CEB Minutes 11/13/2003 RNovember 13, 2003
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD
Naples, Florida, November 13, 2003
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Code Enforcement Board
in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein,
met on this date at 9:00 a.m. in REGULAR SESSION in Building
"F" of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida, with the
following members present:
CHAIRMAN:
Clifford Flegal
Sheri Barnett
Raymond Bowie
Albert Doria, Jr.
Roberta Dusek
Gerald Lefebvre
George Ponte
G. Christopher Ramsey
ALSO PRESENT:
Jean Rawson, Attorney for the Board
William Mountford, Assistant County Attorney
Shanelle Hilton, Code Enforcement Coordinator
Page 1
CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD OF COLLIER COUNTY~ FLORIDA
AGENDA
Date: November 13, 2003 at 9:00 o'clock a.m.
Location: 3301 E. Tamiami Tr., Naples, Florida, Collier County Government Center, Administrative Bldg, 3rd Floor
NOTE: ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF THIS BOARD WILL NEED A RECORD OF THE
PROCEEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO, AND THEREFORE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD
OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH
THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED. NEITHER COLLIER COUNTY NOR THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD SHALL BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING THIS RECORD.
IF YOU ARE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY WHO NEEDS ANY ACCOMMODATION IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE
IN THIS PROCEEDING, YOU ARE ENTITLED, AT NO COST TO YOU, TO THE PROVISION OF CERTAIN
ASSISTANCE. PLEASE CONTACT THE COLLIER COUNTY FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT LOCATED
AT 3301 EAST TAMIAMI TRAIL, NAPLES, FLORIDA, 34112, (239) 774-8380; ASSISTED LISTENING DEVICES FOR
THE HEARING IMPAIRED ARE AVAILABLE IN THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. OFFICE.
1. ROLL CALL
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES- October 23, 2003
4. PUBLIC HEARINGS
MOTIONS: Motion to Continue
1. BCC vs. Aljo Inc
2. BCC vs. Aljo Inc
3. BCC vs. Aljo Inc
CEB NO. 2003-049
CEB NO. 2003-050
CEB NO. 2003-051
HEARINGS:
1. CASE NO:
CASE ADDR:
OWNER:
INSPECTOR:
2003-048
795 25TM ST SW, NAPLES, FLORIDA
MONIKA VAN STONE
JEFF LETOURNEAU
VIOLATIONS:
ORD NO 91-102, AS AMENDED, SEC 2.7.6.1 & SEC 2.7.6.5
TWO WOODEN HORSE STABLES, WOODEN SHED AND GUESTHOUSE WITH
ELECTRICAL AND SEPTIC IMPROVEMENTS ERECTED/PLACED WITHOUT FIRST
OBTAINING AUTHORIZATION OF BUILDING PERMITS, INSPECTIONS AND
RECEIVING CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETIONS.
CASE NO:
CASE ADDR:
OWNER:
INSPECTOR:
2003-049
309 CEREUS DR, NAPLES, FLORIDA
AL JO INC
CAROL SYKORA
VIOLATIONS:
ORD NO 98-76, AS AMENDED, THE MINIMUM HOUSING CODE, SECTION 5:
SUBSECTION 1, SANITARY FACILITIES ARE NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED
AND CREATING AN IMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 121, WINDOWS AND EXTERIOR DOORS NOT BEING PROPERLY
MAINTAINED AND CREATING A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 120, INTERIOR DOORS NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED
SUBSECTION 12P, INTERIOR FLOORS, WALLS AND CEILINGS NOT BEING
PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND CREATING A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZZARD
11/12/2003
CASE NO:
CASE ADDR:
OWNER:
INSPECTOR:
VIOLATIONS:
SUBSECTION 16C, DWELLING NOT HAVING PROPER PEST CONTROL CREATING AN
SEVERE INFESTATION OF ROACHES AND ANTS.
ORD NO 98-76, AS AMENDED, BY ORD NO 2002-05, THE MININUM HOUSING CODE,
SEC 17, DWELLING REQUIRED TO HAVE SMOKE DECECTORS AND DWELLiNG IS
MISSING THE SAME CREATiNG AN IMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD.
2003-050
602 FiNCH DR, NAPLES FLORIDA
ALSO INC
CAROL SYKORA
ORD NO 98-76, AS AMENDED, THE MINIMUM HOUSiNG CODE, SECTION 5:
SUBSECTION 1, SANITARY FACILITIES ARE NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAiNED
AND CREATING AN IMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 4, AIR CONDITIONiNG SYSTEM NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAiNED
AND CREATING A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 8, BATHROOM FACILITY NOT BEiNG PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND
MISSING PROPER VENTALLATION AND LIGHTING
SUBSECTION 9, ELECTRICAL LIGHTS AND OUTLETS MISSiNG COVERS AND WIRES
EXPOSED CREATING AN IMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 12C, ROOF NOT BEiNG PROPERLY MAINTAiNED AND CREATING A
HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 12I, WINDOWS AND EXTERIOR DOORS NOT BEING PROPERLY
MAINTAiNED AND CREATiNG A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 12K, LOCKING MECHANISM ON DOORS NOT WORKiNG CREATiNG
SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 12P, INTERIOR FLOORS, WALLS AND CEILINGS NOT BEING
PROPERLY MAiNTAiNED AND CREATING A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZZARD
SUBSECTION 16C, DWELLING NOT HAVING PROPER PEST CONTROL CREATING AN
SEVERE INFESTATION OF ROACHES AND ANTS.
ORD NO 98-76, AS AMENDED, BY ORD NO 2002~05, THE MiNINUM HOUSING CODE,
SEC 17, DWELLING REQUIRED TO HAVE SMOKE DECECTORS AND DWELLiNG IS
MISSING THE SAME CREATiNG AN IMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD.
4. CASE NO:
CASE ADDR:
OWNER:
INSPECTOR:
VIOLATIONS:
2003-051
608 FiNCH DR, NAPLES, FLORIDA
AL JO iNC
CAROL SYKORA
ORD NO 98-76, AS AMENDED, THE MiNIMUM HOUSING CODE, SECTION 5:
SUBSECTION 1, SANITARY FACILITIES ARE NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAiNED
AND CREATING AN IMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 10, HALLWAYS NOT HAViNG REQUIRED LIGHTING CREATING A
SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 11, ELECTRICAL OUTLETS MISSiNG COVERS AND WIRES EXPOSED
CREATING AN IMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD
11/12/2003
o
e
o
10.
SUBSECTION 12F, STAIRWAY AND PORCH NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED
ARE ROTTEN AND FALLING APART CREATING AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 12I, WINDOWS AND EXTERIOR DOORS NOT BEING PROPERLY
MAINTAINED AND CREATING A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD
SUBSECTION 120, INTERIOR DOORS NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED
SUBSECTION 12P, INTERIOR FLOORS, WALLS AND CEILINGS NOT BEING
PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND CREATING A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZZARD
SUBSECTION 16C, DWELLING NOT HAVING PROPER PEST CONTROL CREATING A
SEVERE INFESTATION OF ROACHES AND ANTS.
ORD NO 98-76, AS AMENDED, BY ORD NO 2002-05, THE MININUM HOUSING CODE,
SEC 17, DWELLING REQUIRED TO HAVE SMOKE DECECTORS AND DWELLING IS
MISSING THE SAME CREATING AN IMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD.
CASE NO:
CASE ADDR:
OWNER:
INSPECTOR:
2003-045
641 FOREST AVE BONITA SPRINGS, FLORIDA
ROBERT BIDLAK AND ROSEMARY YOUNG
STEPHEN SUTHERLIN
VIOLATIONS:
ORD 91-102, AS AMENDED, SEC 2.3.5.3
TWO FAMILY DWELLING UNITS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE DRIVEWAY/STABLIZED
SURFACE FOR PARKING
ORD 91-102, AS AMENDED, SEC 2.3.5.7
VEHICLES ARE TO BE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY/STABLIZED SURFACE AND NOT
ALLOWED TO PARK IN RIGHT OF WAY OR BE STORED IN THE RIGHT OF WAY
ORD 91-102, AS AMENDED, SEC 2.3.5.8
PROPERTY REQUIRED TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH NEW CODE WITHIN 90
DAYS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE ORDINANCE
NEW BUSINESS:
A. Request for Imposition of Fines/Liens
1. BCC vs. Dixie Higginbotham
B. Request for Reduction/Abatement of Fines
No request submitted at the time of this agenda
C. Request to Forward to County Attorney's Office
No request submitted at the time of this agenda
D. Motion/Request for Extension of Time
1. BCC vs. Carter Fence
CEB NO. 2003-022
CEB NO. 2003-021
OLD BUSINESS:
A. Affidavits of Compliance
No request submitted at the time of this agenda
B. Affidavits of Non-Compliance
No request submitted at the time of this agenda
REPORTS
1. JeffKlatzkow is the new assistant County Attorney who will be handling the post CEB lien enforcement matters.
COMMENTS/DISSCUSSION
NEXT MEETING DATE
December 12, 2003 in the Board Room
ADJOURN
11/12/2003
November 13, 2003
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: I apologize for the delay. We'll call
the Code Enforcement Board to order, please.
Please make note, any person who decides to appeal a decision
of this Board will need a record of the proceedings pertaining thereto,
and therefore, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the
proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and
evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. Neither Collier
County nor the Code Enforcement Board shall be responsible for
providing this record.
If you are a person with a disability who needs any
accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are
entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance.
Please contact Collier County Facilities Management, located here in
the courthouse complex.
Assisted listening devices for the hearing impaired are also
available in the County Commissioners' office. May we have the roll call, please.
MS. HILTON: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. For the
record, Shanelle Hilton, CEB Coordinator. Clifford Flegal?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Present.
MS.
MS.
MS.
MR.
MS.
MR.
MS.
MS.
MS.
MR.
MS.
HILTON:
DUSEK:
HILTON:
PONTE:
HILTON:
Bobbie Dusek?
Here.
George Ponte?
Here.
Gerald Lefebvre?
LEFEBVRE: Here.
HILTON: Sheri Barnett?
BARNETT: Here.
HILTON: Chris Ramsey?
RAMSEY: Here.
HILTON: Albert Doria?
Page 2
November 13, 2003
MR. DORIA: Here.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: And Raymond Bowie.
MR. BOWIE: Here.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We need to make note that Mr.
Ramsey and Mr. Lefebvre are now permanent members of the Board,
will participate fully. Excuse me, I have a frog from somewhere and
I can't seem to get rid of it.
Mr. Bowie has been recently appointed an alternate, and we
welcome him. He's -- can participate in questions but not in voting.
Approval of our agenda.
MS. HILTON: We've had a request from-- to move Item 5(D)
to follow after the motions to continue. And we have had a request
to move 5(A) as well up to after the extension of time.
MS. DUSEK: That was 5(A) and 5(D)?
MS. HILTON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any comment from any Board
members?
MR. RAMSEY: 5(A)?
MS. HILTON: Yes, 5(A) and 5(D).
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Hearing none, I'd entertain a motion to
approve the agenda as changed.
MR. PONTE: So moved.
MS. DUSEK: Second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second to
approve the agenda as changed.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Approval of minutes. Now, I didn't
receive any minutes. Are we going to --
MS. HILTON: They hadn't -- they were not available at the
Page 3
November 13, 2003
time that I prepared the agenda.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. So we'll skip that item.
We'll now open our public hearings. The first item would be
motions to continue. BCC versus -- is it Alejo?
MS. HILTON: It's Aljo, Inc.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Aljo, Inc., okay.
MR. CRONIN: Good morning. For the record, my name is
Dennis Cronin. I'm an attorney with Bond, Schoeneck & King.
Mr. A1 Bottino contacted me earlier this week and requested I
appear on his behalf and request a continuance on this matter. He
had Federal Expressed down to me the notification package which he
received, and there's some address issues. The package was
forwarded to him and it was not actually received until the 7th of
November. So respectfully, we would request a continuance on that
basis alone.
But secondly, I have the -- Mr. Bottino's handyman, Richard
Burchell, is here as well. There was some issue with respect to a
tenant which was in this property and has only recently left, had
indicated at the end of October there, or early October that she was
going to provide access so that the repairs could be made and then
subsequently did not provide access. Has only recently moved out.
So respectfully, if we could get a 30-day continuance on this
matter, I believe that we'll be able to satisfy, from what Mr. Bottino
represents to me, the issues that are there. The property is now vacant
and fully accessible in order that the repairs can be made.
There was a companion case for 602 Finch Drive as well, which
is 2003-050, which I believe that there's -- all the repairs that were
cited have been made except one on that property. And the
maintenance person, Mr. Burchell, has indicated to me that that will
take approximately another day, day and a half in order to fully
rectify that situation.
So I think that we've tried to demonstrate good faith, and as
Page 4
November 13, 2003
soon as the notification was formally received, he did get on the
phone with me and Federal Express down the package. If we could
respectfully request the 30-day continuance, I think we'll go a long
way towards trying to get these repairs fully taken care of at that
point in time.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any questions from any Board
members?
