The Fort Lauderdale Code Enforcement Board on Sept. 23 heard a full docket of property cases involving alleged work without permits and other local code violations, ordering compliance deadlines and assessing or reducing fines in dozens of matters.

Across the session the board repeatedly found violations under the Florida Building Code, Section 105.1 (work performed without required permits), and most frequently granted respondents time to submit plans and obtain permits rather than immediately escalating to larger penalties. Extensions of 51 days and 126 days were most commonly approved; several cases received longer deadlines when renovation scale or permitting complexity was discussed.

Why it matters: The board’s routine enforcement decisions affect homeowners, landlords, condo associations and businesses across Fort Lauderdale by setting deadlines to legalize renovations, repairing safety issues and in some cases creating recorded fines or administrative costs that can become liens on property titles.

What the board did

- In many cases the board found violations as the city requested and set compliance deadlines: a large number of respondents were ordered to obtain permits and finish corrective work within either 51 days (short-term) or 126 days (longer-term), depending on the inspector’s recommendation and the parties’ representations about permit status or work remaining.

- Where respondents showed active permitting or substantial progress, the board often paused fines while the permit review continued. In cases where work was already completed and permits later obtained, the board sometimes reduced per‑diem fines to administrative-cost levels.

- The board reduced or restructured fines in several contested matters after discussion between counsel and staff. In one multi-unit case (an assisted‑living property matter discussed at length), the board negotiated a reduced total fine rather than keeping the original per‑day penalty at the maximum level.

Selected quotes from the hearing

- “I plan to have the whole project completed,” said Jonathan Braetz, the owner in one driveway/stormwater case when asking for a 51‑day extension.

- “He tried to extort money out of me,” Sandra Dalton said, describing how an ex‑partner handled a previous renovation and led to the current unpermitted‑work citation; the board ordered the property into compliance and allowed 126 days for permits and corrections.

- Senior Assistant City Attorney Ronald Montoya Hassan summarized legal limits on fines and process: he referenced Florida statutory and city code authority when discussing options to vacate prior orders and reimpose revised per‑diem amounts in a contested enforcement matter.

Votes at a glance (cases, outcomes and key details)

Note: Where speakers offered dates or the inspector recommended a particular compliance period, the board generally followed those recommendations. The wording below paraphrases motions approved at the hearing; full case captions and case numbers follow the board’s docket order.

1) BE24070060 — 1333 NE 1st Ave (owner Jonathan Braetz): Granted a 51‑day extension for submittal/permit work (extension motion approved). Respondent represented work would be completed within the extension.

2) BE25020284 — 4040 Gulf Ocean Dr, Unit 604 (owner Sandra Dalton): Board found violations (FBC §105.1) and ordered compliance by 01/27/2026 (126 days) or $50/day thereafter; motion carried.

3) BE25030170 — 2160 NE 56th Ct (owner Anne Monaco): Found violation for demolition/flooring work without permits; board ordered compliance by 03/24/2026 (182 days requested/approved) or $50/day.

4) BE25040135 — 2096 SW 27th Terrace (owner Alexander Grigorovich): Found violation for shade/overhead structures; ordered compliance by 01/27/2026 (126 days) or $50/day.

5) BE25020097 — 1700 NE 12th St (Grama Management Group LLC): Permits in process; board ordered compliance by 11/13/2025 (51 days) or $50/day.

6) BE25050007 — 1341 SE 10th Ave (Bow and Ma Investments Inc.): Violations for window replacement and kitchen alterations; board ordered compliance by 01/27/2026 (126 days) or $50/day.

7) BE24080046 — 1810 NE 16th Terrace (owner represented by counsel): City reported permits in process and the board extended compliance 51 days and paused fines for that interval.

8) BE24080011 — 1430 NW 22nd Ct (owner Josette Moise): Permits submitted; board granted a 51‑day extension to complete permit issuance/close the case.

9) BE24080133 — 2321 SW 14th Ct (owner Giselle Mays): Respondent requested more time while addressing inherited violations; board granted 126 days.

10) BE25050001 — 1401 NE 9th St, Unit 61 (owner Joyce Ann Solar): Fire damage remediation/remodeling; permits in process and the board granted 217 days (longer extension) to allow for full rebuild permitting, with one opposed vote recorded.

11) BE25030237 — 340 Sunset Dr (Essex Tower Condo Assn.): Multiple unpermitted exterior and amenity changes; board accepted that GC/architect had applied and ordered compliance by 11/13/2025, per inspector’s recommendation.

12) BE23080390 — 1440 SW 30th St (Rodriguez Ferrero Investments Inc.): Case found compliant; board reduced outstanding fines to administrative costs ($2,353) as requested by staff.

13) BE25060043 — 1428 Forest Dr (owners Michael Gordon & Elizabeth Weiss): Elevated deck/treehouse dispute; board found violation (uncertain applicability of playground‑equipment exemption) and ordered compliance by 01/27/2026 (126 days).

