CEB Minutes 05/25/2006 R
May 25, 2006
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD
Naples, Florida
May 25, 2006
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 9:30 a.m. in REGULAR SESSION in Building "F"
of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida, with the following
members present:
CHAIRMAN:
Sheri Barnett
Justin DeWitte
Gerald Lefebvre
Kenneth Kelly
Jerry Morgan
George Ponte
ALSO PRESENT:
Jean Rawson, Attorney for the Board
Michelle Arnold, Code Enforcement Director
Shirley Garcia, Code Enforcement Coordinator
Page 1
CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD OF COLLIER COUNTY. FLORIDA
AGENDA
Date: May 25, 2006, at 9:30 a.m.
Location: Collier County Government Center, Third Floor, 3301 East Tamiami Trail, Naples, Florida
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.
1. ROLL CALL
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - April 27, 2006
4. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. MOTIONS
1. Motion for Re-Hearing- Jerry & Kimberlea Blocker
2006-16,2006-17 & 2006-18
B. STIPULATIONS - (no requests submitted at the time of preparation)
C. HEARINGS
2006-19
829 9lST AVE. N., NAPLES, FL (FOLIO: 62711640001)
MARVIN & LORIE SIPNICK
CHRIS AMBACH
ORD 04-411O.02.06(B)(1)(A), 1O.02.06(B)(1)(D), 10.02.06(B)(I)(D)(I), FLORIDA
BUILDING CODE 02-01 SEe.
104.1.1,104.1.3.5,106.1.2 & 106.3.1
DESCRIPTION: PROHIBITED CONVERSION OF A GARAGE INTO LIVING SPACE
WITHOUT THE REQUIRED COLLIER COUNTY BUILDING PERMITS,
INSPECTIONS & CO'S.
1. CASE NO:
CASE ADDR:
OWNER:
INSPECTOR:
VIOLATIONS:
2006-21
6134 EVERETT ST, NAPLES, FL. (FOLIO # 00421560006)
VICTOR GEORGE
EVERILDO YBACET A
ORD NO 04-41 SEe. 2.02.03 AS AMENDED, SECTIONS
10.02.03(B)(I)(A),10.02.06(B)(I)(D), AND FLORIDA BUILDING CODE, 2001
EDITION, AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE 02-01, SECTION 104.1.1
DESCRIPTION: SHED ON PROPERTY WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING A REQUIRED COLLIER
COUNTY BUILDING PERMIT. NON PERMITTED LAND USES, I.E. STORAGE OF
MOTOR HOME, USE OF SAID MOTOR HOME AS LIVING SPACE, STORAGE OF
COMMERCIAL TRAILERS, STORAGE OF CANNOPIES, STORAGE OF BOAT &
TRAILER NOT CURRENTLY REGISTERED TO PROPERTY OWNER, ALL OF
WHICH ARE NOT USES PERMITTED ON AGRICULTURE ZONED LAND.
2. CASE NO:
CASE ADDR:
OWNER:
INSPECTOR:
VIOLATIONS:
3. CASE NO:
CASE ADDR:
OWNER:
2006-22
513 STOKES AVE., IMMOKALEE, FL. (FOLIO # 00135560004)
OCCEUS SAINTILIEN & MAL VEILLEAS
ESTIVERNE
INSPECTOR: CAROL SYKORA
VIOLATIONS: ORD NO. 04-41,1.04.01, 2.01.00(A). ORD. 81-42 SEC. 1, ORD. 2005-44 SEe. 6, 7 & 8
DESCRIPTION: OPERATION OF A VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP, EXTENSIIVE AMOUNT OF
UNLICENSED/INOPERABLE VEHICLES ON PROPERTY, LITTER CONSISTING
OF BUT NOT LIMITED TO VEHICLE PARTS, TIRES, METAL, WOOD, JUNK
VEHICLES. REPEAT VIOLATIONS OF CEB 2001-081.
4. CASE NO:
CASE ADDR:
OWNER:
INSPECTOR:
VIOLATIONS:
2006-26
602 E. DELAWARE AVE., IMMOKALEE, FL. (FOLIO # 00119640005)
JOSE & GUADALUPE SANCHEZ
CAROL SYKORA
VIOLATION OF ORDINANCE(S) 04-41, AS AMENDED, SEC. 2.01.00(A), 5.02.00,
5.02.02,5.02.03,2.02.03 AND ORD. 2005-44 SEe. 6, 7 & 8
DESCRIPTION: RECURRING VIOLATIONS OF OPERATION OF VEHICLE REPAIR BUSINESS
WITH EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF UNLICENSED/INOPERABLE VEHICLES BEING
TOWED TO PROPERTY. LITTER CONSISTING OF BUT NOT LIMITED TO
VEHICLE PARTS, TIRES, METAL, PLASTIC, GENERAL TRASH
5. CASE NO:
CASE ADDR:
OWNER:
INSPECTOR:
VIOLATIONS:
DESCRIPTION:
5. NEW BUSINESS
2006-25
7260 40TH ST., NAPLES, FL. (FOLIO # 38912960006)
JOSE & LESTER AGUILAR
THOMAS KEEGAN
VIOLATION OF ORDINANCE(S) 04-41, AS AMENDED, SEe. 1.04.01
ILLEGAL LAND USE ON UNIMPROVED PROPERTY IN ESTATES ZONING
CONSISTING OF BUT NOT LIMITED TO SHEDS, TRUCK BOXES AND OTHER
MATERIALS
A. Request for Imposition of Fines/Liens
BCC vs. Gary D. Wilson
6. OLD BUSINESS -
7. REPORTS - NO REPORTS
8. COMMENTS
CEB No. 2004-28
9. NEXT MEETING DATE - June 22, 2006 *Hearing Location Change*
10. ADJOURN
May 25, 2006
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: It's 9:30. I'd like to call this
meeting of the Code Enforcement Board for Collier County on May
25th, 2006 to order.
May I have the roll call, please.
MS. GARCIA: Shirley Garcia for Collier County Code
Enforcement for the record.
Sheri Barnett?
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Present.
MS. GARCIA: Larry Dean?
(No response.)
MS. GARCIA: Mr. Dean has no excused absence.
MS. ARNOLD: I think he told us at the last meeting that he
wasn't going to be here.
MS. GARCIA: Gerald Lefebvre?
MR. LEFEBVRE: Here.
MS. GARCIA: George Ponte?
MR. PONTE: Here.
Before we go any further, I can hardly hear. Are these mics on,
or what?
(Microphone feedback.)
MR. PONTE: Now we can't hear at all.
MS. ARNOLD: I think they're on.
MS. GARCIA: Jerry Morgan?
MR. MORGAN: Here.
MS. GARCIA: Richard Kraenbring has an excused absence.
Justin De Witte?
MR. DeWITTE: Here.
MS. GARCIA: Kenneth Kelly?
MR. KELLY: Here.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Make note that our alternates will
be acting as board members today with full rights.
Okay, approval of the agenda.
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May 25, 2006
MS. ARNOLD: For the record, Michelle Arnold. There is no
significant changes. There is a stipulation that has been entered into
for the first case on your agenda, 2006-19, so that will be heard first
before the others.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay. I'll entertain approval of
the minutes.
MR. DeWITTE: So moved.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor--
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
MS. ARNOLD: Did you mean the agenda?
MR. PONTE: I didn't get notes, so I can't vote.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Oh, I skipped over the agenda
approval, I'm sorry. Back up. Let's go to the approval of the agenda.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Make a motion.
MR. DeWITTE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Now we'll move to the minutes.
George, you didn't get --
MR. PONTE: I didn't receive the minutes.
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May 25, 2006
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: They came very shortly after the
last meeting bye-mail.
MR. PONTE: Okay. I missed it, so I'll just abstain.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay. I'll entertain another
motion, seeing that I was out of order.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Make a motion to approve.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do you want to second it?
MR. DeWITTE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: One abstained.
Okay. So we'll move to then the stipulation agreement.
MS. ARNOLD: Actually, Madam Chairman, there's a motion
for rehearing, Jerry and --
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay. We want to do that one
first?
MS. ARNOLD: Yeah, the motions are first and then the
stipulations.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay. I'm sorry. All right, I'll go
ahead and then move to the motion for rehearing for Jerry and
Kimberlea Blocker.
MS. ARNOLD: Yes, Mr. Patrick White is here representing
Jerry and Kimberlea Blocker.
MR. WHITE: Morning, Madam Chairman. Patrick White with
the law firm of Porter, Wright, Morris and Arthur, representing Jerry
and Kimberlea Blocker.
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May 25, 2006
I'm going to have to move this away because I'm apparently a
little louder.
My understanding is that this is just a request for you to consider
the actual rehearing motion that I've filed, not an actual determination
on the merits of the points in that motion. And I'm here more so to
answer any questions you may have about the motion that I did file,
the request that I did file.
And we would ask your favorable consideration to have the
matter reset for rehearing at your earliest possible convenience.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay, before I jump into that,
because we have a lot of new members, Jean --
MS. RAWSON: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: -- do you want to go ahead and
read the rules in regards to rehearings?
MS. RAWSON: A party may request a rehearing of the board's
order based only on the ground that the decision was contrary to the
evidence or that the hearing involved an error on the ruling of law
which was fundamental to the decision of the board.
