TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Drama over an unusual Wimauma easement dispute played out in Tampa on Friday.
Ricky Goodson, of Goodson Farms, faced the county code enforcement board after he was cited for blocking his neighbors’ access to their properties and creating a safety hazard. Goodson was quiet during the meeting and let his attorney, Andy Dogali, do all the talking.
“The Goodson family deeds do not reflect than anybody owns an easement across their property,” Dogali told the board. “At least that’s what I’ve been able to discern so far.”
The code enforcement officers disagreed and presented deeds from three of Goodson’s neighbors. Those
documents clearly show an easement running through Goodson’s land.
But after five years of the neighbors using that easement, code enforcement accuses Goodson of putting them in danger with the obstruction.
“There’s no egress or ingress for first responders, so the fire department, paramedics, law enforcement – has no access,” said a code enforcement officer who explained the situation to the board.
Attorney Dogali read a text message Goodson received from his title company’s attorney.
“There is no easement on the 50-foot strip,” he read from the text message. “Legally, you can put up a ‘no trespassing’ sign and put of a fence or block it how ever you want.”
That apparently didn’t convince the board. They instructed Goodson to keep the easement clear.
Dogali said Goodson will fight the easement issue in court as part of a lawsuit one of the neighbors already filed.
