply or $150 per day thereafter (the city had proposed $150 per day). The magistrate noted the need for interior inspection once mold concerns are addressed.

Discussion, directions and notable points

- Several property managers and owners told the magistrate they had contracts in place with contractors and were starting permit applications; in multiple cases the magistrate emphasized that owners should stay in touch with the assigned code officer if they need extensions.

- For multiple vacant-structure cases the city agreed that structural rehabilitation and the permit process could reasonably take several months; the magistrate generally followed the city’s recommended timeline (eight months for major rehab in these matters).

- The magistrate expressly authorized abatement in CE25083957 after the code officer testified that the property posed health and safety concerns and observed evidence of rodent activity on site.

- Several sidewalk-café business matters were continued or rescheduled where the file lacked an affidavit of posting or other service documentation; magistrate granted continuances rather than enter default rulings when administrative service was unclear.

What the orders require next

Property owners ordered to comply must either complete the work within the stated deadlines or face the identified penalties. Where the magistrate authorized abatement (221037 Eighteenth Street), the city may remove hazards and assess charges to the property if the owner does not act within the 10-day period.

Ending: The special magistrate concluded the contested matters and adjourned the hearing at 10:49 a.m.