Development News for St. Cloud, Florida

St. Cloud Hotel LLC Faces Fines for Unresolved Building Permit and Fire Safety Issues

The hearing concerned a request for a hearing on an order imposing fines and creating a lien against St. Cloud Hotel LLC, owned by David Fong, located at 1004 New York Avenue. The property was found to be in violation in January, and a February order required the owner to obtain a new building permit by March 6th and address fire safety issues. As of May 20th, the building permit had not been obtained. The respondent requested a hearing to explain compliance issues, focusing on delays in obtaining the building permit due to city processes, specifically regarding the submission of subcontractor lists and the requirement for a notarized application form. The deputy building official explained that the delay was due to the need for licensed subcontractors for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work and the registration of these subcontractors with the city. The special magistrate ultimately decided to abate the daily fines if the permit is obtained by the end of the month, reducing the total fine to $5,000, provided costs are paid and the project is completed by the March 6, 2027 deadline. The fire marshal also testified that fire safety measures were largely completed, but firewatch measures had not been implemented due to the lack of a building permit.