FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. -- A Fernandina Beach mother said she wanted her kids to have some fun close to home so she built them a playhouse, but her backyard construction project has proven to be more costly than expected because the city said a permit is required for her playhouse.

Every day Tracy Wieland refuses to get rid of the playhouse she gets fined by the city. The mother of two is not backing down.

The city of Fernandina Beach said the playhouse is a safety issue, but Wieland said she is simply being harassed.

Wieland often plays with her 5-year-old twins inside their home and not outside because the children's playhouse is off-limits.

The city said the playhouse was built without a permit, and the family is being fined $100 each day it remains.

"It was supposed to be fun, but it's become nothing but a nightmare," Wieland said.

The Wielands built the playhouse to give their children a safe place to play after one of the twins nearly drowned in a nearby pond. The family said it contacted the city three times and was told no permit was needed for the playhouse.

The head of the building and code enforcement department told Channel 4 any type of playhouse would need approval. The city said its biggest issue with the Wieland's playhouse is that the structure was built on stilts, which goes against the manufacturer's recommendations.

"My kids deserve to have fun in the yard. I pay my mortgage. This is my house. This is my yard," Wieland said.

The Wielands said the playhouse is safe and that it was built with commercial-grade nuts and bolts.

Regardless, the playhouse fines have already added up to about $30,000, and the city has placed a lien on the Wielands' home.

"What more do they want from me? Do they want me and my children to be homeless? Do they to take away our home? Because that's what it's coming to," Wieland said.

The city said all it wants is compliance and for a state certified engineer to say the structure is safe.

The Wieland family said its next course of action will be to contact an attorney so it can begin construction again.