Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Pool topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Neighbors press Winter Springs code board to abate neglected pool; board orders 7-day abatement and sets fines
Summary
After neighbors described years of neglect and a stagnant, unsecured pool, the Winter Springs Code Enforcement Board ordered immediate abatement for safety-related violations with a 7-day corrective window and approved fines and possible city abatement for remaining violations by March 26, 2026.
The Winter Springs Code Enforcement Board voted Feb. 24 to order immediate abatement of safety-related violations at 1454 King Court and set a longer deadline for other violations after neighbors described years of neglect and a hazardous, stagnant pool.
Carlos Defoe, a code compliance inspector, presented consolidated case 2026CE000121, telling the board he observed unsanitary standing water, a damaged pool enclosure, fencing propped by 2x4 supports and other conditions that could endanger public health and safety. Defoe said notices and certified mailings had been posted, and that the respondent had provided some documentation claiming a potential buyer (Golex Properties LLC) would assume responsibility; the property nevertheless remained in violation on repeated reinspections.
Two neighbors, John Swanson and George Tellig, told the board they have seen the pool untreated for about four years, that the pump has been broken and the water is black and foul, and that children in the cul-de-sac could access the unsecured area. "The pool has not been cleaned in 4 years ... it is black ... the fence is down and it is a hazard," Swanson said. Neighbors said prior HOA and certified-letter attempts to resolve the matter produced little response.
Board members and counsel discussed due process and abatement authority. Counsel read the code language explaining that, under Winter Springs City Code section 13-4 (as cited in the presentation), the city may enter and perform repairs and place a lien for abatement costs. Staff recommended separating a short abatement motion for immediate safety items from a second motion setting longer compliance deadlines for remaining nuisance violations.
The board approved two motions. First, it found violations of the accessory-structure code (IPMC 302.7) and Winter Springs ordinance 13-2(e), ordered abatement to secure the property and remedy the pool safety hazard within seven days, and authorized the city to abate and recover costs if the owner failed to comply. Second, the board found violations of Winter Springs ordinance 13-2(c) and IPMC 303.2 and set a compliance deadline of March 26, 2026, with a $250-per-day fine per violation if not corrected.
Staff will draft and mail the orders; if the owner does not correct the conditions, the city may abate the hazards and the cost will be a lien against the property.
