Summary
The City of Safety Harbor code enforcement board on Aug. 20 found a resident at 1231 Willowwick Circle in violation of the city's sanitation and yard-waste rules and ordered compliance by Aug. 26 or a $100-per-day fine, plus $410 in administrative costs.
The City of Safety Harbor Code Enforcement Board found that yard waste and debris left near the curb at 1231 Willowwick Circle violated city collection and yard-waste rules and ordered the property owner to bring the property into compliance by Aug. 26, 2025, or face a $100-per-day fine. The board also awarded the city $410 in administrative costs.
The ruling follows testimony from Paul Bushey, the city's community compliance officer, who said city records indicate the property is homesteaded and owned by Douglas Joseph and Alicia Haluba. Bushey described repeated sanitation tags on the property and said the debris remained in the roadway as of the morning of Aug. 20, 2025. "The sanitation driver's position in the crew lead is the crew leader on the truck. The driver determines whether or not the items placed at the curb meet the city's code of ordinances for pickup and disposal," Bushey testified, and he presented photographs, USPS proof of mailing for a notice of violation dated July 22, 2025, and a notice of hearing mailed Aug. 8, 2025.
The city relied on provisions of the Safety Harbor Code regulating yard waste and bulk pickup, specifically Chapter 10 and Section 10.05(b) and 10.05(e), which set limits for weekly yard-waste volume (1.5 cubic yards or the equivalent of eight 32-gallon cans) and restrict bulk pickup to no more than 10 bags or bulk items on a designated bulk day. Bushey said the sanitation division posts door hangers when items are not collected and that the property had been tagged for improper bundling on June 11 and July 16, 2025.
Respondent testimony was strongly contested. The man identified in the hearing as Mr. Haluba said he had placed a small root ball on the curb but argued the larger pile had accumulated over time and in part lay on an adjacent property. He repeatedly raised concerns about selective enforcement by the sanitation division, alleging that larger, unbundled piles on nearby streets had been collected while his were left. "There's no evidence of that," Bushey replied when asked whether anyone had seen the respondent place all of the debris.
Board members discussed the evidence and the respondent's testimony. Board member Chuck Dahl, who moved to find the respondent in violation, said in closing that the respondent "added to the pile" and had admitted putting the root ball into the pile. Brian Hack, who seconded the motion, said the board has an obligation to ensure property owners maintain their property regardless of neighborhood dynamics. After discussion about giving the respondent time to remedy the violation, the board voted 6-0 to adopt the motion as made: the respondent must bring the property into compliance by Aug. 26, 2025, or a $100 daily fine will begin; the board also awarded the city $410 in administrative costs.
The board's order (which the clerk said will be mailed to 1231 Willowwick Circle) cites the relevant code sections and sets the compliance date and fines. The board's action was limited to the evidence and testimony presented at the hearing; members noted that city sanitation staff provide door hangers and a phone number for special pickups and that residents may schedule special pickups or containerize debris for regular collection.
The board record contains the city's notices, the sanitation tagging history, photographs presented at the hearing, and the city's request for administrative costs. The order was entered following a formal roll-call vote with all six seated members voting "Aye."
