Magistrate finds repeat violations at commercial property, fines Cassidys $4,000 plus costs

A Martin County magistrate ruled July 16 that repeat violations existed at a commercial property at 3240 Southeast Dominica Terrace, where trash, outdoor storage and vehicles in the right-of-way had reappeared after a 2020 stipulation requiring remediation.

Investigator Maria Espaillat said the property previously resolved similar violations in 2020 under a signed stipulation. In June 2025 the county again observed trash and business materials stored outside and vehicles on the county right-of-way. Espaillat issued a repeat-notice of violation and photographed the conditions. The county posted and hand-delivered amended repeat notices in early July.

The county reported the site was placed into compliance on July 15 after screening and removal of items; the county requested that the Cassidys be found repeat violators and be assessed a repeat-violation fine. The county recommended $250 per day per violation for 33 days, yielding a larger requested total; the magistrate instead calculated an eight-day span tied to proper notice and imposed the repeat-violation penalty at $500 per day for eight days, for a total of $4,000, plus $575 in investigative costs.

Magistrate's rationale The magistrate found the repeat-violation framework applied because the property had been subject to a prior enforcement agreement in 2020. Because corrected notice for repeat-violation calculations was delivered and reissued on July 8, the magistrate limited the enforceable repeat-violation period to the days after proper notice and before the July 15 compliance photographs, producing the eight-day penalty calculation. The magistrate said the county's exhibits showed compliance as of July 15 but sustained the repeat fine for the notice period.

Order The magistrate ordered payment of $4,000 in repeat-violation fines (8 days at the repeat rate) plus $575 in investigative costs to Martin County, to be paid at the conclusion of the hearing.