And he's got a pretty long motion here, which hopefully most of
you have read. I think Mr. White said he would be happy to answer
any of your questions in that regard.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: I actually had one question, only
because I'm not an attorney and I didn't understand attorney -ese, or the
legal jargon.
Laches. What are they?
MR. WHITE: Laches is an affirmative defense essentially that
means that a respondent in this case would be entitled to make to
explain why they should not be found to have violated the rules that
are being charged against them. It essentially is an equitable type of a
defense looking to the facts that are presented to determine whether it
would be appropriate under the circumstances after a, you know,
delayed period of time to look to enforce a set of rules against that
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May 25, 2006
respondent.
And I believe that that was something that as a matter of law did
not receive a degree of consideration. Although it was, perhaps less
artfully than attorney-ese, stated by my client when I reviewed the
board's actual -- I had a DVD of it and reviewed the actual
proceedings.
So that is why it's one of the things that we have put into the
motion, along with some other affirmative defenses and other things
that I believe meet the task that is stated in the applicable rule. So--
MS. RAWSON: Laches basically comes from an axiom that
says he who sleeps on his rights may lose them, which is another way
of saying too much time has passed.
You might ask him about his second affirmative defense,
equitable estoppel, unless all of you understand what that is.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: That was my next one.
MR. WHITE: Essentially equitable estoppel argues that it would
be inequitable or unfair to apply or attempt to apply the rules at this
point in time. Again, it's a kind of a fundamental fairness doctrine that
can be asserted. It has, as does laches and all other types of legal
matters, a series of elements that need to be demonstrated.
I believe that we can demonstrate those elements to the degree of
satisfaction required to first off at least consider those types of
defenses, and more so I think to be able to grant the type of relief
we're asking for.
One of the third ones, if I might anticipate it, is vested rights. It's
very much akin to equitable estoppel. I've often said that they're
opposite faces of the same coin. And one of them arises from
constitutional principles, that being the vested rights, and the equitable
estoppel arises from the equitable powers of courts over the history of
their existence, all the way back into English law.
So they're long-standing principles that essentially say that if
there are facts that demonstrate your respondent, my client, has taken
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May 25, 2006
a course of action where at this point in time it would be unfair to try
to apply those laws to him for a variety of anyone of these three
offenses, then they ought be allowed to continue to do what it was that
they were doing before.
And in fact I think that there are other issues that are stated
beyond these affirmative defenses that are in my motion and are other
what I consider the fundamental aspects of how you reached your
decision at the last hearing that I believe may have been erroneous.
It's a difficult position to be here to tell you that we think you
might not have gotten it right, but my job's to help you to understand
that, and I appreciate your questions in an effort to try to do so.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay. Does anybody else have
any questions?
MR. KELLY: I have one question.
In your motion, there was a few citations to previous cases
throughout the State of Florida. And I assume you're trying to set
precedence. Have you found anything that's happened here in Collier
County or that this board has ruled on in the past that might support
any of these findings?
MR. WHITE: Other than the Tuffs case that you heard and
reconsidered last meeting, not that I can immediately point you to.
But I believe that one of the fundamental aspects of the Tuffs case was
whether or not facts existed that made it inequitable to try to apply a
set of rules later in time.
Now, I'm not familiar with all the facts and don't want to
misrepresent them to you, but I think that case at least stands for the
proposition in terms of granting what we're asking you for today, a
request for rehearing, that there's an opportunity to bring forward
those types of evidence and to make those kinds of arguments.
I'm not trying to argue the substance of the actual rehearing
today. I think that's something that, you know, if you were able to
give us that consideration we could adequately demonstrate, not only
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May 25, 2006
from the record but from what the rules allow us to essentially kind of
introduce as new evidence within the scope of what you allow us to
bring to you as a rehearing.
The code enforcement cases aren't reported in the same way that
a lot of the court cases are. But I think it's fair to say that there's an
evolving understanding on the part of circuit courts. They are the
courts that act in an appellate capacity to hear matters decided by code
enforcement boards and special masters that recognizes some of these
affirmative defenses, such as laches, equitable estoppel. And those are
the cases that I have cited to you. There are others that are more
detailed, but I thought that the point of just illuminating them in the
request today was so that you could see that I wasn't just arguing
something that had no prior consideration by the judiciary in the State
of Florida, but rather it's something that the courts have looked at and
said boards such as this need to be deliberative about.
And I know that my review of the DVD of the hearing, that this
was a difficult case for you all to decide. I don't again want to tell
you, but I have to, that I believe that it wasn't rightly decided. And I
think we can help you to see why you struggled with it, if we're given
the opportunity to have it reheard.
MR. MORGAN: I have several issues.
MR. WHITE: Yes, sir.
MR. MORGAN: Did your client know that this property -- the
zoning of this property when he purchased it?
MR. WHITE: I believe he may very well have known what the
zoning was. But again, I'm not looking to argue the rehearing today,
rather just the notion of whether we should have the chance to do so.
MR. MORGAN: As far as I'm concerned, his past building
permits really doesn't hold any substance. Some of them was issued
before the zoning ordinance took effect. And most of them are just
line drawings. They really -- there's to me they may have issued them
at that time, I don't know, but a lot of these clerks, they don't look at a
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zoning plat book to see what the zoning is. I've had permits issued to
me and then recalled because the person that issued the permit, didn't
have the authority. I've had people issue permits and I had -- they
rejected the permit later on after I got it because fire regulations. I've
had permits where I filled out the permit application, and also I filled
out the permit itself, because the guy said you know what you're
doing, I don't know what I'm doing. So to me these are old, they hold
no substance.
The second thing is that --
MR. WHITE: Could I respond to that point, Mr. Morgan?
MR. MORGAN: Sir?
MR. WHITE: Could I respond to that, Mr. Morgan?
MR. MORGAN: Yeah, go ahead.
MR. WHITE: I think the very precise point that I'm not looking
to make today but would look to argue, if we're given the opportunity
to be reheard, is exactly the fact that you raised about those permits
predating regulations. That is vested rights. That is in my opinion
equitable estoppel. That is being lawful and then legally
nonconforming. And those are the things that I think may as matters
of law not been properly ruled on, because the weight given to those
facts wasn't appropriate.
And I understand your circumstances, and certainly having
worked for local government myself for many years, I understand the
notion of why it is that local governments aren't held to their
mistakes.
MR. MORGAN: Well, I still disagree with you.
MR. WHITE: I understand, sir.
MR. MORGAN: All right. E, some regulations were no longer
legally effective. What are we talking about? I don't remember.
MR. WHITE: Again, not looking to reargue the rehearing, but
rather to say specifically I was talking about the citation to the 1970's
version of regulations that obviously have been repealed, or are no
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longer in effect.
MS. ARNOLD: Can I say something?
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Let's move forward rather than
going back to specific entities of the case. Let's just kind of decide
whether or not we want to rehear the case. But I believe --
MS. RAWSON: We need to hear from the county attorney.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: I was going to say, I believe the
county attorney's been waiting patiently to speak.
MR. KLATZKOW: Thank you. Jeff Klatzkow, Assistant
County Attorney, Collier County.
This is a very simple case. And you guys decided right the first
time. And this motion, there's not anything there that would weigh a
rehearing, merit a rehearing, require a rehearing.
These people bought this property in 2002. As a matter of public
record, and I ask you to take judicial notice of this, they bought this
property subject to all county zoning regulations.
This isn't 1960 we're talking about, this isn't 1965 we're talking
about. 2002 they knew they had a problem. And in their deed, okay,
the problem was put right up there in saying we're selling you this
property. Understand, there are zoning issues here. They bought it
anyway, knowing about the zoning issues.
It's industrial zoning. It's been industrial zoning for years and
years and years. There was no evidence before you that it was
anything else. All right?
This argument that maybe some industry grew into the area so
that maybe years and years ago a mobile park may not have been that
much of a concern in the area at that time, but 40 years later it's a
concern. We've got cars stacked up right by the trailers, we've got
tires all over the place, and Collier County is within its police powers
to enforce this ordinance and enforce it now.
And to say that a permit was issued in 1962 and we can't do
anything? If you're going to take that to heart and weigh that, we can't
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clean up Immokalee. Immokalee's always going to be blighted.
Because people will say, well, you let the Blockers keep this thing
because in 1962 somebody issued a permit. Well, I got my permit
issued in 1963 and yeah, it's in squalid condition, but heck, I'm vested,
I'm okay.
So be very careful with his arguments here on vested rights
because one, it's not legally sufficient and two, it's dangerous.
If you're ever going to clean up an area, if you're ever going to
redevelop an area, you have to use the police powers of the county.
That's Michelle.
Michelle is absolutely correct in enforcing the code, and your
decision was 100 percent correct. You told the Blockers, you've got a
problem with the zoning, go get a variance, go get the zoning changed.
They still can do that. They can always do that. It's part of your
order. All right?
They don't want to do that because they know what the Board of
County Commissioners is going to tell them in their hats as board of
zoning appeals. They're going to tell them no way, we're trying to
clean up Immokalee, you can't have it. And so they're trying this tact.
And it's wrong.
You were right the first time. There's no evidence presented by
Mr. White here that anything's contrary to the evidence. He's going to
throw out arguments, well, it's laches or it's estoppel, when these
people didn't mentally rely on anything. Didn't cost them anything out
of their pocket, because they knew the problem when they bought into
it.
