Nassau County, FL Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Nuisance declaration
- By building official under § 7-94
- Hearing forum
- Code enforcement special magistrate
- State authority
- F.S. ch. 162 procedures apply
- Transition date
- Pending cases moved April 1, 2024
- Emergency power
- Vacate, repair, demolish, or secure structure
Summary
Under the county's Unsafe Building Abatement Code, a property maintained with a dilapidated, unsafe or dangerous structure is a declared public nuisance in unincorporated Nassau County. The building official issues the nuisance finding, and cases go to the code enforcement special magistrate for abatement by rehabilitation, demolition or repair, with administrative costs and fines assessed.
Sec. 7-94. - Declaration of public nuisance by the building official. Any property found by the building official to be maintained in violation of section 7-93 of this article, is declared to be a public nuisance and shall be abated by rehabilitation, demolition, or repair pursuant to the procedures set forth in section 7-95 hereinbelow. ... Sec. ... 7-95. - Enforcement hearings; administrative costs and fines. Enforcement hearings and assessment of administrative costs and fines for unsafe buildings or structures shall be conducted before the code enforcement special magistrate pursuant to chapter 1 of this code and in accordance with the provisions set forth in F.S. ch. 162. All cases remaining pending before the construction board of adjustment and appeals as of April 1, 2024, shall be transferred to the code enforcement special magistrate.
Full Breakdown
" The building official may consult with the county fire inspector when making that determination. ch. 162," and specifies that all cases still pending before the former construction board of adjustment and appeals as of April 1, 2024 were transferred to the special magistrate. Section 7-96 lets the building official order an immediately hazardous building vacated, repaired or demolished, stating a deadline in the notice, and, separately, temporarily secure an unoccupied, unguarded and open structure that poses an immediate hazard, using independent contractors or other qualified means, with materials and methods left to the building official's determination.
" Enforcement runs under chapter 1's code enforcement provisions, which route violations to the special magistrate now that the county's separate code enforcement board was dissolved.
Violations & Fines
A property found to violate section 7-93's nuisance conditions is referred for an enforcement hearing before the code enforcement special magistrate, where the county can assess administrative costs and fines and order abatement by rehabilitation, demolition or repair. Violation of the article is also charged as an infraction, and the county may separately pursue a civil proceeding to abate the nuisance regardless of any code enforcement action already underway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides that a Nassau County property is a public nuisance?
Where are unsafe building nuisance cases heard now?
Can the county act before a hearing if a building is an immediate hazard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nassau County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Nassau County to another location·View the Florida property maintenance overview
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