- April 26, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
An abandoned, unsafe, unsanitary, dilapidated motel has already been given a new breath of life as its new owner – 2251 S Old Dixie Hwy LLC (also the property’s address) – has paid the fines and back taxes accrued by the previous owner, and has removed dumpsters of trash. The swimming pool has been drained.
“We are encouraged by how much has been accomplished in very short order,” said County Administrator Jerry Cameron. “The closing agent sent checks totaling about $70,000 to cover all of the fines and back taxes owed Flagler County and the Florida Department of Health (Flagler). This bodes well for the working relationship for the new owner.”
The relationship with the previous owners – brothers Ajmal M. and Zubair M. Zulali – was frustrating at best for the many Flagler County departments such as Growth Management, Code Enforcement, Administration, and the County Attorney’s office, as well as the Florida Department of Health-Flagler, that worked together to return the property to a safe standard. Eventually the county filed a lawsuit to compel the brothers into action “to abate the nuisance,” or the buildings would be demolished. They opted to sell.
“It was a masterful collaboration by the team to accomplish this,” Cameron said. “We had done everything we could to work with the previous owners – cajoled them, advised them, fined them – but eventually we had to enter into litigation against them to effect change.”
Flagler County earlier this month entered into an agreement with the purchaser, signed by managing member David Shebiro, to ensure the conditions that pose a danger to human life and a hazard to the safety and health of the community don’t persist.
The three-page document outlines the past problems through “whereas” clauses and details corrective actions that must be made by the purchaser within a tight timeline ending August 20, 2021, or a cash bond of $250,000 will be required payable to the Flagler County Clerk of Courts that the county may use to demolish the building structures.
“Given the new owners performance so far, we have no reason to believe it will come to this,” Cameron said.
The agreement stipulates the following will happen by June 3:
It also stipulates that the purchaser will satisfactorily pass an “all rough” inspection to include the following by August 20:
The county has not dismissed the lawsuit, neither has it asked that a hearing date be set. Should the court schedule a hearing before the August 20 deadline, the county will seek a continuance to allow the new owner to timely complete its obligations.
“We want to give the new owner – who we believe is operating in good faith – the time to make the necessary repairs and improvements,” Cameron said.