Now, if this was the original owner, I might take a step back and
think about it, all right? But it's not. Somebody bought into a
problem knowing they bought into the problem. Presumably the
property was discounted because of the problem. And now he's telling
you hey, I can do it because my predecessor's predecessor's
predecessor got a permit back in 1962. And that's just silly and it's
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May 25, 2006
wrong and it's dangerous. And I ask--
MR. WHITE: Madam Chairman, I must object.
MR. KLATZKOW: Would you please, you had your turn and I
was quiet, sir.
MR. WHITE: I'm objecting to the fact that--
MR. KLATZKOW: And at this point--
MR. WHITE: -- that the assistant attorney --
MR. MORGAN: Sir.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Excuse me.
MR. WHITE: Madam Chairman, I'm objecting to the--
MR. KLATZKOW: May I finish?
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: I would like to let him finish and
then if you'd like to object afterwards, that's fine.
MR. WHITE: Thank you, ma'am.
MR. KLATZKOW: I ask this board to deny this motion outright.
Thank you.
MR. WHITE: My point simply was, I respectfully attempted to
not engage in a reweighing and a rehearing today. I tried to respect
the rules that you've asked us to follow. But if the assistant county
attorney is going to step onto that ground, I at least have to make sure
that my client's interests are respected.
And I respectfully ask you to just simply consider this: If he's
right, that they're wrong, then you should allow what are the lawful
aspects of the county's rules pertaining to legal nonconformities and
the then existing rules to be meaningfully brought into the discussion.
Because they were not part of what you considered the last time. And
I think that that is what is fundamentally unfair, and I believe it's
unreasonable.
This is not a case about cleaning up Immokalee. These particular
units are among some of the most well maintained in the community
and, in fact, are sought after by the folks in the Department of Health
as a place for migrants to stay. They are approved. Those are all
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May 25, 2006
matters of record.
So I don't want to see my clients steam-rolled simply because of
the good efforts of the county, which my clients are willing to work
with and I have sought to work with the county about. But I can't do
that if their rights are going to be trampled.
MR. KLATZKOW: If I may, in conclusion--
MS. ARNOLD: Can I just say --
MR. KLATZKOW: -- a request for a rehearing shall be based--
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Excuse me, I didn't call on you.
MR. KLATZKOW: I'm sorry.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Michelle?
MS. ARNOLD: Well, I just wanted to make a couple of
comments about what Mr. White indicated.
Obviously this -- he's absolutely right, this is not a case about
cleaning up Immokalee, nor is it a case about permits. All of his
arguments -- or most of his arguments evolve around permits being
issued previously.
This case is about use. Land use. The fact that it's being used as
a residential use and the zoning, and as we presented to you, the
zoning has always been nonresidential, commercial, industrial. In
those uses, residential would not be permitted in that zoning district.
And that's what the case was about.
MR. WHITE: Madam Chair, I don't mean to interrupt, but it is
patently untrue that these uses were not permitted at the point in time
that the regulations that were put into evidence -- it is a permittable
use. And I can prove that to you, if I get the chance.
MR. KLATZKOW: And lastly, they had the chance at the last
hearing to put in whatever evidence they wanted. All the evidence is
in, all right? We're only talking about reweighing the evidence that is
In.
And if Mr. White wishes to in essence a hearing de novo -- and
you can check with your attorney on this -- I think it's absolutely
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May 25, 2006
improper that they start taking evidence that was before you
previously. It's a rehearing. What was before you -- it is not a new
case. He's got his ability to start a new case later, but not before you.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: At this time, I'm going to -- unless
one of the boards has a specific question, I'm going to close it to the
open public and have discussion amongst the board.
MR. WHITE: Thank you.
MR. KLATZKOW: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: And Jean.
Yes?
MR. KELLY: I believe that Mr. Blocker himself presented a
wonderful case to us. The amount of information, time, the
presentation, everything, was very clear. And I think as a lay person,
as an individual, I think he did a terrific job.
I don't know that anything is going to be re-brought up that's
going to change my mind. I believe that the charter of this board is to
vote on a matter of code on whether there's a violation of code at this
time, not what happened in the past. And I believe that's what we
voted on. I'm not so sure that rehearing those facts again would
change my position.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: I'm tending to agree with you. I
don't believe anything was presented to us this morning. They
brought up the fact about the permits. I'm still holding in front of me
1965 regulations that were presented in the packet.
I believe that the permits were thoroughly discussed. I believe
myself personally, I asked three different times of the county attorney
if we were allowed to forego those permits and have them rescinded
because of the fact that we were dealing with something from way
back when, and apparently they were done in error. And I was told
that -- three different times that yes, we were allowed to do that
because it was not in compliance with the zoning of the property from
as far back as they can record.
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May 25, 2006
That's just my general consensus. I don't know how anybody
else feels.
MR. DeWITTE: I would just agree with what Ken had to say.
The charter of our board is not to make decisions about whether
zoning was done properly or improperly or what and when, but just to
recognize there is an issue and to turn it over to the proper boards to
handle that issue.
So from a code enforcement perspective, so everybody's clear,
zoning problems, we can't look at it. Maybe the zoning board or
maybe one of the other entities can, and they can resolve it, but I
believe that's beyond our power.
MR. PONTE: I agree with you. I think we gave it full, long and
careful consideration during the last session. And we were addressing
those questions that we are asked to address, rather than going afield
as we're being asked to do now.
I agree with my colleagues, I think the request for rehearing
should be denied, that the respondent was given direction as to
possible actions that he could take to remedy the situation, and those
are still my feelings.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Would you like to put that in the
form of a motion?
MR. LEFEBVRE: I'll make a motion.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay.
MR. LEFEBVRE: I'll make a motion to deny the rehearing.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do I have a second?
MR. PONTE: I'll second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
Page 15
May 25, 2006
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Move forward to the stipulation.
MS. GARCIA: CEB Case 2006-19.
MS. ARNOLD: We have Investigator -- excuse me, Chris
Ambach here to present the stipulation to the board.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
MR. AMBACH: For the record, Investigator Christopher
Ambach, Collier County Code Enforcement.
I'm happy to announce I have a stipulation agreement. I met with
the respondent, Marvin Sipnick. Mr. Sipnick agrees the violation
exists.
The respondent has obtained a demolition permit for the
violation. Respondent will get all required inspections in a certificate
of occupancy within 60 days of this hearing. If the certificate of
occupancy is not issued within the 60 days, a fine of $100 per day will
commence.
The respondent agrees to pay all operational costs incurred
totaling $310.86. Respondent will contact me when the certificate of
occupancy is issued.
That certificate of occupancy was issued as of yesterday. And he
has contacted me and dropped a copy of that off to the office. That's
all I have.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: He's not here, but I'm assuming
he's the person that signed this.
MR. AMBACH: Yes.
MR. DeWITTE: Motion to accept.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do I have a second?
MR. PONTE: I'll second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
Page 16
May 25, 2006
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay, thank you.
MR. AMBACH: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: If I can ask the board, when we're
be making a motion if we can kind of signify by a finger so that
Cherie' can determine who's making the motion and then who's
seconding, it might help her.
Okay, go down to Case No. 2006-21.
MS. GARCIA: For the record, Shirley Garcia, Collier County
Code Enforcement Board Secretary.
CEB Case No. 2006-21. Violation of ordinances 04-41, Section
10.02.03(B)(1)(A), 10.02.06(B)(1)(D), and Florida Building Code
2002-01, Section 104.1.1, and Ordinance 04-41,2.02.03, and 2.03.01.
The description of violations are: Nonpermitted land uses, i.e.
storage of a motor home, use of a said motor home as a living space,
storage of commercial trailer, storage of canopies, storage of boat and
trailer, not currently registered to property owner, all of which are not
uses permitted on agricultural zoned land.
Description of violations: Shed on the property without first
obtaining required Collier County building permit.
The locations of where the violations exist: Is 6134 Everett
Street, Naples.
The name and the owner of the person in charge: Victor George.
The date of the violation first observed: December 28, 2005, and
also January 5th of 2006.
The owner in charge was given Notice of Violation on December
Page 1 7
May 25, 2006
28th of2005, and also a Notice of Violation on January 5th of2006.
The violation to be corrected by: January 27th of 2006. And on
the other violation, Notice of Violation, the order to correct was
January 19th, 2006.
The date of the reinspection for both: March 23,2006.
The results of the reinspection: The violation still remains.
MR. PONTE: I have a question of the county before we start to
roll here. I notice that we've got two department case numbers, and
we received two different statements of violations. So do we have two
cases? And if not, why are we getting this in a little different format
than we normally do?
MS. ARNOLD: There was an error in the submittal. There
should have been just one statement of violation. We have presented
in the past multiple code cases, if it's on the same property. It's just
different violations. The investigator has the option of creating
separate cases or just doing it all under one case.
MR. PONTE: Thank you, Michelle.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: May I entertain a motion that we
accept the packet for evidence for the county?
MR. LEFEBVRE: Make a motion that we accept.
MR. DeWITTE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All these in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(Speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Mr. George, can you reach that
mic, or can it be brought down?
Page 18
May 25, 2006
MR. YBACETA: Good morning. For the record, my name is
Eddie Ybaceta -- I'll spell that for you: Y -B-A-C-E- T -A -- Code
Enforcement Investigator for Collier County.
This case was started by another investigator who is no longer --
he's moved on to another department. His name is John Olney.
