Ocoee commission retains citizen residential code enforcement board, orders stricter enforcement and review

The Ocoee City Commission voted unanimously April 7 to retain its citizen-led residential code enforcement board and asked staff to return with ordinance language to strengthen fines and to evaluate how a magistrate or city attorney might support the board.

The vote followed a public hearing in which Al Warren Lewis, vice chair of the code enforcement board, said the record used to justify abolishing the board contained inaccuracies and urged a hybrid model that “preserves efficiency while maintaining public trust.” Joe Bander, chair of the residential code enforcement board, told commissioners the volunteer panel has “been in place for 45 years” and warned that replacing it with a single magistrate would remove local community judgment.

Commissioner John Kennedy said the record presented in prior discussions must be accurate and acknowledged some misstatements, but he stressed the commission’s concern over timeliness and quorum problems that have slowed enforcement. Kennedy proposed, and commissioners agreed, to keep citizen involvement while directing staff to develop procedures, training and attorney support to improve speed and legal robustness.

City staff noted the commission previously approved a contract with a new magistrate to hear non-residential matters and said a magistrate could create a stronger chain of custody for enforcement actions that might lead to foreclosure in some cases. The commission’s motion, made by Commissioner Kennedy and seconded by Commissioner Wilson, asked staff to bring back an amended ordinance that maintains tougher fines and clarifies the roles of any magistrate or city attorney; the motion carried with Commissioner Oliver absent.

Next steps: staff will draft and present ordinance language to formalize the revised enforcement procedures, make code changes to update fines and lien processes, and recommend board training and alternates to reduce quorum delays.