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Okeechobee County magistrate sets compliance deadlines, recommends two fine reductions
Summary
At an Aug. 20 special magistrate hearing, Magistrate John Van Laningham found multiple code violations, set compliance dates (commonly Sept. 12 or Oct. 10) and recommended reduction of two accrued fines to the county's hard costs ahead of a Sept. 12 Board of County Commissioners hearing.
John Van Laningham, Okeechobee County’s special magistrate for code compliance, convened a special magistrate hearing on Aug. 20 and issued a series of findings of violation and compliance deadlines across dozens of cases.
The hearing covered property-maintenance and permitting violations — abandoned and inoperable vehicles, outdoor storage and dumping, unpermitted construction and occupied recreational vehicles. For several matters the magistrate accepted county recommendations to set a Sept. 12, 2024 compliance deadline with fines to begin Sept. 13 if not corrected; in other cases the magistrate granted extensions to Oct. 10 with status conferences set for Oct. 15 to review progress.
Officer Gilchrist summarized multiple property cases and presented photographic exhibits supporting the county’s recommendations. "I will receive the county's exhibits and evidence and based on the exhibits and the testimony I will make a final violation as to those charges," Van Laningham said when explaining his role in entering findings of violation.
Two liened properties seeking reductions of accrued fines were addressed near the end of the hearing. The assistant county attorney read the county’s hard costs and the magistrate said he would recommend that the Board of County Commissioners reduce the fines to cover those costs; the board is scheduled to consider the matters on Sept. 12.
The magistrate closed the docket after instructing code officers to file orders and noting he would sign minutes and prepare recommended orders for the commissioners’ meeting.
