Port St. Lucie magistrate certifies fines, sets deadlines and orders abatements in Jan. 15 hearing

Special Magistrate Keith Davis opened the City of Port St. Lucie special magistrate hearing on Jan. 15, 2025 and issued orders across dozens of code-enforcement cases, certifying fines for some properties, setting compliance deadlines for others and authorizing city abatement where owners failed to act.

Davis said during the hearing, "I find that the property remains in violation as cited," when announcing multiple certifications of fines and compliance dates. The proceedings covered commercial and residential code violations, including missing site‑plan items, open storage, unmaintained swales, damaged dumpster corrals and high grass.

The most immediate orders included a $50-per-day fine (up to $5,000) plus administrative costs of $411 against James A. Freese for unresolved site‑plan and open‑storage violations at 2732 Southwest Kinsella/Casella Street after repeated noncompliance. Freese told the magistrate he was "planning on selling the property" and asked for more time; Davis denied further continuances and certified the fine.

Commercial properties also faced stiff deadlines. The magistrate certified a $100-per-day fine (up to $10,000) plus $411 administrative costs against Bridal Frontier Plaza LLC for landscaping, site‑plan and right‑of‑way violations at 2130 Southwest Hayworth Avenue. Ron's Auto Body Specialist Inc. (8890 S. US-1) was given a compliance date on April 16, 2025; if not compliant the case will accrue $175 per day up to $17,500 plus $411 in administrative costs. Several other commercial property owners — including St. Lucie Enterprises LLC and Mavitt Service Inc. — received 90‑day continuances or compliance dates on the magistrate’s April 16 agenda with daily fine schedules and administrative costs spelled out in the orders.

Some small-business respondents described operational constraints and tenant disputes to explain delays. Ronald Hansraj of Ron's Auto Body said a tenant would not remove vehicles that block required landscaping, and the magistrate told him to pursue eviction or demonstrate good‑faith steps; the city said it could not intervene in a private landlord‑tenant dispute.

Other orders granted the city authority to abate unsafe conditions. Judge Davis accepted a city request under Florida Statute 162.08(5) to authorize city contractors to enter and clear a Port St. Lucie parcel if the owner did not abate observed high grass, debris and other public‑health hazards by the Jan. 22 deadline. In a separate matter, the magistrate found a longstanding residential case with multiple prior liens had reached its administrative maximum; the magistrate certified the fine and closed that file while noting the owner may seek assistance through neighborhood services programs.

A small number of cases were continued to give owners time to secure permits or complete site‑plan amendments. The magistrate set March 19, 2025 or April 16, 2025 hearing dates for several multi‑parcel commercial properties (including Mavitt Service Inc., Tigerfish Real Estate LLC, KSA Business Property LLC and Angelfish Real Estate LLC) so staff and property owners could provide planning, permitting or proof of corrective work. North Plaza LLC reported a permit was issued and the city agreed to hold the file while the contractor schedules construction.

The hearing also opened with administrative housekeeping: the magistrate noted prior agreed modifications for agenda items 1–9 and that a set of vacate requests (agenda items 10–11) had been found invalid and were vacated or abated by city staff.

The magistrate closed the session shortly after noon and scheduled follow‑up hearings and certification hearings for unresolved matters.

Votes at a glance (selected outcomes recorded on the record): - Case 23‑12873 (James A. Freese, 2732 SW Kinsella/Casella St.): certified fine $50/day, maximum $5,000; administrative cost $411; outcome: certified/enforced. - Case 24‑06690 (Bridal Frontier Plaza LLC, 2130 SW Hayworth Ave.): certified fine $100/day, maximum $10,000; administrative cost $411; outcome: certified/enforced. - Case 24‑04590 (Ron's Auto Body Specialist Inc., 8890 S. US‑1): continued to April 16, 2025; failure to comply thereafter carries $175/day up to $17,500 plus $411; outcome: continuance with compliance date. - Case 24‑14114 (St. Lucie Enterprises LLC, 1924 SW Gatlin Blvd.): compliance set for April 16, 2025; if not compliant $175/day up to $17,500 plus $411; outcome: continuance with compliance date. - Cases 24‑15239 & 24‑15241 (Premier Management Inc., 2699 SW Domino Rd. and 2073 SW Hayworth Ave.): compliance required by March 14, 2025; fines $25/day up to $2,500 per case; administrative cost $411 (joint); outcome: compliance deadlines set. - Cases 24‑05974 & 24‑05976 (Paul Lucas / PL Rentals LLC, 1641 & 1621 SW S. Macedo Blvd.): 60‑day compliance window; March 14, 2025 compliance date set; fines if not compliant: case 05974: $50/day (max $5,000); case 05976: $75/day (max $7,500); administrative cost $411 (joint); outcome: compliance deadlines set. - Cases 24‑10304 & 24‑10305 (Mavitt Service Inc., 1622 & 1646 SW Biltmore St.): compliance set April 16, 2025; if not compliant daily fines of $250 (case 10304) and $300 (case 10305) up to $25,000 and $30,000 respectively; one administrative cost $411; outcome: compliance deadlines set. - Case 24‑16205 (1042 SW Jacklyn Ave.): compliance March 14, 2025; $75/day up to $7,500; administrative cost $411; outcome: compliance deadline set. - Case 24‑17213 (Nicole C. Basil, 274 SW Airview Ave.): extended to June 13, 2025 to repair swale; failure thereafter: $25/day up to $2,500; outcome: extended compliance date. - Case 24‑18676 (Joyce Amoseka, 1782 SW Cloverleaf St.): compliance required Jan. 22, 2025; failure to comply may result in $100/day up to $10,000 and city abatement authorized under Fla. Stat. 162.08(5); outcome: certified authority to abate if not corrected. - Case 23‑16467 (DeSanti, 243 SW Statler Ave.): magistrate certified the fine (city had requested reduction to $100/day up to $10,000), the lien was noted as maxed and the file was closed, with referral to available neighborhood services programs; outcome: certification and file closure. - Multiple vacant‐lot and public‑health matters listed as special requests (numerous case numbers read into the record) were found to have proper notice and the city was authorized to abate if owners do not comply by the stated deadlines.

The magistrate adjourned the session at about 12:06 p.m.; unresolved matters were placed on follow‑up calendars for March 19 and April 16, 2025 as specified in the orders.