Mr. Olney received a complaint from an anonymous source
concerning additions to the property in question. Once Mr. Olney got
to the property, he noticed that there was a shed that was erected on
the property without permits.
Mr. Olney put together an NOV and had Mr. George sign for the
appropriate NOV.
While there, Mr. Olney also found other violations to include
illegal land use.
Mr. Olney went back to the office, researched the property and
started a second case for the use of the land.
He put together an NOV and went back and met with Mr. George
and presented the NOV to Mr. George and had Mr. George sign it.
The shed was -- the permit for the shed has been applied for and,
according to Mr. George, there is a CO for it now. I will check on that
once I get back into the office.
The other violations of land use is --
MS. ARNOLD: Can I interrupt for a second? May I ask him a
question?
Mr. Ybaceta, did you actually witness that violation?
MR. YBACET A: Yes, I did. I made a recheck before I came in,
and I did see the storage of trailers and RVs on this property. It's ago
zoned. I will -- I will show you pictures as I go along with this.
Bear with me for a second. Before I continue, I would like to
read what the zoning is and what it states.
Ag. zone districts is for -- the purpose and intent of the rural
agricultural district A is to provide land for agricultural pastural and
rural uses by accommodating traditional and agricultural related
Page 19
May 25, 2006
activities and facilities, support facilities related to agricultural needs
and conservation uses.
The vehicles involved here are commercial vehicles, not involved
with agricultural uses.
What you see here is two covered trailers. And there's actually
two RVs there, but they're side-by-side and they kind of merge into
one. There's also canopies on the ground there.
In the back of the property there's a pontoon boat that is
unlicensed. I will show you the back end of that and some of the other
pictures.
This is a pontoon boat that at the time of my inspection it was
unlicensed.
There's also a boat on the property. This one is licensed. It is
licensed to a Mr. Buzzard.
MR. GEORGE: Yes.
MR. YBACET A: Does he live -- I believe it states on the
registration that he lives on the property.
There's also use of a commercial dumpster that is brought in.
There's more pictures to that, I believe. And it looks -- it may look
like the -- some of the debris that the dumpsters bring in are dumped
on the property itself.
At the time of my inspection there, I did see some debris. It was
actually fill. I did not see this one. This one was from a previous
shot.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: So there is actually someone
living on this property?
MR. YBACETA: Yes, there is a structure on this property. I do
not know how long it's been there. It's an older house.
That is some of the debris that I did see.
The -- that is a picture of the shed that has been permitted. This
is -- the next one.
This picture is the red trailer, covered trailer. It is unlicensed. At
Page 20
May 25, 2006
the time of my inspection I did not see a license.
You can also see that there is another R V in the background.
Next one over.
This picture has two items in there which I would like for you to
pay attention to. The first a boat, which is in front. That boat is
unlicensed at the time of my inspection. And the dump truck, or -- I
guess you would call that, that brings in the dumpsters and pull it out
at the proper time.
The next picture, please.
This is some of the fill that is also brought in. I don't know if Mr.
George is spreading this on the property or not.
That's the same trailer.
Next one over.
This trailer right here is also for commercial use. It is licensed.
It's for another business other than ago
More debris.
This is the R V at the time that I -- I believe was used as living,
living space. You can see the water and also electrical going into it.
The sewage from it, the raw sewage, is going into the ground. I
did not take a good picture of that, I'm sorry. I don't know if that has
been taken care of or not.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Was it just going into a hole in
the ground or --
MR. YBACET A: It looked like, yeah, it was a hole in the
ground. It was covered. I don't know where it might lead to.
You can see that the lines from the house, these are the ones that
are going into the R V to supply water and electricity.
This would be the last picture. Again, the dumpster. I believe
that was either being dropped off or picked up.
That's my case.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Mr. George? It's your turn.
MR. GEORGE: Okay. I tried to have a pre-hearing, and I
Page 21
May 25, 2006
couldn't get it because I was not really prepared to do this case. But I
will mention a couple of things, and then if I have to bring an attorney,
I would like to.
First of all, I'm not living in there anymore, as he told me I could
not, so I live in my house.
I did get the permit. I did get a final inspection on the shed. It
was damaged through the Hurricane Wilma.
Through Hurricane Wilma, I had a lot of debris, everything. And
meanwhile, I started a roll-off construction business, clean-up
business, which that is my truck.
There was pictures of block and concrete because when I took
all the pepper hedge out, I had big holes, everything, and I was going
to crush it up, fill it in and put the other fill over it and level off my
land.
John Olney said I wasn't allowed to use that construction crushed
block on the property, so meanwhile, I did reload it and take it to
another site that they recycle the concrete block.
I do now and then bring dirt to my property to fill in my low
parts of the land. There was a fifth wheel there that was a friend of
mines that he was able to park there. It has gone now.
I bought that land as agricultural. I knew it was agricultural. I
lived here over 30 some years in Collier County. I have my own
businesses, always had my own businesses. I have a concession
business which you all probably very well know of.
And I put my property -- I put my vehicles there, because I do
sometimes in the summer travel.
Eddie -- is it Eddie, right?
MR. YBACET A: Yes.
MR. GEORGE: He was saying, and we met outside, that I'm not
allowed to have no commercial vehicles on my property that is not in
essence with agricultural. I'm unaware of it.
You go down my street to get to my house, you will pass four or
Page 22
May 25,2006
five other homes that have commercial vehicles on the property.
You'll have painting contractors, you'll have landscaping, you'll even
have roofers, you'll have taxi cab drivers. So I was unaware of this.
I'm not prepared to give my case on this. I know that he said I
couldn't live in a motor home, I understood that. I live in my house
now. And that's it.
Another question I've asked is did you have to have a search
warrant to come on your property? I notice he was on my property
without permission and walking in onto the property.
But like I said, I'm unaware of all of this stuff, how he presented
it. I would like to have an attorney present to represent me and to go
forward. But like I said, the violation of the shed, which I was
unaware of, because I had a shed that was destroyed through the
hurricane when I bought the property.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Excuse me, Mr. George, did you
receive notice of this hearing?
MR. GEORGE: Yes, I did. I contacted them. They had a
pre-hearing on it to discuss this matter.
I called -- Eddie just got me yesterday and said hey, there's no
pre -- I said can I come into this matter and discuss this? What I have
to do? He says, it's kind of -- I just took this case over, so forth, he
says, I'll meet you here at 8:30.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do we have any questions from
any of the board?
MR. KELLY: I would really like to hear more about the use or
in your defense. You're doing a great job explaining exactly what
you're trying to do to clean things up for us. I think that if you
continue to talk and tell us what your plans are for the property and
how you're going to help abate some of these issues, we probably
would look favorable toward what you're trying to do.
MR. GEORGE: Okay. Like I said, the shed, we have that. I
have the c.o. on it, if you need to see the copy of the shed.
Page 23
May 25, 2006
Like he said, I'm not allowed to keep my commercial vehicle on
my property and use it for my business. My motor home, like now in
a couple of weeks I'll be leaving, I'll be taking my concession trailer.
I'll be traveling around doing other events and so forth.
I will come back. I will park it then. I keep water hooked up to
it. I've got a refrigerator in it. I keep electric on it to keep the mold
out of it. Yeah, then I'll pull out. It's only 110. What can you run on
a motor home on only 110 volts? Hardly nothing. I just keep the
batteries charged. It has a trickle charger.
I like vehicles. I've got a lot of cars. I own like five or six cars
and trucks. So I'm a registered -- most of them are registered in my
company's name. I use them for tax purposes. But if they're
registered in my company's name, then as he's saying I'm not allowed
to keep it on my property, because it's commercial.
MS. ARNOLD: Madam Chairman?
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Yes.
MS. ARNOLD: Can we do something? He's wanting to discuss
this a little bit more another time and possibly have an attorney, which
is fine.
There is a question about what he's discussing now, the
commercial vehicles, and I think that I would want to --
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Would you like to table this?
MS. ARNOLD: Yes, on hold till the next meeting and then we
can clarify the question about the commercial vehicles.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Before we table this, I have one question for
Mr. George.
If we table this until next month, will you be here? You said you
were going to be traveling shortly. We want to make sure that you're
going to be here.
MR. GEORGE: June the 12th I know I'll be in Indiana for about
four days.
MR. LEFEBVRE: When is our next meeting?
Page 24
May 25, 2006
MS. RAWSON: 22nd.
MS. ARNOLD: Right.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: It won't be here, it's going to be at
MR. GEORGE: I'll be back on the 19th.
MR. LEFEBVRE: You'll--
MR. GEORGE: I will be here on the 19th.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Okay, so for the record, you will be here on
the --
MR. GEORGE: 22nd.
MR. LEFEBVRE: -- 22nd of June if we do table it until then.
MR. GEORGE: Yeah, unless some emergency did come up, at
which I would notify you.
MR. LEFEBVRE: At that time you would have counsel --
MR. GEORGE: Yes.
MR. LEFEBVRE: -- ifnecessary.
MR. GEORGE: Yes.
MS. RAWSON: I think the meeting is going to be held at the
library, because the commissioners are going to use this room.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: So it will not be at this physical
address, it will be at the county library.
MR. GEORGE: Which one?
MR. LEFEBVRE: On Orange Blossom.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: On Orange Blossom.
MR. GEORGE: Oh, okay, Orange Blossom and Airport.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Yes, that's right.
MR. KELLY: Now, excuse me, Shirley, do we have a full
agenda on the 22nd? Would we be able to rehear it then or would it
go till July?
