$500K Code Compliance Mandate Closes Rock Springs Coffee Shop, More Could Follow

CowboyStateDaily ^ | 10/21/23 | John Thompson

[CFW]

ROCK SPRINGS — The tenant of a downtown Rock Springs embroidery shop recently requested permission to open a coffee shop in the same space but was denied because of the city’s fire code regulations.

Now the business, Nell’s Coffee at 204 Elk St., has closed and moved to a new location at 1100 Elk St. The 204 Elk St. building’s owner Rick Milonas has taken the city to task over its building code that forced the move. In July, he threatened to sue the city over it.

Milonas said it would cost $500,000 to add fire sprinklers and bring the 6,400-square-foot, 90-year-old building up to code as is required for restaurants.

Milonas believes he is being singled out and treated unfairly and argues that businesses in numerous other Rock Springs buildings are also out of compliance with the fire code.

[snip]

“About $150,000 seems to be the average cost to install fire sprinklers,” he said. “We have a bunch of landlords who have not and do not want to put money into old buildings. Most coffee shops don’t make sprinkler system money. It’s a huge challenge for the city.”

Mickelson added that his initial reaction was to find a way to use the grandfather clause to remedy the situation. However, Rock Springs Fire Department officials pointed out several instances of large building fires with multiple fatalities in other states.

Using the grandfather clause as a work-around in this case presents too much risk for the city, he said.

[Pilsner]

So no chairs

Heard a story one time about a Jewish drug store owner in the Deep South. When the civil rights movement started, he desegregated his lunch counter. The Chief of Police came around in person, to insist the owner comply with the ordinance requiring segregated seating at the lunch counter. The owner removed all of stools at the lunch counter, which put him in compliance, because there was no municipal ordinance requiring segregated standing areas.

The relator of the story, the owner’s son, said that removing the stools settled the issue both legally, and practically. His white patrons had no expectation of segregated standing areas, and they stood and ate next to blacks in equanimity.

[glennaro]

Would be helpful to include the state in the posting. Thanks!

[Bikkuri]

Would this be Rock Springs, Texas?
Population of 12 (slight /s).. (Maybe it has grown since the last time I was there a couple (or 3) decades ago.)

[SuperLuminal]

Follow the money trail on cases like this...
Politicians, of all stripes, love those gifts from potential vendors...

[fini]

"Bandits and rustlers are entitled to coffee while waiting for their embroidery to be finished, just like law abiding folks."

I found that when robbing stagecoaches, a little lace on my holster made my victims feel more at ease. More should try it.

[Mean Daddy]

Omaha has a regulation that restaurants that are sold have updated kitchens unless kept in the family. Dozens of restaurants have closed because new owners can’t afford the $$ to upgrade.