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Magistrate finds Bronson Street RV residency violates Palatka code; owner given 120 days while variance/appeal proceeds
Summary
Special Magistrate Ron Brown found a violation of section 94-192 (prohibiting living in major recreational equipment) at 415 Bronson Street and gave the owner 120 days to pursue administrative remedies (variance/appeal to the Planning Board); no fine was imposed at the hearing.
Special Magistrate Ron Brown found that a person has been residing in a recreational camper at 415 Bronson Street in Palatka in violation of city code section 94-192 and ordered the owner to pursue available administrative remedies with a 120-day compliance period.
Christie Lowe, City of Palatka code enforcement officer, presented photographs and a police welfare-check report showing a person inside a camper on the property and produced a letter from the property owner acknowledging the occupant. Lowe identified the occupant as Edward Murphy. Nancy M. Burke, the owner of record, acknowledged at the hearing that she had allowed Murphy to be on the property and explained he has health issues and limited housing options.
Planning Director Lorenzo Agambra told the hearing that the property's application for a variance had been filed but could not be processed as a variance for a use; the process available is to deny and then appeal to the Planning Board. Agambra confirmed the Planning Board meets monthly and gave an expected next hearing opportunity in April. Brown said the 120-day period would allow time for the city to issue any necessary denial and for the owner to appeal to the Planning Board; if the Planning Board grants the appeal or other relief, the enforcement matter would be resolved. Brown said, in effect, that if approval is not obtained by the compliance deadline the property could be out of compliance and subject to fines after the deadline.
Brown explicitly found a violation of section 94-192 (major recreational equipment used for living/sleeping) and set a 120-day compliance period from the hearing date (deadline June 18, 2025). He did not assess a fine at the hearing but warned that fines could begin accruing after the compliance deadline if the administrative appeals do not produce approval. He advised the owner and Mr. Murphy to work with code enforcement and planning staff; Lowe was identified as the primary city contact for follow-up.
