Wellington magistrate orders property corrections, fines and penalties after March 20 code-enforcement hearings

Special Magistrate Holly Hahn presided over the Village of Wellington code-enforcement hearings on March 20, 2025, and ordered multiple property owners to correct violations of Wellington codes and land-development regulations, assessed daily fines in several cases and entered cease-and-desist orders lasting five years.

The hearings covered complaints ranging from stained walls, driveways and parking lots to overgrown landscaping, noxious vegetation and a vacation-rental disturbance that drew Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office response. For the cases taken today, Hahn issued written orders or directed parties to sign stipulations; she also scheduled or confirmed fine-certification hearings where violations remained uncorrected.

Why it matters: The magistrate’s rulings set correction deadlines and civil penalties that become liens on properties if unpaid, and they formalize enforcement for long-running neighborhood concerns including safety and nuisance issues tied to landscaping, parking-lot maintenance and short-term rental management.

Summary of key rulings and next steps

- Gisalter (vacation rental, 14193 Astor Ave): Special Magistrate Hahn found the respondents in violation of the Village’s vacation-rental rules after a Dec. 26–27, 2024 party that produced repeated disturbance complaints and a PBSO response. The magistrate ordered correction by March 31, 2025; assessed a $250 one-time penalty tied to the Dec. 26 event; assessed a daily fine of $25 per day if the violation continues beginning April 1; assessed costs of $11.65; entered a five-year cease-and-desist order for future violations; and set a fine-certification hearing if the case remains unresolved. (Case NOHCC-198-2025)

- Wellington Equestrian Estates LLC (2470 Greenview Cove Drive): The magistrate found violations for general property maintenance, invasive vegetation and parking-lot deterioration and ordered the respondent to correct the violations by April 17, 2025. A daily fine of $25 per violation was assessed beginning April 18, costs of $11.65 were assessed, and a five-year cease-and-desist order was entered. Separately, in a fine-certification hearing tied to overgrown weeds and lily pads on water bodies adjacent to the property (case NOHCC-897-2024), the magistrate imposed a higher fine of $100 per day per violation starting Feb. 21, 2025, and costs of $35.16; the magistrate cited prior violations on the same property. (Cases NOHCC-3729-2024; NOHCC-897-2024)

- JCPenney/CTL PropCo (10308 Forest Hill Boulevard): In a fine-certification matter, the magistrate found the property had not corrected exterior staining, fence and landscaping issues identified in prior orders and assessed fines of $50 per day per violation beginning Feb. 21, 2025, plus $47.46 in costs. The record shows the ARB review of a resubmission was not completed. (Case NOHCC-1142-2024)

- Multiple residential cases: The magistrate ordered correction and assessed daily fines of $25 per day per violation in a series of residential matters where owners failed to cure general property-maintenance or landscaping violations by previously-ordered deadlines. Those cases include (sample, all listed in Votes at a glance below): Pritchett (14484 Larkspur Lane), multiple Invitation Homes properties (644 Carnation Court; 14686 Horseshoe Trace), and others. Correction deadlines were generally set for April 17, 2025; daily fines were ordered to begin on April 18, 2025, where applicable; costs ranged from $11.65 to roughly $48 depending on the case; and five-year cease-and-desist orders were entered in new enforcement orders. (See Votes at a glance for the full list.)

Courtroom exchanges and evidence

The Village presented inspection photos and certified notices of violation as evidence in each matter. Code compliance officers testified to inspection dates, follow-ups and outreach to property owners, and submitted a record of prior extensions or stipulations where applicable. Several respondents or their attorneys appeared in person and in some cases stated they had undertaken work since earlier inspections. For example, representatives for Wellington Equestrian Estates said much of the work identified in February photographs had been addressed and asked the magistrate for additional time; the village’s assistant attorney, Rachel Bosch, responded that the property had already received a 60-day extension earlier and that parking-lot and landscaping standards apply even for non-operational facilities.

Special Magistrate Hahn repeatedly framed the hearings around the narrow legal question before her: whether the evidence demonstrated continued violations and, if so, what corrective deadlines, fines and costs to impose. As Hahn stated in multiple rulings, “Based on the testimony, evidence and photos in this matter, I find that the notice of violation and hearing was properly served” and then announced the required corrections, fines, costs and follow-up hearing dates.

Follow-up and enforcement

- Written orders: Hahn said she will follow up each oral ruling with a written order mailed to respondents describing deadlines, assessed costs and the date for any fine-certification hearing. Those written orders are the Village’s official enforcement documents.

- Fine certification hearings: For cases where violations remain uncorrected after the new deadlines, the magistrate scheduled or confirmed fine-certification hearings in mid-April and mid-May 2025 (dates vary by case and are listed in Votes at a glance). If fines are certified and unpaid, the Village may place liens on properties.

Votes at a glance (case → core outcome / deadline / penalties / next step)

- NOHCC-3872-2024 (John and Joanne Hopkins, 860 Sage Ave): Respondent present; parties agreed to sign a stipulation to extend time; matter referred back to Code Compliance to execute stipulation (no fine entered at hearing).

- NOHCC-198-2025 (Alan & Maria Liliana Gisalter, 14193 Astor Ave — vacation rental): Found in violation; correct by 03/31/2025; $25/day starting 04/01/2025 if unresolved; $250 penalty tied to 12/26/2024 event; $11.65 costs; five-year cease-and-desist; fine-certification hearing scheduled if unresolved.

