Lake Worth Beach businesses dealing with tough code officers

Code Enforcement coming down hard on local businesses

Local businesses say code enforcement is coming down hard on them, and they're trying to understand why.

Over the last few months, business owners in the city of Lake Worth Beach say they're noticing more and more code citations for things that were never an issue in the past.

Thomas Conboy, with South Florida Engineering and Consulting, said that for him, it started with someone reporting him for not renewing his business license. "When the code enforcement officer showed up, he wrote me several additional violations. One of them was that the grass was too long," Conboy said. He maintains that it wasn't the case.

Conboy isn't alone.

Missy Vitone with Trashe Vintage said they were recently issued roughly 12 citations.

"The 12-foot skeleton had been up for over three years with no issues, then suddenly, after an unrelated situation, we were hit with multiple violations, including being told we needed a sculpture permit," she said.

The Mayor and Commissioner Christopher McVoy are looking into the various complaints as they do not want to drive businesses away.

Read more...

The City needs revenue and they're going where the money is. With Conboy there could be a shade of politics involved.

Dylan was right--no code applicable to his rooftop Trump 2024 sign

Rooftop 'TRUMP 2024' painting can stay. Lake Worth Beach drops citation. Here's why

A downtown business owner will get to keep a giant pro-Trump display on the roof of his Lake Avenue business after code enforcement cited him for it.

A red “TRUMP 2024” painted message on the roof of Dylan Harrison's one-story retail building at 508 Lake Ave. — home to Kavasutra, The Ice Cream Affair, The Office and Retrohouse Comics — does not violate city code, city officials decided on Tuesday, May 7.

The original citation asserted that the painting can be classified under the city code’s definition of a sign or mural and is subject to regulation. But city officials now agree that the painting does not fit those categories.

Read about it...

Author unfairly attacks Lake Worth for Discrimination

"Lake Worth’s new commissioners must end discriminatory practices"

That is the title of the biggest piece of horse sh*t that I have read in a very long time.This writer references what he believes happened in 2006, 15 years ago, about treating illegals/immigrants less than human in the City of Lake Worth and decides to promote his false discriminatory narrative against our city just to be acknowledged as a "journalist" investigating and exposing racism. Big Whoopie!

Perhaps he will get an Emmy like Andrew Coumo...for lies and BS. Lake Worth is a "Welcoming City."

The time he references was during the years Marc Drautz was mayor--one of the liberal guys who was married to a woman of color. This supposed attack of immigrants never happened. And Omari Hardy is still stirring the pot of false racism. Thank God that guy is no longer in this city.

At the time, Drautz said he planned to meet with the code enforcement staff. He wanted them to crack down on slum landlords and vacant properties, while still employing a "personal touch" to make sure the city treats residents fairly.

Read the crap

The new Commission for some reason believes that our code department goes after poor folks as a policy because it's easier to extort money from them. This is liberal drivel. We have a lot of code violations in our city--just drive around. We have so many transients and rentals that violations occur more often within these properties. It has nothing to do with what nationality resides there.

Palm Beach Mobile Home Park - Lake Worth Code Cracking down

Lake Worth Beach gentrification purge now targeting low-income seniors in mobile home park

Two years after Lake Worth Beach code enforcers targeted poor migrant workers in a mobile home community, the city is now coming after another trailer park filled with low-income senior citizens.

The ongoing crackdown is part of an orchestrated campaign to gentrify Lake Worth Beach and drive out the city’s neediest residents, locals and housing advocates allege. The seven-square-mile city’s desire to move on up even led voters, at the urging of city leaders, to separate itself from unincorporated area and its higher crime statistics by adding “Beach” to its name on March 12, 2019.

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At 74 years old I shouldn’t have to deal with this bullshit,” said Jerri Greene, president of the Mobile Home Park Association.

Lake Worth mayor, Betty Resch, said she could not comment on the Palm Beach Mobile Home Park code enforcement crackdown. “I will certainly take a look at it.”