(No respo.nse.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any recommendations?
MR. PONTE: I thought there were three properties involved.
Were there?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Yes.
MS. HILTON: Yes.
MR. PONTE: And of the three properties, one has been
repaired, one is now vacant and the other is --
MR. CRONIN: The only ones that I have record of are 602 and
608 for the ones that were sent down. And 602, as my
understanding, has been fully repaired, except for another day or so
of repairs. Is that correct, Richard?
There was also one. The address is 309 Cereus
MS. HILTON:
Drive.
MR. CRONIN:
MS. HILTON:
I don't have any record of that, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, that was forwarded to Mr. Bottino as
well. They were all sent at the same time.
MR. CRONIN: Well, I have the envelope so I can show the
forwarding and the date of the forwarding.
MS. HILTON: I understand that, but--
MR. CRONIN: Okay. I just don't have that, I'm sorry.
MS. HILTON:
MR. PONTE:
properties.
MR. CRONIN:
Right.
My question is, I think that there were three
Do you know anything about the third property,
Page 5
November 13, 2003
Richard?
MR. BURCHELL: Yes, sir. Everything was taken care of in
309 --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Well, we can't have any -- unless we
swear you in, we don't want to hear from you, sir. MR. CRONIN: Swear him in.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Well, we're not here to hear the case.
What we want to know is about the motion to continue. We don't
want to take testimony on the case. If you want us to hear the case,
we'll do that. You just asked us for a continuance. All we're trying
to find out is there were three properties, you mentioned two. We're
trying to find out, basically do you want to continue with the third
case or continue it till later?
MR. CRONIN: My understanding is that the 309 property is
complete.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, but it's still a case. We're either
going to hear it or continue it till the other two cases.
MR. CRONIN: Well, I respectfully request that you continue it
with the other three so that we can try to get them --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: That's what we wanted to hear.
MR. CRONIN: Okay, thank you.
MS. SYKORA: May I make a request, please? I'm Carol
Sykora from Code Enforcement Board.
I would wish that this not be continued, due to the fact the
company, one of the owners, Mr. A1 Bottino, knew about these
violations. The maintenance man at the time, his name was Dennis
Thomas, I gave him a copy of all the inspection reports back in
August and September when these first occurred. He was talking to
Mr. Bottino on his cell phone and I spoke to him reference these
cases. He was well aware that there were violations.
I have severe problems in this area. This is just a tip of the
iceberg in this area, getting to -- them to comply to violations out
Page 6
November 13, 2003
there. And I respectfully request that this continuance be denied.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. How about any members of the
Board, any comments?
MS. DUSEK: I have one question for Carol. Why do you want
this case to be heard today? I mean, what is the compelling reason
that you would want this case to be heard today?
MS. SYKORA: Due to the fact that these tenants are living in
conditions like this. They have to pay high rent. It's up to $750 a
month. They've tried and tried to get the owners of these units to
comply with repairing, and they give up and call me. There are very
many more out there, but people are very afraid to call and complain,
due to eviction problems.
And I know what goes on out there. And I've had a hard time
getting compliance. And I believe that the rush to get these fixed is
only because of the threat of the Code Enforcement Board. That's
my opinion.
MS. DUSEK: Is there immediate danger of any sort? Any
health or safety?
MS. SYKORA: Well, the one that someone is living in -- the
other two are vacated now. But one where she's living, they have did
(sic) a rush on doing the repairs. There are some repairs yet to be
done on it.
The other one, I spoke to the lady yesterday, she had to leave
due to the conditions. She had a premature baby. Roaches and so
forth in there. But the one, the initial one they rerented without me
inspecting it. And I did an inspection yesterday. Yes, most of it was
fixed, but they did not call me as requested for inspection before
rental.
I'm afraid that the other ones will be rented in these conditions
without an inspection first, as -- with a promise that it will be done
and then it never gets done.
Page 7
November 13, 2003
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. I think that's sufficient
information. We're getting a lot more information than really is -- I
think is leading toward the testimony side.
That the county doesn't want to continue is sufficient. The
respondent is asking for it to be continued. The Board needs to -- I'm
sorry, but based on the limited knowledge, unless we're going to hear
the case, we're going to have to make a judgment call, so --
MR. CRONIN: May I just put on one other thing, Mr.
Chairman?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Yes, sir.
MR. CRONIN: Excuse me. I just wanted to point out that, with
respect to 602, which is the property that has been, you know, 98
percent repaired, Mr. Bottino only received notification of this action
on November 7th. So clearly, you know, once -- he's gone forward in
good faith to try to make those repairs.
As you pointed out, the other two units are in fact vacant. And I
think a 30-day period of time will be sufficient for us to try to get
those repaired and to go forward.
And, you know, I'm comfortable making the representation that
no rental will be undertaken during that period of time until the
county has had a chance to go back in.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, sir.
MS. DUSEK: I have a question for Jean.
MS. RAWSON: Yes.
MS. DUSEK: I think it's just our own rules or bylaws that say
that they need a 1 O-day notice. But it's not a law, I mean, it's not an
ordinance. Do they need to have the 1 O-day notice?
MS. RAWSON: Well, it's in our rules, and I think that they get
copies of our rules with the petition. That's true.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: But the statute says that as long as any
information is sent to the legal address that's provided to, like the tax
assessor's office or on record, and it's posted in the courthouse, that's
Page 8
November 13, 2003
sufficient.
MS. RAWSON: That's also correct.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.
MR. CRONIN: Is the corporation -- there was two problems, if
I could just point this out. One was that there's a New York address
for the property and there was a forwarding order that was on place
for that.
And the second one is the registered agent of the corporation
had moved to Texas. So that was forwarded and that information
was never forwarded to the respondent either. So it's only since
November 7th that he actually physically received the materials.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Right.
MR. CRONIN: Okay?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: But the addresses that were located,
I'm sure, in the State of Florida with the Secretary of State.
MR. CRONIN: Those had not been -- those had not been --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: They hadn't been changed, so that's
not the county's fault.
MR. CRONIN: No, not at all. I just -- the only, the only --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Just so we understand.
MR. CRONIN: Right. My only point is that, you know, he had
undertaken the repairs even before he had received actual notice,
physically received the materials. All right?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All right, sir.
Any other comments from the Board?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Do I hear a motion from the Board to
grant or not to grant?
MS. DUSEK: I'm inclined to deny the motion, because I am
concerned about the limited amount of information we received from
the county, that it sounds like a health issue.
MS. BARNETT: I'm in agreement with you.
Page 9
November 13, 2003
MS. DUSEK:
MS. BARNETT: I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.
to deny the request for continuance.
(No response.)
aye.
I make a motion that we deny the continuance.
We have a motion and a second
Any further discussion?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All those in favor, signify by saying
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All those opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Motion is denied. Cases will be heard.
MS. SYKORA: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Motion to request time extension,
BCC versus Carter Fence.
MR. BLUNT: Good morning. For the record, Steve Blunt. I'm
an attorney with Woodward, Pires, Lombardo. And I'm-- Mr. Pires,
Tony Pires, apologizes for his inability to be here today but
unfortunately he had a trial over in the courthouse, so he asked me to
fill in for him today.
We're asking on behalf of Kenneth Carter for an extension of
time to come into compliance with the prior order of this Board. My
client has made every effort to come into compliance within the time
frame. He is building a new facility out in White Lake Corporate
Park and has attempted to obtain permits and everything, and that
process has been slowed by changes, design changes necessary to the
building.
He's making every effort to comply. He has obtained and
provided the staff with copies of his loan commitments, and
approximately $780,000 has spent, over $100,000 trying to comply
already up to now. He is making every effort to comply.
He is also making efforts to minimize the impact that the
violation would have on the surrounding area by moving materials
Page 10
November 13, 2003
that were stored in violation to an area that is not visible from the
streets, and has made sure that there's no heavy equipment on the
property and has altered the schedule that his workers follow so as
not to be a' disruption.
It's my understanding that the staff supports our request for an
extension, and we would respectfully request for an additional six
months for him to complete this facility so that he can have
everything moved out and come into compliance with this Board's
order.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Comments from the county?
MS. HILTON: Michelle said as long.as he moved the heavy
equipment, as Mr. Blunt indicated, she had no objections.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.
MR. BLUNT: And just so the record is clear, the only heavy
equipment or anything even close to heavy equipment that I'm aware
of is a small John Deer tractor that's still on the property. Other than
that, there's no heavy equipment there.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Comments from the Board?
MR. PONTE: I'd just like a little explanation of why -- I don't
quite understand why there should be an additional six months.
That's a long time.
MR. BLUNT: Well, we're in the permitting process, and as
indicated to the staff earlier, they anticipate that once the permit is
issued for the new facility, that the construction can be complete
within five months thereafter. We anticipate the permit to be issued
any time now. So we are going to attempt to come into compliance
as soon as possible, obviously. But we do anticipate approximately a
five-month window of time to complete the construction once the
permit is actually issued.
MR. PONTE: Thank you.
MS. BARNETT: Am I wrong or did I remember Michelle
saying that she wanted all the stored items off of the residential
Page 11
November 13, 2003
property into an area not just secluded in the residential property?
MS. HILTON: Initially, yes. But then after speaking to Mr.
Pires, they came to an arrangement.
MS. BARNETT: Okay, because that wasn't included.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any further questions from the Board?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Motion to grant or deny the request for
time extension?
MS. DUSEK: I make a motion that we grant the extension for
the time.
MR. PONTE: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second to
grant a six-month extension to our order. Any further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All those in favor, signify by saying
aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Those opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Got your six months, sir.
MR. BLUNT: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: The request for imposition of fines on
Higginbotham.
MS. HILTON: Yes --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: I hope I said that right.
MS. HILTON: -- I believe they're actually going to be asking
for an extension of time.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
MS. LUFT-BARTHOFF: My name is Carrie Luft-Barthoff, and
I just wanted to give you an update. Dixie Higginbotham and myself
went to -- in front of Judge Brousseau, and we stopped the
foreclosure, which was a nice thing for him to do.
Page 12
November 13, 2003
In the meantime, I found out that we really did need to consult
an attorney, which we did, Doug Rankin. We spent two hours with
him last week and he has put together all the documents. I called
Bank One, who now is cooperating, and they are deciding how
they're going to go forward, if they're going to join into a lawsuit
with Dixie Higginbotham, you know, in -- pertaining to all of this,
because they really don't want to go ahead and start the foreclosure
proceeding and everything all over again.
So unfortunately, you knoTM, waiting for their attorney and Doug
Rankin to get the information together and then, you know, Bank
One/Saxton Mortgage, there's a little bit of a time problem here,
because everybody hasn't decided how they're going to move ahead.
So my -- I just wanted to request that we have a couple of more
weeks or a month until everybody decides how they're going to
proceed on this, whether or not they are going to let the property go
and it go into foreclosure, because there's just so many obstacles.
There's title problems, there's permit CO problems, there's fines.
You know, there's all kinds of things. And if we just go ahead and
impose all of that, then I'm just afraid that Bank One is just going to
pull out completely and then they're going to be left without a home.
So I'm asking for an extension.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Comments from the county?
Do you have problems with extending the imposition.9
MS. HILTON: No. Michelle said she wouldn't have a problem.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.
MS. DUSEK: You-- are you-- you're asking for a 30-day
extension?
MS. LUFT-BARTHOFF: Yes.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Next meeting.
MS. HILTON: Now, our next meeting is December 12th.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: So it's about, close to 30 days.
MS. DUSEK: Well, at our next meeting.
Page 13
November 13, 2003
And at that -- what I'm concerned about, there are the violations,
that's why you're here, and all the other parts of this, foreclosure and
the bank situations is not really part of what we do or are concerned
with. What we want to see is that these violations are addressed.
So my question is, along with straightening out all the other
parts of the problem, will she be able to complete the violations, the
correction of the violations within this 30-day period? Because
otherwise, you'd be coming before us again.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, one thing. This request is only
the imposition of fines. It's not a request to extend our order. This is
just imposing the fines. So the order, whatever the time limit was
there, is still running. This is just imposing the fines, which is in a
separate and aside from the order. So you're only asking for the fines
not to be imposed yet, which is what we were going to do last month.
MS. LUFT-BARTHOFF: Correct.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.
MS. DUSEK: Thank you for that clarification.
MS. LUFT-BARTHOFF: Yeah, thank you.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. So as far as just imposing the
fines, nothing to do with the order--
MS. DUSEK: Yes, yes, you're right.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: -- any other comments from the
Board?
MS. BARNETT: If that's the case, I feel that we should go
ahead and grant the extension of 30 days and bring it back at the next
CEB hearing. I'll make that motion.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion. Do we have a
second?
MS. DUSEK: I second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second to
'grant a extension to our next meeting on imposing the fines only.
Any other questions?
Page 14
November 13, 2003
aye.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All those in favor, signify by saying
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
MS. LUFT-BARTHOFF:
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
Any opposed?
You got your extension, ma'am.
Thank you very much.
Okay, motions over. We now get to
the actual public hearings on cases. First case, 2003-048.
