Should Code Enforcement become Proactive?

Why didn't I think of that? Problem solved!

No more personnel or trucks will be needed.
Proactive enforcement will help protect everyone's property.

Do you have some secret productivity increasing method that you could share? Right now, under the current method, they appear to be about a year behind. How would you accomplish a proactive method, that is effective, without an increase in funding?

Here is the memo that has been sent to the BCC.

I personally think that it is going to take a major enlargement of the department if this change is implemented. Which means a lot more trucks.

Right now, I guess it is because they try so hard to give people time to correct violations, is the reason, but the code cases we heard Thursday night were from March and July of 07.

You mean they like to give people a chance to completely and illegally fill in wetlands, so that they are beyond repair. I can name several examples. If Code Enforcement was on top of things, the property owner wouldn't have the expense of removing the illegal fill, and leaving the wetlands ruined. As it stands, the property owner could plead "stupid," and get away with it. Have the illegally filled wetlands on Quiet Water Trail been restored as ordered? Have the illegally created canals on the property off of Lagrange Rd been restored as originally ordered? No need to answer, as I know the answer and am using them as examples.

You mean they like to give people a chance to completely and illegally fill in wetlands, so that they are beyond repair. I can name several examples. If Code Enforcement was on top of things, the property owner wouldn't have the expense of removing the illegal fill, and leaving the wetlands ruined. As it stands, the property owner could plead "stupid," and get away with it. Have the illegally filled wetlands on Quiet Water Trail been restored as ordered? Have the illegally created canals on the property off of Lagrange Rd been restored as originally ordered? No need to answer, as I know the answer and am using them as examples.

Wasn't that guy put in jail or something? I agree that it sure seems a lot of the big things are getting missed. Remember the pics of the equipment in the bay a few months back. But someone did call and they get involved.

What we really need are some enviromental law enforcement officers in this county, under the Sheriff's department, that can arrest or take whatever action is necessary to stop the violation from occurring at the moment.

Remember the photos? I took them. One of the duties of Code Enforcement is to check for permits on things such as bulkheads being erected and backfilled to increase the size of the property. I kept calling Code Enforcement and the DEP regarding the back hoe in the Bay project, yet they didn't do much of anything after posting the Stop Work Order. Permits were later issued for the remaining lots to build bulkheads, but I guarantee you that they weren't issued to erect the bulkhead out into the water as they did. The deeds for those properties state that the properties go to the water's edge. The bulkhead was built as far as about 12-15 ft out into the water.

The Real Estate Broker and Realtor, who dug the canals on that property off of Lagrange Rd were told by the DEP that they would be fined daily until the land was restored back as it was before their illegal activity. The fines were pricey, something like $1,000 per day. The Realtor's dad is/was a Judge in Okaloosa County, and the fine was removed by the Judge and suddenly everything was "okay," even though the two did nothing else to restore the land as required by the DEP. In the last several months, they have been cleared the land and it appears that they have a guy living on the property in a small RV, maybe acting as security. Gates are always locked now.

I have numerous environmental examples which I can give you where no permits were ever pulled, and illegal activity occurred. Many occurred without Code Enforcement being called until well after the damage had been done. Remember the subdivision adjacent and north of Redfish Village? On a holiday weekend, they plowed right through the water which feeds into Big Redfish Lake, and installed a bridge with culverts.

How about the guy on Oak Av, who recently blazed a path through standing water (before the rains) to cut in a driveway through designated wetlands, without a permit? Stop Work Order was issued, but so much of the damage was already done. I am wondering what it looks like after the 9" of rain we had in the last three days. photo below:


The list goes on, and those are just a couple of the ones which I have seen.

Remember the photos? I took them. One of the duties of Code Enforcement is to check for permits on things such as bulkheads being erected and backfilled to increase the size of the property. I kept calling Code Enforcement and the DEP regarding the back hoe in the Bay project, yet they didn't do much of anything after posting the Stop Work Order. Permits were later issued for the remaining lots to build bulkheads, but I guarantee you that they weren't issued to erect the bulkhead out into the water as they did. The deeds for those properties state that the properties go to the water's edge. The bulkhead was built as far as about 12-15 ft out into the water.

