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Magistrate orders owner of 1514 California Ave. to obtain permits by Sept. 5 or face $250‑a‑day penalty; administrative costs assessed
Summary
The special magistrate found a property owner in violation for expired permits at 1514 California Avenue, ordered compliance by Sept. 5, 2025, and assessed administrative costs of $258.87.
The Special Magistrate found the owner of 1514 California Avenue in violation of code for allowing permits to remain expired and ordered the owner to cure the permit issues by Sept. 5, 2025, or face fines. The magistrate also ordered payment of administrative costs of $258.87 by the same date.
Pam Neal, a City of St. Cloud code‑compliance officer, presented evidence that a complaint on April 16, 2025, had identified high grass, weeds and tree debris at the property and that city inspections later showed three permits remained expired as of June 8, 2024. Neal said that although some work had been completed in the field, the required final inspections or permit reactivations had not occurred. The city recommended that the owner be found in violation; the staff requested the owner obtain the permits and that daily fines of $250 apply until compliance.
The magistrate’s order requires the owner to contact the Building Department to determine whether the expired permits can be reactivated or must be resubmitted and to obtain final approvals by Sept. 5, 2025. The magistrate tied the administrative cost recovery ($258.87) to that same compliance date to simplify processing for a respondent who was not present at the hearing.
Why it matters
Expired permits and incomplete final inspections can expose property owners to mounting fines, affect property records and, in some cases, public safety. The order gives the owner a clear compliance deadline and a single date for administrative costs to be paid to avoid further enforcement action.
Hearing record and next steps
Neal entered the notice, courtesy notice, certified‑mail record, statement of violation and photographs into the record. With no respondent present, the magistrate found in favor of the city and directed that the order and compliance instructions be mailed to the owner. The clerk will notify the Building Department to expect contact from the owner to resolve permit status.
