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Bay County special magistrate orders repairs, continuances and abatements across multiple properties
Summary
At a Bay County Code Enforcement hearing, the special magistrate continued one case for legal clarification, set compliance deadlines for multiple properties and imposed abatement costs and liens where properties were cleared by county contractors.
Bay County Special Magistrate convened a code-enforcement hearing that produced a mix of continuances, compliance deadlines and abatement findings across multiple unincorporated Bay County properties.
The magistrate continued the case for 431 Wahoo Road until April 16 to allow the County Attorney’s Office to confirm property-ownership and litigation status. For 2339 McCormick Road the magistrate found multiple unfit or unsafe structures and ordered the owner to bring the property into compliance within 60 days or face penalties; a reduced fine of $100 was set and a compliance hearing scheduled for May 14. At 6811 Thomas Drive, the owner had submitted contractor-backed construction documents; plans review was escalated and the magistrate set a March 19 compliance hearing to allow plan-review staff to report back.
The magistrate confirmed that Bay County contracted abatement work at several properties and recorded costs and liens. The county contractor had cleared 7739 Gadsden Avenue and the magistrate found the property in compliance as of Jan. 7, 2025; the owner was told the county’s abatement and asbestos-survey costs would be assessed to the property (total stated by the magistrate: $3,385.18). At 8439 Cluster Road and 6318 Rogers Road the county-funded abatements plus asbestos surveys produced line items of $9,758 and $9,550 respectively; the magistrate directed those sums be recorded as liens and noted statutory interest would apply. A separate abatement at 3025 E. 13th Court was recorded at $5,335.72 and will be placed as a lien if unpaid.
Other orders addressed properties with derelict vehicles, derelict watercraft, fire-damaged mobile homes and unsecured swimming pools. For example, the magistrate ordered removal of junk and derelict vehicles and either demolition or full-permitted repairs at 7420 Highway 2302, 7629 Santa Rosa Avenue and 9219 South Silver Lake Road, and set 30-day compliance windows for those properties with fines to be imposed on default. For 2339 McCormick Road the magistrate explicitly required permits in hand within 60 days or default would be deemed to have occurred; permit expiration before finalization would also constitute default.
The magistrate repeatedly emphasized the scope and cost of required work, explaining that repairs to mobile/manufactured homes often require specialist plans, engineering reports and builder qualifications. The magistrate told one property owner: “I want you all to understand that. This is not a dime‑store fix here. This is expensive.”
Property owners who addressed the magistrate described ongoing legal disputes, health issues, and efforts to clean or secure their properties. William (Bill) Sherrill, who represents a property on McCormick Road, told the panel: “I done got the 2 sheds out back dismantled. I’m hauling it off now as we speak,” and asked for time to arrange dumpsters and a contractor. The magistrate allowed additional time in several cases but warned that failure to obtain required permits and inspections within the ordered time frames would trigger fines and liens.
The hearing record shows multiple instances where county staff or contractors had already performed asbestos surveys, demolition or abatement actions; the magistrate recorded those dollar amounts and directed that the costs, plus statutory interest once the order is recorded, be placed as liens on the affected properties if not paid.
Short-term next steps set by the magistrate include: a continuation to April 16 for 431 Wahoo Road pending County Attorney input; a May 14 compliance hearing for 2339 McCormick Road; March 19 for 6811 Thomas Drive (plan-review status); and April 16 hearings for several Southport-area properties (7420 Highway 2302, 7629 Santa Rosa Avenue, and others) where 30-day cure periods were ordered. Abatement cost orders and liens were recorded or announced for the properties identified above.
The hearing record and attached exhibits will be used at those follow-up compliance hearings to verify whether required permits were pulled, repairs initiated, demolitions completed, or abatement costs paid. If property owners fail to meet the deadlines or allow permits to expire, the magistrate warned, fines and liens will be enforced.