MS. GARCIA: We can rehear it.
Also, we would send a certified mail for the notice of hearing
with the address stating that, okay?
Page 25
May 25, 2006
MR. GEORGE: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay, I would like to entertain
that we table this.
MR. LEFEBVRE: I make a motion that we continue this. I
guess that would be the proper -- continue it.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: It's table, I think.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Table?
MS. ARNOLD: I just want to make note that because you're
saying that you will be here, if you're not here, the board can hear this
without you.
MR. GEORGE: Sure.
MS. ARNOLD: Okay. I just want to make sure you're aware of
that.
MR. LEFEBVRE: I'd like to make a motion to table this matter
till the next meeting. And it is understood that the respondent was
notified that it is going to be at Orange Blossom on June 22nd, and
that he has stated that he will be here.
MR. KELLY: Second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay, we'll see you next month.
MR. GEORGE: Okay. Have a good one.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Move to Case No. 2006-22.
MS. GARCIA: CEB Case No. 2006-22, Occeus Saintilien and
Malveilleas Estiverne. Board of County Commissioners versus
Page 26
May 25, 2006
Occeus Saintilien and Malveilleas Estiverne.
I'd like to enter this into County's Exhibit A, if I may. The
violation Ordinance 2004-41, Section 1.04.01, and 2.01.00(A),
Ordinances 81-42, Section one, Ordinance 2005-44, sections six,
seven and eight.
Description of violation is: The repeat violation of case number
-- CEB Case No. 2001-081, the operation of a vehicle repair shop,
extensive amount of unlicensed, inoperable vehicles on the property,
litter consisting of but not limited to vehicle parts, tires, metal, wood
and junk vehicles.
The location of the address where the violation exists: Is 513
Stokes Avenue, Immokalee.
The name and the address of the person in charge of the
violation: Is Saintilien Occeus and Malveilleas Estiverne.
The date of the violation first observed: March 31 st, 2006.
The person in charge given Notice of Violation was on April 5th
of 2006.
The date on which the violation was to be corrected was April
14th of2006.
Date of reinspection: April 14th, 2006.
Results of the reinspection: The violation remains.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: I'll entertain a motion to accept
Exhibit A for the county.
MR. PONTE: So moved.
MR. DeWITTE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
Page 27
May 25,2006
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those opposed?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay. Carol?
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
MS. SYKORA: For the record, my name is Carol Sykora, that's
S-Y-K-O-R-A, Collier County Code Enforcement, Immokalee
Investigator.
This is violations of Sections 1.04.01, 2.01.00(A) of Collier
County Ordinance 2004-41, and sections one of ordinance 81-42, and
sections six, seven, eight of Ordinance 2005-44.
Combined three cases is 2006031153, 2006031154 and
2006031190.
This is a repeat violation of Case 2001070347 and CEB Case
2001-081.
Operation of a vehicle repair shop, extensive amount of
unlicensed, inoperable vehicles on the property, litter consisting of but
not limited to vehicle parts, tires, metal, wood and junk vehicles on
property zoned village residential. Located at 513 Stokes Avenue,
Immokalee, Collier County, Florida.
There has also been 11 prior cases on this property with the same
violation.
This case began on March 31st, 2006. I observed all the
violations. Upon research, I determined that there was a repeat
violation that had been brought to the Code Enforcement Board prior.
On April 5th -- I had left a card at that time and the owner did call me.
On April 5th, I met the owner on the property and I obtained
signed notices of violation, and I also issued citations for each
violation.
The comply date was April 14th. Upon checking on that date,
extensive amount of vehicles still remained on the property. I also
observed in -- in March I observed them working on the vehicles. I do
have some photos of that.
Page 28
May 25, 2006
Since I still observed no change in the condition of the property
-- vehicles remained and the litter remained scattered throughout the
property, junk vehicles are in the woods behind these vehicles. It
virtually looks like a junk yard. So I prepared the case for the Code
Enforcement Board at that time.
Do you have any questions?
MR. PONTE: Yes. Carol, have -- these are historic questions,
but let me ask: Have the respondents ever come into compliance?
What's the difference between repeat and recurring violations? And
what were the fines that were levied?
MS. SYKORA: The repeat violation means that it's been brought
to the Code Enforcement Board before.
MR. PONTE: And recurring?
MS. SYKORA: A recurring means that there has been prior
notices of violations on the property.
At the time when I first observed the violations I could not
determine what the Notice of Violation was written for, because I did
not have a copy of it. And through requesting the copies from storage
and finally determining that there had been brought to the Code
Enforcement Board apparently the same violations, and that's when I
said it was a repeat violation for -- and plus there has been 11 prior
cases on this property in the past.
MR. PONTE: Have they ever come before the board?
MS. SYKORA: One time it came before the board, and that was
2001.
MS. ARNOLD: Mr. Ponte, I believe the case, the finding of
facts, the order that was issued by the board at that time was in your
packet. So it does describe the violation.
MR. LEFEBVRE: What page is that?
MS. ARNOLD: Sixteen and 17.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Thank you.
MR. PONTE: Thank you.
Page 29
May 25, 2006
MS. ARNOLD: And according to the secretary for the board,
that particular case did come into compliance, but they failed to pay
the fines that are accruing.
MR. PONTE: So is there a lien on the property, or what?
MS. ARNOLD: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: So apparently we didn't get their
attention the first time.
MR. PONTE: No.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Does anybody have any questions
for Carol?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: If not, then I'll close the public
hearing, entertain a finding of fact.
MR. PONTE: Well, I'll make a motion that a violation exists as
described in the charging documents of CEB Case No. 2006-22,
Collier County Board of County Commissioners versus Occeus
Saintilien and Malveilleas Estiverne.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do I have a second?
MR. LEFEBVRE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay. Discussion as to how to
make them remedy this problem.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Do we have a county's recommendation?
MR. PONTE: Yeah, I'd like to hear that, too.
Page 30
May 25, 2006
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Excuse me, we're looking for
maybe a county recommendation.
MS. ARNOLD: We have one here. I'm trying to see what the
fines were in the prior case.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Does the board have any ideas?
MR. PONTE: Well, if I knew what the fine was the last time we
didn't get anybody's attention, then we'd know where to start this time
if we find in fact there was a violation.
MR. DeWITTE: They did abate last time, right, they just didn't
pay?
MR. LEFEBVRE: Correct.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Seems like they clean it up just in
time to get it abated and then they go back to doing it. So that is
something that we ought to keep in mind with our --
MR. DeWITTE: Was it the same issue last time?
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Yes.
MR. LEFEBVRE: The maximum per violation is 500?
MR. PONTE: No, it's been increased.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: No, it's increased. The repeat
violation can go up to $5,000 per day. I believe. Isn't that correct,
Jean?
MS. RAWSON: That is correct.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do we have --
MS. SYKORA: Against my will, but -- the county recommends
that operational costs be paid in the amount of $349 incurred in the
prosecution of this case and abate the violations by obtaining and
affixing a current and valid license plate to each vehicle and repair
defects so vehicles are immediately operable, or store in a completely
enclosed structure, or remove from the property within seven days of
this hearing or a fine of $250 per day will be imposed until the
violation is abated.
Removing all litter to a site intended for final disposal or proper
Page 3 1
May 25, 2006
inside storage within seven days of this hearing or a fine of $250 per
day will be imposed until a violation is abated.
Cease operation of a vehicle repair shop immediately or a fine of
$250 per day will be imposed until the violation is abated.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Can you put that on the screen for
us, please?
MS. SYKORA: Well, it's different figures.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Maybe I can suggest a couple of changes to
that?
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Um-hum.
MR. LEFEBVRE: The first part is -- I think maybe the fine may
be too low. I think we should increase the fine to $500 per day.
And also, where it says to cease the operation immediately,
maybe to clean it up, put it to seven days so everything is at seven
days.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: I disagree with that, because I
don't think they need to clean up a vehicle repair shop. They can
cease and desist.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Okay.
MR. DeWITTE: Yeah, I mean, it's hard to say. They could have
somebody's engine halfway in, you know, and they're going to want to
bolt it down before they get out of there.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: They could do it in a day.
MR. DeWITTE: Yeah, but it would be hard.
Do we know what the total accruing of the fines were before?
What's the lien amount that the county has on the property?
MS. ARNOLD: Actually, it's a set amount, because they
complied with it prior to the hearing. So I think it's like $500.
And then just -- I think the point about immediately, we should
probably put a time period in there, 24 hours or something
measurable, because immediately is not --
MR. DeWITTE: Some people could mean a month.
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May 25, 2006
MS. ARNOLD: Yes. Okay.
MR. LEFEBVRE: All right, how about 48 hours from -- it will
be 48 hours from notice when they were -- when they're notified.
MR. PONTE: Forty-eight hours from the close of this hearing.
MR. KELLY: I don't think that gives enough time to be served.
It would have to be from notice. And seven days to clean everything
up, get license plates and tags, it's reasonable, but it might be a little
too soon.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Would that be from the notice
rather than from this hearing?
MR. KELLY: It would be from the notice either way. But seven
days, that's pretty quick. I'm thinking more like two weeks to get -- it
was a number of vehicles.
MR. PONTE: In theory they've had five years.
MR. KELLY: True.
MR. LEFEBVRE: They're aware of this. They're aware from
prior cases, so I don't think it's going to come as a surprise from them.
