DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A longtime battle between the City of Deerfield Beach and one beach plot owner has come to a happy ending.
On Wednesday morning, Kristina Clothier removed her RV and a barricade around it from a plot of beach just north of the pier.
The RV was parked on the sand for years, and not it has been towed away, and residents are happy to see the eyesore gone.
“It’s a win-win,” said resident Charles Mavrikis. “She seems happy to get the hell out of there, and we’re happy that she’s gone, and it’s a win-win for the city. I’m proud of the City of Deerfield Beach.”
Clothier’s family owned two parcels of the beach that have a combined market value of $761,000.
She initially listed it for $1,499,000 and wanted the city to buy it.
The 7 Investigates team spoke with her back in February.
“I am paying a ridiculous amount in taxes, and if the city wants to use the property, then buy the property,” Clothier said.
In February, Clothier already racked up $49,880 in code violations. The city sued her saying it was “authorized to foreclose on the Code Enforcement Liens.”
The city, however, decided to settle with the landowner for a total of $485,000.
“I’m proud of the City of Deerfield, she got less than a half a million, and I think that’s a good price for what Deerfield paid for,” Mavrikis said.
“I’m kind of sad,” said resident Dan Giles. “When he started to move it, I thought it’s like something is coming to an end.”
Some residents were happy to see the trailer and the barricaded section go but also said Clothier deserved the money because the land was rightfully hers.
“I totally understand her and support what her stand was,” said Giles. “The city should have done something a long time ago.”
Clothier wrote on her RV, “The fight for our rights took 904 days.”
Now the beach belongs to the city and its residents.
“I think what happened in the end was exactly what she wrote on the side — the vindication,” said Giles.
“I’m glad she’s leaving happily. She’s smiling. That’s good, and so we get this off the beach, and now we’ve got some room for the kids to play soccer or volleyball or whatever,” said Mavrikis. “It’s a good thing for the city.”
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