Cooper City special magistrate sets fines and compliance deadlines across 17 code-enforcement cases

COOPER CITY, Fla. — On Aug. 6, 2025, Special Magistrate Scott Kleinman presided over the Cooper City code-enforcement docket and issued a mix of findings, administrative fees and compliance deadlines across 17 cases, including one vacated order and multiple permit-related enforcement actions.

Kleinman vacated a prior order in a dispute involving the Montero Community Development District and the city after the parties reached an agreement and the district and city approved the landscape plan. He found violations in several cases where work was performed without permits or where property conditions failed city standards, certified civil citation fines in others and set deadlines for compliance with graduated daily fines if owners failed to meet the schedules.

The actions addressed repeat parking and animal-control violations, unpermitted alterations and structures, a stagnant pool complaint, vacation-rental registration lapses and maintenance of rights of way. Several respondents had already complied by the hearing, which led to findings of violation but no additional fines in those instances. Two appellate matters that had been on the published docket were removed for further staff review and may return on a later agenda.

Kleinman summarized the Montero resolution in open court and vacated the December 4, 2024 order, noting the city and district had negotiated a “First Amendment to the Tri-Party Agreement” and approved a landscape plan; he said, “based on the apparent resolution of this matter and at the recommendation of the city attorney, I vacate the order entered … and the case is hereby dismissed.”

Permit-related cases. In multiple cases where respondents had installed fences, pergolas or converted structures without permits, Kleinman found violations but provided time for respondents…