Clearwater code board orders compliance, sets fines; short‑term rental and RV cases highlighted

The Clearwater Municipal Code Enforcement Board met March 26, 2025, and issued a series of enforcement orders requiring property owners to correct code violations or face daily fines and possible liens. The meeting included multiple findings of violation for fence maintenance, sign repair, lot clearing, junk and debris, business tax receipt (BTR) requirements, and short‑term rental rules.

The board emphasized short‑term rental enforcement and a lengthy case involving an RV and property with repeated notices. Sarah Green, code compliance supervisor for the City of Clearwater, told the board a short‑term rental property listed with a two‑night minimum remained configured that way through repeated notices; the property owner, Iris Valentin Villanueva, told the board, “I admit,” when asked whether she admitted the violation. Inspector Dave Jensen described a separate property where an RV was parked in violation of setback and parking rules and said the owner has an outstanding BTR lien of $385,800 from a prior case.

Why this matters: the board set firm compliance dates and daily fines that create financial pressure on property owners and may result in liens that the city can foreclose, collect or settle. Several cases included short compliance windows (as few as five days for lot‑clearing or junk removal) or specific dates for repairs and business license compliance.

Votes at a glance (case number, respondent, violation(s), compliance deadline, potential fine, outcome):

- Case 09‑25 — Tanner Tollung, 1233 Sediva Circle South: fence maintenance, lot clearing/hazardous tree, and failure to obtain a residential rental business tax receipt (BTR). Compliance ordered: fence and BTR by 05/01/2025; lot clearing within five days of the written order. Fines: $150 per day for fence; $50 per day for BTR; abatement and lien authority for lot clearing. Outcome: board entered orders (motion passed).

- Case 11‑25 — Ritty Investments LLC, 1915 Drew Street: sign maintenance (Code section 3‑1502(I) cited). Compliance ordered by 04/26/2025; proposed fine $150 per day if not corrected. Inspector reported a permit application was submitted and under review. Outcome: order entered (motion approved).

- Case 12‑25 — Thomas Rizkovsky, 1384 Seabreeze Street: two separate findings — (1) Community Development Code (CDC) violation for RV/grass parking (setback rules) and (2) public nuisance (junk and debris accumulation). CDC compliance ordered by 04/09/2025; fine $150 per day. Junk/debris compliance ordered five days after the written order; if not corrected the city may abate and place costs as a lien. Inspector Jensen noted the property owner has a separate outstanding BTR lien of $385,800 from 02/2017. Outcome: both orders entered (motions carried).

- Case 13‑25 — Iris Valentin Villanueva, 1446 Thames Lane: illegal short‑term rental (zoning/use violation). Inspector Green said listing screenshots repeatedly showed a two‑night minimum; Valentin admitted the violation in the hearing. Compliance ordered by 04/26/2025; fine $250 per day per violation if the rental continues. A board member attempted to shorten the deadline to April 1 but that motion failed; the full motion setting 30 days carried (vote recorded by the chair as 5–2). Outcome: order entered (motion carried).

- Case 14‑25 — Minh Van Lee and Thi Throng, 1563 Misty Plateau Trail: short‑term rental cited but the property had returned to compliance before the hearing. The board found a prior violation and entered an order declaring the violation corrected and imposed no fine; the board retained authority to fine if the violation repeats. Outcome: declaration entered (motion approved).

- Case 16‑25 — Christine Dorcellus, 214 Highland Avenue: fence maintenance (Code section 3‑808). Compliance ordered by 04/26/2025; fine $150 per day if not corrected. Outcome: order entered (motion approved).

- Old business — Affidavits of compliance listed for cases 5.1.0.1, 5.1.2 and 5.1.3: accepted by the board (motions approved).

- Case 150‑24 — Terusi Development, LLC, 51 Verdina Street: abandoned building; the board accepted an affidavit of noncompliance and issued an order imposing fines with lien authority. Outcome: order entered (motion approved).

- Case 56‑24 — Clearwater Residential Trust (Jim Fekken/Jane Pick): request to reduce an abandoned‑building lien at 1608 North Osceola Avenue. The inspector and manager confirmed the property is in compliance; the board reduced the lien to administrative costs of $1,456.20, payable within 60 days, after which the lien would revert to the original amount if unpaid. Outcome: lien reduction order entered (motion approved).

- Case 28‑25 — Florida Jefferson Estate, 1325 Woodbine Street: nuisance abatement lien for lot clearing. Compliance ordered within five days; if not corrected the city may abate and record costs as a lien with foreclosure/collection authority. Outcome: order entered (motion approved).

What the board said and did not do: where owners corrected violations before the hearing (Case 14‑25, Case 56‑24 compliance findings) the board either declined to impose fines or reduced liens. Where owners had a history of noncompliance or did not respond to mailed notices, the board set relatively short compliance timelines and authorized daily fines and lien remedies. Several inspectors told the board they had no direct contact with owners or that certified mail had been returned unclaimed.

Next steps and enforcement mechanics: for abatement orders the board specified the city’s ability to enter property, abate nuisances, charge reasonable costs and file liens; several orders included the standard three‑month lien reversion and foreclosure/collection language the board uses when fines and fees remain unpaid. Owners who comply by the stated dates will avoid daily fines; owners who already brought properties into compliance (as documented by inspectors) saw reduced or waived fiscal penalties.

Meeting context: the board, which consists of seven appointed members, handled a full docket of property‑maintenance, signage, rental‑use and lien matters over the roughly 48‑minute hearing and adjourned after entering the orders above.