Pensacola magistrate orders fines and court costs for multiple properties after Nov. 4 code-enforcement hearing

Special Magistrate Jason Onacki presided over a City of Pensacola Code Enforcement Authority hearing on Nov. 4, 2025, and granted the city’s requests to impose fines and court costs on multiple properties that remained in violation of municipal ordinances, while closing one matter that had been brought into compliance.

At the hearing, code enforcement officers presented photographic and inspection evidence for a series of properties across Pensacola. Officer Ron Bowden asked the magistrate to begin fines for 1505 North Davis Highway after finding continued overgrowth; Onacki granted the request and ordered a $25-per-day fine to start Nov. 4, 2025. "You can see from today's photos, the overgrowth remains," Bowden said when presenting the evidence.

Officer Jason Hendricks presented several overgrowth cases. For 2505 North 16th Avenue (CE254299) Hendricks said the property remained in violation and requested the previously ordered $25-per-day fine be imposed; Magistrate Onacki granted the request, ordering the fine to commence on Nov. 4. In another matter (CE253618), Hendricks documented repeated notices and inspections for overgrowth and the magistrate ordered a $25-per-day fine after finding noncompliance by the Nov. 3 deadline.

Several matters drew larger penalties because of aggravating factors. Officer Ron Balton reported that 725 Gentian Drive had an inoperable vehicle with flat tires and extensive overgrowth; Onacki found the prior compliance date unmet and ordered fines of $100 per day to begin Nov. 4, 2025. At 710 Gentian Drive (CE254419), Bowden presented photos showing an inoperable vehicle with an expired tag and backyard overgrowth; the magistrate ordered court costs of $200 and a $25-per-day fine to begin Nov. 18 if the property is not corrected by Nov. 17.

The hearing also addressed graffiti at 2181 North Guillemard Street (CE254676). Bowden said the graffiti had been painted over after repeated notices; the property was reported corrected, but Onacki ordered $200 in court costs to document the past violation and close the file.

Not all matters resulted in penalties. Officer Ron Belt reported that the case at 1603 North Davis Highway (CE253906) had been corrected after a reinspection on Oct. 30, and the city did not pursue fines or court costs. "The owner called for reinspection and the violations were corrected as of Oct. 30," Belt said; the magistrate closed that matter without imposing penalties.

Several cases received a mix of court costs and future fine-exposure timelines: for example, officers asked for $200 in court costs as permitted by Florida Statute Chapter 162 for multiple files, and magistrate orders commonly set compliance deadlines of Nov. 17, 2025, with $25-per-day fines to begin Nov. 18 where corrections were not made.

The magistrate confirmed that appropriate notice had been provided in each matter as required by Florida statute and repeatedly noted the evidence presented when entering orders. Where owners later corrected violations or reported remediation (for example, the graffiti case), the magistrate recorded the correction but still entered court costs where enforcement delays had occurred.

Magistrate Onacki noted there were no docketed requests to increase fines or liens, and he found no new-business matters presenting an imminent threat under Florida Statute 162.06(4). The hearing adjourned at approximately 2:41 p.m.

Orders entered at the hearing require property owners to pay court costs where assessed and to achieve compliance by the dates specified in each order to avoid daily fines; files will be documented as closed upon payment or compliance.