14) BE23080317 — 900 NE 16th St (JBSFL Investments LLC): Case in compliance; board reduced fines to administrative costs ($2,021).

15) BE24070006 — 807 SW 14th Ct (Lincoln Sports and Entertainment LLC): Rear renovations/roof and interior work; board granted 51 days to finish plumbing/electrical permits and paused fines.

16) BE25020280 — 1505 NE 4th Terrace (owner George Rivera Jr.): Shipping‑container/storage structure; board ordered compliance by 01/27/2026 (126 days) or $50/day.

17) BE25040015 — 501 SW 6th Ave (BT Coconut River LLC / Hannah Pepe LLC): Interior alterations, windows, additions; plans being finalized — board ordered compliance by 01/27/2026 (126 days) or $50/day.

18) BE25020114 — 1329 N Andrews Ave (Valdispino/Palacio): Windows/doors and rear roof attachment; permits applied and board ordered compliance by 01/27/2026 (126 days) or $50/day.

19) BE25050013 — 2271 NE 68th (Imperial Pointe Colonnades Condo Inc.): Water‑damage bathroom remodels (mold remediation); board ordered compliance by 01/27/2026 and set per‑day fine at $100 if not resolved.

20) BE24070390 — 1517 NW [Worth] Ave (Arrowtree LLC): Engineering submissions accepted; board granted a 51‑day extension to finalize inspections and close the matter.

21) BE25040039 — 401 SE 25th Ave, Unit 305 (Dylan Dorando): Remodeling while out‑of‑state; board granted a 51‑day extension to secure a contractor and permits (next hearing set 11/13/2025).

22) CE18071749 — 2909 S Andrews Ave (All Roads Holdings): Electric fence and barbed‑wire issues; barbed wire removed, electrical installation remains; board ordered compliance by 11/13/2025 (51 days) and set potential $100/day after that.

23) BE24040208 — 1617 SW 5th St (Broward Luxury Properties LLC): Longstanding case; board granted a 51‑day extension and paused the accrual of fines to allow recent corrections to be administratively reviewed.

24) BE24070170 — 3410 SW 16th St (owner represented): Garage/permit dispute; respondent reported engaging counsel and an engineer and the board granted 126 days and paused fines.

25) BE24080030 — 1016 NE 17th Ct (Myzina & Nisaj Tianna): Contractor applied and fees paid; board granted 51 days for issuance and inspection.

26) BE25050087 — 340 San Marco Dr (MDS Lehi Estate LLC): New construction with missing inspections/permits; inspector advised the case will go to administrative hearing (Massey) to consider fines and other penalties; board acknowledged noncompliance and instructed follow‑up.

27) BE24080079 — 1616 NE 16th Ave (Coda Perry Realty LLC): Longstanding compliance issues; board granted 51 days and paused fines while owner pursues corrective work and permits.

28) BE24070185 — 2760 SW 2nd Ct (Paula Timothy): Driveway/permit corrections in progress; board granted 126 days and paused fines.

29) 37 Castle Harbor (new owner Austin Spitler): Case had come into compliance shortly after purchase; the new owner requested reduction/forgiveness of accrued fines and the board voted to forgive the fines in that matter (motion carried).

30) Multiple other docketed matters: The board routinely granted 51‑ or 126‑day deadlines (depending on the inspector’s recommendation) and, where appropriate, reduced fines to administrative costs or imposed daily penalties pending compliance; specific examples are in the official docket and minute record.

How the board decided: patterns and procedure

- Inspector presentation: For each case a presenting inspector summarized the violation (typically citing Florida Building Code 2023 §105.1), described whether permits were in process, and recommended a compliance period and a per‑day fine if not corrected.

- Respondent presentations: Many respondents or their contractors/attorneys described active permitting, scheduling constraints or difficulties finding engineers/contractors; the board often weighed those representations when choosing between a short versus long extension and whether to pause fines.

- Legal context: City attorneys and the board referenced the statutory framework for fines and the procedure required to vacate and reimpose prior orders. One contested multi‑unit case generated extended legal discussion about whether to vacate a prior per‑diem order and reimpose a lower daily amount.

What happens next

Respondents granted extensions will return at the board’s next scheduled hearing if they have not obtained permits or otherwise complied. Several matters were scheduled for return on Nov. 13, 2025, and Jan. 27, 2026, per the board’s orders. Cases in compliance with reduced administrative fees will be closed administratively once fees are paid or requirements satisfied.

Ending

The board closed the docket after addressing the remaining new‑business items, approved minutes for its Aug. 26, 2025 meeting, and discussed tentative scheduling for late‑2025/early‑2026 hearings. The full minute record and official orders for each case are available from the Fort Lauderdale Code Enforcement Office and will show the precise findings, compliance deadlines, and any recorded fines or liens.