Stop work order halts construction after 10 inspections without building permit
Bradenton Beach officials and builders dispute whether prior notices authorized the home at 1207 Gulf Drive South, leading to a project pause and pending fee reviews.
By Stella Brooks ·
A new home under construction in Bradenton Beach is on hold following a stop work order issued for lack of a proper building permit.
Building Official Ben Carr issued the order on Oct. 2 for the residence at 1207 Gulf Drive South. The home had already passed 10 building inspections conducted between June 16 and September 18. Despite these inspections, the project proceeded without a standard building permit from the city.
Carr stated at the Oct. 15 city commission meeting that the site only held a floodplain development permit. He attributed the oversight to a breakdown in communication. The city previously contracted Tew & Taylor for building services, with Mike Alexander serving as the official during the early construction phase. Carr began his role as the city-employed building official on Sept. 14.
In an Oct. 29 email, Carr clarified that earlier approvals, including a letter of no objection and a floodplain development permit, did not authorize construction. He noted that the state Department of Environmental Protection coastal construction permit did not replace the required municipal building permit. Following the stop work order, the applicant submitted a residential building permit application on Oct. 13. The first plan review is complete, and correction comments have been sent to the applicant.
Carr indicated that the stop work order remains in effect until outstanding review items are resolved and fees are paid. Work can resume only after the city issues the permit and releases the order in writing. The process requires the resolution of specific technical issues identified by the current building official.
Mason Martin Builders co-owner Frank Agnelli provided a different account of the initial approvals. He told The Sun on Oct. 31 that he received a notice from the city on May 14 stating a permit was issued for a single-family residence, driveway, and landscaping. The email referenced permit No. FPD-00008, which showed a status of approved. Agnelli assumed this authorization covered the full construction project.
Agnelli said he did not realize at the time that the approved document was only a floodplain development permit. He noted that his company had never previously received an email specifically identifying that permit type as the approval. The discrepancy was identified during a recent roof inspection, which was approved by the city. The post-inspection review revealed the missing building permit, prompting the stop work order.
Agnelli acknowledged mistakes were made by both his company and the city’s building department. He stated that the previous building official handled all prior inspections before Carr took office. Agnelli is currently working through the post-inspection comments with the plans designer and engineer to address missing items and clarifications.
The builder said he would challenge the triple fee penalty associated with the stop work order. He cited the time and money lost by both his firm and the homeowner as factors in the dispute. Agnelli argued that the city should have identified the missing permit during the first inspection. He stated he would not have started the job if he had known the permit was not issued.
