Longboat Key Special Magistrate

Code enforcement cases on Longboat Key are decided by a single special magistrate rather than a citizen board. The town made that change in 2019, when it phased out its seven-member volunteer Code Enforcement Board. At these Town Hall hearings, the town's code enforcement officer presents each case on the docket and property owners can answer, much as in a courtroom. The magistrate then rules on whether a violation exists and how it must be fixed. Appeals skip the Town Commission and go straight to circuit court. Dockets for each session are posted in advance by the Town of Longboat Key.