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Code enforcement steps up on Okachobee Boulevard; council and public weigh balance for nurseries and landscapers
Summary
Council heard an update on an enforcement campaign along Okachobee Boulevard involving properties operating landscaping and equipment-storage uses. Staff said magistrate stipulations give properties six months to comply; residents, nurseries and landscapers urged council to seek compromise or clearer code metrics for small operators.
Town code enforcement officials told the council on April 7 they are actively pursuing dozens of cases on Okachobee Boulevard and similar corridors where property uses appear to exceed zoning allowances.
Code enforcement consultant Rand Buckley and staff described an enforcement program that includes compliance hearings, stipulation agreements giving operators up to 180 days to correct violations, and magistrate proceedings for persistent noncompliance. Officials said many cases involve landscape-maintenance operations and storage of equipment and trailers on parcels zoned for residential or agricultural uses rather than commercial operations.
What staff said: The town’s enforcement team reported that it has prioritized the largest or most obvious violations and has obtained stipulation deadlines—commonly 180 days—for compliance, with magistrate follow-up scheduled. Staff asked council to give direction about whether to schedule workshops or pursue regulatory changes for smaller operations.
Residents and business owners: The meeting drew a large public turnout of nursery owners, landscapers and adjacent residents. Some residents urged strict enforcement to protect rural character and property values. Several nursery owners and small operators said they support reasonable limits but asked for clearer rules—such as a specific vehicle-count threshold or a percentage-based nursery-vs-landscape ratio (e.g., 70/30) that would allow small operators to remain in business without occupying residential neighborhoods with commercial activity.
Legal and policy context: Staff said the town’s zoning code currently bans landscape-maintenance services as a primary use in many areas but allows ancillary services associated with nurseries. However, the code lacks precise numeric thresholds for what constitutes ancillary vs primary commercial use. That ambiguity is a frequent source of dispute and an obstacle to rapid, fair enforcement.
Council direction and next steps: Council members asked staff to return with more data—number of pending cases, the share that are nursery-related vs stand-alone landscape services, and suggested draft code language to clarify thresholds and exemptions. Staff said it will bring options for code amendments or a workshop-based stakeholder process and will continue enforcement under existing ordinances and magistrate schedules in the meantime.
Quote: "We're not going after the one guy with one truck. We're targeting the large operations—multiple trucks, on-site materials and storage—where the use looks like a commercial yard inside a residential area," said the town’s code consultant.
