Bay County magistrate hears multiple code-enforcement cases; fines, compliance deadlines set

Magistrate Tiffany Surdo presided over a Bay County special-magistrate hearing Thursday, May 15, during which staff presented 11 code-enforcement cases involving blight, unpermitted structures, storage on vacant lots and stagnant water. The magistrate accepted staff recommendations in each case with tailored orders ranging from reduced fines to 10- or 30-day compliance deadlines and future compliance hearings.

Why this matters: Code-enforcement orders can lead to civil fines, liens on property and, in severe cases, demolition or abatement by the county. Outcomes affect property owners, neighbors and the county’s ability to maintain public health and safety standards.

The magistrate opened with the case at 9313 Jody Lane (case 23-00167). Bay County code enforcement documented storage of recreational vehicles, multiple vehicles, an unpermitted shed and partially completed pole-barn construction. Code enforcement recommended a 10-day compliance period and standard fines (an initial $200 and $25 per day after the 10th day). Respondent David Toole said he is disabled, has cognitive impairments and has been working on the property intermittently; he requested more time to comply. Surdo said she would allow the permitting process to proceed if the owner applies and would otherwise extend the time for compliance. “What I'm gonna do is change that to 30 days to bring everything else on the property into compliance if you don't go down the route of applying or speaking to the permitting department to get that taken care of,” the magistrate said on the record. The magistrate accepted code enforcement’s recommendation with that modification: if the owner obtains a valid permit within the deadline, building-material removal may be paused and the property will be governed by the permit inspections; if no permit is applied for, the owner has 30 days to remove the listed items or fines will begin as described.

On case 20242480 (908 Lighthouse Lagoon Court), a phone respondent reported steps toward cleaning a stagnant pool. Bay County staff said the pool was cleaned and the property was found in compliance at the time of reinspection; the magistrate reduced the enforcement request and assessed a single $200 fine rather than the larger cumulative daily penalty the county had requested.

Case 20241048 (4012 Treasure Circle) addressed an unfit, unsafe multi-family structure damaged by the January 2024 storm. Staff testified that engineering plans are being prepared and that the owner (recorded as Miss Brown) was arranging to travel to Panama City to apply for permits. The magistrate accepted code enforcement’s recommendation and set 30 days for the owner to either obtain demolition permits or submit full structural repair plans and a building-permit application; a compliance hearing was scheduled for June 19 at 1 p.m.

Other cases and outcomes (summarized): - 23-01583 (11813 Harrington Road): The property owner asked for a reduced assessment; the magistrate declined to reduce previously imposed fines because the record showed repeated noncompliance across multiple reinspections. - 20241838 (10933 South Fork Loop): Staff documented ongoing junk, pallets and overgrowth; the magistrate ordered 10 days for removal or the standard fine schedule will apply and recorded the order as enforceable by lien if unpaid. - 20242042 (10727 Las Vegas Street): Storage of campers/vehicles on a vacant residential lot was documented; the magistrate accepted the recommendation to require removal within 10 days, with fines and lien language if the property is not brought into compliance. - 20250155 (4941 Deerwood Avenue): This lot had appliances and overgrowth after a tornado-damaged house; code enforcement characterized the current condition as a repeat violation. The magistrate accepted the recommendation, ordered either demolition permits or full repairs and set a 30-day compliance period; the order will carry lien authority and a potential $1,000 fine for failure to comply within 30 days. - 22-02789 (8230 Klondike Road): This older blight case previously resulted in continued fines; code enforcement reported that fines accrued and the magistrate affirmed a daily fine that had been calculated (the recommended accumulated amount was $9,475 plus statutory interest) and ordered the amounts to become a lien on the property. - 20241875 (304 Melinda Circle): After prior fines, the owner cleared junk and overgrowth and the property was found in compliance; the magistrate imposed the recommended $25 per-day fine for 20 days (total $500) as assessed and recorded the order to become a lien unless paid. - 20241325 (2340 E. 30th Place): A long-running junk, derelict-vehicle and LDR case was cleaned by a county-contracted abatement ($2,480); inspectors found the property in compliance and staff reported the abatement cost and fines have been handled by a family member. The magistrate accepted the enforcement recommendation and recorded the abatement cost as subject to lien if unpaid. - 20240692 (1532 First Street): Repeated junk and unscreened personal property behind a mobile home led the county to abate the property at a cost of $1,499; code enforcement requested fines (initial $200 plus daily fines totaling $1,450) and lien authority. The magistrate accepted the recommendation after staff confirmed the site was in compliance following the abatement.

Across multiple matters the magistrate emphasized two common instructions: if a property owner promptly obtains a valid building permit and follows permit inspection steps, enforcement for some items will be governed by the permit process (effectively pausing certain removal orders), and county staff will provide owners with written orders and contact points (inspectors and permitting staff) to support compliance.

The magistrate scheduled a number of compliance follow-up hearings for June 19 at 1 p.m. for properties that remain unresolved and closed out cases found to be in compliance. Several orders include the standard enforcement language that unpaid fines and abatement costs will be recorded as liens in Bay County public records and may be collected under the county’s assessment procedures.

The hearing concluded with the magistrate adjourning the session at 10:54 a.m.