Fort Lauderdale special magistrate grants multiple compliance extensions, imposes and reduces fines across building cases

The Fort Lauderdale special magistrate heard dozens of building-code cases on Jan. 16 and issued a mix of extensions, fines and reductions while ordering many property owners to reappear with updates.

At the hearing the city’s representatives and property owners reported varying levels of progress: some owners supplied engineer letters or said permits were in review, while others had no verifiable documentation. Chief Leonardo Martinez and multiple city inspectors asked owners for signed-and-sealed engineer letters or issued permits before granting long extensions; where those items were missing the magistrate ordered fines to be posted or continued to accrue.

The hearing produced multiple immediate outcomes that affect property owners across Fort Lauderdale: extensions ranging from 35 to 180 days were granted in many cases, fines were imposed where documentation was not provided, and administrative fines were reduced in several matters where the city determined compliance steps were complete or near completion.

“Once they provide that letter, you get an automatic 180 days,” Chief Leonardo Martinez said while explaining the city’s requirement for a signed and sealed engineer letter referencing an active permit in 40-year recertification matters.

Tracy, treasurer for McNabb Industrial Condo Association, told the magistrate: “The first portion of the electrical was completed on July 20th,” and described ongoing repairs and a resubmitted engineer letter; the magistrate nevertheless ordered fines imposed until the city receives the signed letter and then noted fines would stop accruing and mitigation could be requested.

Paul Milberg, general counsel for Wayne House Association, described a multi-million-dollar remediation project and asked for time: “They’ve done everything they could within this time period,” he said; the magistrate granted an extension and set a mandatory reappearance date so the city can review progress.

Votes at a glance (selected cases — outcome and key conditions): - McNabb Industrial Condo Association (1380 W. McNabb Rd., BE-2309-0159): Magistrate ordered fines to be imposed through the hearing date; city said a signed-and-sealed engineer letter referencing the active permit will stop fines and trigger an automatic 180‑day extension; mitigation may be requested for accrued fines ($9,200 reported to date). Respondent: Tracy (treasurer, McNabb Industrial Condo Association). - EWE Warehouse Investments 26 Ltd. (1850 NW 49th St., BE-23070372): Extension granted; magistrate set new compliance date (May 31); city to stop fines while owner provides required engineer report; respondent counsel: Barbara Hall (Greenberg Torek). - Wayne House Association (3051 NE 47th Ct., BE-): 63‑day extension with mandatory reappearance to March 20; respondent: Paul Milberg (general counsel). - Bay Colony Club Condo Inc. (6201 Bay Club Dr., BE-24020159): 90‑day extension to April 17 with order to reappear; city inspector reported multiple folios and separate permit/inspection sequences. - Breakers of Fort Law Condo Association (909 Breakers Ave., BE-23060093): City reported case now in compliance but requested fines be posted; respondent Nicole Blum Dion described ongoing work; magistrate ordered fines imposed pending submission of required documentation. - Phantom Realty LLC (3251 SW 1st Terrace, BE-23090133): Magistrate reduced accrued fines from $8,000 to administrative costs of $1,275 after engineer and inspector confirmed work was complete; respondent engineer: Carl Forbes. - Villas of Lakeview / Phillips Lakeview (52100 NW 31st Ave., BE-23080393): Case was briefly passed while parties located a previously submitted engineer letter; magistrate later found the permit referenced on the letter was expired and ordered fines imposed; parties may present a current signed/sealed letter and the magistrate said the case could be recalled. - Roller Place LLC (401 NE 5th Terrace, BE-2411-0019): City asked magistrate to find violation exists and granted 63 days to comply or $250/day thereafter; respondent counsel said contractor change and inspections will be called for. - Macy’s / Keystone-related structural case (2314 E Sunrise Blvd., BE-23060204): City requested imposition of fines after more than a year of incomplete work tied to an FPL vault relocation; magistrate ordered fines imposed and noted Macy’s may request fine reduction after compliance. - Royal Lauderdale Landings (51100 Bayview Dr., BE-24090006): Magistrate granted 63 days (March 20) to secure required permit for a newly installed pool fence; owner Jim Hannigan explained turnover on the board and ongoing efforts to locate contractor records. - 1023 NW 2nd Ave. (LDA Ventures 2 LLC, BE-24060062): Owner Adam Feldman received 119 days (to May 15) to sell or permit the property; magistrate noted fines would resume at $50/day if compliance is not met. - 1612 SW 12th Ct. (Tucker, BE-24040093): Magistrate granted 119 days (May 15) to allow variance/permit processing for enclosed carport and rear shed; inspector supported a mandatory reappearance. - 200 S Birch Rd (Leisure Beach Association, BE-23030194): Magistrate granted 119 days (May 15) but said if final certification is submitted earlier the case will be closed without reappearance; engineer said structural repairs were essentially complete. - 713–multiple balcony and recertification cases (various addresses): Several large condominium projects with structural work or 40‑year recertification reports were given phased extensions (63–180 days) or required to submit signed, sealed reports; the hearing emphasized that original signed hard-copy engineer letters or verifiable signed electronic submissions are required. - Multiple other owner-requested extensions were granted with orders to reappear (common orders: 63, 91 or 119 days) where permit applications were in review or engineer letters were promised.

What this means for property owners Property owners under enforcement must provide the city with either (a) a signed-and-sealed engineer letter that references an active permit (for 40‑year or structural recertification matters), or (b) a permit application that moves to issuance and inspection. Where those items remain missing, magistrate orders generally leave fines to continue to accrue but often pause accrual when verifiable documentation is delivered during the 180‑day window specified by the city. Several owners were told they can later request mitigation or amnesty for fines once compliance is proven.

City and owners were frequently directed to coordinate directly after the hearing. The magistrate repeatedly emphasized the same procedural point: the city needs verifiable signed documentation (hard copy or otherwise verifiable) rather than unverified forwarded emails before it will grant long extensions.

Selected quotations “Once they provide that letter, you get an automatic 180 days,” Chief Leonardo Martinez said when explaining the city’s extension policy for 40‑year recertification matters. “The first portion of the electrical was completed on July 20th,” said Tracy (treasurer, McNabb Industrial Condo Association), describing ongoing repairs at 1380 W. McNabb Road. “They’ve done everything they could within this time period,” Paul Milberg, general counsel for Wayne House Association, said while requesting more time to complete a complex, multi‑million dollar structural project.

Next steps Where magistrate orders included reappearance dates, the clerk will mail formal hearing notices to property addresses on file. Owners who provided the required documentation before the magistrate returned to a case were told the magistrate may recall the matter and avoid posting or collecting further fines. Several owners were directed to work with specific inspectors (named at the hearing) to arrange site re‑inspections before the next scheduled appearance.

The city recorded the hearing and inspectors and respondents who testified are noted in the court record for each case. Cases that remain out of compliance at future hearings may face continued fines or administrative lien actions per city procedure.