Cronic Nuisances in Lake Worth (Beach)

After bad start to 2020 with overdoses, Lake Worth Beach beefs up chronic nuisance ordinance

and you will never guess what this commission voted to do--

Multiple 911 calls for drug overdoses will now be considered as a chronic nuisance activity.

Read about it...

The video that went viral - Perpetually conflicted Liberals

City Inspector Told This Vet To REMOVE HIS FLAGS…

IT BACKFIRED HORRIBLY!

Old video but worth the mention as we have thousands of crazies (Liberals) just like this code inspector who have the power to make our lives miserable--

Code Enforcement Special Magistrate Hearing

I was at City Hall on Thursday and noticed a Magistrate Meeting was being held in the commission chambers. No sooner had I entered, they took a 1/2 hour break.

Yolanda Robinson, Code Compliance Manager, managed to get me a copy of the Agenda and was amazed to see that there were 69 cases that included violations, lien reductions and fine assessments.

And I met the magistrate (I called him "Judge" and he smiled), Keith W. Davis with Davis & Ashton, P.A. in West Palm Beach. I told him, "Let's get this slum and blight cleaned up."  😏

Code Cracking down

And it's way past time for this to be implemented in Lake Worth. This was a notice of an infraction found on Facebook.

Out my way on Wright Drive, it has been a nightmare for several years--I have talked about it several times in the past at city hall. Perhaps now the nightmare will be over--no more parking on lawns and on the swale.

Trump Supporter gets Cited for Flag

Read about it... and the problem this Trump supporter got from the Boynton Beach Code Department for flying his flag on his front lawn.

Flying the Flag controversy

[Conservative World] The City of Statesville, North Carolina has filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction to require Gander RV in Statesville, NC to take down their American Flag. They are imposing a $50/day fine retroactive to 10/15/18. Many cities like Statesville have requested that Camping World and Gander Outdoors take down their American Flags--too large they say.

Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis says it's more than just a flag--"It's about our Veterans, Military, and the men and women that have sacrificed for this great country. They are the reason we fly the flag and they are the reason we will NOT take it down!"

There are always rules that a resident doesn't like but the law is the law and this owner should follow his city's codes. It's great to market and call attention to your business. Using an American Flag and "patriotism" to do so is not a good enough reason to break Statesville's laws. That city is fining him, big time.

Code Enforcement in Lake Worth

Code violations default to new property owner says Lake Worth

The property is located at 322 North C Street. The city says there is $700,000 in old code fees at the site and the buyer MUST pay them as the fines run with the property.

Read about it...

Protest at Lake Worth City Hall on Code Violations

Lake Worth residents and others protest Operation Red Tag

Last night there was a demonstration, organized by the Palm Beach County Tenant's Union, in front of City Hall. It was just ending as I arrived at city hall at my regular time...5:30.

By the time I got into the chamber, it was half full of people who wanted to speak in front of the commission. The meeting began at 6pm and one speaker actually told the commission that they were pursing a "racist" agenda. That is the favorite word of progressives when they don't like something. When I hear someone utter the word "gentrification," it reminds me of yesteryear when an outspoken anarchist was on our dais. It is possible that over zealous code officers make a mistake from time to time but let them do their job.

Half of this city is a slum and our code Department has been diligently trying to clean up our city.

Click to see WPBF's video

Lake Worth Code Dept - cleaning up our streets of abandoned vehicles

City of Lake Worth red tagging program aims to clean up streets

One day a week is devoted to red-tagging.

Read about it and see the video at WPTV.

An Eyesore and a Privileged Boat Owner

When it comes right down to it, many people get away with just about anything in this city. Gee officer, I have no where to park my boat...gee whiz--can I get a waiver? Well, why the hell not. And his car was parked on the lawn.

This particular property is on Akron Street. The trailer touches the road.  The boat is bigger than the house. But it seems they got an approval from the City of Lake Worth.