MS. HILTON: Yes. Our first case is Board of County
Commissioners versus Monika-- and that's, M-O-N-I-K-A-- van
Stone, CEB No. 2003-048.
And at this time, I would like to ask if the respondent is present
in the courtroom?
(No response.)
MS. HILTON: The respondent is not present.
We had previously provided the Board and the respondent with
a packet of information we would like entered as Exhibit A at this
time.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: I'd entertain a motion to accept the
County's Exhibit A.
MR. PONTE: So moved.
MS. DUSEK: Second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: A motion and a second to accept the
County's Exhibit A.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response).
MS. HILTON: The alleged violation is of Sections 2.7.6.1 and
2.7.6.5 of Ordinance No. 91-102, as amended, of the Collier County
Page 15
November 13, 2003
Land Development Code.
The description of the violation: Observed two wooden horse
stables, a wooden shed with electric and an apartment/guest house
with electric, plumbing, air conditioning and septic improvements.
All improvements made without first obtaining authorization of a
Collier County building permit and having all of the required
inspections and Certificate of Completion and Occupancy.
Location where violations exists: 795 25th Street Southwest,
Naples, Florida, Golden Gate Estates, Folio No. 36816880006.
Name and address of owner in charge of location where
violations exists: Monika van Stone, 5231 Mahogany Ridge Street,
Naples, Florida.
Date violation first observed: July 17th, 2003.
Date owner given notice of violation: July 20th, 2003, by
certified mail, return receipt requested, of which mailing was never
returned by the post office. And posting of the property and the
courthouse.
Date on which violation to be corrected: August 2nd, 2003.
Date of reinspection: Was this week.
And result of the reinspection: Is the violation remains.
And the evidentiary packet was sent regular and certified mail,
and posting of property in courthouse.
And at this time, I'd like to turn the case over to the investigator,
Jeff Letourneau, to present the case to the Board. (Speaker was duly sworn.)
MR. LETOURNEAU: For the record, Jeff Letourneau, Collier
County Code Enforcement. Good morning.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Good morning, Jeff.
MR. LETOURNEAU: On July 17th, I responded to a complaint
by a Denise Church, who stated that she was renting an apartment in
the back of the property. Upon arriving, ! got her to sign an entry
consent form and observed -- as you see, that big structure right
Page 16
November 13, 2003
there, we have an -- there was an apartment where I marked in
yellow on the east side. The one quarter of it was turned into an
apartment. It has electric, plumbing and AC improvements. I also
observed two horse stables, a small one behind the garage and a
larger double one over here to the south.
And I also observed a small shed that held a washer and dryer,
which I marked -- you can't see it in the picture above, but it's
underneath these trees right over here. That's the garage right there,
and that's the entrance that was turned into an apartment.
As you can see, it has a full kitchen, also a bathroom. And
there's a small shed that I observed. As you can see, the shed has a
washer and a dryer and an electric box inside. None of it's been
permitted.
After I went to the residence, I pulled the property card and
found out that only three things had ever been permitted on this
property: The primary structure, the garage, and a re-roof of the
house. So the apartment, the small shed and the horse stables never
had permits for them.
I met with the owner, Monika van Stone, her attorney and a
friend of hers on-site on, let me see, 8-19-2003, and they told me that
they were going to fix everything up. So I said that's fine.
Previous rechecks, I called Ms. King, who wanted to be the one
that was contacted for Ms. van Stone, that was her friend. And she
said that she was waiting, she had had an eye infection, this and that,
and one excuse after another. And I finally said I'm going to have to
take this case before the CEB if nothing is done. And she got very
belligerent with me and hung up, and I haven't -- I've tried numerous
calls afterwards and no response from her or the owner.
As of yesterday I went by the property. The property is totally
enclosed by Australian pines, so I can't really see if the violations
have been abated, except for the horse stables, I can see, still remain.
So I don't know if the apartment has been removed or the shed has
Page 17
November 13, 2003
been removed. Nobody's given me a call to let me come inspect the
property, which is one of the orders to correct I want. If we do find a
violation, and they do remove it, I want to be able to come on the
property and be able to see it, because I can't -- can't get it -- see
anything due to the vegetation around the property.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Jeff, do they have utilities to these
stables, too?
MR. LETOURNEAU: It looks like they've got some kind of
makeshift electric running to the stables also, yes. I'm sorry I didn't
get photos of the stables.
MR. PONTE: Jeff, are there any explanations from her attorney
as to why there's been no response, or -- other than that eye operation
that you mentioned?
MR. LETOURNEAU: None. I never called the attorney back.
I just -- they told me that they wanted me to deal with Kimberly
King. And after the time that she kind of got mad at me, she never
called me back or never returned my calls.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any other questions for Jeff?.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Thank you, sir.
MR. LETOURNEAU: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Determination by the Board. Finding
of fact is required.
MS. DUSEK: I'd like to make a motion, using my partner's
glasses, since I forgot mine.
In the case of the Board of County Commissioners versus
Monika van Stone, in CEB Case No. 2003-048, that there is a
violation. The violation is of Sections 2.7.6.1 and 2.7.6.5 of
Ordinance No. 91-102, as amended, of the Collier County Land
Development Code.
The description of the violation: Observed two wooden horse
stables, a wooden shed with electric, and an apartment/guest house
Page 18
November 13, 2003
with electric, plumbing, air conditioning and septic improvements.
All improvements made without first obtaining authorization of a
Collier County building permit and having all of the required
inspections and Certificate of Completion and Occupancy.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion that in fact a
violation does exist. Do I hear a second?
MR. DORIA: Second.
MR. PONTE: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second that a
violation does exist. Any further questions?
If not, all those in favor, signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Order of the Board.
MR. PONTE: I have a question how we might address this.
There are several violations here.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Two.
MR. PONTE: There are -- seems to me that there -- the staff
has recommended a $50 fine. Is it $50 per? Are we talking about
$100 here or are we talking about --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: If you say so, sir. The staff's
recommendation is just $50 a day. I'll be quite honest with you,
whoever makes a motion, my recommendation is it be per violation.
There are two written violations, 2.7.6.1, 2.7.6.5.
MR. PONTE: I agree with you, I think that's correct.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Order of the Board. Anyone like to
make a motion?
MR. PONTE: Well, let's just take it and try. A
recommendation would be that the respondent pay all operational
costs incurred in the prosecution of this case and abate all violations
by submitting a complete and sufficient building permit applications
Page 19
November 13, 2003
for all of the described structure improvements, or remove all the
structures within 90 days of this hearing or a fine of $100 per day
will be imposed for each day the violations continue.
A must cause required inspections is to be performed and
respondent is to obtain a Certificate of Completion for each structure
within 45 days after obtaining the required building permits, or a fine
of $100 per day will be imposed for each day the violations continue.
Respondent must also notify the code enforcement that the
violations have been abated and must also request that an investigator
come out and perform a site inspection.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: For clarity, the operational cost is a
separate item. Is that your motion, sir? MR. PONTE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. We don't want to tie those
together with anything.
And the $100 a day is -- which we're still in the safe zone, is
because there are two separate violations; rather than do $50 per
violation, you just rounded it off to $100 a day? MR. PONTE: Yes, sir. Thank you.
MS. DUSEK: Wait, a minute, I don't understand that. He did
$50 per vi -- I mean $100 per violation.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: No, he did $100 per day.
MS. DUSEK: Per day?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: That's what he said, per day. That's
why I asked him that question, just to make sure. He said $100 per
day, rather than $50 per day.
MS. DUSEK: Per violation.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: He could do $50 per violation, which
would still be $100 a day. So he just said $100 a day, which I could
live with that.
MR. PONTE: If it's not clear, I'll be happy to amend it to say
$50 per violation.
Page 20
November 13, 2003
MS. DUSEK:
MR. PONTE:
MS. DUSEK:
MR. PONTE:
Per day.
Per day.
That makes it clearer for me.
So amended.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Got that, Jean?
MS. RAWSON: Got it.
MS. BARNETT: I will second it.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: And that's in both items.
MS. BARNETT: I will second the amended motion.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second. Any
further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All those in favor, signify by saying
aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Motion carries.
Next item, Case No. 2003-49.
MS. HILTON: Yes. This is Board of County Commissioners
versus Aljo, Inc., CEB Case No. 2003-049. And the respondent is
represented by attorney -- I'm sorry, I -- what was your name?
MR. CRONIN: Dennis.
MS. HILTON: Dennis.
MR. CRONIN: Cronin. C-R-O-N-I-N.
MS. HILTON: We have previously provided the Board and the
respondent with an evidentiary packet we would like entered as
Exhibit A at this time.
MS. DUSEK:
Exhibit A.
MR. PONTE: Second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
I make a motion that we accept the County's
We have a motion and a second to
Page 21
November 13, 2003
accept the County's Exhibit A.
All in favor, signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
MS. HILTON: The alleged violation is of ordinance --
MS. RAWSON: Excuse me, Shanelle.
MS. HILTON: I'm sorry.
MS. RAWSON: Could you get him a packet? He didn't have
that particular address, the 309 Cereus Drive. I think he testified
earlier in the motion for continuance he had the other two but he
didn't have this one.
MS. HILTON: We'll get you a copy.
MS. RAWSON: 049.
Sorry for the interruption.
MS. HILTON: Mr. Mountford has an extra copy.
MR. MOUNTFORD: Mr. Chairman, for the record, William
Mountford, Assistant County Attorney. I believe I have a extra copy.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Thank you, sir.
MS. BARNETT: Cliff, should we give him a minute or two to
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
two to read through that?
MR. CRONIN: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
Mr. Cronin, do you need a minute or
Okay.
MS. HILTON: The alleged violation is of Ordinance No. 89-06,
as amended. Section five, subsections one, 12(I), 12(O), 12(P) and
16(C). And Ordinance No. 2002-05, Section 17, the Minimum
Housing Code.
Description of the violation: Did witness a dwelling which is
creating an immediate safety and health hazard to adjacent neighbors
and neighborhood due to lack of maintenance, obsolences (sic),
Page 22
November 13, 2003
which is O-B-S-O-L-E-S-C-E-N-S-E, or abandonment, and which
contain defects which increase the hazard of fire, accidents or other
calamities.
Location where violation exists: 309 Cereus -- C-E-R-E-U-S --
Drive, Naples, Florida. More particularly described as Folio No.
29875100747.
Name and address of owner in charge of location where
violation exists, as listed with the official public records of the
property appraiser, Aljo, Inc., 39 Chuck Boulevard, North Babylon,
New York, 11703.
Date violation first observed: August 1 lth, 2003.
Date owner given notice of violation: August 11 th, 2003.
Date on which violation was to be corrected: Was immediately.
Date of reinspection: Was yesterday.
Result of reinspection: The violation remains.
And the CEB packet was sent regular and certified mail to the
address listed with the property appraiser and the address listed with
the Division of Corporations. And the property was also posted, as
well as the courthouse.
And at this time, I would like to turn the case over to the
investigator, Carol Sykora, to present the case to the Board.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
MS. SYKORA: Good morning. For the record, my name is
Carol Sykora, Collier County Code Enforcement Investigator.
Back in August 1 lth, I received a complaint from the tenant at
309 Cereus Drive, which is at a community called Diamond Shores,
and it's located off the very end of Port Au Prince Road off 951.
I obtained a entry consent signed form and inspected the
residence on August 1 lth, 2003.
And inside, I found several violations. One, the rear bathroom
faucet was leaking. The kitchen sink pipes leaked and had backed
up. The rear bathtub leaked into the wall. Air conditioner, the
Page 23
November 13, 2003
breaker kept shutting off. And the front bedroom door was off, and
also the rear bathroom door was off.
The rear bathroom wall was rotted, due to moisture. And there
was a severe roach problem. They were actually crawling around on
the counter while I was in there. They were laying all over the
counter, dead and walking around alive, it was so bad. And also, no
smoke detectors.
On August 29th, there was no one home, but I did speak to the
maintenance man who was -- Dennis Thomas was his name at the
time. And he advised that he did some work in there. But however, I
could not enter in to check it.
Then on 9/15, on September 15th, I spoke to the complainant
who said she moved because she was -- she really couldn't stand
living there anymore, and that nothing was actually done to inside
the unit. So she had left the unit at the time.
I had extended it due to the fact no one was living in there. But
eventually, as I found out yesterday upon my reinspection, that they
rerented this without an inspection.
The new maintenance man, Richard, let me in to check. I had
obtained a signed entry consent form.
Upon inspection, I found that the repairs were done, except for
the smoke detectors. However, they should have had me inspect this
before they rerented it. Any questions?
MS. DUSEK: Carol, how -- when you came into this apartment
again, this dwelling, and one of the items that you showed us were
the infestation of roaches, what was your observation yesterday, and
was there any documentation to show that a pest company had come
out and taken care of this problem?
MS. SYKORA: They did not show me any documentation.
They say they have a company that regularly comes out and sprays.
I did not visibly see any roaches in there. However, I know it is a
Page 24
November 13, 2003
problem to eliminate them. But it looked a lot cleaner in there. I
didn't see them-- any dead ones laying around like I did initially, it
was terrible.
