Ocala Municipal Code Enforcement Board Meeting – May 14, 2026

The Ocala Municipal Code Enforcement Board met on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Council Chambers at City Hall, 110 SE Watula Avenue, Ocala, Florida; the agenda, published May 1, 2026, listed the meeting at 5:30 PM. The seven-member volunteer board (four members are required for a quorum) heard new-business code violation cases, old-business non-compliance (Massey) hearings, a petition to reduce accrued fines, and a consolidated consent agenda. Code Enforcement Manager Dale Hollingsworth explained that under Florida Statutes Chapter 162.03, orders entered by the City's special magistrate carry the same weight as board orders, so the non-compliance hearings were not appeals but reviews of compliance, fines, and extension requests as if the board had entered the original orders. All motions carried by voice vote with no opposition voiced. The agenda included a public comments period, but no separate public comments were heard before adjournment; citizens testified within their individual cases.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes: No minutes were presented for approval.
• Swearing-in: Officers Dale Hollingsworth, Jennipher Buller, Rob Moore, Stephani Smith, Osias Ferreira, Jeff Guilbault, Steve Knight, and Greg McClellan were sworn in.
• Consent agenda for non-compliance (Massey) hearings: The board accepted the staff request to proceed with the prior orders in 18 old-business cases: CE25-0133, CE25-1237, CE25-1310, CE26-0017, CE26-0022, CE26-0080, CE26-0081, CE26-0082, CE26-0093, CE26-0094, CE26-0123, CE26-0146, CE26-0157, CE26-0180, CE26-0221, ENV25-0331, ENV25-0340, and ENV26-0001.
• Record: The board voted to accept all evidence, testimony, and presentations into the official record.
• Routine new-business cases (no owner contact or testimony): The board approved staff recommendations for CE26-0137 (Seranno Lisa Est., 2613 NE 19th Ave — dangerous building and permit violations; fire damage since Jan 31, no repair permits, unpermitted access ramp); CE26-0175 (Merkison Eva L. Est. et al., 429 SW 3rd St — weeds and trash; no contact since March); CE26-0293 (Dunbar John L. Jr. and Irene R., 3206 SE 6th St — miscellaneous nuisance; no contact); CE26-0304 (Powerin 3 Properties LLC, 3018 SW 16th Pl — weeds and trash; no contact); CE26-0380 (Hermin Paul, 730 NW 15th Ave — prohibited fence wire, abandoned or derelict vehicles, weeds and trash; no contact); CE26-0467 (Salom Orlando, 24 NW 6th Ter — weeds and trash and fence violations; no contact); ENV26-0176 (Marion County JCB Holdings LLC, 1700 block NW 1st St — repeat violator, weeds and trash; no contact); ENV26-0204 (Raiford Alene Est., 1114 SW Fort King St — weeds and trash; no contact).

