Schedule of fines in the works for High Springs

HIGH SPRINGS – The city's Code Enforcement Board may soon have a schedule of fines they can levy to those citizens who do not comply with city codes. While the city already has an ordinance allowing their board to levy fines, a schedule of fines has never been created. In the past, the board could levy a fine based on their own discretion depending on the degree of infraction. However, if the citizen complied with the regulations, the board frequently forgave the fine, even if it cost the city to pursue the case.

In cases where citizens have not complied within a reasonable time, the city would notify the property owner that they would go onto the property and either clean up the problem or remove a dilapidated structure, depending on the issue, and would then be able to file a lien against the property for the cost of cleanup and all relevant fines.

While all of these remedies are still available to the city, the schedule of fines will eventually be set by the city commission as part of this new ordinance and fine waivers, should the property owner ask for one.

Citizens will have to go before the city commission to plead their case for reduction or waiver of fees instead of asking for fee waivers from the Code Enforcement Board at the time they present evidence of compliance with city codes.

Commissioners may decide to waive fines when the property owner comes into compliance, but they likely will also take into consideration and possibly charge citizens for the city's cost in having to pursue the case, especially if the case leads to the cost of filing a lien.

City Manager Ed Booth recommended at the May 13 commission meeting that the city attorney's office determine a schedule of fines based on what other cities of similar size have set.

Although no action was taken at the meeting, it is expected that a new ordinance will be presented in the future for commission approval.

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