County facing roadblock in code compliance case against home known as “Hiawassee Walmart”

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The goods are still stacked at what’s been deemed “The Hiawassee Walmart” and some neighbors aren’t pleased.

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Some who live near the Orange County home on Hiawassee Avenue say the owner operates a neighborhood flea market.

The many patio sets, grills, and other machines outside his home stretch across the property.

We first told you back in February the home on Hiawassee Road was being fined $1000 a day for two open code violations.

Then in June, a judge said Orange County could foreclose on the property because of unpaid lien and fines.

As of that hearing, more than $200,000 in fines were accrued for violations, but the county says that amount has now exceeded over $576,000.

However, Orange County now says it has run into a roadblock.

According to the county, foreclosure is the last step of the code compliance process.

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But, a separate and pending foreclosure case with the mortgage lender of the home is limiting their next steps.

The county said in a letter to residents, “There is a pending foreclosure action for the property, initiated by the mortgage holder, which limits the effectiveness of the County initiating a foreclosure on the property,” said Jason Reynolds, the manager of Orange County’s neighborhood Services Division.

Channel 9 asked the county to elaborate on why the pending case is limiting them, however the county said they didn’t have the answers to our questions as this time.

Meanwhile, more than 65 complaints have been filed against the property and after years of little progress some neighbors told Channel 9 their patience is thinning.

They are asking the county to do more.

“He has been there for so long that it makes us feel as if we don’t matter. I feel that if this were in another neighborhood or in, let’s say, the Doctor Phillips area or something, we would have gotten action faster,” said Roselyn Clouden with the Hiawassa Highlands Neighborhood Association.

Clouden said she has been fighting to see something done about the property for the last 5 years.

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Meanwhile, the property owner Bobby Burgett maintains his home complies with all county code.

He has appealed the foreclosure order issued by a judge back in June.

Burgett told Channel 9 he has met Code Enforcement’s requests, including getting a Business Tax Receipt for a home-based business.

Burgett also told Channel 9 Wednesday he is not operating a “flea market.”

He stated that there are no price tags on any of the equipment outside his home and he doesn’t have open or close hours or advertise his business.

Burgett also noted the home has been in his family since 1958 and he has no plans of letting it go to anyone else.

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