Lakeland hearing officer finds violations at dozens of properties; owners given deadlines or daily fines

Emily Crane Evans, the hearing officer for the City of Lakeland, presided over a code enforcement hearing in which she found that multiple properties were in violation of city codes and ordered owners to come into compliance by specified dates or face daily fines.

The hearing covered dozens of docketed cases involving derelict vehicles, overgrowth and junk, open storage, unsecured or unoccupied buildings, and other violations of the City of Lakeland code. In most matters the hearing officer adopted the city’s recommendation: owners were given a deadline to correct the violation (commonly Jan. 19, 2025, Feb. 8, 2025, or March 10, 2025) or face daily fines, typically $50 per day. Two matters involving open, unsecured, or repeat violations were assigned a $150-per-day fine.

The hearing matters are procedural findings arising from code enforcement inspections and re‑inspections. The rulings set compliance deadlines, established that violations existed past listed deadlines in several cases, and in one case recorded a finding that a property qualified as a repeat violator.

SJD Development LLC, which owns a large parcel discussed during the hearing, requested more time to bring multiple locations on its property into compliance. Matthew Morrison, attorney for SJD Development, said the property covers many acres and asked for additional time to coordinate maintenance and a single point of contact with code enforcement. Morrison said, “I think 60 days would be more than fair to try to address this issue,” and asked for time to establish maintenance logistics. The city’s staff recommended a shorter deadline; Hearing Officer Evans granted 30 days (compliance by Feb. 8, 2025) and instructed the owner to coordinate with code enforcement during that period.

Several cases were identified as repeat violations or were flagged for findings of fact that the violation continued after the compliance deadline. In one case involving an open, unsecured building at 110 Main Street East, the hearing officer found a repeat violation and adopted the city’s recommendation that a $150-per-day fine be imposed retroactive to Nov. 14, 2024 and run until compliance is achieved.

Across the docket the hearing officer formally recorded findings of violation and set deadlines. Typical outcomes included:

Votes at a glance

- LCE24-06167 (1821 Kendrick Lane): housing violations; compliance by March 10, 2025, or $50/day thereafter; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06598 (5217 Orange Ave N): derelict vehicle; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06600 (5217 Orange Ave N): overgrowth/junk/open storage; compliance by Feb. 8, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06659 (401 Carpenters Way; SJD Development LLC): overgrowth/junk/open storage across a large parcel; owner sought 60 days, hearing officer granted 30 days (compliance by Feb. 8, 2025) or $50/day thereafter; outcome: violation found and 30-day compliance period granted. - LCE24-06610 (1928 Kendrick Lane): fence condition; compliance by Feb. 8, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-03422 (1500 Highland St, Unit 217): stairs/porch violation under ordinance 3947; compliance by March 10, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-05320 / LCE24-0520 (641 6th Street West, Vermont LLC): lot clearing/overgrowth; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06062 (1205 Highland St W): housing violations; compliance by March 10, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06214 (1421 Conestee Road): housing violations; compliance by March 10, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06373 (1145 Hickory St W): housing violations; compliance by March 10, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06407 (1625 Tangerine St): derelict vehicle; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06431 (641 6th Street West): windows violation; compliance by March 10, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06432 (641 6th Street West): open/unsecured/unoccupied building; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $150/day; outcome: violation found and fine level set. - LCE24-06435 (512 6th Street West): overgrowth/junk/open storage; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06538 (10108 8th Street West): overgrowth/junk/open storage; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06545 (3856 White Ibis Rd): derelict vehicle; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06567 (2320 Olney Rd): derelict vehicle; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06585 (1930 E Main St): parking and storage on residential property; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06586 (128 Patton Heights St): derelict vehicle; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06636 (1660 Webster Ave N): parking/storage; hearing officer recorded a finding of fact that the violation existed after the deadline and established the case as a repeat violation for future enforcement; outcome: finding of fact / repeat violator established. - LCE24-06685 (2468 Chestnut Woods Dr): derelict vehicle; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06712 (915 1/2 Martin Luther King Jr Ave): derelict vehicle; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06730 (3520 Cleveland Heights Blvd): commercial garbage disposal violation; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06740 (820 Lake Hollingsworth Dr): objects in public right-of-way / site visibility; compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set. - LCE24-06748 (110 Main St E): open/unsecured/unoccupied building; repeated violation found (reference to prior case LCE24-04389); $150/day fine effective Nov. 14, 2024 and running until compliance; outcome: repeat violation found and $150/day fine adopted. - LCE24-06810 & LCE24-06811 (2900 Lakeland Highlands Blvd / Highlands Plaza Retail LLC): commercial garbage/trash and improper disposal (oil containers leaking into dumpster and roadway); compliance by Jan. 19, 2025, or $50/day; outcome: violation found and deadline set.

What happened at the hearing

The hearing officer opened the session, explained summary disposition and contested hearings, and swore in participants. City code enforcement officers presented cases from the published docket, cited inspection dates and reinspection photos (commonly taken Jan. 2 or Jan. 6, 2025), and recommended deadlines or fines. Property owners and representatives sometimes spoke: for example, Matthew Morrison, attorney for SJD Development, requested additional time citing the size of the property and a recent change in maintenance crew. In several homeowner-presented matters owners or relatives acknowledged the violations and were granted short cure periods (10 or 30 days) depending on the case and the city’s recommendation.

Why this matters

These administrative rulings set enforceable compliance deadlines and monetary penalties. Where the hearing officer records a repeat violation or sets a higher daily fine, the city establishes higher enforcement exposure for the property owner until the violation is corrected. For a large parcel such as the SJD Development property, the ruling requires the owner to coordinate with the city during the 30-day compliance period to address violations across multiple areas of the property.

What’s next

Owners who were ordered to comply by the listed dates will receive official notices by mail if not already sent; the city will re‑inspect and may impose the daily fines specified in each case until compliance is met. Several cases were noted as repeat violations; those properties may face escalated enforcement if noncompliance continues.

Ending

The hearing concluded after the docket was processed and the hearing officer adjourned the session. Exact next steps for enforcement are administrative: reinspection, potential fine accrual and continued communication between property owners and code enforcement staff.