Magistrate authorizes county abatement at 8804 Grama Avenue after no owner appearance

Bay County’s special magistrate on July 17 accepted code enforcement’s recommendation to authorize county staff and contractors to enter 8804 Grama Avenue and abate identified violations after the respondent failed to appear at hearings and the property remained in violation.

Tim Justice, senior investigator for Bay County Code Enforcement, testified that a June 12 magistrate hearing found the property in violation of Bay County Code §17-2 for overgrowth and yard debris and that the owner did not comply within the ordered period. Justice said he re-inspected on June 23 and July 14 and found no changes. Notices had been posted and mailed, and the certified mailings were returned or otherwise documented as attempted.

Code enforcement’s recommendation — accepted by Magistrate Tiffany Sotto — authorized county staff and any contractor hired by the county to abate the violations and directed that abatement costs and incidental enforcement costs be recorded as a lien in Bay County public records and may be assessed under the Uniform Assessment Collection Act and Bay County Code chapter 21. The magistrate noted the fines for noncompliance would be addressed at a final hearing.