St. Lucie Magistrate Levies Fines Up to $10,000 Against Code Violators

When property manager Melissa Canales stood before St. Lucie County's Code Enforcement Special Magistrate on Tuesday, she said there was little she could do. The roof at 3601 Avenue S in Fort Pierce was deteriorating. The owner wasn't acting. Her hands, she told the magistrate, were tied.

The magistrate imposed a $250-per-day fine anyway, capped at $10,000 — the same ceiling that landed on two other St. Lucie property owners during a packed Tuesday hearing that processed 15 fine cases and a string of new violation complaints. Unpermitted construction and neglected property maintenance dominated the docket.

The steepest action fell on Precision Rentals and Investments LLC, which owns a vacant lot beside 4200 Metzger Road in Fort Pierce. Daily fines began April 5 at $250 per day up to $10,000 for storing commercial equipment and vegetation debris without permits. The company signed a stipulation agreement with the county in February, then stopped communicating and never corrected the violations, public records show.

A third fine — $250 daily up to a $9,000 maximum — was imposed on Zolene Holcomb for violations at 119 Balsa Road, including an unpermitted above-ground pool and excess recreational equipment stored on the property.

Not every case ended in punishment. Catherine and Matthew Crinian, of 7211 Alise Circle in Port St. Lucie, secured the required permits for their boat dock just before the hearing — 31 days past their deadline but in time to avoid fines. Code Enforcement Supervisor Paula Guy told the magistrate the county's goal was compliance, not punishment. The magistrate agreed and waived the penalties.

That contrast — fines for absentees, leniency for those who showed up — ran through the hearing. The magistrate noted repeatedly that appearing before the board signaled good faith. Those who didn't appear found little grace.

Several cases were continued to allow time for complex permitting, including a utility contractor operation at White Marsh LLC that may require amending county land development codes. Cases tied to estates and medical hardships also received extensions. The magistrate drew a hard line on health hazards: unsecured pools required immediate action regardless of a property owner's financial situation.

Property owners with active violations may contact St. Lucie County Code Compliance at (772) 462-1515 or visit stlucieco.gov.

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