Walton County magistrate orders compliance deadlines, fines and fee waivers across multiple code cases

Special Magistrate Hayward Dykes issued orders on a string of Walton County code-enforcement cases during a Feb. 12 hearing in DeFuniak Springs, setting staggered compliance deadlines, administrative fees and daily fines for properties found in violation of the Walton County Land Development Code.

Most immediately, Dykes reduced outstanding enforcement fines to zero for the new owner of a Freeport property after finding the buyer was unaware of prior violations and had since brought the property into compliance. "I will reduce the fines to 0, but I will not reduce the administrative fee," Dykes said, ordering payment of the $128 administrative fee within 30 days.

The magistrate then heard multiple other matters. Officer testimony and photographic evidence were admitted in cases that involved alleged junk and debris, inoperable vehicles, unpermitted construction, and dilapidated structures. Dykes generally framed remedies to match whether a property had an active building permit, was newly permitted, or had no permit and persistent violations.

Orders at a glance

- Case 2302460 (433 Live Oak St., Freeport). New owner recorded as Eli/Aliyu Cepero. Magistrate found prior violations had been corrected after the change of ownership and eliminated accrued daily fines (total previously accrued reported by staff). Administrative fee: $128 due within 30 days. Magistrate rationale: owner was unaware of prior fines and the property had been brought into compliance (Greg Forehand, Walton County Code Compliance).

- Case CE2400950 (33 Silk Oak Drive, Defuniak Springs). Owner: William Collinsworth (no representative present). Violations cited: building setback and exterior storage/junk (Walton County Land Development Code 5.00.03 and 5.07.09(c)). Order: 30 days to…