Fort Pierce special magistrate finds violations at multiple properties; most owners given 60 days to pull permits

FORT PIERCE, Fla. — At a Feb. 13 special magistrate hearing, Special Magistrate Jamie Barrow found that violations existed at a series of properties across Fort Pierce and issued orders requiring owners to obtain permits or complete repairs within court-ordered time frames.

The most-common remedy in the hearing was a 60-day window for property owners to obtain or renew building permits and to secure required inspections; most orders also warned that a $100-per-day fine would be assessed if compliance was not achieved. For larger redevelopment sites and complex permit streams, the magistrate granted 180-day continuances or longer stays of fine accrual. In one case the magistrate reduced assessed fines to administrative costs and gave the respondent 30 days to pay that reduced amount.

Why this matters: The hearing dealt with long-running code-enforcement matters affecting vacant industrial parcels, commercial storefronts and multiple residential rental properties. The rulings set deadlines that trigger permit review and inspections, and they pause — temporarily in many cases — the accrual of enforcement fines while owners pursue required permits.

The city presented evidence, typically photographs and inspection summaries, and building inspectors identified code sections allegedly violated. Inspectors and owners described whether permits had been applied for, whether work had already been done without permits, and whether reinspection requests had been filed. In many cases the magistrate credited the city’s recommendations to give owners limited time to pull permits and close work out.

Notable outcomes (by case)

- Case 23-982 (2134 N. U.S. Highway 1; Dover Neal Development Inc.). Building inspector Logan Wynne testified that the permit had expired and no inspections had been completed. Magistrate Barrow found a violation and ordered the owner to obtain or renew the expired permit within 60 days and to call for inspections at least every 180 days until the…