Special magistrate orders compliance, trims two liens and sets fines after Seminole County hearings

The Seminole County special magistrate on July 9, 2026 issued a series of orders in code-enforcement cases, reducing two liens and imposing compliance deadlines and daily fines on multiple properties across the county.

The magistrate approved minutes for April and May before hearing a set of fine-reduction and abatement cases. John Martin, manager of Seminole County Code Enforcement, presented details on several matters, including liens, inspection dates and previous notices.

In the first case, the magistrate granted a request by Antonio Toure Chandler to reduce a lien originally recorded at $187,850 to $1,000, with payment due within 30 days. "I'll go ahead and reduce the fine to 1000 dollars, with payment within 30 days," the magistrate said, adding that the lien would revert to $187,850 if the reduced amount was not paid.

In a separate lien reduction, Sergio Salazar told the magistrate he faced health and financial hardships and had trouble securing required contractor drawings. The magistrate ordered a reduction of a $51,800 lien to $381.38 (with credit for a $100 application fee), leaving $281.38 due within 90 days, and warned that the full lien would be reinstated if that payment was not made.

Several other properties were found in violation of Seminole County codes and were ordered into compliance on short timetables. For the parcel at 2054 Sykes Ave., Sanford, the magistrate found the structure unsafe and ordered the property brought into compliance within 15 days (July 24, 2026), authorizing the county to secure, clean, board, demolish or otherwise address the site for public health and safety if the owners did not act. The magistrate said placards had been removed multiple times and characterized that behavior as potentially willful, supporting a larger daily fine for noncompliance.

Other orders included requiring the removal of a nonconforming outdoor structure owned by Sanford Hanger LLC within 10 days (or a $250-per-day fine thereafter), and ordering owners in several housing and lot-cleaning matters to bring properties into compliance within 10 days or face fines (commonly $250 per day; the magistrate imposed a $500-per-day aggregate penalty in one repeat-offender rental case).

Shannon Henson and Katina Hill, code officers who presented photographs, inspection logs and certified-mail proof, documented follow-up inspections and recommended compliance schedules. Henson reported that the property at 1862 Willow Lane, Winter Park, was found in compliance as of July 8, 2026; the magistrate adjudicated that case closed but warned that future similar breaches would be treated as repeat violations.

The magistrate allowed the county latitude to initiate lot-cleaning or demolition steps where necessary, while noting procedural steps such as asbestos surveys and title searches that must occur before demolition. The hearing closed with the magistrate setting the next special-magistrate hearing for Aug. 13, 2026.

The orders are administrative findings by the special magistrate enforcing Seminole County code chapters cited during the hearing; affected owners who fail to meet the deadlines face reinstated liens or daily fines and possible county abatement actions.