Special magistrate finds violations across multiple Fort Pierce code‑enforcement and parking cases

Jamie Barrow, the special magistrate for the City of Fort Pierce, found violations and issued compliance orders in more than a dozen code‑enforcement and parking citation cases at a May 14 hearing.

The magistrate ordered owners and vehicle operators to correct violations ranging from roof repairs and removal of debris to parking in restricted spaces. Deadlines for compliance ranged from seven to 30 days; fines for noncompliance were set at amounts including $78 for typical parking citations, $100 per day for certain parking repeat offenses, and up to $250 per day for continuing property‑maintenance violations. A standard 30‑day appeal period was noted for most orders; some matters were referred to the city nuisance‑abatement program.

The cases matter because they affect neighborhood safety, property appearance and municipal enforcement resources. The rulings set specific time frames for repairs or cleanups and put financial penalties in place for continued noncompliance, potentially triggering county‑court collection or city abatement actions.

Most cases were uncontested at the hearing and were documented with photographs admitted as the City’s composite Exhibit 1. The magistrate routinely read the basis for each finding on the record and announced the compliance deadline, the daily fine for continued violation, and the appeal window.

Among the orders, the magistrate gave 30 days to the owners of 1016 Tortugas Avenue to obtain a permit and complete roof repairs after code enforcement exhibited photographs showing a tarp on the roof. Respondent Armando Mendez Ramirez told the magistrate the roof was damaged during the hurricane and said he planned to start the permit process that day; the magistrate granted 30 days for compliance and warned of a $100 per day fine for failure to comply.

Several parking citations at JC Park and 100 Melody Lane were found to be valid; each resulted in a $78 assessment (typical: $50 fine + $10 admin fee + $18 late fee) and a 15‑day payment deadline before referral to county court. One parking case at the 1000 block of Wheeler Terrace to Kathleen M. Butcher was treated as a second offense and assessed $128.

Multiple cases involving vehicles and storage in the right of way on Wheeler/Willow Terrace led to $78 assessments for vehicle owners and businesses including Cashflow Enterprises Inc. and CenterPoint Funding LLC. In cases where owners were not present or contacted, the magistrate still found violations based on officer testimony and photographs.

For property‑maintenance cases, the magistrate ordered shorter windows and higher daily fines: at 2898 South Kings Highway (BSFDM Land Investments, reg. agent Anthony P. Giffler), officers documented vacant‑business signage, boards, tires and outside storage; the magistrate ordered removal or opaque replacement of signs and removal of stored material within 15 days, with a $250 per day fine for noncompliance. At 1115 Pine Avenue (owner Rochelle Ezzy), the magistrate ordered removal of boards from windows and pressure washing or painting within 20 days, with a $250 per day fine for continued violation.

A rental‑property enforcement (Yayo Yates LLC, reg. agent Joshua Garcia Morales) resulted in a 10‑day order to repair or remove nonoperable vehicles, clean fence lines and trim landscaping; the magistrate said failure would trigger $250 per day. A long‑running property case at 1230 Avenue B (owners Wilner Delva and Marie P. Lewis) produced a 10‑day order for removal of miscellaneous yard items, repair or removal of deteriorated fencing, pressure washing/painting and repair of rotten wood; the magistrate established a $100 per day fine thereafter.

Two related matters on a parcel identified by the city (parcel 240451600600008) produced separate orders: a nonoperable‑vehicle case that gave seven days to make an enclosed utility trailer road‑legal or face city abatement with costs assessed against the property, and a lot‑clearing order that gave seven days to remove trash and landscape debris, with a $100 per day fine for continued violation.

The hearing included routine procedural statements by the magistrate and testimony and evidence presentation mainly by Charmaine Kirkland, the city’s code‑ and parking‑enforcement officer. Where respondents appeared, the magistrate sometimes recorded short rebuttals or plans to comply; for example, Armando Mendez Ramirez confirmed the roof was hurricane‑damaged and said he intended to begin the permit process with the building department the same day.

The magistrate closed the hearing after calling remaining scheduled cases and summarizing appeal procedures: respondents have the right to appeal the magistrate’s orders within the time frames announced on the record.

Votes at a glance (selected cases and orders):

- CE2025‑128 — 1016 Tortugas Ave (owners Armando Mendez Ramirez and Manuela Romero Castellos): Violation IPMC 304.7 (roofs/drainage). Order: 30 days to obtain a permit and repair roof; $100/day after deadline; 30 days to appeal.

- PK2025‑77 — JC Park (vehicle owner listed as Hymer): Parking in boat/trailer‑only space. Order: $78 assessed; 15 days to pay before referral to county court; 30 days to appeal.

- PK2025‑46 — 100 Melody Lane (owner Kelly Nicole Castell): Parking during restricted event hours. Order: $78; 15 days to pay; referral after 15 days.

- PK2025‑36 — 100 Melody Lane (owner Crystal Ann Douglas): Parking during restricted event hours. Order: $78; 15 days to pay.

- PK2025‑74 — 1000 Block Wheeler Terrace (owner Kathleen M. Butcher): Second‑offense parking on city right of way. Order: $128; 15 days to pay.

- PK2025‑63 — 1000 Block Wheeler Terrace (owner Kathleen M. Butcher): Parking on city right of way. Order: $78; 15 days to pay.

- PK2025‑64 — 1000 Block Willow/Wheeler Terrace (Cashflow Enterprises Inc.): Parking on city right of way. Order: $78; 15 days to pay.

- PK2025‑72 — 1000 Block Willow/Wheeler Terrace (CenterPoint Funding LLC): Parking on city right of way. Order: $78; 15 days to pay.

- PK2025‑73 — 1000 Block Willow/Wheeler Terrace (John Edward Carroll): Parking on city right of way. Order: $78; 15 days to pay.

- CE2025‑076 — 2898 South Kings Highway (BSFDM Land Investments; reg. agent Anthony P. Giffler): Violations for vacant‑signage and outside storage. Order: 15 days to remove/cover signs and remove boards, tires and construction materials; $250/day after deadline; 30 days to appeal.

- CE2025‑086 — 1115 Pine Avenue (owner Rochelle Ezzy): Violations for emergency escape openings and exterior deterioration. Order: 20 days to remove window boards and pressure‑wash or paint; $250/day after deadline; 30 days to appeal.

- CE2025‑065 — (identified on record as 321 N. 15th Street) (Yayo Yates LLC; reg. agent Joshua Garcia Morales): Nonoperable vehicle, landscape maintenance and outside storage violations. Order: 10 days to repair/register/remove vehicles, clean fence lines and trim landscaping; $250/day after deadline.

- CE2024‑109 — 1230 Avenue B (owners Wilner Delva and Marie P. Lewis): Outside storage, tires, appliances, accessory structures. Order: 10 days for cleanup, enclosure of items, fence repair, permits and exterior repairs; $100/day after deadline.

- NOOP2025‑78 — Parcel 240451600600008 (owner listed Alma Richardson; family contacts described): Nonoperable‑vehicle case. Order: 7 days to make the black enclosed utility trailer road‑legal and legal; failure led to notice of city abatement and cost assessment; 30 days to appeal.

- LTCODash2025‑75 — same parcel (lot clearing): Order: 7 days to remove all trash and debris; $100/day after deadline; city abatement and assessment if not corrected.

Ending: The magistrate reminded respondents that appeal rights and how notices were mailed and posted are governed by state statute procedures and the city’s posting rules announced on the record; those procedures were summarized before adjournment.