In a rare action, the St. Augustine City Commission voted 4-1 on Jan. 26 to approve the foreclosure of a private property on South Leonardi Street after years of code enforcement violations and neighbor demands for action.
Shane Peterson, 39, a resident of the home, addressed the commission during the meeting and asked for additional time to address the property’s condition.
The 4,000-square-foot parcel — which includes a 1,000-square-foot home — has accumulated approximately $100,000 in code enforcement liens stemming from two violations, according to city officials.
Code Enforcement Manager Barry Fox said the violations were related to Peterson cutting wood on the property and other recurring infractions. The parcel has been the subject of eight code enforcement cases since 2018, Fox said.
Fox said Peterson, who owns a local tree service business, has used log-splitting equipment on the residential property and stacked firewood piles as high as 15 feet.
Several of his St. Augustine neighbors, who requested anonymity, corroborated Fox’s statements and said the home has been a blight on the residential area for years.
According to the St. Johns County Property Appraiser’s Office, ownership is divided among 10 individuals. Peterson is not listed as an owner.
County records show that property taxes were consistently paid by one of the listed owners. However, records indicate taxes for the 2025 tax year remained unpaid as of Jan. 30.
Peterson has lived at the residence since childhood, according to a nearby resident who requested anonymity.
Peterson told commissioners that his father, R.L. Peterson, a retired St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office deputy, previously lived in the home and died in July.
He relayed that he had been incarcerated for the last year and was unable to maintain upkeep. He also noted that he is dependent on food banks and that his business is struggling.
Peterson acknowledged that he previously operated his business from the residential property’s yard but said he now uses the home solely as an office.
He told commissioners the firewood on the property is used to heat the house, which he said does not have a central heating system.
Vice Mayor Barbra Blonder expressed sympathy for Peterson during the meeting.
“It is really difficult. I see him in front of us. I see that he has struggled,” Blonder said. But she and other commissioners said his neighbors pleas for assistance could no longer be ignored.
Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline said the violations have persisted for years.
“It’s been going on a long time. At some point, enough has to be enough,” she said.
Commissioner Cynthia Garris cast the lone vote against foreclosure, asking if there were alternatives to taking the property.
City officials said the process would stop if the liens on the property are paid.
If the property is sold, the property’s legal owners would receive any proceeds once the liens are paid off.
One resident told The Citizen the code violations represent only part of a larger issue at the home, which they said has been a disruptive presence for many years.
“These code violations are just the tip of the iceberg,” the resident said.
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