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Destin Council votes to take action on Sibert property with nearly $100,000 in code fines

The Destin City Council voted 6-1 to have the city manager speak with the owner of a property that has accumulated nearly $100,000 in code violation fines and attempt to resolve issues within seven days.
Source: City of Destin

The Destin City Council voted Tuesday night to take action on a residential property that has racked up nearly $100,000 in code violation fines over the past several years.

  • In a 6-1 vote, the council directed the city manager to speak with Greg Marler, the owner of the home at 222 Sibert Ave., and attempt to have him remedy code violations within seven days. If the issues are not resolved, the city will move forward with foreclosure proceedings on an adjacent vacant lot owned by Marler.

The property has been accumulating fines of $50 per day since 2019 for various code violations, including accumulation of trash and debris. The total fines are now approaching $100,000, according to City Attorney Kim Kopp.

“This property has had a history of code violations, including an accumulation of trash and debris on the property, a public nuisance, a depreciation of property values, injuries to public health, and deemed inconsistent with a residential neighborhood overall,” Kopp said during the meeting

Source: City of Destin

The council discussed several options for addressing the situation, including foreclosing on the adjacent vacant property, passing a nuisance abatement ordinance, or seeking injunctive relief in court.

Councilman Torey Geile initially proposed spending up to $15,000 to clear the vacant property and assist Marler in moving his belongings there, but this idea was not pursued.

Source: City of Destin

Councilman John Stephens ultimately made the motion to have the city manager speak with Marler about voluntarily complying within seven days. If compliance is not achieved, the city would then pursue foreclosure on the adjacent vacant lot owned by Marler.

Several council members expressed frustration with the longstanding issues at the property. Councilwoman Teresa Hebert noted that she had driven by the property before the meeting and observed trucks “loaded up” with debris.

  • “It’s sad that they don’t care [about] the effect that it has had on every neighbor on that street, across the street and builders and anyone new into the area drives by that,” Hebert said of the property’s condition. She also emphasized the importance of making the situation clear to Marler’s family, stating, “We want the family to care to get involved because this has gone on for years.”

Capt. Jason Fulghum of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies have been monitoring the property almost daily. He said they would issue a citation for any trash found in the city right-of-way outside the fence.

Source: City of Destin
Source: City of Destin

The council also discussed potential issues with accessing the vacant lot if foreclosure proceedings move forward. City Attorney Kopp explained that access would be obtained either through voluntary easements or through court action if necessary.

  • The council’s action aims to finally resolve the ongoing code violations that have plagued the property for years. Marler now has seven days to work with the city manager on addressing the issues before further enforcement action is taken.

Mayor Bobby Wagner and other council members expressed hope that this action would lead to a resolution of the longstanding issue, which has been a concern for neighbors and the community at large.

4 Responses

    1. You’ve got that right! My next door neighbor has four derelict pickup trucks and all kinds of other debris in the county-vacated alley which separates his property and mine. About five years ago code enforcement told him to build a fence so it couldn’t be seen from the road (but I could still see it). Now new trash is on the outside of the fence he built with no consequence. The problem is the county’s requirement that I would have to file an official complaint against my neighbor. He’s a nice guy and we get along, but an official complaint would ruin that. The situation is there in plain sight for code enforcement to act. What the hell are we paying them for?

  1. Why did they let it go so long? Abatement could of happened in about 90-120 days of the first citation. I understand working with an owner but five years? Code enforcement dropped the ball here. Sounds like the residents of the town/county need to petition for changes to their code compliance ordinance from reactive (complaint required) to proactive (activly making neighborhood patrols and citing violations). That would eliminate the potential cause for an altercation between neighbors due to them filing a complaint against them

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