- NOHCC-3729-2024 (Wellington Equestrian Estates LLC, 2470 Greenview Cove Dr): Found in violation; correct by 04/17/2025; $25/day starting 04/18/2025 if unresolved; $11.65 costs; five-year cease-and-desist; fine-certification hearing set for 05/15/2025 if not corrected.

- NOHCC-897-2024 (Wellington Equestrian Estates LLC — fine certification re: canal weeds/lily pads): Found in violation of earlier order; $100/day per violation commencing 02/21/2025; $35.16 costs; fine certification imposed due to prior violations.

- NOHCC-2442-2024 (Michael Dornack & Maria Terreira, 1772 Pearside Circle): Fine-certified — $25/day per violation beginning 02/21/2025; $48.92 costs.

- NOHCC-2949-2024 (Lynn D. Pritchett, 14484 Larkspur Lane): Respondent not present; ordered to correct by 04/17/2025; $25/day beginning 04/18/2025 if unresolved; $11.65 costs; five-year cease-and-desist.

- NOHCC-3703-2024 (IH6 Property Florida LP, 644 Carnation Ct): Ordered to correct by 04/17/2025; $25/day beginning 04/18/2025 if unresolved; $11.65 costs; five-year cease-and-desist.

- NOHCC-4453-2024 (2018-2 IH Borrower LP, 14686 Horseshoe Trace): Correct by 04/17/2025; assessor costs $11.65; five-year cease-and-desist; daily fines to begin 04/18/2025 if unresolved.

- NOHCC-1142-2024 (CTL PropCo LLC / JCPenney, 10308 Forest Hill Blvd): Fine-certified — $50/day per violation beginning 02/21/2025; $47.46 costs; ARB resubmission outstanding.

- NOHCC-3243-2024 (Philip Khan & Jamie Martinez, 1245 Summerwood Circle): Fine-certified — $25/day per violation beginning 02/21/2025; $46.81 costs.

- NOHCC-3279-2024 (A Lady and a Horse LLC, 12775 Newton Place): Fine-certified — $25/day per violation beginning 02/21/2025; $47.46 costs.

- NOHCC-3354-2024 (Christina Bedar & Edward Collins, 2122 Country Gulf Drive): Fine-certified — $25/day beginning 02/21/2025; $46.08 costs.

- NOHCC-3401-2024 (SuccessXXI LLC, 13655 Junquille Place): Fine-certified — $25/day beginning 02/21/2025; $47.38 costs.

- NOHCC-3419-2024 (Nina S. Bell & Edgar Bell, 1809 South Club Drive): Fine-certified — $25/day beginning 02/21/2025; $46.08 costs.

- NOHCC-3514-2024 (Rena Conduso Revocable Living Trust / trustees, 1186 Rosewood Lane): Fine-certified — $25/day beginning 02/21/2025; $47.46 costs.

- NOHCC-3539-2024 (Shuai Yu & Langfeng Peng, 2664 Yamoth Drive): Fine-certified — $25/day beginning 02/27/2025; $47.46 costs.

- NOHCC-4251-2024 (Judah Menke Heman, 13824 Yamata Drive Unit A): Fine-certified — $25/day beginning 02/27/2025; $47.46 costs.

- NOHCC-4358-2024 (Ricardo J. Lacana Garcia, 13129 Waxwing Terrace): Some driveway concerns were corrected; remaining violations persist; $25/day beginning 02/21/2025 for outstanding items; $47.46 costs.

- NOHCC-4925-2024 (Ricardo J. Lacana Garcia — trailer stored in yard): Fine-certified — $25/day beginning 03/01/2025; $47.46 costs.

What was said on the record

- Code compliance officers presented certified notices of violation and inspection photos for each case. D'Angelo Campo, Johnson Joseph, Julia Coulter, Christopher Prasad and others gave the inspection histories and recounted outreach to property owners. Village staff entered the certified mail service of notice and photographs into evidence in each matter.

- Respondents and their counsel raised timeline and scope questions in several matters. In the Wellington Equestrian Estates hearing, counsel and the property principal described work already completed and argued some photos reflected older conditions; the magistrate and village staff responded by noting earlier extensions and that the Village’s maintenance standards apply even if a facility is not currently in use.

- The magistrate repeatedly advised respondents that written orders would follow and urged owners to contact code compliance once corrections were complete so cases can be administratively closed rather than advanced to lien certification.

Next steps for the public record

Magistrate Hahn said she will issue written orders setting out the correction deadlines, assessed fines and costs and the dates of any follow-up fine-certification hearings. Property owners who take corrective action and notify code compliance may have cases closed before fines are certified; otherwise the Village may proceed to certify fines and record liens consistent with the orders.

Reported quotes (selected)

- Special Magistrate Holly Hahn: “Based on the testimony, evidence and photos in this matter, I find that the notice of violation and hearing was properly served,” and in multiple rulings, she added she will “follow up with a written order” outlining the findings and deadlines.

- Assistant Village Attorney Rachel Bosch: “There’s nothing in the code that says if it’s not in use, it does not have to be maintained properly,” in response to a claim that a closed facility should be exempt from parking-lot standards.

(End)