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Code enforcement cuts $44,400 in fines to $1,618 for landowner who hosted RVs
Summary
The Collier County Code Enforcement Board found a violation for travel trailers on an agriculturally zoned parcel and ordered removal within 30 days; the board reduced previously accrued fines from $44,400 to $1,618.77 after the owner pleaded financial hardship and described volunteer help on his farm.
The Collier County Code Enforcement Board ordered the removal of an unauthorized recreational vehicle from a rural property and sharply reduced accumulated fines following a contested hearing on May 22, 2025.
County investigator Rick Bridal presented aerial photos and inspection findings showing multiple travel trailers had been located on the property at issue and that zoning staff determined renting spaces there was not a permitted use. The board voted that a violation existed and set abatement requirements and penalties.
Property owner Richard William McElrath Jr. told the board the trailers were occupied by volunteers helping him start a small farm and said fines had left him unable to pay. "I'm pleading from the bottom of my heart. I cannot afford this $44,000," McElrath said, asking for leniency.
In a motion to resolve the case, a committee member moved to reduce the accumulated fines and administrative costs. The board approved a settlement that reduced the previously calculated fines of about $44,400 to a total of $1,618.77, which includes operational fees to be paid within 30 days. The finding that a violation existed and the subsequent settlement were adopted unanimously.
The board also ordered removal of remaining travel trailers and required the respondent to notify code enforcement for a final inspection; if the property is not brought into compliance within the set timeframe, daily fines will resume as specified in the board’s order.
The hearing record shows the board balanced enforcement of zoning limits with the owner’s statements about family history on the land and his efforts to farm the property. County staff had recommended standard abatement language, operational cost payment and potential daily fines should the respondent fail to comply.
The board’s action closes the immediate enforcement chapter but continues to subject the property to routine follow-up inspections and the prospect of renewed penalties if the owner fails to meet the abatement and payment deadlines.