MS. BARNETT: I have a question. The wall that was damaged
due to water, has that been fixed?
MS. SYKORA: Yes, they fixed the wall and all the other
violations. They do not have any smoke detectors in there, that's the
one thing that has to be done in this particular --
MS. BARNETT: And someone is living there currently?
MS. SYKORA: Yes. I was told that he's like an assistant
maintenance man to Richard, the present one.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any other questions for Carol?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Yes, sir, Mr. Cronin. Thank you.
MS. SYKORA: Thank you, Board.
MR. CRONIN: Do you want to swear us? I'd like to have Mr.
Burchell also testify as well.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.. That's fine.
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
MR. CRONIN: I'd like to just have Mr. Burchell explain what
the circumstances were, that the repairs have been made and the
smoke detectors were actually installed last evening. MR. BURCHELL: Yes, sir.
MR. CRONIN: Identify yourself.
MR. BURCHELL: My name is Richard Burchell. I'm a
maintenance man. B-U-R-C-H-E-L-L.
I've only taken the job in the last three, three-and-a-half weeks.
I did not know that this address was under code violation. I went in
as a -- it was an empty unit. I cleaned it out, I fixed everything that
needed to be fixed. I rented it. I had no clue it was under code
violation until yesterday. The only thing I failed to do was put
smoke alarms in. I gave them to the man last night. He did install
Page 25
November 13, 2003
them. I was there this morning to check, make sure they were up on
the wall.
I've got a lot of violations out here. If you give me time and
patience, I'm willing to do the work. The last maintenance man was
taking the money and blowing it on other things than the work, and
he also stole a lot of money from the owners of this. If you have
patience with me, I will get these things fixed and up to date as soon
as possible. I just need some time.
And as far as 309, it's complete.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: The bug infestation, did you ask a pest
control company to come out? How did you resolve that issue?
MR. BURCHELL: I bombed the place twice myself with
foggers, they're called. You get them at Home Depot. And then we
called -- ABC pest control comes out once every two months. We do
make special calls to them when the units are empty so they can
come in and get a good spraying to them. They did hit that unit and a
couple other units I did have empty.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any other questions for--
MR. CRONIN: It certainly appears that we've complied with
the Board. If you want to make a finding of violation, I certainly
think that that's within your authority to do, but certainly, obviously
the measures have been taken to correct the violations. So we would
respectfully request that you not institute any type of penalty with
respect to this.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any other questions from the Board?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Thank you, gentlemen.
Jean?
MS. RAWSON: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Even though violations appear to have
been corrected, we can still not only find a finding of fact that the
violations existed, but we could impose, definitely, the operational
Page 26
November 13, 2003
costs to bring them forward?
MS. RAWSON: That is correct.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.
MR. LEFEBVRE: I have another question for Jean.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Yes, sir.
MR. LEFEBVRE: If we find a finding of fact and they have to
come in front of us again, now, would the fines be potentially
doubled at that point?
MS. RAWSON: No. Because -- well, it depends on how much
time you give them to come into full compliance and when the fines
would start to run. They wouldn't automatically double. In other
words, if you give them 30 days and 30 days passes and they haven't
done the work, then you can do a hearing on imposition of fines.
MR. LEFEBVRE: No, what I mean is, if they were to come
back again.
MS. RAWSON: Oh, you're talking about a repeat violation?
MR. LEFEBVRE: Yes.
MS. RAWSON: Yes, that's correct.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Carol, you can sit down, if you'd like.
MS. SYKORA: Oh, okay. I figured I've got two more, I might
as well --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: No, we're going to do them separately.
MS. SYKORA: Okay.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, questions or finding of fact?
MS. DUSEK: I make a motion that in the case of the Board of
County Commissioners versus Aljo, Inc., Case -- CEB Case No.
2003-049, that there is a violation. The violation is of Ordinance No.
89-06, as amended, Section five, sub-sections 1, 12(J), 12(O), 12(P),
and 16(C), and Ordinance No. 2002-05, Section 17, the Minimum
Housing Code.
Description of the violation: Did witness a dwelling which is
creating an immediate safety and health hazard to adjacent neighbors
Page 27
November 13, 2003
and neighborhood due to lack of maintenance obsolescence' of
abandonment -- or abandonment and which contain defects which
increase the hazards of fire, accident or other calamities.
MR. LEFEBVRE: I'd like to make one amendment to that.
MS. DUSEK: Okay.
MR. LEFEBVRE: It's just a technical issue. It's 12(I), under --
MS. DUSEK: Okay. Well, that might have been the glasses
that I was wearing.
MR. LEFEBVRE: In your defense.
MS. DUSEK: Thank you.
MR. LEFEBVRE: A little comma there, so it looks like J.
MS. DUSEK: Yes, okay.
MR. PONTE: I'd like to suggest that it be worded, reworded
into the past tense. It says there is a violation. There was a violation.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We haven't had an inspection, so
considering right now there still exists a violation until some type of
inspection would be done. He's saying he corrected that, but there's
been no verification, so technically it still remains.
MR. PONTE: Well, the only violation then that remains,
according to Carol, is the lack of smoke detectors.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Well, he has testified that they were
installed. But again, the county has not been let out onto the property
to inspect anything. So if you want to take the testimony as gospel
that all repairs have been made, I would agree with you. And that's
what we've heard, so --
MS. BARNETT: She said that all of them have been made
except for the smoke detectors and she saw it yesterday.
MS. DUSEK: Now, Jean, I have a question, because we have
had this sort of situation before. And it was my understanding that
we can still say is, because the violations occurred at the time that the
notice was given that they came before the Board.
MS. RAWSON: Correct.
Page 28
November 13, 2003
MS. DUSEK: So is it incorrect to say that there is a violation,
or must we say there was a violation for certain things and then
there's not for--
MS. RAWSON: Well, you've done it both ways. If you think'
there is -- based on the testimony of the County Code Enforcement
Board inspector, if you think that there's only one remaining
violation, you can find that one remaining violation and give them so
many days to correct. You can always say that all of these others
were violations at the time that this case was brought. And you
certainly can order operational costs for that.
But it happens a lot of times that things get fixed right before we
have our meeting.
So technically there was a violation, now the violation has been
abated, so if the violation is abated and it's abated forthwith and
there's nothing left to be fixed, you know, there may not be any fines
ever that really get imposed. But you can say "is".
MS. DUSEK: All right. So it was --
MS. RAWSON: It depends on the definition of "is".
MS. DUSEK: So the way I read the read the order was correct
to say "is"?
MS. RAWSON: Yes.
MS. DUSEK: And I'm only amending the (I), from the (J) to
the (I).
MS. BARNETT: I will second it.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any other comments? If none, do I
hear a second?
MS. BARNETT: I said second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Sheri seconded.
We have a motion and a second that in fact a violation did or
does exist. That's about as safe as I can get.
Any further questions?
(No response.)
Page 29
November 13, 2003
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All those in favor, signify by saying
MS. DUSEK: Aye.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
MR. RAMSEY: Aye.
MS. BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DORIA: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
MR. PONTE: Opposed.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
Order of the Board.
Aye.
Any opposed?
One. 6-1.
Just for my fellow Board members, I think the order of the
Board should include operational costs, since we have had testimony
that the conditions have been abated. I think the order should be
some type of inspection within "X" days so that the county is assured
that they are in fact complied with and completed.
MS. BARNETT: I'll attempt this.
MS. DUSEK: Good.
MS. BARNETT: I'd like to make a motion that Aljo, Inc. be
required to pay all operational costs incurred in the prosecution of
this case, and that they must call for an inspection within the next 10
days. If there are violations that do exist, I would give them an
additional 10 days or impose a $100 a day fine until those violations
are completed. Does that work?
MS. DUSEK: I like your motion except for the time frame.
Since we have testimony that everything has been done except --
MS. BARNETT: Hasn't really been inspected completely, so I
just --
MS. DUSEK: That's right, it's --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We just don't know yet, so --
MS. DUSEK: Just -- but the 1 O-day and then the 1 O-day, I think
Page 30
November 13, 2003
maybe it--
MS. BARNETT: I'm just saying if she finds any other--
MS. DUSEK: I think that's good. I think that the motion is
good. I would like to see a shorter time frame.
MS. BARNETT: What would you like to see?
MS. DUSEK: Just because it's -- we have testimony that it has
been done and the smoke detectors are the only thing that have not
been inspected. So, I mean, if you could at least take it down to a
week, a week.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Today is Thursday, so why don't we
give them until something like next Friday to request an inspection
and have the inspection accomplished by that period of time? MS. BARNETT: That's what, eight days?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: That gives what, five, six working
days. Surely they can make a phone call or tell the county now that
they'd like an inspection and the county can arrange to get out there
between now and next Friday. If everything's done, it's a done deal.
If it's not done, then the second part of your motion would be giving
them, if you want to leave it at 10 or Bobbie would like it --
MS. DUSEK: It's all right. I mean, eight, 10 days, it doesn't
really make any difference in that time frame.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: But I think trying to get it done by,
like, tomorrow, may be difficult, not knowing if the county can drop
everything and run out there tomorrow. I honestly don't know. I
think we need a little bit of time just to get everybody organized.
MS. DUSEK: Well, let's just leave it as is.
MS. BARNETT: I'll change it to seven -- I'll give them a
working week--
MS. DUSEK: Okay.
MS. BARNETT: -- in order to make the call and have the
inspections done. And therefore, if you do find any violations, then
I'll give them another working week in order to have those violations
Page 31
November 13, 2003
corrected or they will be imposed with a $100 a day fine. MS. DUSEK: I second the motion.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, we have a motion and a second.
Any further question? (No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: If not, all those in favor, signify by
saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.
Next case, 2003-050.
MS. HILTON: That's Board of County Commissioners versus
Aljo, Inc., CEB Case No. 2003-050. And the respondent has
representation.
We have previously provided the Board and the respondent with
a packet of information we would like entered as Exhibit A at this
time.
I make a motion that we accept the County's
MS. DUSEK:
Exhibit A.
MR. PONTE:
So moved.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second to
accept the County's Exhibit A.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
MS. HILTON: The alleged violation is of Ordinance No. 89-06,
as amended, Section five, subsections 1, 4, 8, 9, 12(C), 12(I), 12(K),
12(P) and 16(C), and Ordinance No. 2002-05, Section 17, the
Minimum Housing Code.
The description of the violation: Did witness a dwelling which
Page 32
November 13, 2003
is creating an immediate safety and health hazard to adjacent
neighbors and neighborhood due to lack of maintenance, obsolences
(sic) or abandonment and which contain defects which increase the
hazard of fire, accident or other calamities.
Location where violation exists: 602 Finch Drive, Naples,
Florida. Folio No. 29875103061.
Name and address of owner in charge of location where
violation exists, as registered with the property appraiser: Aljo, Inc.,
39 Chuck Boulevard, North Babylon, New york, 11703. Date violation first observed: August 1 lth, 2003.
Date owner given notice of violation: August 11 th, 2003.
Date on which violation was to be corrected: Was immediately.
Date of reinspection: Was yesterday.
And result of reinspection: The violation remains.
And the CEB packet was sent certified mail, return receipt
requested, and regular mail to the addresses listed with the property
appraiser and the Division of Corporations, and was posted at the
property and the courthouse.
And at this time, I'd like to turn the case over to the investigator,
Carol Sykora, to present the case to the Board.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Yeah, we did it under another case,
and it's a different case number. So let's do everybody all at once,
since it's a --
(All speakers duly sworn.)
MS. SYKORA: For the record again, I'm Carol Sykora, Collier
County Code Enforcement Investigator.
I received a complaint back in September and inspected this
mobile home on the 23rd of September, 2003. I obtained a signed
entry consent form.
Upon inspection, I found that the kitchen pipe was not
connected at all. The rear bathtub drained on the outside to the
ground. There was mold under the bathroom, in the bathroom under
Page 33
November 13, 2003
the sink. There was actually no ductwork. There was a hole to the
ground under the register in the living room, as you can see in the
picture up on the screen.
There was no outlet for the dryer. There are holes and water
damage to the ceilings in the front bedroom closet and also in the
bathroom off of that bedroom.
The front door was not fitted in the frame and it was not weather
tight at the bottom. The lanai door did not lock. There were
infestation of roaches. And no smoke detectors.
This is one of the holes in the ceiling. And the other one's going
to be too hard to see, but it's cracked and broken. Those have not
been repaired.
Upon reinspection yesterday, on November 12th, I found that all
of a sudden a lot of the repairs were being done. The tenant stated
that they've been coming there every morning because of the Code
Enforcement Board hearing.
My -- they have completed most of the repairs. The ductwork I
did not feel was sufficiently repaired. It looked like just some foil
tape was taped around connecting it to the register, which probably
would just fall right off again.
The water damage to the ceiling, the hole in the bathroom
ceiling and the hole in the closet ceiling was not repaired. They
stated the roof was repaired, but we'll have to wait for a rain to make
sure that it's sufficient. And the roach problem was still evident.
