Tampa man at heart of guesthouse, pickleball court saga gets out of jail after agreeing to demolish structures
Tampa businessman Michael Martin was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail for contempt of court before agreeing to tear down illegal structures.
TAMPA, Fla. - A Tampa businessman was released from jail Friday after agreeing to comply with a court order to demolish several structures on his property following a lengthy dispute with his neighbors.
Tampa property legal dispute
The backstory:
Martin was locked up after a judge found him in contempt of court for refusing to tear down a guest house, pool and pickleball court on his Beach Park property.
Martin’s attorney, Sam Heller, stated that Martin will now comply with the ruling following an appellate court's denial of a petition to challenge the incarceration.
Permitting and construction history
What we know:
Martin bought adjacent properties in 2017 and received approved permits from the city of Tampa to build a two-story guest house starting in 2021.
However, his neighbors, the Babbitt family, questioned the legality of the project as soon as footers were poured.
The Babbitts filed a lawsuit in 2021, arguing the structures were built on a public area known as "Block E" that was never meant for development.
A two-story guest house sits under construction in the Beach Park neighborhood of Tampa after a court ordered its demolition.
Impact on neighbors
The other side:
The Babbitt family argued the 27-foot structure was illegal, blocked sunlight and destroyed century-old trees.
In a final judgment signed Oct. 29, 2023, Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Christopher Nash ruled the neighbors' loss of enjoyment and property value outweighed the consequences Martin faced for removing the structures.
Legal and financial consequences
What we don't know:
While the court has ordered Martin to pay for the demolition expenses into a trust account, the exact final financial cost of the yearslong litigation and the impending demolition remains unclear.
It is also not yet known exactly how long the physical restoration of the property to a non-buildable condition will take once work begins.
A backyard pickleball court is at the center of a yearslong legal dispute between neighbors that resulted in a property owner being jailed.
What they're saying:
Heller said the stress of being jailed was "too high a price" for Martin after complying with all initial city requirements.
Trae Weingardt, the Babbitts' attorney, said Martin "flouted" the 2023 order for 14 months and only capitulated after being taken into custody, adding that attorneys are "cautiously optimistic" Martin will finally perform as required.
What's next:
Martin must pay an initial deposit for demolition expenses to ensure he remains out of jail. His legal team indicated that after spending recovery time with his family, they will refocus on what they describe as the "injustice" of the predicament.
Martin will be returned to jail if he fails to achieve complete compliance with the court's orders.
The Source: This story was gathered from court documents filed in Hillsborough County, statements provided by attorney Sam Heller through family spokesperson Lisa Brock, and an official statement from Trae Weingardt, the attorney for the Babbitt family.