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 correct (on or before 2025-03-14). Penalty if not corrected: $100 per day. Administrative fee: $98 due within 30 days.

- Case CE2400955 (115 Loblolly Bay Drive, Santa Rosa Beach). Owner: Emil Babion/Babyon. Violations cited: maintenance, junk and litter (5.07.09(b) and 7.02.01(a)). Evidence included multiple photographs and testimony from code officers and an HOA representative. Finding: county proved debris and construction materials were present in front of the home, but the property also had active building permits related to interior and exterior work. Order: allow compliance time tied to the active permit — magistrate set an initial deadline of one day after the building permit RB226677 expires; because staff records showed an extension to 2025-05-05, magistrate required the property be brought into compliance on or before 2025-05-06 (the day after the permit’s expiration as recorded in the hearing). Penalty if not corrected: $150 per day. Administrative fee: $105.

- Case CE2400985 (552 Mountain Valley Road, DeFuniak Springs). Owner: Angelica Dagan. Violations cited: exterior storage, junk and nonoperating vehicles (5.07.09(c)). Officer testimony showed trash bagged but not removed and two nonoperable vehicles on the property. Order: 60 days to comply (the magistrate set a compliance date of 2025-04-13). Penalty if not corrected: $100 per day. Administrative fee: $98 due within 30 days.

- Case CE240931 (Lot 25 & 26, Ricker Avenue, Santa Rosa Beach; Regalke Revocable Trust). Violations cited: development approvals (Walton County Land Development Code 1.13). Staff reported that a building plan review (BPR) application to fuse both lots was filed on 2025-02-06. Order: 60 days to obtain required approvals and bring the property into compliance (on or before 2025-04-14). Penalty if not corrected: $250 per day. Administrative fee: $98.

- Case CE240967 (46 Peachtree Street, Laurel Hill). Owner: estate of Harold Weeks. Violations cited: nonoperating vehicles, junk and debris (5.07.09(c)). Testimony described substantial debris and at least one apparently inoperable vehicle. Order: 30 days to comply (on or before 2025-03-14). Penalty if not corrected: $250 per day. Administrative fee: $98.

- Case CE2400762 (543 West Juniper Ave., Defuniak Springs). Violations cited: failure to obtain building permit (1.13/related code) and dilapidated structure (7.02.03). Evidence showed an older mobile home in poor condition. Order: 30 days to comply (on or before 2025-03-14). Penalty if not corrected: $150 per day. Administrative fee: $80.

- Case CE2400962 (7680 U.S. Hwy 90 W., DeFuniak Springs). Owners: Alton and Cindy McDonald. Violations cited: building setbacks (5.00.03), storage of nonoperating vehicles/junk/debris (5.07.09(c)), mobile-home standards (5.07.11), and RV/camper occupancy rules. Staff described multiple occupied RVs, inoperable vehicles and numerous accessory structures without permits; the parcel is recorded as vacant in the property appraiser’s files. The magistrate acknowledged the owners’ testimony that they were removing occupants and actively cleaning debris and wood from the state right-of-way, and the owners asked for additional time. Order: 90 days to comply (on or before 2025-05-13). Penalty if not corrected: $500 per day. Administrative fee: $88.

- BCHV240031 — beach-vendor appeal (Anthony McGuire). The county advised the magistrate that Mr. McGuire’s vendor permit had been administratively revoked on Feb. 11 pursuant to Walton County Code sec. 22-62(d) (automatic revocation of permits when certain suspensions or outstanding fines occur). Because the permit had been revoked before the hearing, the magistrate found the appeal moot and took no action; the county’s enforcement staff directed the vendor to work with county offices to address fines and any steps necessary to seek reissuance of a permit.

Why it matters

The hearing illustrates how Walton County’s code-enforcement process ties compliance windows and fines to permit status and the presence or absence of active permits. Where property owners had active, extended permits, the magistrate frequently allowed time tied to permit expiration to finish permitted work; where no permit existed or debris persisted in public view, the magistrate set near-term deadlines and daily monetary penalties to induce cleanup. The orders also show the magistrate’s willingness to reduce or eliminate accumulated fines where a new owner demonstrates prompt corrective action but to leave a mandatory administrative fee in place.

What happens next

Property owners ordered to comply must pay the stated administrative fee within 30 days and take corrective action by their deadline or face daily fines. Owners who can show progress after a deadline may petition the county for fine reductions; the magistrate noted that the county has at times granted reductions when substantial progress is shown. Owners whose permits were revoked (beach vendors) were directed to work with county staff on steps necessary for reinstatement and to clear outstanding fines before new permits would be issued.

Ending

Magistrate Dykes signed the written orders following the hearing and directed code staff to process them; owners who wish to contest or seek adjustments may return to the county process for further review or mitigation requests.