Wellington special magistrate finds violations in dozens of property cases; deadlines, fines set

The Village of Wellington Special Magistrate on Feb. 20, 2025, heard testimony in a large docket of code-enforcement cases and issued findings of violation in numerous matters, giving most respondents until March 20 to correct violations or face daily fines and, in some cases, certification of those fines at later hearings.

The decisions covered a range of complaints and inspection findings: unpermitted work and expired engineering permits, missing or dying landscaping, stained or deteriorated driveways and walls, trash and household items visible from the street, missing or unapproved vegetation-removal permits, and short-term rental (vacation-rental) properties operating without required special-use permits.

Why it matters: Code-enforcement hearings are the municipality’s primary avenue for ordering repairs, vegetation replacement, removal of debris or unpermitted structures, and for imposing fines when property owners do not correct violations. The magistrate’s orders typically set specific compliance dates, calculate per-day fines for continued noncompliance, and reserve a fine-certification hearing so fines can be formally levied and recorded against a property if the respondent does not act.

What the magistrate ordered

- Most respondents were given until March 20, 2025, to correct cited violations. Several cases were set for fine-certification hearings on April 17, 2025, at 9 a.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex if violations remain uncorrected. A smaller number of matters had earlier compliance dates (some at February 26 or February 28) or higher per-day fines where noted in the file.

- The standard penalty the magistrate announced for continuing violations was typically $25 per day, per violation, with administrative costs assessed in each matter (costs ranged in the record from about $11.65 to as much as $48.19 depending on the case). A case involving an unsecured pool barrier was assessed the higher emergency fine rate recorded in the file: $250 per day.

Votes at a glance (case number — respondent — property — primary violation(s) — compliance date — fine/cost — next step)

- NOHCC38592024 — Khalid Altba — 14176 Blackberry Dr. — household items visible from street; dead/bare landscaped areas — Correct by 03/20/2025 — $25/day per violation; cost $13.03 — Fine-certification 04/17/2025.

- NOHCC12612024 — Rancho Chico Corporate Office LLC — 1223 Hyacinth Pl. — dead/bare landscape areas (LDR 7.8.0.7.b) — Correct by 03/20/2025 — $25/day from 01/17/2025; cost $47.46 — Fine certified at hearing.

- NOHCC41972024 — Roberta/Robert R. Trum Family Recoverable Trust — 1420 Wood Dale Terrace — multiple…