I gave the new maintenance man, who's here, Richard, he's
fairly new, a copy of the inspection report and told him exactly what
needed to be done to comply. Any questions?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All these plumbing problems, Carol,
where stuff is just dumping out into the ground, have they
reconnected all the plumbing so it actually drains?
MS. SYKORA: Yes, they've reconnected-- the kitchen sink
Page 34
November 13, 2003
was the first and then the bathtub, which drained right out to the
ground. They just recently repaired that.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: And they fixed all the doors so they
work and they're actually on the frames?
MS. SYKORA: Yes, they fixed the front entrance door and put
new hinges on it. But none of this work has been started until just
recently, though. It was just rushed along.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Now, is there still anyone in there, or
is it--
MS. SYKORA: Yes, it is occupied by a tenant and her husband.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Any other questions from the
Board members for Carol?
MS. DUSEK: Carol, you're satisfied with your inspection
yesterday about the reconnection of the pipes and the doors and --
MS. SYKORA: Yes, but I need to reinspect. They need to
finish the violations, repairing the violations. So I do need to
reinspect this unit.
MS. BARNETT: Carol, what type of roof repair did you
notice? I mean, has it totally been redone or just patched or --
MS. SYKORA: Well, like the ductwork, I wasn't satisfied with
it, the way it looked. We picked the register up, as we did before, and
before I could see to the ground, but this time it looked like there was
just some foil tape, taping it up to --
MS. BARNETT: I'm talking about the roof.
MS. SYKORA: The roof I, of course, can't get up there to
inspect. They stated that they patched it. But the -- in the ceilings
they need repair yet. It's holes, and we'll need to see eventually if
they repaired the roof sufficiently where it won't leak anymore.
MS. BARNETT: My concern is -- I'll ask Richard this, I guess.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any further questions for Carol?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Thank you, ma'am.
Page 35
November 13, 2003
MS. SYKORA: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Sir?
MR. CRONIN: Mr. Burchell is here to talk about the repairs
that have been done so far and the remaining repairs. He's just
informed me that he expects that these can be done within the next
day, day and a half in order to complete what the county has stated as
a continuing violation at this point in time.
MR. BURCHELL: Now, the only thing I do have left to do is
the two ceilings. I've got to cut them out. I did inform her that she
needed to empty her closets and that yesterday so I don't ruin none of
her clothes.
And the other one's in the bathroom. I've got about a day, day
and a half work for it to be done. I can only do it in the mornings
there. She's home 'til noon. After noon she goes to work. So I'm in
a time frame myself on when I can get in there and get it done.
I have patched the roof. Carol said she didn't like the way I did
the ductwork. I discussed it with an AC man. You know, he can
come out and redo the whole dang trailer, but the one we contract,
you know, he's not -- he told me how he would do it. He'd put a
patch in it just like I did.
If she's not sufficient with it, I'll go down and see about what I
can do to pull it a little tighter and up against. Ain't much you can do
with it without replacing the whole -- all of the ductwork.
The metal parts inside are -- they are a little bit of a pain in the
butt to get replaced. In trying to get underneath these trailers and do
the work, that's a big problem. I just ask for some more time. I can
have them fixed, I just need a little bit more time.
MS. DUSEK: Earlier you gave testimony in the other case that
ABC Pest Control Company --
MR. BURCHELL: Yes, ma'am.
MS. DUSEK: -- comes out every two months?
MR. BURCHELL: Yes, ma'am.
Page 36
November 13, 2003
MS. DUSEK: And will come out as needed. Now, there's been
testimony from the inspector that there's still roach infestation. Have
-- have -- do you have scheduled the pest control company to come
out?
MR. BURCHELL: They're scheduled to come this month as
their regular -- as their regular come in. They come in like the
second week every month. So he's due to get ahold of me.
I've yet to deal with this man other than in my empties. I've
dealt with him -- before I had took the job he had come in. And if
you fail to move your stuff away from the wall, he just sprays the
center of the room, and that's where we're having a lot of problems.
So I did advise her, you know, when we -- we'll give 'em a
two-day notice that we're coming, because I have to let him in to all
these units. And I just advised her, you know, if she's got them that
bad, pull your stuff away from the walls so he can get the bases of
your walls, too, other than the center of the carpet.
A lot of it's hard to try to keep control of these because of the
people having stuff in their homes and it's all against the walls, and
basically that's where they come in at, the edge of the walls. And it
-- you know, he does the best he can. And a lot of it has to do with
the tenants, you know, how they keep their home.
MS. BARNETT: Richard, I'm trying to get a feel for this. Are
they mobile homes?
MR. BURCHELL: Yes, ma'am.
MS. BARNETT: Okay. So there wouldn't be rafters or
anything that would have rotted -- MR. BURCHELL: No.
MS.
ceilings?
MR.
trusses in
MS.
BARNETT: -- with you doing the replacement of the
BURCHELL: They got -- I think they're two by three
them. But it's not a --
BARNETT: Okay. Have you inspected any of those
Page 37
November 13, 2003
where those leaks were to see if there's --
MR. BURCHELL: I've yet to cut it down. When I went in -- I
went in yesterday evening when her husband come home from work.
He let me in. And when I was going to get ready to do it -- I wanted
it done before today, but the clothes were all in there and he didn't
feel like cleaning out the closet. He said that's his wife's closet. So I
told him I'd be over today after court to start on the process. If I've
got to replace them, I'll replace them.
MS. BARNETT: Yeah, that's my thought is, if you have to
replace the rafters, that could take a little bit longer than a half a day
or so.
MR. BURCHELL: Right. Right. As far as I'm looking at, if--
I was just going to replace a little bit of insulation that I got to tear
out and the drywall. I have put a patch on the roof, but like Carol
said, I don't know if it's leaking until we get another good rain. I'd
like to leave it open so I'd know whether it's leaking or not, but I can't
-- unfortunately I can't do that.
MR. CRONIN: We'd just respectfully request that maybe a
1 O-day period of time in order to correct these remaining violations
similar to the last case may be appropriate.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any additional questions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Thank you, gentlemen.
Finding of fact by the Board that there in fact were some
violations and still are some violations. How's that? MR. PONTE: That's good.
MS. DUSEK: Do you want to give it a try, Sheri?
MS. BARNETT: Sure. In the case of the Board of County
Commissioners, Collier County, versus Aljo, Inc., CEB No.
2003-050, I find that there were violations. The violations of
Ordinance No. 89-06, as amended, Section 5, subsections 1, 4, 8, 9,
12(C), 12(I), 12(K), 12(P), and 16(C), and Ordinance No. 2002-05,
Page 38
November 13, 2003
Section 17, of the Minimum Housing Code.
The descriptions of the violation: Witness of dwelling which
was creating an immediate safety and health hazard to adjacent
neighbors and neighborhood due to lack of maintenance,
obsolescence or abandonment, and which contained defects which
increase the hazard of fire, accident and other calamities.
The location where the violation exists: Is 602 Finch Drive,
Naples, Florida.
MS. DUSEK: Jean, do we have to put "is" and "was" in there,
or is "was" sufficient?
I thought we cleared that, that we could use
MS. BARNETT:
"is".
MS. RAWSON: You can use "is".
MR. PONTE: I think that was worded a little differently.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, we have a motion that in fact
there were/are violations.
MS. BARNETT: Were/are/is.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
MS. DUSEK: Second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
Do I hear a second?
We have a motion and a second that in
fact violations were or are present.
Any further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: If none, all those in favor signify by
saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Motion carries.
Order of the Board.
MR. RAMSEY: I'll make a motion that we order the respondent
to pay all operational costs incurred in the prosecution of this case
Page 39
November 13, 2003
and the respondent must complete all repairs and abate all violations
within 10 days of the date of this hearing or a fine of $100 a day be
imposed for each day the violation continues, and must cause
inspections to be performed when repairs are made and allow code
enforcement and building official on-site to make official inspections
within one day after repairs -- well, we may modify that a bit. And
must notify code enforcement the violation has been abated and
request the investigator come out and perform the site inspection.
MS. BARNETT: I have one concern. I would like to -- in that
with the bug infestation, I realize that he is due to have someone
come in and spray within this month, but he also has stated that they
can call them on an emergency basis, and I would like to see that that
have some sort of notification that that has been done. I don't know
how to add that into the -- because it is a violation, but I would like
to see proof that it has been sprayed.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Since it is a violation, I would say that
MS. BARNETT: How do we include it?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: If he calls code enforcement out to
check that everything is complete, that we could ask code
enforcement for some kind of a copy of the report that the people
have been to the property. Normally when they go out and do some
kind of spray, you have to sign, because there's a charge, normally.
And I think since there is a violation, if we ask code enforcement to
get a copy so that they can assure us that, yes, that did happen, we at
least know it was sprayed, rather than try to put a line item in the
order.
MS. BARNETT: Okay.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Since it is a violation I think that's a
better --
MS. BARNETT: I just thought it needed to be addressed,
because it seems to be a situation that's occurring in a lot of these.
Page 40
November 13, 2003
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Right. I think since it is a specific
violation found by code enforcement, let's put the onus on them to
get a copy of something to show that it actually took place, which is
norro, ally a receipt from a pest control company.
MS. DUSEK: That it took place within this time frame --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Right.
MS. DUSEK: -- not a month ago.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Correct. And then they can report to
us and say, yes, in abating the violations we saw that spraying
actually took place as requested. I think that might help.
MS. BARNETT: Okay. I just wanted to get that out.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion for an order of the
Board. Any further discussion?
MS. BARNETT: I will make a second to his motion.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. We have a motion and a
second.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Next case, 2003-051.
MS. HILTON: The respondent is represented by an attorney,
and we have previously provided the Board and the respondent with
a packet of information we would like entered as Exhibit A at this
time.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: May I take one moment, please. I
forgot to do this before I opened my mouth. Cherie', do you need a break?
THE COURT REPORTER: No, thank you.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Continue, please.
MS. DUSEK: I make a motion that we accept the County's
Exhibit A.
Page 41
November 13, 2003
MR. PONTE: Second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second to
accept the County's Exhibit A.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
MS. HILTON: This is Board of County Commissioners versus
Aljo, Inc., CEB Case No. 2003-051.
The alleged violation is of Ordinance No. 89-06, as amended,
Section 5, subsections 1, 10, 11, 12(F), 12(I), 12(K), 12(O), 12(P)
and 16(C), and Ordinance No. 2002-05, Section 17, the Minimum
Housing Code.
The description of the violation: Did witness a dwelling which
is creating an immediate safety and health hazard to adjacent
neighbors and neighborhood, due to lack of maintenance, obsolences
(sic) or abandonment, and which contain defects which increase the
hazard of fire, accident or other calamities.
Location where violation exists: 608 Finch Drive, Naples,
Florida. Folio No. 29875103126.
Name and address of owner in charge of location where
violation exists, as listed with the official records of the property
appraiser: Aljo, Inc., 39 Chuck Boulevard, North Babylon, New
York, 11703.
Date violation first observed: August 11 th, 2003.
Date owner given notice of violation: August 11 th, 2003.
Date on which violation was to be corrected: Was immediately.
Date of reinspection: Was yesterday.
Result of reinspection: Is violation remains.
And the evidentiary packet was sent regular and certified mail to
the addresses listed by the property appraiser and the Division of
Corporations, and the property was posted, as well as the courthouse.
Page 42
November 13, 2003
And at this time, I would like to turn the case over to
Investigator Carol Sykora to present the case to the Board. (All speakers duly sworn.)
MS. SYKORA: For the record again, I'm Carol Sykora, Collier
County Code Enforcement Investigator.
I have received a complaint from the tenant of minimum
housing that the management did not want to correct any of the
violations after repeatedly asking them.
I obtained a signed entry consent form and inspected the mobile
home.
Inside I found that the tub and shower-- tub or shower leaked
into the wall. The tub faucet was loose, pulling away from the wall.
The rear bathroom door did not close. The frame was rotted and
broken, due to this moisture from the leaks. There was no lights in
the hallway. And exposed wires in the kitchen ceiling. And no
covers to the receptacles.
The porch stairs were -- the wooden stairs were rotted and loose.
The lanai door did not fit into the frame and. Therefore, it would not
lock. The floor was weak by the front door. The kitchen rear hall
and bath, the floor was rotten and weak, with the tiles pulling off.
The rear bedroom wall, there was a hole by the closet. There
was roach and ant problems. And no smoke detectors.
Yesterday, November 12th, I visited the location, and there were
no repairs done to this unit. I called and spoke to the tenant and she
stated she just recently left. She moved due to the fact she could not
stand to live in here anymore.
So now it is empty, but all these repairs, my fear is that it may
be rented before all the inspection-- of the inspection is complete
and all the repairs are done. Any questions?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Questions for Carol?
MS. DUSEK: Can I ask that you put the picture back where
Page 43
November 13, 2003
you showed the tub?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: There we go. Okay.
MS. DUSEK: Can you tell me what the dark --
MS. SYKORA: The faucet itself, the tenant was showing me
how it was loose around the wall, the pipes were loose. MS. DUSEK: And what's the dark?
MS. SYKORA: That's all like mold and rot --
MS. DUSEK: No, to the left, excuse me.
