Special magistrate reduces sign fine for Embassy Lake tenant, sets Sept. 5 deadline

The Cooper City special magistrate reduced fines tied to an expired wall-sign permit at the Embassy Lake Shopping Center and set a deadline for payment. The order, issued during the Aug. 6 docket, cuts the assessed amount to $2,000 if paid in full by Sept. 5; if not, “the full amount of the fine gets reinstated,” the magistrate said.

Sean Whiting, property manager for Kimco Realty/Weingarten Realty, and Jay Brea, the tenant operating Bogart’s American Kitchen, appeared to request a reduction. The magistrate said the violation stemmed from an expired permit and that notices normally go to the property owner, not the tenant. “So by ordinance, I can grant a 75% reduction of the fine,” the magistrate said, explaining the legal limit for a waiver. Brea told the bench he learned of the running fines recently and characterized the issue as a paperwork error: “I found out about this about a month ago…it's in essence, in my opinion, it's a paperwork error.”

The magistrate explained his calculation and offered payment flexibility if needed, but also set a firm compliance window: “If it's not paid within 30 days, which would be, September 5, the full amount of the fine gets reinstated.” The magistrate said a formal written order will be prepared and mailed to the property manager. The matter was closed subject to the payment deadline; staff will record receipts and release the lien if paid as ordered.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are listed in the meeting roster and include the Special Magistrate, Jay Brea (tenant), and Sean Whiting (property manager).