Deltona commission pauses foreclosure on 271 Fort Smith Boulevard pending records review and possible fine reduction

The Deltona City Commission voted unanimously to pause foreclosure proceedings targeting 271 Fort Smith Boulevard so the property owner can apply for a reduction of fines and the commission can review additional records.

Commissioner Cole raised concerns after a public-records request returned limited documentation on the city's public portal. He told the dais he had asked for records on July 17 and had “not received anything other than these 5 documents as of Friday,” saying the files presented at the meeting did not match what was expected. City Attorney (speaker 3) told the commission the liens filed against the property included two lien matters and that, “the liens that were filed for this property, totaled at the time $54,540,” a sum recorded in official records. Compliance manager Daniel Rocco added that some case details are available only through a public-records request and that staff would provide a worksheet of liens for commissioners.

Commissioners said recent entries showing voluntary compliance by the property's tenants suggested staff and the owner had been working toward fixes and that more detail — including magistrate hearing transcripts — should be reviewed before the city proceeds. The commission directed the city attorney to file a formal stay in the court action for 90 days so the owner could apply for a reduction of fines; the motion passed 7-0. City Attorney said, “We'll file the request for stay, for 90 days,” and added that if the parties resolve the matter the city would move to voluntary dismissal.

Owners and their representative attended the meeting and said they wanted to work with the city. The commission also asked staff to provide a full list of substantial liens in the city (defined in the discussion as over $5,000) going back several years to give the dais broader context about similar matters.