Loxahatchee Groves magistrate orders property owners to comply with new RV rules; dozens of cases continued to June

Special Magistrate Amity Barnard ordered multiple property owners in the Town of Loxahatchee Groves to comply with the town's RV permit and maintenance rules by April 18, 2025, and set fine assessments and administrative costs for noncompliance during a March 19 code enforcement hearing.

The ruling followed the town's presentation of photographic evidence and service records for properties cited under the town code's RV permit, inspection and maintenance provision (section 92-010). Jeff Kurtz, project coordinator for the town, told the magistrate the town passed Ordinance 2024-07 in September 2024 and has begun a townwide sweep to identify unpermitted RVs. "We anticipate over the next 4 meetings to have approximately 250 cases that'll be presented to you in 1 form or another," Kurtz said.

Why it matters: The magistrate's orders create a near-term compliance deadline for the named respondents and set a consistent enforcement posture for cases tied to the 2024 RV ordinance. The town also sought and obtained continuances for an initial block of cases to allow respondents time to register or otherwise document compliance.

Most urgent facts: For the cases where the magistrate made findings at the March 19 hearing, respondents were ordered to comply on or before April 18, 2025, or appear at a May 5 fine-assessment hearing. In the event of noncompliance, the magistrate assessed fines of $100 per day and awarded the town administrative costs of $234.05, payable within 30 days. The magistrate also allowed the town to pull and reschedule a block of matters; Jeff Kurtz asked that "cases 1 through 35 on the agenda" and the first new-business violation (Dancing Crane Farms LLC, case number 25020143) be continued to the June 2 magistrate hearing.

What happened in the hearing: Town compliance staff presented individual…