The state law changed in 2021, so a complainant could no longer be anonymous. However, there is proposed legislation to reverse this law

The county does not have a maximum height. A good rule of thumb is maintaining it no above 12 inches.

A permit is needed 99% of the time, whether a fence, a pole barn, an accessory building, a sign, etc.

Building permits are required for the safety of county residents. Staff reviews all permit applications to ensure the design and construction is consistent with the Florida Building Code, the adopted minimum requirement for safe structures in the state.

The county doesn’t allow inoperable vehicles; however, if its tires are inflated, and it starts and can move, it will pass inspection. Also, the county doesn’t require a current registration.

The answer is yes, it must have a fence along the property lines with secure gates or a 4-foot-high fence around the pool. All gates or doors providing access to the pool area shall be securely locked when the pool area is not in use.

The county does have a noise ordinance, and a code officer can visit the property to determine if there is a noise violation. A notice will be sent to the offending party if a violation is found.

If a citizen decides they will not correct the violation, the Code Enforcement Board will place a lien on the property for $5,000 for residential properties and $10,000 or higher on commercial properties. The lien remains on that parcel for twenty (20) years unless the code violation is abated and the lien is released.

Yes, the county offers two (2) methods to have a lien reduced. The first is through a fine reduction hearing before the Code Enforcement Board, and the second is through the Annual Lien Amnesty Program. The fine reduction hearing process requires the owner to correct the violation and request a lien reduction before the Board. Generally, the Board will reduce the lien by 75%; the Amnesty Program is offered every year from April through June and requires the violation to be corrected and the lien is reduced by 90%. 

Yes, the county has a Backyard Chicken Program, adopted by Ordinance, and requires registration with the County. The holder of a valid backyard chicken-keeping registration is allowed up to a maximum of five (5) chickens (no roosters) on an occupied residential estate single-family zoning district property in the RE-1 and RE-2 zoning districts and on an occupied single-family residential zoning district property within the RS-2, RS-3, RS-4 zoning districts. The River Park community, however, is exempt from the ordinance. The chickens are not allowed to free roam and must be housed in a coop that is consistent with the adopted standards listed in Land Development Code 7.10.23.D. 

The answer is yes, for a nonresidential farm building or pole barn if the property is currently classified with an Agricultural Exemption from the Property Appraiser for a bona fide farm for the ad valorem tax under Section 193.461, Florida Statutes. It is recommended to check with the local permitting office to ensure no other permits are required before building. 

A code violation includes a standard 14-day compliance date unless it is a public, health, and safety issue,  it would be a shorter time frame. Should a resident need more time to correct the violation due to a hardship, the county is willing to grant an extension. The notice includes language about a daily fine of $ 250.00 for failure to comply. A fine does not start to accrue until there have been several public hearings, which take several months. 

A fine does not start for several months. The initial notice lets the property owner know that they may incur fines if they fail to correct the violation. However, before this can happen, the case must be heard at a board meeting(s).  Fines do not incur early in the process. It takes months and several hearings. 

No, you can represent yourself before the Board. The County encourages citizens to attend the meeting to explain their case to the Board.

Because the new owner inherits the liability. It is always recommended to check with the local permitting office to ensure all structures have been permitted before purchasing a property. 

A property under one acre is permitted to have up to two recreational vehicles, and they must be parked on the pavement. They may be allowed to remain if they are parked behind a fence in the rear yard and are not visible from the street. 

No, a vehicle that weighs more than 10,000 lbs. cannot be parked in a neighborhood or on any county street.