HOLMES BEACH – Residents – one with a rat problem – expressed their disagreement with two of Special Magistrate Michael Connolly’s rulings during a late April code compliance hearing. Lois Huntington objected to the postponement of a case concerning whether or not a home at 2918 Gulf Drive meets minimum property standards, saying she would not be able to attend the subsequent hearing.
Huntington said she believes the Gulf Drive home has been abandoned for about 10 years and does not have basic utilities such as electricity and water turned on. She said that at her home, which backs into the property, she’s had severe issues with rats due to neglect at the property. The abandoned fruit trees on the property feed the rats, which come over to her home and have to be removed from her home, pool and car, she said.
The property is owned by Jeanette Heider and her daughter, who requested that the hearing be postponed until May 18 so that she is able to attend, due to her mother’s advanced age. Connolly granted the continuance and agreed to take Huntington’s statement into consideration when ruling on the code compliance issues at the Heider property.
Another case that didn’t sit well with residents was the variance request of Jerry Hepler for his property at 3104 Avenue E. Hepler said he submitted plans to the city’s building department to demolish the existing home and half of the garage, addressing a non-conformity on the property. The garage, built in 1946, was constructed across the property line and is shared with the owner to the rear of the Avenue E property.
After Connolly ruled in favor of Hepler, granting the variance to allow him to build a new home on the property and demolish his half of the existing garage, nearby property owners took to the podium to speak, with several speaking against Connolly granting the variance.
Connolly told the assembled residents that Hepler had met all of the conditions outlined in the city’s codes to be granted a variance, therefore the variance legally should be granted.
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