Drew Smith, the code enforcement magistrate, found the respondent at a mobile-home park in Saint Cloud in violation for installing a mobile home trailer without the required building permit and ordered the owner to obtain the permit by July 7 or remove the trailer, or face daily fines until compliance.

Alex Miller, a code enforcement officer for the City of Saint Cloud, testified that on March 10 he observed a trailer installed in a right-of-way obstruction and that there was no permit application or landlord license on record. Miller said inspections and notices were sent, park management was told to correct the violation, and the city followed up with a notice of violation and a hearing. Miller told the magistrate that a business tax receipt for a landlord license was later obtained but no building-permit application for the mobile-home installation was on record as of mid-June.

The magistrate found in favor of the city on the business-tax receipt issue — noting the business tax receipt was obtained after the cure date — and continued the building-permit violation. Smith ordered the respondent to cure the permit violation by July 7 and assessed administrative costs of $294.05 to be paid within seven days of the written order. The city had recommended a $250-per-day fine until compliance and the magistrate set the cure deadline in line with that recommendation.

Miller explained to the magistrate that a permit is required because the mobile home installation becomes a permanent structure that must meet mechanical, plumbing and setback requirements reviewed by building and planning staff. The magistrate’s order records that the business tax receipt issue was cured prior to the hearing but the building-permit requirement remained outstanding and must be addressed by the stated deadline.