MR. PONTE: Like a blob.
MS. SYKORA: Oh, I think that's just something --
MS. DUSEK: I just wanted to be sure.
MS. SYKORA: This is the tub area also. It shows how the door
is just rotted off, the wall is all rotten. It's all wet from water
damage.
MS. DUSEK: Okay.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any further questions for Carol?
MS. BARNETT: Carol, on the floor. I have concerns on this
particular unit, because I don't know -- I'm not a repairman, but I
have dealt with trailers before, and when a floor goes, it's pretty hard
to repair, because it's a lot of your foundation. And it can get quite
expensive. And I just -- I'm looking at this floor and I'm looking at
all this water damage, and I'm really kind of concerned about it. Is it
really soft and weak or--
MS. SYKORA: It's weak. And she taped it like that herself,
because the tiles are pulling up and off and the children were
tripping. And I even tripped myself in there. It's --
MS. BARNETT: I was kind of appalled that there was a child
in here with exposed wires and stuff, too. MS. SYKORA: I know.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: But they -- she has since left?
MS. SYKORA: She has left. She just recently left. I spoke to
her on the phone and she said, I just couldn't stay there anymore. No
Page 44
November 13, 2003
repairs were even attempted to be done. They claimed that -- I
believe Mr. Bottino's attorneys stated that Mr. Bottino said that she
would not allow them in to do the repairs. But that would be kind of
foolish to call a complaint in and not have someone come in and do
the repairs, so --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any further questions?
MR. PONTE: Yeah, in your opinion is this repairable, or is the
damage, because it is a trailer, so extensive that it really makes more
sense to demolish it or move it away?
MS. SYKORA: I believe it could probably be repaired. But I
would -- again must inspect it before -- this one in particular. It's so
damaged from water that it would need to be reinspected, of course,
before anyone rented it again. And that's what I want to be assured
of, that no one will be -- that living in this with a contention that this
will be repaired while they're living in there, which happens a lot,
and then it never gets done. I'm in hopes that with the new
maintenance man, that I'm going to try to work with him and see if
we can prevent more cases from coming to the Board. MR. PONTE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any additional questions for Carol?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Thank you, ma'am.
MS. SYKORA: Thank you.
MR. CRONIN: Mr. Chairman, obviously this property is the
most distressed of the three that are here, and this was the subject of
the request for the continuance at the commencement of the meeting.
We recognize the seriousness of the violations that are here, but
as we've done with the other ones, we tried to make the repairs. Mr.
Burchell can testify that the tenant did not provide access. I mean, he
has made the repairs on the other two properties. I mean, that was the
situation.
But nevertheless, you know, we're stuck with this situation as it
Page 45
November 13, 2003
exists now. We believe that it can be repaired, but we are going to
want to have a much longer period of time in order to -- because of
the seriousness and the lack of access that's been had.
According to Mr. Bottino and my conversations with him earlier
this week, the tenant only moved out on the 6th of November. So
that's the latest time.
So 30 to 45 days would be much more -- probably on the
outside, 45 to 60 might even be better. And we would stipulate to no
rental during that period of time in order to get a substantial
opportunity to try to make these repairs.
If you'd like to hear from Mr. Burchell, I mean, he's certainly
available for any questions that the Board may have. But that would
be our position.
We certainly acknowledge the existence of the facts as
presented by the county, and we'd just like an opportunity to show
the good faith that we've done on the other two cases in order to try
to get in there and do the repairs. Any questions?
MR. PONTE: Yes, I have.
Mr. Burchell, is it -- in your opinion, is this fixable?
MR. BURCHELL: It's fixable. Not in 10 days. I'm going to
need at least 30, 40 days to get it done, even with two of us being in
there trying to whip it out. I do have other things I get called out on.
You know, I might lose a half a day going to somewhere else. But it
is fixable. Most of it is cosmetic.
I do have all intentions of replacing the floor in that bathroom.
It is weak. The best I could do is rip it up, retruss it and refloor it.
That's about basically all I could do.
MR. PONTE: Okay. Thank you.
MS. BARNETT: Wasn't just the bathroom, was it? Wasn't it
also in front of the front door?
MS. SYKORA: And in the kitchen also.
Page 46
November 13, 2003
MS. BARNETT: And in the kitchen. So it almost sounds like
-- from the looks of the picture it almost looks like the washing
machine and the bathtub both overflowed at some point in time.
MR. BURCHELL: At one point in time there was a hole in the
pipe in the wall. And eviden -- I don't know whether she reported it
or what, but it did a lot of damage. And I'm going to have to take out
several walls and redo them all.
The floor ain't too bad in the kitchen. As far as the front door, I
think it is a little weak. I just --
MS. BARNETT: Might not need the re -- complete retrussing,
but it might need a new floor base, maybe. MR. BURCHELL: Right. Right.
MR. LEFEBVRE: I've a question for the county. Is any of this
work going to require permits?
MS. PETRULLI: Any electrical or plumbing work will need to
-- will need to obtain the proper permits.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Okay. And how long would that take?
Again, which could possibly slow up the process.
MS. PETRULLI: Yeah. Depending on how quickly they get
their paperwork in to the county and the adequate paperwork. We're
looking, I'd say, Carol, 30 days?
MS. SYKORA: To my knowledge, I don't believe any of the
work that he's probably going to do requires any permit. I don't think
they're going to replace any plumbing or do any major roofing or --
just patching. And I don't believe any permits would be required.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: The wires coming out of the ceiling
look like somebody took down a light fixture. MS. SYKORA: Right. I think--
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: So if he installs a light fixture, he
doesn't need a permit.
MS. SYKORA: -- it just needs to be covered. Even if they
don't put a light there, at least a cover to cover the exposed wires.
Page 47
November 13, 2003
MS. PETRULLI: And in all fairness, we, the investigator, we
really don't have the expertise to say whether the -- it needs to be
rewired or the plumbing is correct or not. That would be something
that we would have to check into. MR. LEFEBVRE: Okay.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Well, when we ask for an inspection
after he's all done, you'll take a building inspector with you, right --
MS. PETRULLI: Yes.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: -- that has the expertise to say yes, he
did it correctly.
MR. LEFEBVRE: There was mention that there was a leak in a
pipe in a wall, and if that has to be replaced, if there's going to need
to be a permit pulled, we'd like to have that corrected -- done
correctly, and before it's sheetrocked again and tiled or whatever, we
want to make sure that pipe's not leaking, so we have an inspector
going out there.
MR. CRONIN: Fine.
MS. BARNETT: I had a question, because you said you had to
replace some walls. Are any of those walls going to be inclusive of
electrical? Because that was another point.
MR. BURCHELL: The only thing I'm really replacing, I'm
going to tear the drywall off, I'm going to leave the stud work and all
the wiring, and I'm just going to re-drywall it. It's just soft, the
drywall is soft and has soaked up water and it needs to come down
out.
MS. BARNETT: Do you think possibly the framework behind
it might be also damaged?
MR. BURCHELL: A few pieces in that bathroom area. Other
than that, I don't think. It wasn't spraying that long of a period to rot
it.
MS. BARNETT: I just -- I always know when you get in
behind a wall or something, you never know what you're going to
Page 48
November 13, 2003
get. And I was concerned.
MS. SYKORA: The one thing, though, I did speak to Mr.
Bottino on the phone because the prior maintenance man was
speaking to him on the cell phone. And this was back in September,
late -- you know, early October. I spoke to him and he at the time
said that he was going to give back this lady her deposit so she could
move and this unit could be repaired, and then that fell through and
absolutely nothing was done since then.
So they did have knowledge of this unit. This lady lived in there
until just a few days ago. Finally gave up and left.
MR. CRONIN: Well, I mean, I'd like to just have Mr. Burchell
say that he did have -- the attempts he did make to try to get in there.
MR. BURCHELL: Yeah, I did go over a few times. I put a -- I
fixed her front door so it would shut and stay shut. But other -- I
went over a few times to try to put electrical, she needed plug covers
and she needed that light fixture. She said she didn't have time for
me to come in there right at the moment, she was leaving and I'd
have to come back at another time. Every time I went back, there
was hardly anybody there. And then when I went back to find what
she was going to do, whether she was moving into another unit or
moving out, she was already gone.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Any further questions?
MR. CRONIN: The only point is, you know, clearly we
demonstrated good faith on the other two units, and we did try to
make an attempt here. Obviously that the -- the condition of the unit
is substantially deteriorated compared to the other units, but if you
give us 45 to 60 days, we think we can get a good head start on it at
that point in time and go from there.
Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
Any questions from the Board?
Thank you.
Page 49
November 13, 2003
Finding of fact that violations do exist.
MS. DUSEK: I make a motion that in the case of the Board of
County Commissioners versus Aljo, Inc., CEB Case No. 2003-051,
that a violation does exist. The violation is of Ordinance No. 89-06,
as amended, Section 5, subsections 1, 10, 11, 12(F), 12(I), 12(K),
12(O), 12(P) and 16(C), and Ordinance No. 2002-05, Section 17, the
Minimum Housing Code.
Description of the violation: The inspector witnessed a dwelling
which is creating an immediate safety and health hazard to adjacent
neighbors and neighborhood, due to lack of maintenance,
obsolescence or abandonment, and which contain defects which
increases the hazard of fire, accident or other calamities. MS. BARNETT: Second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second that in
fact violations do exist. Any further discussion? (No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: If none, all those in favor, signify by
saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Order of the Board.
MR. PONTE: As we address crafting this order, I'd like to
strongly suggest that some sort of phraseology be included there that
would say that Aljo be prohibited from renting the property until all
violations are -- have been inspected.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Yeah, I think that should be a separate
line item. Something like pay operational costs be item one. Item
two, that Aljo be prohibited from renting until final inspections of
and abatement of all violations. And then item three, or however
many items we're going to have after that.
Anybody interested in taking a stab?
Page 50
November 13, 2003
MS. BARNETT: Oh, sure, why not.
Okay. In this case, I would like to see that the defendant pay all
operational costs incurred in the prosecution of this case, that they be
prohibited from renting this particular residence until all violations
have been abated and inspected, that all repairs and violations should
be started within 10 days from this hearing, or a fine of $100 per day
will be imposed for each day -- I don't like that one. I'll say that the
violations need to be started within 10 days and completed within 60
days from the date of this hearing or a fine of $100 a day will be
imposed from the day the violation continues.
Must have all inspections be performed within, repairs made
and allow the code enforcement and building officer on-site to make
an official inspection within seven days after the repairs are made or
a fine of $100 per day will be imposed for each day the violation
continues.
Respondent must notify the code enforcement the violation has
been abated and to request the investigator to come out and perform
the site inspections.
MS. DUSEK: I second the motion.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second. Any
further discussion?
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, Cherie', do you need time?
THE COURT REPORTER: Yes, please.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, let's take us five minutes,
please. It's 20 of, reconvene at quarter of. (A recess was taken.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Next case, 2003-045.
MS. HILTON:
This -- the respondent on this particular one is
Page 51
November 13, 2003
going to be appearing by the telephone.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
Jean?
MS. RAWSON: Yes.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
we're trying to do this by --
We're working on that.
Oh, here it is. Okay.
Give me some hints. Since she says
MS. RAWSON: Well, there are two respondents. One present,
one present telephonically in a moment.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Does the telephonic give us a set of
problems or--
MS. RAWSON: No, I don't believe it will, as long as -- I don't
know whether they're going to have a notary present to swear them
in.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: I mean, that's what I'm feeling, is how
do we know they're actually --
MS. RAWSON: Who they say they are?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
MS. RAWSON: Perhaps
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
MS. RAWSON: Perhaps
Who they are--
-- and are they being sworn in?
after this respondent is sworn in she
can tell the Board whether she recognizes his voice.
MS. HILTON: Yes, and Stephen has had conversations with
him as well, so he might be able to recognize his voice, too.
MS. RAWSON: Then if you recognize -- if you have a couple
of people testify that they recognize his voice as being who he says
he is, then actually we can have Cherie' swear him in on the phone.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.
MS. HILTON: While we're waiting on that, there was a notice
of a date change handed out to everybody. CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Oh, really?
MS. HILTON: Yes. For the workshop for the committee and
the boards regarding the Sunshine Law. And it is the same day as
Page 52
November 13, 2003
our next Code Board hearing, which is Friday, December 12th. So
following the Code Board hearing, this is going to take place from
2:00 to 3:30.
MS. RAWSON: Just spend the day here, like your Christmas
party.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Oh, really?
MS. RAWSON: We could maybe even have lunch, but
certainly not discuss anything that's not in the sunshine. MS. HILTON: He's on?
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: I see they're going to do it December
12th, as well as January 14th. So do we have a choice or do we only
get to come to the 12th?
MS. HILTON: You know, when Michelle gets back, I will find
out and send you all an e-mail.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. What I'm thinking is just in
case it may be hard for some people to stay that day, they at least
have an option to come back. MS. HILTON: Yes.
MS. BARNETT: Hopefully the Code Enforcement Board will
be finished by 2:00.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Depends on how many cases they put
on for us.
MS. HILTON: Mr. Bidlack, can you hear me?
