Magistrate gives Freeport owner 90 days to close out 2009 modular permit; staff to help shepherd inspections

Rachel Neenan, a Walton County code compliance officer, told the magistrate inspectors reviewed records and found a modular office/structure placed on 547 Mallet Bayou Road in 2009 with an issued permit but no recorded inspections or a certificate of completion.

Neenan said that initial complaints alleged people living in a storage building and an Airstream RV, but inspectors found no evidence of current occupancy during the initial inspection. County records show a permit was issued in 2009 but never completed; the permit has since expired and the owner must reapply and schedule the required inspections so the building department can issue a certificate of completion.

Owner Joe Cunningham and a helper attended the hearing; Cunningham said he was unaware the permit had not been closed out and that he had paid taxes on the structure since 2009. Neenan and the magistrate discussed practical inspection issues such as allowing inspectors access to the structure; Neenan recommended 30 days but acknowledged the age of the permit and paperwork might make that unrealistic. The magistrate set a 90-day deadline to bring the property into compliance (Aug. 12), with a $100-per-day fine and a $98 administrative fee if not completed. The magistrate encouraged the owner to work with staff and use the county’s fine-reduction process if permitting delays continue.