Treasure Island code board orders cleanup, repair or demolition of blighted properties; grants permit deadline to owner with language assistance

The Treasure Island Code Enforcement Board on Thursday ordered owners of multiple island properties to address blight, structural damage and standing water, and set deadlines for compliance while offering language assistance to residents who said they had trouble navigating permit requirements.

At the meeting the board found that the owner of the long‑vacant property at 11285 Fifth Street East had allowed conditions that violated Treasure Island code sections 18‑37 (unhealthful accumulations) and 68‑495 (minimum property standards). Inspectors presented photographs showing missing siding, a damaged second story with daylight visible through the wall, piles of debris and a backyard pool of stagnant, black water. After accepting staff evidence, the board adopted an order that the owner remove debris and construction material from the roof and lot, trim grass below six inches, drain or treat the pool to eliminate mosquito breeding, and either repair or demolish the structure; all necessary permits must be obtained for repair work. The order sets a 30‑day compliance period measured from the date the order is signed.

City Attorney Gavin Rollins framed the board’s role and due‑process limits before the cases, telling board members that under Florida law "you are functioning as essentially five judges," a reminder that hearings and evidence must be handled publicly and that ex parte contacts are forbidden. The board unanimously carried the motion on the 11285 Fifth Street case.

Neighbor testimony underscored urgency. Randy Haw, who lives next door, told the board debris from the house had struck his roof and caused ongoing damage and that the property’s pool presented a health risk: "The pool is basically black," he said, calling the site "a health hazard" and urging prompt removal or demolition.

In a second contested matter, the board addressed a property where interior demolition had already been undertaken without permits. The respondent, identified in the record as Tren Wyn, said he removed damaged drywall after storm flooding and did not understand how to proceed. Staff advised that a demo or interior‑work permit is required to document the work and to ensure subsequent repairs meet code; flood‑related permit and substantial‑damage rules can affect options for repair or replacement. The board voted to find the respondent a first‑time violator of section 66‑104.1 and ordered him to apply for the permit for all work completed and to schedule and pass required inspections. The board gave the respondent until Nov. 19, 2025 to file the application and instructed staff to provide translation and hands‑on assistance to complete paperwork.

Other matters were resolved by stipulation. Inspectors reported that 11220 Fifth Street East (listed to Nvidia Holdings LLC in the packet) had extensive violations earlier in the year but was brought into compliance after new contractor involvement; the new contractor’s representative, Shannon Delane, said the contractor had repaired the site and agreed to a joint stipulation. The board found the owner a first‑time violator and recorded that the violations had been corrected.

Staff told the board it will monitor the ordered properties and return any case to the board if compliance is not achieved by the stated deadlines. Board members and staff also discussed practicalities—such as whether an owner may elect demolition instead of repair when a property is substantially damaged (staff responded that demolition can be an allowable remedy and should be clearly stated in the order)—and noted the administrative need to run order deadlines from the signed order date to avoid shortening the effective compliance period.

The chair opened the meeting by swearing in new members and the board received a Sunshine Law orientation from Rollins emphasizing public notices, avoidance of outside communications and the requirement that final orders meet the charter’s quorum rules. The meeting recessed briefly and resumed to take up additional cases.

What happens next: staff will check compliance before the board’s December agenda; if owners do not meet deadlines, the board can return to consider fines or further enforcement. The city also offered to provide translation help and staff assistance to residents with permit applications.