MR. BIDLACK: Yes, I can.
MS. HILTON: Okay.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: What's his name, Bidlick?
MS. HILTON: Robert Bidlack.
MR. BIDLACK: Bidlack, B-I-D-L-A-C-K. They misspelled it
on their--
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: L-I-C-K?
MR. BIDLACK: L-A-C-K.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Does our investigator
Page 53
November 13, 2003
recognize his voice?
MR. SUTHERLIN: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: And you do, too? Very good.
So is that sufficient, Jean? They both recognize his voice?
MS. RAWSON: Yes. And let's have the court reporter swear
him in.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Can we do it everybody at once,
including him, or do you want to do him separately?
MS. RAWSON: Probably ought to do him separately, because
it might be too confusing otherwise.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Mr. Bidlack, we're going to ask our
court reporter to swear you in, sir.
MR. BIDLACK: Very well.
(Speaker duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: And if you'll do both of these.
(Speakers duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Mr. Bidlack, my name is CliffFlegal,
I'm Chairman. We're going to have the county present their side first
and then we'll ask you and your co-respondent to present your side.
Do you understand?
MR. BIDLACK: Yes, I do. But may I say that I just received
this about five days ago, and I really didn't have a lot of time to
prepare for this. But I'm willing to wing it or do whatever I have to
do. I feel that I'm in, you know, no -- I have done nothing wrong, so
I really have nothing to hide.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, sir.
MS. HILTON: Okay, the -- both respondents are present in the
courtroom. We have previously provided the Board and the
respondents with a packet of information we would like entered as
Exhibit A at this time.
MS. DUSEK: I make a motion that we accept the County's
Exhibit A.
Page 54
November 13, 2003
MR. PONTE: Second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second to
accept the County's Exhibit A.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
MS. HILTON: This is Board of County Commissioners versus
Robert Bidlack and Rosemary Young, CEB Case No. 2003-045. The
alleged violation is of Sections 2.3.5.3, 2.3. -- excuse me, 2.35.7 --
I'm sorry, 2.3.5.3, 2.3.5.7, and 2.3.5.8 of Ordinance No. 91-102, as
amended, of the Collier County Land Development Code.
The description of the violation: Observed a dual family
structure, a duplex, without required driveway/parking surface,
causing residents to park on unimproved surfaces and right-of-way.
Location where violation exists: 641 Forest Avenue, Bonita
Springs, Florida, Folio No. 24532680000.
Name and address of owner in charge of location where
violations exists, as listed with the property appraiser: Is Robert
Bidlack, Rosemary Young, 64 lA Forest Avenue, Bonita Springs,
Florida, 34134.
Date violation first observed: June 25, 2003.
Date owner given notice of violation: June 25, 2003, which was
personally served.
Date on which violation was to be corrected: Was July 25th,
2003.
Date ofreinspection: Was this week, November 12th.
Result of reinspection: The violation remains.
And the CEB packet was sent regular and certified mail to the
address listed with the property appraiser and to the address disclosed
to us in Las Vegas, and the property was also posted, as well as the
courthouse.
Page 55
November 13, 2003
And at this time I would like to turn the case over to the
investigator, Stephen Sutherlin, to present the case to the Board.
MR. SUTHERLIN: For the record, I'm Stephen Sutherlin -- it's
S-U-T-H-E-R-L-I-N-- Code Enforcement Investigator.
On 6/25/03 I observed no driveway at the noted location, along
with vehicles parked in the county right-of-way.
I spoke with Mr. Bidlack, explained his options and issued a
notice of violation, giving reasonable time to correct.
I rechecked the location on 7/16 and 7/30, observing the
violation remaining and no permits had been obtained. I sent a CEB
warning letter on 8/21/03.
I rechecked the site again on 8/28, 9/15 and 10/15. The
violation remained and no permits had been obtained.
At this time I forwarded the case for CEB hearing. As of this
date the violation still remains and no permits have been retained.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have questions for Mr. Sutherlin?
MR. PONTE: Yes, one. Was there any explanation coming
from anywhere as to why Mr. Bidlack did not go ahead and do what
he had promised to do?
MR. SUTHERLIN: Well, promise is a strong word. When I
met with Mr. Bidlack to issue the notice of violation, we were
discussing his options. He didn't want to put a driveway in because
the duplex is set sideways on the property, and he didn't want the
people parking in front of the front windows and the doors.
In that conversation, he said he would be willing to put in a
parking structure, like a garage or something, in the back of the
property. And I said that would be fine, just obtain the permits.
And, like I said, that was 6/25. And I have had no
communication with him, there's been no permits pulled, no work
had been done. So there is really no reason why he hasn't told me
why he hasn't started the work.
MR. PONTE: So he's willing but hasn't.
Page 56
November 13, 2003
MR. SUTHERLIN: That's what he told me, yes.
MS. BARNETT: Mr. Sutherlin, was that a phone conversation
or was that a personal meeting?
MR. SUTHERLIN: On 6/25, it was the only personal meeting I
had with Mr. Bidlack, and that's when we discussed this.
MS. BARNETT: So it was a face-to-face meeting, so he was
aware of the violation then prior to five days ago. Okay.
MR. SUTHERLIN: Yes.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
Any other questions for Stephen?
Thank you, sir.
Ms. Young, would you like to go first or--
MS. YOUNG: Sure. I--
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Pull the microphone down towards
you, ma'am, please. Thank you.
MS. YOUNG: I was just aware of this when Mr. Sutherlin
came to my door approximately a week ago and served me at home
with the notice.
I have been divorced for 10 years now, and he is supposed to
have been getting me off the property that's listed here, to which he
has failed to do so. And I've taken him to court three times for this.
The judge has ordered that he do it and he has still failed to do it.
And I'm just here representing myself, just knowing that this has
happened, that we are -- that he is in violation.
I have had nothing to do with the house, not collected rent, not
done any repairs or anything with the house, made mortgage
payments, et cetera, except for him just keeping, either paying late or
getting, obviously, this type of violation on my credit report as well.
Other than that, I have really nothing to do with the house. And
I have brought my -- the divorce papers, as well as the subsequent
times that I have gone to court to try and get him -- to get me off the
mortgage as well.
Page 57
November 13, 2003
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
MR. BIDLACK: Okay.
Okay. Any questions for Ms. Young?
Mr. Bidlack, your mm, sir.
Now that everyone has painted me into
a bad picture, I just want to state, you know, that this house is 38
years old. There was a gravel drive, drive and park -- or parking in
front of the home, okay. Since then, grass has grown between them
rocks. But those rocks are still there. And the house is designed to
have this drive in front of the house.
Now, I didn't issue a certificate of occupancy 38 years ago, but
Ms. Conover, who was the original builder of the property, still lives
next door and has all the information pertinent to where these cars
are parked or were parked. And the only reason that you can see
them on the grass right now is because I was told they couldn't park
in the right-of-way. So I had no alternative but to put -- put my
renters on the grass.
Subsequently I have lost a renter and rent from that apartment
due to the fact that there's a parking dilemma. And it's very difficult
to get somebody in there when they have no idea where they're going
to park.
You know, I propose -- I should have some way to be
grandfathered in after 38 years of paying taxes. You know, I am not
the bad guy here.
And also, I received a citation, I guess it's dated May 13th of
2003, stating that I either am going to be fined or I have to appear in
court. At that time, I went to Florida. I opted to appear in court to
get my day in court to speak my -- to speak my -- to get my day and
just to tell them what I had to tell them. And the county attorney, I
guess, didn't have a good enough case for me, to submarine me, so
they obviously -- they canceled the case, which didn't give me any
time to speak with the judge or anyone that could give me a solid
answer on this.
Page 58
November 13, 2003
You know, I don't feel I've done anything wrong. The house
has been there, the drive has been there for 38 years. All of a sudden
I'm a criminal. You know, I go to court, people paint me in a bad
light. And quite frankly, I don't think I deserve it, you know.
And as far as the garage or whatever, I don't live in Pelican Bay,
you know, I don't have a lot of money. And quite frankly, I probably
spent five to $7,000 getting there trying to take care of this this
summer, and right now I am out of money.
So, you know, to have me pull money out of where I don't have
-- you know, I am not a rich person and I do live from paycheck to
paycheck at times. And I just don't feel that, you know, not having
the ability to do what you ask is making me a bad guy or right to be
fined, you know. I'm a decent individual and I don't feel that I
deserve what's going on right now. You know, I've done nothing
wrong. And it's keeping me from renting my property, you know.
And also, quite frankly, my -- my own renters right now said
that they've been kind of badgered by Mr. Sutherlin, which I have no
firsthand acknowledge of except what I hear from them, you know.
And I'd just like this resolved to a point where it's reasonable for me
and reasonable for the county, you know.
Right now thousands of dollars is beyond me, you know, and
that's what they're asking. And every -- I went there and I tried to
straighten this out. And due to the fact of bureaucracy involved, I
wasn't able to do anything. So all they did was take my money, all
my time from my summer, my vacation with my children and just
played with me, you know. I was there to try to get something going,
but I was not able to speak with the judge or somebody in a position
to really let me know exactly what my rights are.
This has been jammed down my throat and, quite frankly, I
don't like the taste of it. I don't feel I've done anything wrong. For
38 years I've been paying taxes and parking in that area for that
house. Not myself personally, since 1988. And I just feel this is
Page 59
November 13, 2003
unfair. And that's my stand.
MR. PONTE: Mr. Bidlack, George Ponte. Have you obtained
any estimates for the work that you've just said would cost thousands
of dollars?
MR. BIDLACK: Well, I've already spent thousands of dollars
and lost thousands of dollars in lost time. And I did apply for a
permit, unbeknownst to, I guess, Mr. Sutherlin to try to put a
driveway in. But as seeing all the electrical and county plumbing, I
just thought it was a task that I couldn't begin by myself. And right
now, not having the money to do it professionally and without
damaging the county's assets, I -- I canceled it for myself. Because I
had a permit. And the permit was for three months for a drive, a
driveway just in the front.
Now, I'd like to take -- it says you can't do more than 50 percent
of the front. I'd like to put a 30 -- a 30-foot by 20 stone, you know,
crushed stone thing in there or something like -- something to that
effect. That would be -- that would be a lot easier on my pocket.
And, you know, pouring a driveway and getting contractors and
construction on a-- you know, a house that's been there. I had-- I
should -- I should have been grandfathered in on my parking, as far
as I'm concerned. You know, after this length in time the house is --
you know, not brand new, and I just did -- this was like this since the
house was built, you know. I just don't know what to do.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All right. Mr. Bidlack, Cliff Flegal.
You say you did have a permit issued from the county.
MR. BIDLACK: Yes, sir, I did.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: When was this, sir?
MR. BIDLACK: This was while I was there in July, I obtained
the permit.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: July of this year?
MR. BIDLACK: Correct.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, sir.
Page 60
November 13, 2003
Stephen, did you find any records of such?
MR. SUTHERLIN: I believe Shanelle's checking now. I didn't
see any. But the problem with driveways is there's two different
places to check: The Transportation Department for the right-of-way
portion of it. And, honestly, you don't even need a permit for the
driveway part. I mean, as we discussed, Mr. Bidlack and I, before, if
you use gravel -- and I just explained that to Ms. Young as well, you
don't need a permit except for the apron there at the front in the
right-of-way.
I saw some confused looks as well when he mentioned the
citation. I did not bring this up, but this case, or this violation has
been going since February of this year. The original case, I issued a
citation and through the county attorney's office because I did not get
specific enough with the ordinance, I just used 2.3.5 instead of the .3,
they thought it best to dismiss the citation and start a new case. So
that's where he mentioned the citation.
And as far as being grandfathered in, the other ordinance I
quoted on, the notice of violation, 2.3.5.8, states you have 90 days
after the effective date of that ordinance, so there really is no
grandfathering in.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: There is no grandfathering for that.
Is it -- in looking at this property, one would assume that the
driveway which may be designated for this property would be not at
the, quote, end of the building, as we see in one of your pictures.
There's a car parked, but looks like in front of a tall pine tree. I
assume that's not the actual driveway there. The driveway would
probably be going in and running where the front doors are. Is that
what would be a proper driveway for this facility?
MR. SUTHERLIN: Correct. His concern, as he stated to me,
was he didn't want people parking in front of the doors and windows
here.
The other county issue he's speaking of is there is a water meter
Page 61
November 13, 2003
right there.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. But what I'm looking for is, if
he were to put crushed stone in, the stone would have to go, I
assume, from the edge of the structure to the -- I don't know whether
that's east or west, but as you're looking at the picture, coming
toward the Board, not where --
MR. SUTHERLIN: Correct.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: -- where the car is.
MR. SUTHERLIN: It would go --that's the violation of being
county right-of-way. It would go from the road here and extend back
this way.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.
MS. BARNETT: One question. If you have a parking space,
though, don't you get an ability to use a little bit of the county
right-of-way in order to have access ability, so --
MR. SUTHERLIN: Access ability. Correct. You just can't park
there, you can't store vehicles in the county right-of-way.
MS. BARNETT: Is there enough space there between the
building and the right-of-way?
