Florida: Fines for Too-Tall Grass Could Rise to $1,000 a Day in Jupiter
November 17th, 2009Via: Palm Beach Post:
An overgrown lawn could cost a homeowner $1,000 a day.
A plan to quadruple the penalty from the current maximum of $250 per day for a first violation is scheduled for consideration at Tuesday night’s town council meeting.
A repeat violation by the same person would be boosted to $5,000 a day maximum from $500 per day.
If the code enforcement board finds that the violation is irreversible — the unapproved removal of an historic tree, for example — the violator would face a maximum fine of $15,000. The current maximum penalty is $5,000.
“That’s outrageous,” said Stefan Harzen, a member of the property owners association for the Woodland Estates neighborhood. Increasing the fines will not result in prettier neighborhoods, he said. “This is an easy way for the town to get more money,” Harzen said.
Higher penalties are needed to deter flagrant violators, said Councilman Robert Friedman. A landlord who allows too many people to live in a house simply sees the current fine as a cost of doing business, he said.
“Code enforcement needs a larger hammer,” Friedman said.
NOW do you understand why they don’t want people to own guns?
I lived in Sanford, FL, a suburb of Orlando. I was in “the hood” and was written up for having the tires of my van 8 inches off my driveway. I wasn’t off of the drive, just sticking over 8 inches. The fine was $250 per day. … meanwhile within eyeshot there was a semi parked in the front lawn and numerous cars, trailers and other parts of vehicles in yards. They remained long after I moved my van tires over 8inches to avoid the penalty.
Florida is hell.