So I think I could live with seven to 10 days. I mean, I haven't put a
motion forward.
MR. MORGAN: I think seven days is sufficient.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: My only concern on seven days is
what if we have one vehicle that you don't have clean title to go get
the tag?
MR. LEFEBVRE: Then remove it.
MR. MORGAN: Move it someplace else.
MS. SYKORA: May I say something, please?
The point of this matter is I don't believe the person that owns the
property owns all these vehicles. They were getting them there,
storing them there from people that had violations on other properties.
I learned this out by speaking to the owner.
A majority of the vehicles, some of them I considered litter
because they're trash pushed in the woods. He had them on other
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May 25, 2006
people's property over there. And there were some removed, but since
then I believe -- I don't believe they all belong to him. And most of
them are not operable. And it's a little different than I believe
someone that just has a couple of vehicles on his property unlicensed.
This is a different situation.
MR. PONTE: Would someone just remind me what the situation
is when we have vehicles on property not owned by the property
owner? Who can remove, how do we remove them if they're not his
property to remove?
MS. ARNOLD: If it's known who placed them there, then that
individual is responsible for removing it. If the individual fails to
remove it, then we would have to go after the property owner.
MR. PONTE: So in that case, is seven days realistic?
MS. ARNOLD: Is seven days realistic for the individual--
MR. PONTE: Well, to find out who owns a given vehicle.
MS. ARNOLD: I think you're hearing testimony that the owner
is admitting to placing those vehicles there.
MS. SYKORA: And he'd actually had since March to clean it up
better than what --
MR. KELLY: I'm sorry for making the 14-day statement. Now
that I hear this, the seven days should be very reasonable.
MR. LEFEBVRE: And how about the fine of$500?
MR. KELLY: Fair.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: I think that's -- maybe that will
get their attention.
MR. LEFEBVRE: I'd like to make a motion in Case Nos.
206031153 in cases 2006031154, case --
MS. ARNOLD: Can I interrupt? You just need to state your
case, the Code Enforcement Board case.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: 2006-22.
MR. LEFEBVRE: In Case 2006-22, I'd like to make a motion to
approve the Collier County recommendation with a couple of
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May 25, 2006
modifications.
And the first modification I guess would be the dollar amount of
$500 per violation. And also to cease operation within 48 hours of
being noticed.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Jean, do you understand?
MS. RAWSON: (Shakes head positively.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do I have a second?
MR. PONTE: I'll second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay. Move on to Case No.
2006- 26.
MS. GARCIA: I'm sorry. For the record, Shirley Garcia.
CEB Case No. 2006-26, Juan and Guadalupe Sanchez. Board of
County Commissioners versus Juan and Guadalupe Sanchez.
The description of violation: The violation of Ordinances
2004-41, Section 2.01.AA -- or OO(A), 5.02.00, 5.02.02, 5.02.03,
2.02.03, and Ordinances 2005-44, Sections six, seven and eight.
The description of the violations: Recurring violation of
operation of vehicle repair business with extensive -- limited to
vehicle parts, tires, metal, plastic and general trash.
The location of the address: Is 602 East Delaware Avenue, in
Immokalee.
The name and the address of the owner or person in charge: Is
Juan and Guadalupe Sanchez.
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May 25, 2006
The date of the violation first observed: February 9th, 2006.
Date of (sic) the Notice of Violation was given was March 27th,
2006.
Date on which the violation was to be corrected was April 10th
of 2006.
Date of reinspection: April 11th, 2006.
And results of the reinspection was the violations still remain.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: I'll entertain a motion to accept
Exhibit A for the county.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Make a motion that we accept.
MR. DeWITTE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: The respondent, would you like to
come up, please.
(Speakers and interpreter were duly sworn.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Go ahead, Carol.
MS. SYKORA: For the record again, my name is Carol Sykora,
Collier County Code Enforcement, Immokalee Investigator.
This is violations of Sections 2.01.00(A), 5.02.00, 5.02.02,
5.02.03, 2.02.03 of Collier County Ordinance 2004-41 and Sections
six, seven and eight of Ordinance 2005-44.
This is again combined three cases, 2006020353, 2006020354,
and 2006020371.
A recurring violation of operation of vehicle repair business with
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May 25, 2006
extensive amount of unlicensed, inoperable vehicles being towed to
property; litter consisting of but not limited to vehicle parts, tires,
metal, plastic, general trash on property zoned mobile home, located
at 602 East Delaware Avenue, Immokalee, Collier County, Florida.
Also note, there has been seven prior cases on this property with
the same violation in the past.
This case began on February 9th, 2006. I observed several
unlicensed, inoperable vehicles on the property and in the
right-of-way and in the street. At that time I took pictures and went
back and researched the property and noticed there had been several
prior cases of the same violation.
At that time I sent a Notice of Violation to the owner.
I also observed all the litter and also that they -- he has a tow
truck that tows vehicles to this property, so the vehicles on the
property pretty much come and go. He tows them there, works on
them and then removes them, brings more in. So the violation, at
times there were some removed, but upon checking on March 27th, I
observed more unlicensed, inoperable vehicles.
And at that time I spoke to the respondent and advised him of the
violations, and also obtained a signed Notice of Violation.
On April 11 th of 2006, there were more unlicensed, inoperable
vehicles, and the litter on the property also remained.
I took additional pictures on April 26th. Still vehicles being
moved around on the property, in the street. I do have some photos of
them.
I also visited the property yesterday. Some of the litter at the rear
of the property had been removed; however, extensive amounts
remain on the property, and also vehicles remain on the property.
I did speak to the respondent and advised him what needs to be
done to comply.
If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer.
MR. PONTE: Did the fact that the respondent has started to
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May 25, 2006
clear things away give you any encouragement that perhaps he was
going to rectify the problem?
MS. SYKORA: Not really right now, because he's claiming that
he's moving. But this has been going on for years on this property.
He does tow vehicles from around the -- from around Immokalee area
and brings them to this property.
As you can see how they're lined up in the streets, it's a safety
hazard for children in that area. It's constant. If sometimes they'll be
removed, there's more the next time I come back.
So it has been a problem, especially since there's been actually
seven prior cases. Not that I have had, because I just joined the
Immokalee area, but seven prior cases of the same violation. If it's
cleared up, it starts right back in.
MR. PONTE: On that photo with the stop sign at the
intersection, there are houses across the way. So you say there are
children in the area?
MS. SYKORA: Yes.
MR. PONTE: Are those vehicles moveable? I mean, are they
operable? Can they just be moved from there? Looks like you could
get in and just drive it.
MS. SYKORA: Well, some of them are -- I've seen there, I do
have some photos of just trashed vehicles there that aren't moveable.
Or if they're there one day, they'll be gone the next and there will be a
different one there. It's just constant. Constantly trafficking of
vehicles there. It's actually like it was becoming like a junk yard.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Mr. Sanchez? Would Mr.
Sanchez like to say anything?
(Speaking through the interpreter, Alfonso Travino.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Could you speak up a little closer
to the mic?
MR. TRA VINO: He's working on it. He's going to clean up
everything. And he's moving and doing this -- he's going to move out
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May 25, 2006
of there completely. So he's just going to clean it up and move out of
there, move to a different location.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: A commercial location, I hope.
MR. DeWITTE: How long does he think it might take to clean
everything up?
MS. SYKORA: Excuse me, may I ask when he intends to move
from the property?
MR. TRA VINO: About a week.
MS. SYKORA: Because he has been telling me for months that
he's moving and that he'll clean it up, but --
MR. TRA VINO: He said he'll do it in five days.
MR. SANCHEZ: Five days.
MR. DeWITTE: Excuse me, but I'm looking at the pictures.
Five days doesn't seem reasonable. It's seems too short.
MR. TRA VINO: Well, you see the pictures you see in there, it's
gone. It ain't there no more.
MR. SANCHEZ: It's gone complete.
MR. TRA VINO: That trailer's gone.
And the one that you see with the trailer is also gone, the cab is
gone, the one you were looking at. Mostly all them pictures you
looked at a while ago, they're gone. Probably some new one might be
there, but everything is -- we move off already. We move out of the
property already.
MS. SYKORA: Pardon me.
MR. TRA VINO: The picture you see of the truck--
MS. SYKORA: Well, the point of the matter is, they are
removed and there's different ones back. It's constant, since they're
being towed there.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Inspector, when was your last visit?
MS. SYKORA: Yesterday.
MR. PONTE: And did it look like this?
MR. DeWITTE: Just ballpark.
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May 25, 2006
MS. SYKORA: It was cleaned up at the rear of the property
more than what it was, but the front of the property still had vehicle
parts and equipment for repairing vehicles. And there was a large
camper, RV in the front and some unlicensed vehicles still remained
on the property.
MR. DeWITTE: How many vehicles do you think were there?
Just ballpark. Ten or 50?
MS. SYKORA: No, less than --less than 10 yesterday.
MR. PONTE: Carol, in your opinion, could you clean this up in
five days?
MS. SYKORA: I was -- county was going to recommend seven.
MR. MORGAN: Ms. Sykora, the standard answer is that I'm
cleaning it up, and you go back, different set of vehicles?
MS. SYKORA: Right. That's correct.
I've been told that he's going -- he keeps telling me he's going to
move, he's going to have it cleaned up. The next time I come it's just
as bad, only different vehicles.
MR. MORGAN: It's going to take more than five days to move
that. He couldn't do it by himself in five days.
