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Fort Pierce magistrate stays fines for homeowner after $99,009.60 repair grant; reduces long-running lien to $970.28
Summary
At a May 6, 2026 Fort Pierce special magistrate hearing, Special Magistrate Jennifer Peschke stayed fines for a homeowner awarded a $99,009.60 rehabilitation grant and approved reducing a $68,500 lien to administrative costs of $970.28. The magistrate issued 7–30 day compliance orders on several other properties, with daily fines for noncompliance.
Special Magistrate Jennifer Peschke on Thursday ordered a 180‑day stay of fines for the owner of 1512 Citrus Avenue after the city’s grants office confirmed a nearly $99,010 rehabilitation award and imminent contractor work.
"The property is still not in compliance, but we'll go ahead and stay any fines running on your property with regard to this violation," Peschke said after hearing that the city had approved a $99,009.60 grant and that contractor DMS had pulled permits and was scheduled to begin work within days. Donella Clark, the city’s grants manager, told the hearing the award was issued in December 2025 and the department expects siding and listed repairs to be completed within 60–90 days.
The stay pauses daily fines that had been accruing at $100 per day (the city reported a current balance of $8,320) while the rehabilitation work proceeds and inspections are scheduled. Clark said the grants department manages contractor selection and pays contractors directly; residents do not receive funds directly.
In a separate, longstanding case, the magistrate approved a lien reduction for 3215 Kentucky Avenue. The lien had been assessed following code violations beginning in 2023 and had grown to about $68,500; the city calculated administrative costs of $970.28. The magistrate ordered the lien reduced to that administrative cost and set 60 days for payment of the reduced amount. Partial payments up to 12 months were made available; the order includes the standard 30‑day right to appeal.
At the hearing the resident who requested the reduction, identified as Claudia Gonzalez, explained she had financial hardship and language‑access issues and asked for more time; an interpreter participated during Gonzalez’s testimony. The city explained the administrative cost calculation includes inspections and photographic documentation dating back to 2023.
The magistrate entered orders on several other properties, generally giving owners short deadlines to correct code violations and warning of daily fines for noncompliance:
- CE2025‑781 (709 South 7th Street): owner listed as Tylen Wiles — seven days to remove outdoor storage, tires, lawnmowers and indoor‑style furniture from the yard; $100/day fine for failure to comply.
- CE2026‑78 (107 North 23rd Street, Unit A): seven days to cut grass, trim landscaping, remove indoor‑style furniture and tires and remove boards from windows; $250/day fine for failure to comply. Officer Charmaine Kirkland noted a language barrier between the tenant and owner during testimony.
- CE2025‑786 (502 Quincy Avenue, CQI Unlimited LLC, registered agent Florencia Q. Ingram): 14 days to replace missing shingles and clean the roof; $250/day fine for failure to comply.
- CE2026‑7 (1812 North 16th Street, owner Rodney Eugene Sands): 30 days for landscaping and to post house numbers; $100/day fine for failure to comply.
- CE2026‑37 (612 North 23rd Street, All Around Town LLC): seven days to ensure vehicles are operable, remove indoor furniture and pressure wash or paint affected areas; $250/day fine for failure to comply.
- CE2026‑53 (2306 Orange Avenue, owner Rebecca McDonald): stipulation entered; compliance required by May 13, 2026 to register the vessel, inflate tires and remove wood boards; $100/day fine thereafter.
Magistrate Peschke repeatedly instructed property owners to stay in contact with city staff after compliance so inspectors can re‑inspect and close cases. Several officers introduced photographic evidence showing staged progress and earlier inspection dates. The hearing closed after the magistrate listed multiple rescheduled and non‑operational cases and reviewed the city’s notice and posting procedures under state law.
What happens next: the orders carry standard appeal rights (30 days) and the listed fines will resume for any property that does not meet the compliance deadlines ordered by the magistrate. The lien reduction order for 3215 Kentucky Avenue allows partial payments over up to 12 months; recipients should consult the order for payment and appeal instructions.