The Real Estate Broker and Realtor, who dug the canals on that property off of Lagrange Rd were told by the DEP that they would be fined daily until the land was restored back as it was before their illegal activity. The fines were pricey, something like $1,000 per day. The Realtor's dad is/was a Judge in Okaloosa County, and the fine was removed by the Judge and suddenly everything was "okay," even though the two did nothing else to restore the land as required by the DEP. In the last several months, they have been cleared the land and it appears that they have a guy living on the property in a small RV, maybe acting as security. Gates are always locked now.

I have numerous environmental examples which I can give you where no permits were ever pulled, and illegal activity occurred. Many occurred without Code Enforcement being called until well after the damage had been done. Remember the subdivision adjacent and north of Redfish Village? On a holiday weekend, they plowed right through the water which feeds into Big Redfish Lake, and installed a bridge with culverts.

How about the guy on Oak Av, who recently blazed a path through standing water (before the rains) to cut in a driveway through designated wetlands, without a permit? Stop Work Order was issued, but so much of the damage was already done. I am wondering what it looks like after the 9" of rain we had in the last three days. photo below:


The list goes on, and those are just a couple of the ones which I have seen.

Okay you have made your point with me. Now if you want to see this get past the BCC then I would imagine you are going to have to try to make the point with them Tuesday night. I do not think the votes are present to change the policy. But I have been wrong before.

They seem to have several special rules that apply to things like noise, lights, and such in the south end of the county. Maybe they need to look at doing the same here. Of course developement is starting to really go crazy. Going to work the other day I saw a lot of dirt being dumped into an area that I know stays wet all the time. It has some sort of a blue permit nailed to a tree, not sure what that is, but the curious thing were the state prisoners that appeared to be assisting with the project. Maybe it will be dry enough tomorrow to go look.

Wasn't that guy put in jail or something? I agree that it sure seems a lot of the big things are getting missed. Remember the pics of the equipment in the bay a few months back. But someone did call and they get involved.

What we really need are some enviromental law enforcement officers in this county, under the Sheriff's department, that can arrest or take whatever action is necessary to stop the violation from occurring at the moment.

I'm pretty sure that code voilations are civil problems not criminal. As far as the sheriffs office, (I can't resist, its to easy) The Sheriff refuses to manage the jail, I'm sure he is way above enforcing codes.
If Code Enforcement would work in a proactive manner on weekends alot of violations would cease.
Kevin, code enforcement boss told me the reason they don't work weekends is all officers live in N, County and no one was willing to drive to South Walton State to work on weekends. He told me this on Oct.10, 2007. He said he was working on fixing the problem. I don't know what the protocal for weekend enforcement is at this time.

I don't know what the protocal for weekend enforcement is at this time.

When I reported a possible violation recently on a Friday, the person to whom I turned in the complaint form said that she would get someone on it immediately, because otherwise it would be Tuesday before they could get to it, since Monday was a holiday. My understanding is that Code Enforcement doesn't work on the weekends or holidays, and every violator seems to know this, too. At a BCC meeting, discussing the lighting ordinance, it was stated that there is one on-call Code Enforcement officer on the weekends, but he will not report to duty unless a call justifies it. Remember that the only way they will currently investigate is if someone files a written complaint form. Since the office is closed on the weekends, too, no one can send in a written complaint form over the weekend, so the on-call Code Enforcement officer is not really on-call, or that is at least the way I deduct things.

Perhaps they could arrange it so that peeps could email complaints. Do they have a web site that shows anything about code enforecment? How are members of the community supposed to know the process?

You are correct S.J. In conversation with Kevin at C.E.he told me emergency after hours calls go to the Office of Emergency Management. Also, you can call in complaints.

Kevin, code enforcement boss told me the reason they don't work weekends is all officers live in N, County and no one was willing to drive to South Walton State to work on weekends. He told me this on Oct.10, 2007. He said he was working on fixing the problem. I don't know what the protocal for weekend enforcement is at this time.

Interesting. Kevin lives in Santa Rosa County. And one of the other officers live in Navarre. The north officers all drive a single code vehicle to the courthouse in DeFuniak then leave from there during the week. If they were on call and called, I can not imagine any of them not coming out. That is the job.

Right now they are also doing the four day work week thing. I really think that they could continue that schedule, just spread some people out over the weekends and it would solve a lot of the problems without a change in policy.