MR. LEFEBVRE: I have a question for the respondent.
Mr. Sanchez, do you currently have a signed lease for a
commercial property?
MR. SANCHEZ: No.
MR. TRA VINO: No, sir. He don't have a sign for it.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: So where is he planning on
moving to?
MR. LEFEBVRE: So if you do not have a signed lease, what
kind of assurances are we going to have that you are going to be
moving this to, first of all, another location, and second of all, a
location that is actually a use that's permitted for this permitted use?
MR. TRA VINO: He got commercial. He got commercial
insurance vehicle.
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May 25, 2006
MR. LEFEBVRE: That's correct. But my question is, we do not
want this to end up at another site that is not a permitted use or this is
not permitted. We want some assurances from Mr. Sanchez that this
is going to be moved and moved to a site that could be used as a
commercial site where this site will be allowed. That's what we're
trying to get at.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: And his response?
MR. TRA VINO: He's going to try to move somewhere
commercial, but he don't know yet where to.
MR. LEFEBVRE: He doesn't have the location. Okay.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: If he doesn't have the location,
this is going to be my question then: How can he guarantee that he's
going to have this cleaned up and moved in five days?
MR. TRA VINO: Because he don't keep vehicles that long.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: The problem is, we need it
cleaned up and it needs to stay cleaned up. He can't clean it up and
then have it come back.
MR. TRA VINO: He probably moving to La Belle. La Belle.
That's the other on -- that's where he's moving a lot of his junk, to La
Belle. And--
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Does he understand that he has to
find a site that this type of operation is allowed? He can't just move to
another trailer in La Belle because the county is a different county and
bring that same type of problem to that county. He needs to make sure
he is within their guidelines when he moves to a site.
MR. TRA VINO: The trailer, the mobile home you see, he also
tagged. He's got a tag for it and everything. I believe you seen it on
one of the pictures. It's got a tag on it.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Does he understand, though, that
he can't just move this to a site that may be not warranted there either?
MR. TRA VINO: That one's removed. That one you're looking
at, it's a different one. He know that, is aware of that.
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May 25, 2006
And it was a commercial place before. That trailer, you see right
there, it's licensed and everything, that one in the back. It has a
license.
MS. SYKORA: The van is the tow truck.
MR. TRA VINO: I bought that trailer in Baum (phonetic),
Florida. I bought that one, sold it to him. I bought that trailer myself.
I bought it in Baum, Florida to live in it myself when I was working
up there. And then I didn't need it no more, because I didn't live up in
Baum no more, and so I went up, so I didn't need that. I got title for
that trailer and everything, so that's a legal trailer.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Does he understand that we're also talking
about more than just the vehicles? There's a lot of other items that
we've seen in the pictures that need to be removed.
MR. TRA VINO: Like them tires, all that, that's on the outside of
his property line. Maybe on the other one, but it's still some
construction. And all that going to be cleaned up. Complete.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Can I ask the name --
MS. ARNOLD: Can I ask a couple questions?
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Sure.
MS. ARNOLD: Could you ask Mr. Sanchez if he put the tire
there?
MR. TRA VINO: He said the county put --
MR. SANCHEZ: The machine is broken.
MR. TRA VINO: He said the county clean up the trees, they
were working on, and something happened, they never did pick up
that.
MS. ARNOLD: But I asked about the tires. I didn't say anything
about the trees.
MR. TRA VINO: Well, you know, people just throw trash as
they're going along, you know.
MS. ARNOLD: Is that in front of the property where he's living?
MR. TRA VINO: No, it's on the other property.
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May 25, 2006
MR. SANCHEZ: It's on the corner.
MR. TRA VINO: You see that where the -- right here is the
fence. All that travels -- all this was on the outside, it's different lot.
It's in a different lot.
MS. SYKORA: I did not take that picture for the litter. I took
the picture to show the tow truck that he was using.
MR. TRA VINO: You see, that's -- the borderline is right behind
the -- you see the borderline is right behind the -- all that's on the other
lot. It's not on his lot. If you take a picture directly in front instead of
an angle, you can see it.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Michelle, do you have another
question?
MS. ARNOLD: I just want to make sure he understands that
these -- the litter is also a problem.
MR. LEFEBVRE: That's the point I was trying to make.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Can you explain to him that he's
going to have to clean up of all the litter, that it's going to have to be
all the tires, all the car parts, all of it is going to have to be cleaned
up. Can you please tell him that.
MR. TRA VINO: Yes, he understand what you're saying.
You see all that you see right there, that's where he knocked the
fence down. On the back side of the yard, that's the one you -- that's
the back side of the yard. All that's already gone.
And some on the front, just a little bit, I think. But all that, right
in there, that area straight across, that's the backyard, I think, if I'm
looking at it right.
MS. SYKORA: That's the side yard. Behind the mobile home
was cleaned up pretty good, but --
MR. TRA VINO: That's from the stop sign --
MS. SYKORA: -- all around in the front are still vehicle parts,
car seats, tools to repair vehicles laying all out. They are not where
you consider them litter that needs to have proper inside storage.
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May 25, 2006
MR. TRA VINO: Like all that you see right there, all that's
already cleaned out, hauled away. Also, that's the old trailer you were
looking at earlier. So all that been cleaned out and the trailer been
moved. And it's just maybe a little bit -- not that much. It -- no more
what he got it could be moved in five days. All that been hauled, so
he ain't got that much to be moved. Probably what, a couple of seats
in front of yard and --
MS. SYKORA: It's more than that in the front and side of the
yard. There's quite a bit.
MR. KELLY: Well, I'd like to make a point. I believe Mr.
Sanchez is admitting to the litter of the vehicles and the operation of
the business. And from what I'm understanding, he's agreeing to clean
it up.
What I'd like to make perfectly clear, Senor, so you can tell Mr.
Sanchez is, if you commit to five days, we're going to put that in
writing. If it's not clean in five days, he's going to get a fine placed
against the property. If he's planning to move, he will not be able to
sell this property until that fine is paid.
So if you need seven days or 10 days, tell us now and we'll put
this in writing.
MR. TRA VINO: Just go ahead and give him the 10 days. I
mean, he say he don't need it, but I say, go ahead and take it.
MR. KELLY: You tell us something reasonable. We don't want
to cause more problems for you. We appreciate you cleaning up, but,
you know, seriously, tell us how much it's really going to take.
MR. TRA VINO: He claim he want it just in five, but go ahead
and give him the 10. I mean, make it safe for his self. He claiming
five, but go for 10. Right now he got some boys that gonna clean it
up.
MR. SANCHEZ: We got two peoples clean.
MR. DeWITTE: Just in an effort to be exhaustively clear, if they
come back and find a spare tire rim on the ground or something like
Page 44
May 25, 2006
that, they're going to try to impose the fine. So that's what they're
going to do. So just make sure that we really have given you enough
time for --
MR. KELLY: It needs to be, you know, clean, total.
MR. TRA VINO: Clean up, yes, sir.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: At this time I think I'll close the
public hearing and move to a finding of fact.
MR. PONTE: I'd like to make a motion that a violation exists,
and the -- as described in the charging documents of CEB Case No.
2006-26. Juan Sanchez and Guadalupe, respondents.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do I hear a second?
MR. LEFEBVRE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do we have the county's
recommendation?
MS. SYKORA: That the respondent pay operational costs of
$297.96 incurred in the prosecution of this case. Abate all violations
by obtaining and affixing a current and valid license plate to each
vehicle and repair defects so vehicles are immediately operable or
stored in a completely enclosed structure, or remove from property
within seven days of this hearing or a fine of $500 per day will be
imposed until the violation is abated. Removing all litter to a site
intended for final disposal or proper inside storage within seven days
of this hearing or a fine of $500 per day will be imposed until a
Page 45
May 25, 2006
violation is abated. Cease towing of vehicles to the property and
operation of vehicle repair business immediately or a fine of $500 per
day will be imposed until the violation is abated.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Would you put that on the screen,
please.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do we have anybody else who
wants to make a stab at it or discuss it?
MR. DeWITTE: I would just like to see a reduction in the fine.
$500 per day, 10 days is 5,000 bucks. That's a lot of money, if you
run into some kind of an issue. We can be more than serious I think
with $250 a day.
MR. LEFEBVRE: I feel that there's been past violations and he's
well aware of correcting it. He has said that he can do it in five days,
so we're giving him potentially, if we say 10 days, which we've
discussed. Giving it 10 days, I think the $500 would be an adequate
amount.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: I don't know, Gerald, I know we
take this on a case-by-case basis. This is the first time that he's
actually been brought up to the Code Enforcement --
MR. LEFEBVRE: Correct.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: -- Board, so it's not a repeat
violation --
MR. LEFEBVRE: Correct.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: -- it is just a reoccurring (sic)
violation.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Also, with children potentially in the
neighborhood, I think that should be taken into consideration.
MR. PONTE: Yeah, I think so, too. I think there should be
something in the county's recommendation that orders him to clear
that intersection today of those vehicles that are near the stop sign that
are parked on the public street. That ought to be done not seven days
from now but immediately.
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May 25, 2006
And I'm very concerned about the safety hazard, as has been
pointed out here, with the kids playing in those very vehicles that are
parked at the intersection. Blocking the stop sign and everything else.
Those ought to be just moved this afternoon.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Well, do you want to come up
with a stab at making a motion here, George?
