Special Magistrate Marshman ordered the owner of 827 Northwest Magnolia Way to remove an inoperative, unlicensed motor vehicle and repair a storm-damaged roof within 30 days, or face a $50-per-day fine beginning on the 31st day.

The city presented photos and testimony that an October inspection found the vacant property overgrown, an abandoned white vehicle in the driveway and a tree that had fallen through the roof. "This property is a violation of International Property Maintenance Code 301.3 ... 302.4 ... 302.8 ... and 304.7," said Mr. Silva, a city code enforcement officer, summarizing the city's case and its timeline of mailed notices and re-inspections. Silva testified he inspected the property on Oct. 15, sent a notice of violation, and observed repairs and mowing by later inspections but said the roof remained unrepaired and the vehicle remained on site.

Neighbor Mickey Weston told the magistrate she lives next door and described continuing blight and safety concerns at the property, saying her mother's bedroom faces the backyard and that "it's got bushes. It's got rocks. It's overgrown." Weston said a contractor had been hired to fix the roof but that work had not yet begun and that she had contracted pest control as a precaution.

Special Magistrate Marshman said she would issue an order requiring full compliance within 30 days and explained the city's enforcement position: "If the property owner fails to comply with the order, ideally a fine of $50 per day will be imposed and begin to accrue on the property beginning on the 31st day." The magistrate's order set the 30-day compliance window and preserved the city's ability to place a lien for fines that accrue if the owner does not comply.

City staff identified mailings and certificate-of-mailing evidence showing notices were sent to addresses listed in the Columbia County property appraiser records; a family member (Kay Williamson) signed certified-mail receipts on some mailings, and staff said the property owner's listed mailing address is in Sanderson, Florida. Staff also said another code officer, Donnell White, spoke with a Williamson family member about cleanup progress and that photos taken on Jan. 2 were added to the case file.

The magistrate's order addresses only the motor vehicle and roof defects cited; the magistrate said other potential concerns about backyard appearance that are currently below the city's numeric weed threshold (12 inches) were not included in the order but could be the subject of a new complaint or future enforcement if they return.

The city may return the case for further enforcement if the owner does not meet the compliance deadline.