Look at the number of lurkers on this message board, compared to the people who actually post something. I think you will find a similarity in the number of people who see wrongdoings, compared to those who will take the time to report it. Also, remember that the complainants' names are on the complaint reports, and this being a very small town, many people will forgo reporting anything, so that it doesn't come back to bite them in the buttocks.

Yes, staffing weekend duty will help some, but if they rely only on the people to report things, violations will still occur, without Code Enforcement ever getting involved. In general, I don't think that people like to be "tattle tales." I certainly don't like having to be the bad guy reporting incidents. That job belongs to Code Enforcement. I feel like it is another example of professionals getting paid to do an amateur job.

enforcement means to enforce the law. that is not happening currently if code enforcement is reacting to complaints. enforcement (to me) means to proactively enforce the law. ...to seek out new worlds and civilizations...

Interesting. Kevin lives in Santa Rosa County. And one of the other officers live in Navarre. The north officers all drive a single code vehicle to the courthouse in DeFuniak then leave from there during the week. If they were on call and called, I can not imagine any of them not coming out. That is the job.

Right now they are also doing the four day work week thing. I really think that they could continue that schedule, just spread some people out over the weekends and it would solve a lot of the problems without a change in policy.

Seems like they could schedule to cover weekends, sheriff and fire dept. do. As far as I know they are just not scheduled.

Sounds like "Big Brother" to me. We are already in a recession, and a lot of people are having a difficult time of it. To add this, is like adding insult to injury. I understand the elite of SoWal would like to remove the underpriviledged from South Walton, but what about the rights and priviledges of individual citizens, regardless of their social status? I think removing those who simply don't cut the mustard economically, will come back and bite you. Eventually, you will need the services of those people, and they won't be inclined to assist. We still have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, regardless to what social rung we are on. My grandparents came to the US because of communist oppression, and too much government involvement in citizens lives sure sounds like that's where we are leaning. Are you you're brother's keeper? Do you really think by eliminating the riff raff, that will make you happy? It will give you a power high, but can you sleep at night? And, when it's all said and done, when they lower you in the grave, what will be said of you? Was is really that important? You may gain economic success, or whatever you are seeking, but will it last?

Sounds like "Big Brother" to me. We are already in a recession, and a lot of people are having a difficult time of it. To add this, is like adding insult to injury. I understand the elite of SoWal would like to remove the underpriviledged from South Walton, but what about the rights and priviledges of individual citizens, regardless of their social status? I think removing those who simply don't cut the mustard economically, will come back and bite you. Eventually, you will need the services of those people, and they won't be inclined to assist. We still have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, regardless to what social rung we are on. My grandparents came to the US because of communist oppression, and too much government involvement in citizens lives sure sounds like that's where we are leaning. Are you you're brother's keeper? Do you really think by eliminating the riff raff, that will make you happy? It will give you a power high, but can you sleep at night? And, when it's all said and done, when they lower you in the grave, what will be said of you? Was is really that important? You may gain economic success, or whatever you are seeking, but will it last?

Let them eat cake!

Let them eat cake!

Does this mean you're volunteering for the soup kitchen?

Does this mean you're volunteering for the soup kitchen?

Would I be serving or on the menu?

floridagirl, from what I've read of the Walton County Code of Ordinances, there are none for social status.

Would I be serving or on the menu?

I would guess you'd be cooking cake?

Sounds like "Big Brother" to me. We are already in a recession, and a lot of people are having a difficult time of it. To add this, is like adding insult to injury.

The comments and experience that everyone offers indicates that the main problems seem to be the enforcement of enviromental, wetlands issues, snipe signs in the medians(which the county rec department is bad about), and the availability of officers on the weekends. I believe the BCC may take action on this new policy this evening. If anyone has an opinion they want considered they need to email the BCC this morning so that they might have it in time.

I would be happy if in the many, many trips that they make up and down the beach in their trucks, they would note all of the seawalls which are still not covered with sand and write those people a ticket.

You have to file a complaint. They will investigate.

You have to file a complaint. They will investigate.

I thought that keeping the seawall covered with sand was a DEP concern, not county.

I thought that keeping the seawall covered with sand was a DEP concern, not county.

I don't know whose concern the seawall is but if you want to know, file a complaint with Code Enforcement, they will let you know whose responsibility it is.