Coconut Creek requires pre-suit mediation before authorizing lawsuit against Redstone Ranch owners

The Coconut Creek City Commission on Thursday approved an amended resolution that requires pre‑suit mediation before the city pursues further litigation against Andrew Cody and Michelle Patton, owners of Redstone Ranch LLC, over alleged unpermitted “educational use” and code violations at 4551 NW 30th Avenue.

The amendment — proposed by Commissioner Riedell and adopted before the underlying authorization — directs the city attorney to attempt mediation with the property owners prior to hiring outside counsel to file an injunction if the educational use resumes. The main resolution had directed the city attorney to pursue the city’s legal rights and remedies, including engaging an outside attorney for injunctive relief if necessary.

Commissioners said the decision balanced enforcement with an interest in resolving disputes outside court if possible. Commissioner Brody described the matter as a life‑safety concern after citing reports about unsafe conditions and children on the property. "When we start talking about children in that, and there's a flagrant disregard for safety for children, I got a real problem with that," Brody said.

City Attorney Terrell Pyburn told the commission the city is not planning an immediate lawsuit while the owners are cooperating: the educational use has been relocated off the property and building permits have been applied for. Pyburn said the resolution was intended as a contingency should the use resume. The staff memo presented at the meeting identified January 29, 2025, as the date the building and fire departments posted the property as unsafe after construction work without permits.

Owners and their counsel told the commission they have sought court review of aspects of the city’s enforcement. Eola Cook, appearing as counsel for Cody and Patton, said the owners have filed appeals of magistrate rulings and a declaratory‑relief action to clarify whether certain farm buildings and homeschool co‑op activities fall under the building code and local regulations. "They're following the law. They're following the laws as they're drafted," Cook said, while also saying her clients are willing to mediate.

Andrew Cody told commissioners he has obtained engineers and permits and characterized his farm activities as bona fide agriculture; Michelle Patton said the homeschool co‑op was formed by parents to keep children out of perceived safety risks at public schools and that the groups take animal and child safety seriously.

Commissioner Riedell moved the amendment requiring pre‑suit mediation; the motion was seconded and the amended resolution passed on a unanimous roll call. Commissioners also discussed that two lawsuits involving the parties are already pending: an appeal of building permit citations and a declaratory‑relief complaint seeking legal clarification on agricultural and educational occupancy questions. The city attorney said staff has met with the owners and their counsel, and the expectation is to pursue mediation as the next step only if necessary.

Next steps noted at the meeting include scheduling mediation (if required) and monitoring the owners’ permit activity. City staff said they would continue to follow compliance and that the outside counsel named in staff materials — Matthew Mandel of Weis Sirota — would be engaged only if the parties failed to resolve the issues and injunctive relief became necessary.

Votes at the meeting on this item were recorded as "yes" by all commissioners present after the amendment was added.