Bay County magistrate accepts compliance or orders fixes for multiple properties; owners given 10 days to permit or remove structures

Tiffany Sarto, the special magistrate presiding over Bay County hearings, accepted code-enforcement and building-safety recommendations on multiple properties and set short deadlines for owners to correct unpermitted work.

At the hearing, county investigators presented evidence that several parcels had been the subject of earlier orders or stop-work notices. Bay County code enforcement manager Catherine Ashman and contractor-licensing investigator Charlie McDermott described prior compliance hearings, photographic exhibits and repeated notice efforts for properties including 6734 Bridal/Doe Lane (case 20250192), 975 Hopkins Lane (case 20260024), 5100 Bertha Nelson Road (case 20251439), and 9229 Widener Street (case 20243557). In cases where contractors or owners had since removed violations or completed abatement, the magistrate found the properties in compliance and ordered county costs and fines to be recorded as liens where applicable.

In the Brooklyn-area Southport case involving an unpermitted shed at 975 Hopkins Lane, McDermott said inspectors documented plumbing lines and electrical wiring on the shed and posted a stop-work order after an initial inspection. His recommendation required the owner to either remove the structure or obtain a building permit within 10 days, and warned of an initial $200 fine plus a $25 daily fine accruing until the issue is resolved. Magistrate Sarto summarized the requirement: “You’ve got 10 days to either get it permitted or get it moved off the property.”

Meredith Marconi, who identified herself during the 975 Hopkins Lane item, said the couple purchased the shed as a repossessed unit and were unaware a permit was required. “We purchased that shed as a repo…we were not aware that there was supposed to be a permit,” she said, and stated the owner was working to remove the structure.

For case 20251439 at 5100 Bertha Nelson Road, McDermott told the magistrate the property owner amended the structure to fall under the county’s 900-square-foot limit for nonhabitable accessory buildings and submitted required plans; the permit was in plan review and a July 8 reinspection found the parcel in compliance. Where abatement costs had been incurred, staff recommended — and Sarto accepted — recording the county’s abatement costs as a lien in public records.

Other items on the docket included nuisance abatements where contractors hired by the county cleaned properties and costs ranged from about $1,799 to $13,214 depending on the case. Where cleanup had been completed and evidence showed compliance, Sarto accepted recommendations to find properties in compliance while preserving county authority to record liens and impose fines if costs remain unpaid.

The magistrate repeatedly instructed property owners to stay in contact with county staff during the compliance period. McDermott asked that staff be notified after removal so inspectors could recheck the site and close the matter more quickly. The hearing concluded after the magistrate accepted each department recommendation.

Votes at a glance (cases decided at the hearing): - Case 20250192 (6734 Bridal/Doe Lane): Magistrate found property in compliance; prior fine and abatement costs to be recorded as a lien (recommended by code enforcement, accepted). - Case 20260024 (975 Hopkins Lane): Order: owner must remove the unpermitted shed or apply for/obtain permits within 10 days; initial $200 fine and $25 daily fine thereafter; fines to become lien upon recording (building department recommendation, accepted). - Case 20251439 (5100 Bertha Nelson Road): Owner reduced pole barn to meet 900-sq-ft limit; permit in plan review; 10-day window to finalize permits and inspections or face fines and lien (building department recommendation, accepted). - Case 20243557 (9229 Widener Street): Findings of unpermitted porch and deck; 10 days to remove or obtain permit, with $200 initial fine and $25 daily fine if noncompliant (building department recommendation, accepted). - Case 20360233 (3936 Scurlock Lane): County-ordered cleaning cost $1,550; property found in compliance; recommendation to impose prior fines and record lien accepted (code enforcement recommendation, accepted). - Case 20251321 (11720 Magnolia Street): County-ordered cleaning cost $1,799; fines recommended ($200 initial; $25 daily up to 20 days = $700); property found in compliance; recording of liens accepted. - Case 20241067 (9407 Indian Bluff Road): County-ordered cleaning cost $13,214; property found in compliance; recommendation to recover abatement cost and record lien accepted. - Case 20250156 (12809 Bridal Lane Drive): Abatement cost (including asbestos survey) $4,650; fine recommended $1,000 plus interest; property found in compliance; recording of lien recommended and accepted.

The magistrate closed the hearing after accepting department recommendations and reminded parties to notify county staff once corrective work is complete so cases can be closed.