FROM THE CITY:
Good afternoon Lynn, 128 Akron was approved. We currently have 8 approved Administrative approvals for Boats/RVs to be parked in the front yard. They are:

*    1226 15th Ave North
*    1715 N. Lakeside Drive
*    1614 N J Street
*    1026 N J Street
*    110 Wellesley Drive
*    525 N Palmway
*    181 Duke Drive
*    128 Akron Street store the boat in the front yard.


Bobby Hicks
Community Code Inspector| Community Sustainability Department

How about driving by, Commissioner Scott Maxwell

The following was reported by a resident who posts on Nextdoor:

Sober Home 1410 Hillcrest Drive

I think this home has changed hands again, New crop of people, the white vans dropping off and picking and beater cars etc. But two cars in particular 1 is in the drive way with no tags the other is a red car that moves back and forth across the street, a guy works on it but it is leaking "stuff" all of the road. I am at my wits end with the city as they can't do anything, my only recourse is per the Sheriff's Dept and Code enforcement is to call them when there are violations which I do. I have become "that neighbor". If anyone else would like to assist me in contacting code enforcement you can do so anonymously here is the link. I encourage you to drive by when you get a moment to see for yourselves. https://www.lakeworth.org/business/code-compliance/complaint/

Artsy Fartsy owner says Lake Worth is going backwards

Artsy Fartsy business owner, Brian Schlitz, is mad about having to leave Lake Worth

“The mayor says we’re working toward something,” Schlitz says, “but we’re really going backwards.” And then he calls out Commissioner Amoroso.

Read about it...

Bud Greene pursuing lawsuit with City of Lake Worth

Bud Greene, a former code enforcement board member, is from one of Lake Worth's Pioneer families.  His grandfather owned a lumber yard where All County Funeral Home is now located. He has been suing the City of Lake Worth for what he considers illegal operations as well as obnoxious noise coming from a neighbors' property next door. "It's the principle," he says.

His suit against the City of Lake Worth claims his neighbor has an illegal rental in his neighborhood where he has lived for 58 years.. The property is at 211 N. M Street where he states that the owner rents out a garage as a dwelling. He says that is illegal.

It has cost him $12,000 to date with the bottom line being--you can't fight city hall.  According to his attorney, if the city doesn't want to enforce its code laws, it doesn't have to.  How about them apples?

Read about it...

Leo gets served by Code Enforcement

He's been served before when he used to park his classic cars around Lake Osborne with For Sale signs. But it just doesn't seem to deter him. He travels down here from upstate New York or Canada (not sure which) and pulls this stunt every year.

He used to live in my community and we had to put up with his crap.

Code has been called many times over the years about his illegal used car business.

Now he has backed in another car in the same spot with no For Sale sign on it.  It's still illegal, Leo. Call Leo and tell him to obey our laws and ordinances or go back to wherever he's from.

Wright Drive has become a commercial slum

Our residential street in the ROLO neighborhood has become a commercial slum. This house at 436 Wright Drive has been a problem for over a year and nothing gets done to stop the abuse. The owner continues to park his commercial vehicles on the sidewalk and the city swale. He's been told not to by the Code Enforcement Department but he obviously doesn't give a hoot.

The mess on Wright Drive stated a few years ago when the house on the corner of Wright and 6th Avenue South, 535 Wright Drive, was allowed to change the front of the house to the side of the house because it is on a corner lot. That's when it all started with the commercial businesses taking over our residential street.

535 Wright Drive

This house below is on the same side of the street as 535 Wright. It has become one big joke. The owner parks his heavy equipment on the front of his property.

Why can't Code do anything?

This is what's happening in my neighborhood. It seems evident that this owner is conducting a commercial business out of his house. He parks these vans all over even on city property (sidewalk and swale).

436 Wright Drive

This house is across the street from the one at 436 Wright Drive and this huge commercial monstrosity is parked there all of the time.

This used to be a wonderful street. Now our neighborhood is being trashed, big time and even after numerous complaints, nothing changes. Why aren't the neighbors raising holy hell?