MR. PONTE: Well, before I insert it here, let's see if anybody
thinks as I do, first.
MR. DeWITTE: Can I speak to the investigating officer?
Is there an abundance of issue here that is not on the property that
is on county property that is in intersections that is not related to the
property?
MS. SYKORA: Well, again, they constantly are moved. Those
that -- the pictures, they might be gone. There might be nothing there.
Upon another check there might be something there upon another
reinspection. It's like a constant movement because of the towing of
the inoperable vehicles there.
He really needs to cease the operation immediately of towing
vehicles to this property, and remove what's there and cease operation
of it.
MR. PONTE: So maybe in that clause three we should say
immediately cease towing of vehicles to the property.
MS. SYKORA: Yes, that -- pretty much I believe that's what I
did -- the county did request is cease immediately.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Let's put a time frame on that.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Because immediate again can be
interpreted --
MR. LEFEBVRE: Right.
MS. SYKORA: Right.
MR. PONTE: I'll go back to saying within 48 hours of this
hearing.
MR. LEFEBVRE: That sounds --
Page 47
May 25, 2006
MR. PONTE: To cease the operation of the vehicle repair
business.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: And towing.
MS. SYKORA: And towing of the vehicles.
MR. PONTE: And towing of the vehicles.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do you have anymore discussion?
MR. TRA VINO: The corner is clean.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: We've closed the public hearing,
unless you're asked a question.
MR. KELLY: I still believe the fine might be a little excessive. I
think 250 seems more reasonable.
MR. DeWITTE: Also, with your -- if -- with the oper -- you
wanted five days to clean up the property. We're probably not going
to allow you to continue to have operation of a mechanic facility in
there. It was -- do you see any issue with us having you cease any
maintenance work to vehicles immediately? Is there any problem
with that?
MR. TRA VINO: The way we're looking at it, the property, the
corner you were looking at is clean. Probably got maybe one vehicle
inside the property.
And only thing he's got to do is no mechanic there, no more
equipment. Just pull them out of there and get rid of them. That's sort
of like his job there, picking up cars around the county and disposing
them the correct way. He's taken them to Fort Myers recycling, that's
what he does. Collect vehicles from out of town and take them to
recycles.
MR. DeWITTE: Thank you.
Okay, George, I'm game.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: We're still waiting to hear a
motion.
MR. PONTE: Well, I'm not ready yet. Anyone else can take a
stab at it, too.
Page 48
May 25, 2006
MR. DeWITTE: Okay, I'll take a stab at it.
I'd like to accept the county's proposal as written, with the
following modifications: That all the fine amounts be $250 per day;
that in items one and two, they have 14 days from this day; and in
item three three, they have 48 hours to cease the towing of vehicles
and for the repair business.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Cease the towing of vehicles to
the property.
MR. DeWITTE: To the property. And the operation of vehicle
repair business on the property.
MR. KELLY: I will second the motion.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay, we have a motion and a
second. All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
MR. LEFEBVRE: Opposed.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay, 5-1.
Thank you. Does he understand everything?
MR. TRA VINO: Yeah, he understand everything. He
understood good English.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Maybe we should repeat it.
MR. TRA VINO: Only thing, he can't speak too good.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Just so that he understands for
sure, he is to obtain and affix current and valid licenses and place
them on each vehicle and repair any defects within 14 days or he's
going to have a fine of $500 per day.
MR. DeWITTE: 250.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Rather 250, I'm sorry.
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May 25, 2006
And then he's to remove all litter -- Michelle? Okay, he's to
remove all the litter on the site until final disposal, or store inside
proper storage within 14 days, or he will have a fine of $250 per day.
He is to stop towing vehicles to the property and the operation of
the vehicle repair business within 48 hours from today, or he will have
a fine of $250 per day.
He needs to let the code enforcement officer know when
everything's cleaned up. He has to call her, let her come in and
inspect it.
MR. TRA VINO: All right.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay?
MR. TRA VINO: I believe we got your number, right?
MS. ARNOLD: Could we have the respondent say on the record
he understands?
MR. SANCHEZ: Yes, I understand.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay. Carol, if you make sure he
has your phone number. Thank you.
MR. TRA VINO: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: We'll break for 10 minutes.
(Recess. )
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: I'd like to call this meeting back
to order.
I believe we're up to Case No. 2006-25.
MS. GARCIA: CEB Case No. 2006-25, Board of County
Commissioners versus Jose and Lester Aguilar.
I'd like to enter the County Exhibit A into evidence.
The violation of ordinance is 1.04.01 of Collier County
Ordinance 04-41.
The description of the violation is illegal land use on unimproved
property in the Estates zoning, consisting of but not limited to sheds,
truck boxes and other materials.
The location and address where the violation exists is 7260 40th
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May 25, 2006
Street N ortheast, Naples.
The name of the owner of the person in charge is Jose and Lester
Aguilar.
The date of the violation first observed: September 30th, 2005.
The date and owner of the person given Notice of Violation was
on September 30th, 2005.
The date on which the violation was to be corrected: October
19th of2005.
Date of the reinspection: October 20th, 2005.
Results of the reinspection: The violation still remain.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay.
(Speaker was duly sworn.)
MR. KEEGAN: For the record, Thomas Keegan, Collier County
Code Enforcement Investigator.
This case was opened on September 30th, 2005 by my
supervisor, John Marsh. He observed three or four sheds/truck boxes
to the rear of unimproved property. He sent the photos and the NOV
by certified mail.
On November 1st, 2005, the green card was returned. Numerous
times, in his notes, he has spoken to the owner of the property, and he
just kept saying that he's going to abate it, he's going to clean off the
property, which never was done.
I received the case on January 13th, 2006 in which I went to the
property. Some progress was done. It still wasn't totally abated.
I attempted owner contact numerous times. I actually spoke to
him once and he said he was going to abate the violation.
I received a call from the owner on Monday, the 22nd, from
Lester Aguilar, stating that he paid his neighbors money to clean the
lot, that he was not coming here because the violation was abated, so
he said, and he was busy.
Yesterday I did my recheck, the 24th. The violations remain. I
have pictures for evidence.
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May 25, 2006
This was -- that's the rear of the property in the beginning when
my supervisor had the case. The rear and the side. See the shed box
and just numerous materials.
That's from the front of the property. It's totally gated. You can't
get onto the property. And still violations remain.
That's a makeshift shed, I guess you could call it.
Regular materials scattered around the property.
And that's from the rear of the property.
Like I said, yesterday I -- Monday I did talk to him. He said it
was clean, nothing was on it. He paid his neighbors to do it. And I
was there yesterday, I have the photos, nothing has been done.
MR. PONTE: I have a question for you. Where is the owner?
MR. KEEGAN: Miami.
MR. PONTE: I see.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Anybody else have any
questions?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay, if not, I'll close the public
hearing then and entertain finding of fact.
MR. PONTE: Well, I'll make a motion that a violation exists, as
described in the charging documents, of CEB Case 2006-25, Collier
County Board of County Commissioners versus Jose Aguilar and
Lester Aguilar.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do I hear a second?
MR. LEFEBVRE: Second.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
Page 52
May 25, 2006
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Do we have a county
recommendation?
MR. KEEGAN: County recommends that the respondent to pay
all operational costs of $260.03 incurred in this case, and abate all the
violations by removing all items from unimproved property within 20
days of this hearing or $100 per day fine will be imposed until the
violation is abated.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Could you put that on the screen
for us, please.
Discussion?
MR. DeWITTE: I like the county's recommendation.
MR. LEFEBVRE: I make a recommendation that we accept the
county's recommendation.
MR. PONTE: I'll second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay.
MR. KEEGAN: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: That closes our general meeting
and we move to new business.
MS. ARNOLD: We have an imposition of fine that we would
like the board to consider. This was Board of County Commissioners
versus Gary D. Wilson.
Page 53
May 25, 2006
This case was heard by the board on June 24th of 2004, at which
time the violation was found, and the board entered into the attached
order.
We are at this time, because compliance is achieved, requesting
that we impose fines in the amount of$1,090.75.
CHAIRMAN STRAIN: Do I hear a motion?
MR. LEFEBVRE: I make a motion.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: A second?
MR. PONTE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay. Any old business?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Reports?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any comments? The only
comment I know is that we need to make note for next month that the
meeting is going to be at a different location. It is at the library on
Orange Blossom.
MR. PONTE: Same times?
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Same times.
From what I understand, plan for a long one.
MS. ARNOLD: Yes.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: We talked about having lunch.
MS. ARNOLD: You may have to break for lunch. You want to
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May 25, 2006
do that?
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Yeah, I think we -- might be a
good idea.
MS. ARNOLD: Okay. Sounds good.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Especially if we're planning on
having a long one and we've already -- we added to it today.
We'll break formalities and we're going to actually have a lunch.
Okay, I'll entertain a motion.
MR. PONTE: I'll make a motion to adjourn.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Second.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: All those in favor?
MR. PONTE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Aye.
MR. DeWITTE: Aye.
MR. MORGAN: Aye.
MR. KELLY: Aye.
MR. LEFEBVRE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRPERSON BARNETT: Okay.
******
There being no further business for the good of the County,
the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 11 :28 a.m.
CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD
SHERI BARNETT, CHAIRPERSON
Transcript prepared on behalf of Gregory Court Reporting Service,
Inc., by Cherie' R. Nottingham.
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