COSTA MESA : Man Avoids Jail in Fight Over City Code

Although the battle to clean up his property continues, self-described government watchdog Sid Soffer managed to stay out of jail over the weekend and has hired two attorneys, a step he has long shunned in his legal fights with the city.

At least two families live on Soffer’s property at 540 Bernard St., which includes a house, two converted garage apartments, two trailers, several vintage cars, a camper and other items. The city has cited Soffer over the years, trying to get him to remove the cars, clean up the property and get permits from the city for the trailers and the conversions.

Orange County Harbor Municipal Court Judge Susanne S. Shaw on Friday set a hearing for Jan. 17 to decide whether to allow Soffer, 51, to post bail while he appeals his conviction on city code violations. In October, she ordered Soffer to serve 30 days in jail starting Jan. 3, commuting a six-month sentence, if he cleaned up his property by the end of 1991.

“If they think I’ve been a pain in the neck before, they haven’t seen anything,” Soffer said Monday.

Soffer’s attorneys argue that he should be given a chance to stay out of jail pending his appeal to give him a chance to comply with the city’s requirements.

“We’re trying to figure out what it is exactly that the city wants him to do and what he has to do to make them understand that he’s going to comply,” said Richard Schwartzberg, one of Soffer’s two attorneys.

Schwartzberg said the city attorney’s office was preparing an additional charge, alleging a probation violation.

Jerry Scheer and Michelle Vadon-Rivera, assistant city attorneys handling the case, could not be reached for comment Monday.