Magistrate sets compliance deadlines, starts fines and approves reductions in Royal Palm Beach code-enforcement hearing

Doug MacGibbon, special magistrate for the Village of Royal Palm Beach, set several new compliance deadlines, began running fines in long-standing condo enforcement matters and approved negotiated fine reductions at a special magistrate hearing on March 11, 2026.

The hearing covered dozens of violation and fine-mitigation matters. Village code inspector Andrew Amianti presented evidence on multiple properties, citing faded parking-lot striping, potholes, unauthorized exterior storage and expired or missing permits. After reviewing exhibits, the magistrate repeatedly urged property owners to keep code staff informed and to pursue permits promptly; he set a May 10 compliance date for a parking-lot repair case involving Demet Properties Inc. and warned that a $25-per-day fine would apply if repairs were not completed.

The magistrate summarized the court’s expectations for responsive owners: “What I want out of life here in code-enforcement land is someone who cares,” he said, praising owners who show up, produce a plan and communicate with inspectors.

Several condominium and homeowners association cases produced tougher outcomes. For a multi-building condo matter that reached its fourth hearing, village staff asked the magistrate to start fines because engineering permits and other submittals had still not produced full compliance. The village sought an initial $100 fine that would continue daily in cases where work remained undone; the magistrate granted orders starting fines and set future status hearings while noting mitigation reviews can be requested only after full compliance and issuance of affidavits of compliance.

Owners and association representatives repeatedly described contractor backlogs, permit-plan comments and insurance or litigation delays. In a gazebo-and-tarp-on-roof matter, an owner said the roof repair was tied to ongoing mediation with an insurer; the magistrate bifurcated the order so the gazebo must be addressed by April 30, while the roof repair timeline is documented and monitored.

The hearing also included fine-mitigation requests. Greg Bennett, identified as regional service manager for a respondent LLC, asked for relief after contractor errors and holiday delays; the village did not oppose a reduction and the magistrate approved a mitigated amount with a June payment deadline. Similarly, the magistrate granted reductions or continuances in several cases where owners produced evidence that permits were applied for or contractors had begun corrective work, while reminding all parties that fines restart to the full original amount if deadlines are missed.

A notable technical enforcement matter involved an illegal tie-in to a village water line. The village opposed mitigation because the violation involved an unauthorized connection, but the magistrate reduced the assessed fine after the respondent documented the installation of backflow-prevention hardware and severing of the unauthorized connection, and set a reduced amount due by June 12.

The magistrate’s orders will be mailed to parties. Many cases were continued to status or fine hearings in June to allow for permit processing, inspections and, where relevant, payment of reduced fines or submission of affidavits of compliance. The hearing concluded with routine reminders to monitor permit-email correspondence and coordinate inspections with code staff.

Votes at a glance - Case 26-000510 (Fox Trail Road South, Demet Properties): Compliance by May 10; $25/day fine if not met (order entered). - Multiple condo/HOA matters (including Cobblestone Village and Palm Beach Trace): fines authorized to begin on outstanding items; magistrate ordered daily fines to run where permits missing and noncompliance persists. - Fine mitigation approvals: negotiated reductions granted in multiple cases with payment deadlines commonly set for June 12.

What happens next Order copies will be mailed to respondents. Owners who obtain permits and request inspections should notify code staff to secure affidavits of compliance, after which they may apply for fine mitigation hearings. The magistrate scheduled multiple status and fine hearings in May and June to review progress.