Discussion Items

• CSX Transportation Inc. — ENV26-0088, ENV26-0089, ENV26-0090, ENV26-0092 (continued to June 11, 2026): The four cases allege violations of the Florida Fire Prevention Code (Section 38-81) and unauthorized discharge (Section 38-122) at NW 14th Rd/NW 14th Ave, 1017 N Magnolia Ave, 1140/1100 NW 1st Ave, and NW 6th Ter at the N Pine overpass. Staff met CSX's legal counsel for the first time the prior month; counsel was unable to attend this meeting. The board granted the city's requested 30-day continuance to June 11, 2026, across all four cases.
• CE26-0150 — City v. Catherine Acosta (1715 SW 3rd St): Dangerous structure and work without permits. Permit BLD26-0747, applied for April 2, had not been issued because structural comments were not returned, and $171.47 in prosecution costs remained unpaid. Acosta testified that her contractor was abroad after a death in the family and would return the following Monday. The board granted an extension to June 11, 2026, requiring the permit to be obtained and prosecution costs paid by that date (the motion was amended to add the permit requirement).
• CE26-0452 — City v. Joan Armon (1641 SW Fort King St): Weeds/trash (Section 34-95) and dangerous building (Section 82-182). Inspector Osias Ferreira testified that a citizen complaint on April 2 led him to find cracked concrete, a broken window, a caving bathroom floor, black mold, and debris; the home could not be occupied. Armon, age 79, said she paid $1,000 for cleanup before the citation came, called the enforcement too quick, and asked for two to three months. The board granted an extension to July 11, 2026, on condition the residence remain vacant.
• ENV26-0072 — City v. College Park Plaza LLC (3131 SW College Rd): Repeat-violator trash/litter case originally heard by the special magistrate on March 25, 2026. Staff showed the same styrofoam container in photos from May 1 and May 11, indicating trash had not been picked up in that period; the Ocala Police Department had also complained about visual blight. The representative said a janitorial service and landscape crew had been hired and questioned whether the wooded area was on the plaza's property; staff replied that property boundaries were established in the prior order. The board denied further extension and imposed the additional $250-per-day fine, making the total accrual $500 per day; accrued fines as of the meeting were $24,500. The representative was told he could petition for fine reduction after achieving compliance.
• 2023_10164 — City v. Shamrock Cove Inn LLC (215 S Pine Ave): A case dating to 2023, prosecuted January 8, 2026. Violations related to unpermitted site and permitting work, including HVAC units installed without permits that were not approved for installation in Florida; the units were removed and associated electrical work still required permitting. Building official Greg McClellan testified no inspections had been requested since the failed one. Staff opposed an extension because the inn was actively renting rooms to guests while the unpermitted conditions existed. Representative Francisco La Sala requested a one-month extension; the board instead accepted the staff recommendation to impose fines.
• 2020_5885 — Robinson petition (2345 NW 10th St): Robert and Shannon Robinson petitioned to reduce liens from seven older cases (COM 080546, COM 13-0023, COM 14-0222, COM 141934, COM 151502, 2019 2182, and 2025 885) involving miscellaneous nuisances and a dangerous structure demolished by the city. The violations predated the Robinsons' ownership. Total liens were $243,466.67, consisting of $226,400 in fines and $17,066.67 in hard costs; staff recommended reducing the total to $24,346.67 (10%). Robert Robinson testified that a closing attorney had incorrectly advised that the liens would not follow the property, that his business account lost about $22,000 in a single evening to a hacking theft, and that a discounted cash sale of the property was pending; he asked for further reduction or full abatement and offered a $4,000 good-faith payment. Staff said the payment was not necessary. The board reduced the fines to $1 while leaving the $17,066.67 in hard costs intact, for a remaining total of $17,067.67.
• CE26-0050 — City v. Jack Martell (1610 NE 14th Ave): The compliance date had passed on April 9. Martell said he moved to Bronson without updating his address, missed the prior hearing, and did not receive notices, but he paid what he owed and cleaned the property. The board granted the staff-recommended extension to June 11, 2026, with a reinspection to occur before that date.
• CE25-1101 — City v. Priest Family Trust / Wayne's World of Paintball (4841 S Pine Ave): Prosecuted March 25, 2026, before the special magistrate; violations include life-safety, electrical, plumbing, unpermitted work, and structures in need of demolition. Staff credited greatly improved communication; the plumbing permit was finaled and immediate electrical hazards were abated, but at least five to ten structures still required demolition. Attorney Scott Tepper (Cobb Cole) requested 60 days; staff recommended 30 days to keep the case moving. The board granted the 30-day extension.
• CE26-0530 — City v. Paddock Park SC Ltd / IA Advisor Group / Beauty Lounge by Voupre (3101 SW 34th Ave, Unit 701): An unpermitted change of occupancy from a barbershop to a beauty salon, with unpermitted build-outs between 2023 and 2026. Inspectors found an open sewer-gas drain line (described by the board as an explosion hazard), no life-safety plan or exit signage, ventilation deficiencies, ADA non-compliance, and no plans submitted. The business tax certificate was now obtained; a building permit application was incomplete (submitted May 7) and a mechanical permit was in review (submitted May 11). McClellan said the submitted plans were generic renderings, not engineer-stamped drawings. The board ordered compliance by June 12, 2026, and — on a motion amended at staff's request — ordered the business immediately vacated until life-safety hazards (open drain line, exit signs, electrical) are abated and inspected. Staff said emergency plan review could occur within about two days.

Key Outcomes

• CSX Transportation: All four cases (ENV26-0088, -0089, -0090, -0092) continued to June 11, 2026.
• Acosta (CE26-0150): Extension to June 11, 2026; permit obtained and $171.47 in prosecution costs paid by then.
• Armon (CE26-0452): Extension to July 11, 2026; residence must remain vacant.
• College Park Plaza (ENV26-0072): No further extension; additional $250/day fine imposed for $500/day total accrual; $24,500 accrued as of May 14.
• Shamrock Cove Inn (2023_10164): Fines imposed; extension denied.
• Robinson (2020_5885): Fines reduced to $1; $17,066.67 in hard costs remain (total $17,067.67).
• Martell (CE26-0050): Extension to June 11, 2026, with reinspection before that date.
• Wayne's World / Priest Family Trust (CE25-1101): 30-day extension granted.
• Beauty Lounge (CE26-0530): Business ordered immediately vacated until life-safety hazards are abated; compliance deadline June 12, 2026.
• Consent-agenda cases: Previous orders stand; all evidence was accepted into the record.
• Next meeting: June 11, 2026. The board adjourned and reconvened as the Contractor's Board of Examiners and Appeals.