MR. SUTHERLIN: He would-- yes. But he would have to get
· rid of some landscaping, the tree and-- where that red car is parked
in that picture, that is completely in the county right-of-way. It
started-- you can barely see it. Over to the right of the picture there,
there's a-- like a railroad timber. Had it all the way across the
right-of-way where all the vehicles, all the tenants had to park in the
right-of-way. I finally got him to move that landscaping timber
where they could pull further up in the yard. Still in violation but not
-- not a safety issue. You're not taking up emergency vehicle spots.
MS. BARNETT: But if he got rid of the tree and some of the
landscaping, he could actually park on that end of the building,
technically?
MR. SUTHERLIN: Yes. As long as -- I mean, it would be
Page 62
November 13, 2003
limited. That's a duplex, so you figure at max you may have four
cars, which that would be real tight to put four cars there on the end
of the building, yes.
MR. RAMSEY: Question. There was some testimony by Mr.
Bidlack, something about there was a driveway and it's overgrown or
something to that effect?
MR. SUTHERLIN: You'd have to ask him, because I didn't see
it. But I believe he's talking about the right-of-way where I was
talking the landscaping timbers were out there. So even the driveway
he's speaking of is really against the ord -- you can't do any
improvements to the right-of-way without permits, so --
MR. PONTE: How many cars have you observed parked there?
MR. SUTHERLIN: At the most, three. The red one --
MR. PONTE: Two families, is that what you're saying?
MR. SUTHERLIN: It is a duplex. I don't know if all three cars
belong to one side. I've only spoke to one tenant there, and that's how
I got Mr. Bidlack's address in Las Vegas, because the only address
we had on file was at that address, 641 Forest. So I don't know
where the cars belong to, but yes, three cars on the property.
MS. DUSEK: Stephen, so right now I understand the only place
for him to put a driveway is in front of the building? It may be
possible if he removes the heavy -- the tall tree and the bushes there
that he could put the three cars there, that's an outside possibility?
MR. SUTHERLIN: It's possible, but like I said, it would be
tight. If you had a husband and wife move into both, it's four
vehicles, it's going to be real tight.
The other possibility that he mentioned, which is fine, is to put a
driveway the length, where we talked about the length of the building
and putting like a parking structure in back. You wouldn't be using
over 50 percent of the yard for parking. The driveway doesn't count
unless you park in it. So he could have a driveway leading back to a
parking structure. But as he said, you know, being short on money,
Page 63
November 13, 2003
that that would be the most expensive way to go.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Stephen, does he need a structure?
What if he had a driveway going back there and in the back of his
property he put a crushed stone parking area? Would that be
sufficient to satisfy the county requirements, rather than an actual
structure?
MR. SUTHERLIN: I mean, he doesn't even have to go all the
way to the back. That's his choice. Because he doesn't want vehicles
parked in front, which, you know, that's up to him. But yes, that's --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: But to solve that problem, though, if
he -- if he ran crushed stone or something back to the back and then
put a large crushed stone area that people could park on away from
their front door, would that be sufficient?
MR. SUTHERLIN: Yes. And the only thing he would need
permits for is that section of the right-of-way. He would have to
contact the transportation department.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Yes. Yeah, okay.
MS. BARNETT: How long does it take approximately to obtain
that type of right-of-way permit?
MR. SUTHERLIN: I guess it would depend on the availability
of the engineer. The reason you have to have a permit for that is they
want to make sure it's not going to cause a flooding issue. So they'll
have to send an engineer out to make sure that, you know, you have
to put a culvert in or you have to have a swale. That's really with the
transportation department, and I can't honestly answer that, I don't
know. I wouldn't say more than a couple of weeks.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Any other questions for
anyone?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Mr. Bidlack, did you understand that
some of us were asking the county rather than the expense of doing
something in the front, which sounds like we're being told really
Page 64
November 13, 2003
wouldn't work, that you don't have to build a structure, you could put
a gravel pad, so to speak, in the back of your property and people
could drive back there and park? I don't know if that's acceptable to
you, I'm just saying, that's the questions we were asking to at least try
to get away from the front door and away from you having to
actually build a structure.
MR. BIDLACK: That would -- that sounds like it would
logistically work. But the thing is, I'd be driving by the house and
also my neighbor's front door and her -- and her privacy as well
would be encroached upon with me driving to the back of my
property.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: I understand that, sir. We're looking to
find, I guess, the --
MR. BIDLACK: The solution, I understand.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL:
for you, but a way to get you
like parking in the street side
MR. BIDLACK: Right.
-- easiest way out or least expensive
into compliance. Because it sounds
is not going to be an option, let's say.
The front of the house, it's 30 feet
from center of road, which -- which puts it up to where space for a
car couldn't fit anyway. The house wasn't built and designed to have
a 30-foot easement is the problem with the parking area right now.
To extend a gravel driveway even that much further would be a lot
more expense, too. It's by the foot and, you know, the cubic yard of
stone, and that would encompass a whole lot more stone than the
original parking area.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Did you also understand that
when the ordinance was revised, it gave you a time limit to do
something, so there is no such thing as being grandfathered in?
MR. BIDLACK: Right, I understood that when -- yes.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. I just want to make sure you
understood that part of it.
MR. BIDLACK: I did understand it. But you know, with my
Page 65
November 13, 2003
hands tied with financial aspects, you know, I'm between a rock and
a hard place, you know. If-- perhaps if I sold the property or just to
get away from this. Because, you know, I'm just trying to get to the
end of the road without as few bumps as possible and --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: I understand, sir.
MR. BIDLACK: -- if I can just, you know, just alleviate this
problem just by getting rid of it. You know, at this point in time, you
know, I don't know what to do.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Any further questions from the
Board to anyone?
MS. BARNETT: Cliff, I have a question --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Yes, ma'am.
MS. BARNETT: -- and I don't know if I need to direct this to
Jean or not. Because I'm kind of feeling a little bit sorry for Ms.
Young. If she does have court documents that state that she has been
-- or should have been taken off in subsequent court hearings, how
can we hold her accountable --
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Well, she's still a property owner on
the records. I don't know that --
MS. RAWSON: Unfortunately she's still on the deed. You can,
if you wish, make your order -- she's still a respondent, but you can
make your order only to the one respondent, not to the other.
MS. BARNETT: Based on the court here -- order, or how do
we--
MS. RAWSON: Well, based on a number of reasons. But
we've done that before, holding one respondent accountable for the
compliance and not the other. I mean, she's still going to be on the
deed so she's still going to be on our compliance. And, I mean, it's --
obviously if there's a foreclosure, she's still involved. But you can
order one respondent to bring a property into compliance.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Any further questions?
(No response.)
Page 66
November 13, 2003
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Thank you. all. You may sit down.
Finding of fact by the Board.
MS. DUSEK: Before we do that, Jean, just to extend what you
just said, can we -- let's say that we decided to remove one of the
names today. Can we do that just because of the testimony given?
MR. BIDLACK: That would be fine with me.
MS. RAWSON: He said it would be fine with him.
MR. BIDLACK: You know, I assume all responsibility as far
as financial obligations go towards that property. I don't want her in
any way charged anything for whatever is going on here.
MS. RAWSON: From a legal standpoint, you can't really
remove her, because you don't have the power to remove her from
the title of the property. But as I said before, you can certainly order
only one respondent to bring the property into compliance. And I
think he's just testified that that's okay with him and he would hold
her harmless.
MS. DUSEK: So when we go to the recommendation, that's
when we would do that?
MS. RAWSON: Correct.
MS. DUSEK: Okay. All right.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: You're right. You would-- you're --
you would find a finding of fact against him, not against both.
MR. BOWIE: I think you would have to be aware, however,
that the lien for any fines would be on her half interest, as well as his.
MS. RAWSON: Our real estate attorney is correct.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Yes. They go against the property.
MR. BOWIE:
CHAIRMAN
they're both on the
MS. DUSEK:
of fact that we include both names or one name.
we include both names.
No way around that.
FLEGAL: They go against the property and
deed, so --
I just want to make sure when we do the finding
My -- my feeling is
Page 67
November 13, 2003
MS. RAWSON: You include both names, but when you get to
the recommendation about how they come into compliance, you just
order the one respondent to bring it into compliance. MS. DUSEK: Yes, yes. Okay.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay, finding of fact.
MS. DUSEK: I make a motion that in the case of the Board of
County Commissioners versus Robert Bidlack and Rosemary Young,
in the case CEB No. 2003-045, that a violation does exist. The
violation is of Sections 2.3.5.3, 2.3.5.7 and 2.3.5.8 of Ordinance No.
91-103, as amended, of the Collier County Land Development Code.
And before I go any further, is that 2.35 or 2.3.5?
MS. HILTON: 2.3.5.
MS. BARNETT: Bobbie, also, while you took a stop, you said
Ordinance No. 91-103, it should be 102.
MS. DUSEK: All right, I didn't know that I said that, thank
you.
Description of violation: Observed a dual family structure
duplex without required driveway parking surface, causing residents
to park on unimproved surfaces and right-of-way.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. We have a motion that in fact a
violation does exist.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Second.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a second to that motion. Any
further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All those in favor, signify by saying
aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Order of the Board.
Jean, correct me, I think in our order our first item would be that
Page 68
November 13, 2003
the order of the Board is directed towards Respondent Robert D.
Bidlack only.
MS. RAWSON: Correct.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay.
MR. DORIA: I make a recommendation that the Code
Enforcement Board order Mr. Robert D. Bidlack to pay all
operational costs, to pay -- to abate all violations by adding a
stabilized surface made of concrete, crushed stone, asphalt or pavers,
specifically designated for parking, and obtain all required permits,
inspections and certificate of completion within 60 days from the
date of this hearing, or a fine of $75 per day will be imposed for each
day the violation continues.
That the tenants must immediately cease parking in the
right-of-way and the respondent must notify code enforcement that
the violation has been abated and to request the investigator to come
out and perform the site inspections.
MR. PONTE: I just have one concern with that
recommendation. It goes too far, as the county has recommended it,
that the tenants must immediately cease parking on the unimproved
surfaces. There isn't any place for the tenants to park. MR. DORIA: Okay, I've changed that.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: He changed that to the right-of-way.
Albert changed it to the right-of-way. So they can park in the yard.
MR. PONTE: In the yard, okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: He changed those words to the
right-of-way
MR. PONTE: Okay. Thank you very much.
MS. BARNETT: I'll second the motion.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second for the
order of the Board. Any further discussion? (No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All those in favor, signify by saying
Page 69
November 13, 2003
aye.
(Unanimous votes of ayes.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Okay. Mr. Bidlack, did you
understand, sir?
MR. BIDLACK: Yes, sir, I did.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: All right, sir, thank you.
That concludes the public hearing portion of our business.
Under new business, we have covered -- Item A was moved up.
There is nothing under B, C. Item D was moved up.
Old business, we have no affidavits to be submitted. Under
Item 7, reports?
MS. HILTON: Yes, Ellen has passed the torch to Jeff
Klatzkow, who is going to be handling our Code Enforcement Board
lien enforcement matters, and he is here to introduce himself.
MR. KLATZKOW: Morning. My name is Jeff Klatzkow. I'll
be taking over Ellen's role. Hopefully, I can do nearly as good a job
as she has been doing and look forward to working with the Board.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Welcome, sir.
MR. KLATZKOW: K-L-A, as in Adam, T-Z-K-O-W.
MS. HILTON: And clarification, notice of the date change. It
is just going to be December 12th.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Just December 12th? Okay.
MS. HILTON: Yeah.
And our next Board hearing is on a Friday, December 12th.
MS. DUSEK: I have, under comments, we were supposed to
vote today.
MS. HILTON: Yes, and Michelle asked that that be continued
so she can be here for the discussion. MS. DUSEK: Okay.
MR. PONTE: What are you--just out of curiosity, when are
Page 70
November 13, 2003
you estimating the December 12th meeting to be? In other words, is
the sunshine portion going to follow immediately, or is it following
at 2:00. MS. HILTON:
MR. PONTE:
MS. HILTON:
Well, hopefully we won't take till 2:00.
No, that's right.
So it's going to take place after the Code Board
hearing, and it starts at 2:00. So if we get done at our usual time,
12:00 or 12:30-ish, then it starts at 2:00, so you'll have to come back.
MR. PONTE: Okay.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: One note. In the beginning I
mentioned that we had two new permanent members, and I
inadvertently mentioned Gerald, but he's been a permanent member.
Albert is our other new permanent member. So I apologize, Albert,
and welcome.
MR. DORIA: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: Anything else? Please make sure we
understand about next month's meeting.
Nothing else? I'd entertain a motion to adjourn.
MR. PONTE: So moved.
CHAIRMAN FLEGAL: We have a motion and a second to
adjourn.
We are adjourned. Thank you kindly.
Page 71
November 13, 2003
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 11:30 a.m.
COLLIER COUNTY
CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD
CLIFFORD FLEGAL, CHAIRMAN
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF GREGORY COURT
REPORTING SERVICE, INC. BY CHERIE NOTTINGHAM
Page 72