Owners of Ocoee pole barn given three months to obtain permits or face $500/day lien

Owners Erland J. Rodriguez Santos and Mandy G. Reyes Hernandez were given 90 days to obtain permits for interior and exterior alterations to a pole barn at 3021 Freedom Trail in Oviedo, including mechanical, electrical and plumbing work. The special magistrate said that because this is a repeat violation the property faces a $500-per-day lien if the owners do not obtain required permits within the three-month period.

Ruth Goldstein presented the county’s case, reciting earlier findings that no permits had been applied for and that the county had issued orders extending compliance dates multiple times. Goldstein said a heating system permit was applied for and issued the day of the hearing, but the remaining alterations still lacked permits. The property owner said they had contracted an engineer and contractor and had been working since the last court date to bring plans and documentation forward.

An engineer sworn for testimony, Mike Sompiel, said preparing the complete permit package would likely take four to five months because of field work required to document existing conditions and reconcile previous alterations. Magistrate responded by giving a 90-day final continuance, noting the case was a repeat violation, and warned that if the permits were not received within that time a $500-per-day lien would commence; the magistrate also said no further continuances would be granted.