- December 4, 2025
Flagler Beach city officials refused to forgive more than $350,000 in code enforcement fines on a derelict, storm-damaged home, putting an end to a nonprofit’s plan to demolish the structure and cleared the path for foreclosure. The unanimous rejection came after commissioners cited years of defiance from the property’s absentee owner.
The proposal, brought by relator Tracy Callahan-Hennessey on behalf of the charity Kars4Kids, offered a swift end to the neglected property at 1336 S. Flagler Ave. The nonprofit was willing to accept the deed and pay for demolition, but only if the city reduced the accrued fines to just $10,000.
Commissioner Rick Belhumeur said he lives down the street from the structure and recounted its long history of neglect, from flooding during Hurricane Irma in 2017 to the owner sending "nasty letters" in response to city notices.
"I'm not at all for forgiveness on this one. Absolutely not," Belhumeur said. "We can use it for stormwater. Somewhere down the line."
Commissioner Eric Cooley warned of the legal risks and pointed to the owner explicit threat to fight the city.
"The owner said in himself, in the email January 22nd, 'Your actions will be contested in court,'" Cooley said. He argued that any deal that ceded control could backfire, leaving the derelict property in limbo for years.
"If you open up Pandora's box of you losing control of the process, you're no longer doing the citizens a service anymore."
While the city attorney explained a conditional agreement was possible, the commission was unmoved. By taking no formal action, the board effectively denied the request.
The decision signals the city will now proceed with foreclosure, aiming to take ownership of the lot rather than grant what Commissioner Scott Spradley called a potential "windfall to the party that's created this mess to begin with."
