APOPKA, Fla. \u2013 A property in Apopka has accumulated more than $5.6 million in code enforcement fines over nearly eight years. But instead of collecting millions, the city could ultimately settle the case for approximately $22,000.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s even less than the $30,000 settlement city commissioners rejected earlier this month.<\/p>\n
The case involves a group of rental buildings at 718 S. Park Avenue, where city inspectors have documented years of problems involving deteriorating buildings, broken windows, damaged roofs, discarded materials and an unauthorized vehicle-detailing business.<\/p>\n
Although Apopka declared the property compliant in August, some residents have questioned that finding.<\/p>\n
Now, Mayor Nick Nesta says the case will return to the City Commission as his administration reviews how previous code enforcement actions were handled.<\/p>\n
\u201cCode enforcement should not be about collecting fees or fines. It should be about enforcement,\u201d Nesta told News 6 during an interview Friday.<\/p>\n
Years of violations and millions in fines<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s enforcement records stretch back to October 2017, when inspectors began documenting problems at the property, owned by Smart Services LLC.<\/p>\n
Among the conditions identified were broken windows, rotted wood, deteriorating doors, trash and debris, inoperable vehicles and a vehicle-detailing business operating without the required authorization.<\/p>\n
Historical Google Street View images from 2018 show patches of mismatched paint and visibly weathered building exteriors. Images from 2019 and 2023 show changes to the property over time.<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s records provide a more detailed account of what inspectors found.<\/p>\n
In July 2018, officials formally determined that the property was in violation of multiple city and property maintenance codes. Daily fines began accumulating on August 17 of that year.<\/p>\n
The problems continued well beyond 2018.<\/p>\n
Inspection reports from subsequent years describe discarded furniture, damaged roofs, vehicles that were not operational and trash accumulating around a dumpster.<\/p>\n
During a May 2024 inspection, officials documented broken windows, damaged exterior doors, exposed wiring and other maintenance concerns.<\/p>\n
One inspector also entered a residential unit with the tenant\u2019s permission and reported finding water damage, an inoperative smoke alarm and improperly installed water lines.<\/p>\n
In a May 2024 email included in the city\u2019s records, a property owner representative, Crystal Nicholas, said the owners had taken steps to address the violations, including removing vehicles, painting, repairing roofs and replacing windows and doors. She also said she had not received earlier violation notices.<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s records document multiple earlier inspection attempts and notices.<\/p>\n
As the years passed, the accumulated fines continued to grow.<\/p>\n
By August 2026, the city\u2019s accounting showed $5,617,500 in code enforcement penalties.<\/p>\n
Why would the city settle $5.6 million in fines for $22,000?<\/p>\n
In August, the property owner agreed to a proposed settlement that would have reduced the accumulated fines to $30,000.<\/p>\n
City commissioners rejected that agreement during their October 7 meeting.<\/p>\n
In written responses to News 6, city officials explained that the $30,000 settlement was negotiated by City Attorney Ryan Knight and represented approximately 7% of the property\u2019s value, based on the Orange County Property Appraiser\u2019s valuation.<\/p>\n
However, the city says its newer settlement guideline uses 5% of the property\u2019s value.<\/p>\n
Under that calculation, officials now estimate a potential settlement of approximately $22,000.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s about $8,000 less than the amount commissioners already rejected.<\/p>\n
The percentages are calculated using the property\u2019s appraised value, not the $5.6 million in accumulated fines.<\/p>\n
No new settlement has been approved.<\/p>\n
Nesta said the city\u2019s goal should be to bring properties into compliance, not necessarily collect the largest possible financial penalties.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want them negotiating with their government. I want just a flat rate,\u201d Nesta said, explaining his preference for consistent settlement policies.<\/p>\n
He said the city wants to establish clearer expectations so property owners understand how enforcement decisions are made and what they may be required to pay.<\/p>\n
City says property is compliant, but questions remain<\/p>\n
Despite the property\u2019s lengthy enforcement history, Apopka inspectors determined on August 19, 2026, that the previously cited violations had been corrected.<\/p>\n
City records indicate inspectors walked around the property with a representative of the owner and the owner\u2019s attorney before recording that finding.<\/p>\n
But residents raised concerns during the October 7 commission meeting about whether the property\u2019s condition justified the city\u2019s compliance determination.<\/p>\n
News 6 also spoke with someone at a nearby business who questioned how consistently the property has been maintained.<\/p>\n
When asked what inspectors examined and whether occupied residential units were inspected, city officials explained that code enforcement primarily conducts exterior inspections.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not inspect inside of units unless invited in. Code Enforcement does outside inspections,\u201d the city said in its written response.<\/p>\n
Records show that inspectors did enter at least one unit with permission during the May 2024 inspection.<\/p>\n
The city also told News 6 there are no new code enforcement cases against the property.<\/p>\n
That does not necessarily establish the condition of every occupied residential unit or resolve residents\u2019 concerns about the property\u2019s overall upkeep.<\/p>\n
Mayor says previous enforcement procedures are under review<\/p>\n
Beyond the settlement amount, Nesta raised concerns about how the case was handled before he became mayor.<\/p>\n
He said he has been meeting with city attorneys and reviewing previous enforcement records, fines and procedures.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor this one specifically, it\u2019s gonna be coming back up on the next agenda, um, \u2018cause there are some processes that just didn\u2019t get done the way they should have,\u201d Nesta said.<\/p>\n
The mayor characterized some of the earlier procedures as incorrect and said the administration intends to establish a more consistent approach.<\/p>\n
He did not specify which procedural steps were mishandled or explain whether those concerns could affect the outstanding fines or legal proceedings.<\/p>\n
The city previously filed a lien foreclosure case involving the property in December 2023.<\/p>\n
Nearly three years later, the matter remains unresolved. City officials have not provided a detailed explanation of what has prevented the foreclosure proceedings from reaching a conclusion.<\/p>\n
Nesta acknowledged that foreclosure is one of the city\u2019s enforcement tools, but said taking ownership of additional properties is not his goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we need is to help our residents get into compliance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
What happens next?<\/p>\n
The next regular Apopka City Commission meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4.<\/p>\n
Nesta says the property case is expected to return to commissioners, although its placement on that meeting\u2019s agenda has not yet been independently confirmed.<\/p>\n
The city has indicated that a revised settlement would use its 5% property-value guideline, potentially reducing the amount to approximately $22,000.<\/p>\n
Commissioners have not approved that figure, and it remains unclear what will happen to the existing lien and foreclosure proceedings if another settlement is reached.<\/p>\n
For now, the city considers the previously cited violations corrected, while the accumulated financial penalties and the case\u2019s final resolution remain unsettled.<\/p>\n
The next commission discussion could determine whether this yearslong enforcement case is finally approaching an end \u2014 and how Apopka intends to handle similar cases moving forward.<\/p>\n
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