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Ocala board orders permits by Nov. 6, 90-day completion window for 813 SW 3rd St.
Summary
The Ocala Code Enforcement Board accepted staff recommendations requiring the owner of 813 Southwest 3rd Street to apply for permits by Nov. 6 and complete work within 90 days after permit issuance, or face accumulating fines; prosecution costs of $218.47 were also ordered to be paid by Nov. 6.
The Ocala Code Enforcement Board voted to accept staff recommendations for case CE25-0455, requiring permits to be applied for by Nov. 6 and ordering payment of prosecution costs of $218.47 by that date for the property at 813 Southwest Third Street.
The action followed testimony from Officer Ocis Ferrera and from the property owner, Carlos Tarafa, who described hiring an individual who represented himself as a licensed contractor and then disappearing. Tarafa said he later hired a new contractor and that demolition plans and reconstruction drawings are being finalized. "I acquired this property in April... I hired somebody who told me he was a licensed contractor. I paid him to do the work," Tarafa told the board.
Dale Hollingsworth, chief code official and manager of the code enforcement division, opened the case and explained that a complaint on May 28 led to a stop-work order when inspectors found extensive unpermitted work, including a new metal roof and a large hole in the roof. Officer Ferrera said the permit application is currently under review and that electrical and plumbing work were not included in the submitted plans. Hollingsworth relayed staff’s recommended compliance deadline: "get their permits applied for and issued by 4PM on Thursday, November 6," and explained that, once issued, work should be completed within 90 days or fines would resume.
Walter Trevet Hornberger, the contractor now working on the property, told the board he pulled a demolition permit Aug. 5 and later paid for a reconstruction permit; Hornberger said the engineering drawings remain in progress and that he will be filing the necessary permits. "I've been a certified contractor since 1976," Hornberger said.
Board member Eddie Ferrantino moved to accept staff recommendations requiring permits by Nov. 6 and payment of prosecution costs of $218.47 by that date; the motion was seconded by Shirley Wright and approved by the board.
The board emphasized it would consider additional time if demonstrable and continuing progress were shown, but said fines would accrue if work stalled after the 90-day completion window. Staff will monitor progress and return the matter to the board if necessary.
