The City of Clearwater Municipal Code Enforcement Board on Dec. 5 heard a long docket of property-maintenance and permit cases and entered orders requiring owners to correct violations by dates ranging from Jan. 14, 2026, to March 18, 2026, or face fines and city liens.

Inspector Kevin Maddox told the board that Case 14725 at 2371 Chaucer Street showed “storage containers out in the front of the house” and recommended compliance by Jan. 14, 2026 and a fine of $150 per day per violation if corrections are not made. The board found the respondent in violation and adopted the inspector’s recommended order.

Several signage cases presented by Sign Inspector Steven Burkhart were reported as corrected at the time of hearing; the board entered declarations of prior violation and imposed no fines but noted a repeat offense could trigger fines up to $500 a day. Inspector Daniel Kasman similarly reported on a property that had come into compliance and the board declared the prior violation with no penalty.

Inspector James Larson described a severely fire- and flood-damaged structure at 200 Leeward Island that had been posted and under notice for over a year. Owner Elizabeth Anderson, who was sworn to testify, said she lost the house to a fire during the hurricane and told the board, “I had no insurance.” Larson advised that, under federal floodplain guidance, repair may be infeasible if repair costs exceed a 50% threshold and that demolition and replacement at required elevation is often the practical outcome. The board ordered correction or city abatement authority and set the compliance deadline at March 18, 2026.

Multiple cases involving unpermitted work — including a deck and railing replacement at 534 S. Keystone Ave and a residential pool that lacked an issued permit — were presented by Inspector Catherine "Kat" Reese. In those matters the board ordered respondents to obtain issued permits by Jan. 19, 2026 (and, where applicable, allowed six months from issuance to complete work) and warned of $150-per-day fines for continued violations.

On nuisance abatement docket items, the board authorized entry and abatement where owners failed to clear trash, debris or inoperative vehicles within prescribed short deadlines (commonly five days after the board’s written order). The board repeatedly reminded respondents that unpaid fines and fees could be recorded as liens and, after three months, the city could pursue foreclosure or collection remedies within legal limits.

What happens next: each order includes a compliance deadline and a civil-penalty regime; staff told the board it will work with respondents who communicate and show progress, but the city can contract for abatement and record liens if deadlines are missed. The board adjourned after completing the docket.

The article is based on the board’s Dec. 5 docket and the inspectors’ sworn presentations and orders.