Planning Commission Agenda, 1/17/12.
 |
| No tables, no place to sit.. |
1. Construction permit extension. Single-family residence, 43 Birch Lane (substandard lot).
2. Construction permit extension. Single-family residence, Oddstad Way and Troglia Terrace (southwest portion).
3. Construction permit extension. Convert 170 existing apartment units into condominium units, 435 Gateway Drive.
Staff Communications: Gorilla BBQ appeal memo.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
20 comments:
Yeah great. The city is making it difficult for a successful local business. All Gorilla BBQ wants is to have a picnic table. But the $100K bureaucrats have to study the issue. That's what we pay them the big bucks for.
Hutch, I think the county ordinance indicates a restroom must be included when there are tables and chairs. True, some of us don't think that is fair for this "take out" business.
Interesting thing about those $100,000 annual salaries, take another look at 2010. I only find 20 employees in the "minimum category" over $100,000. So what increases 80 employee salaries to be paid over $100,00? If overtime, the city may need additional employees. When employees such as Firemen are called to respond out-of-area, these wages would likely be reimbursed to our city.
Maybe someone else understands the increase factors and will describe these.
Overtime is a big factor and it's pretty much standard for public safety employees, often due to union work rules and high disability rates. It attracts attention, gets reduced for a while, and then edges back up. Another factor is cafeteria cash. An employee who chooses to cash out can pick up over a $1000 per mnth in extra income. Hope some of these mysterious cuts the city is claiming are in cafeteria cash. Other cities long ago put a cap of a few bucks on it to avoid this nasty and costly problem. All of that money appears on the W2 as wages. That's one way the numbers can go up while the head count goes down and our services disappear. It's also how our council became the highest-paid in the county. I believe they gave up their cafeteria cash last year. Kind of hard to ask unions to give it up while council was collecting it don't ya think? Another factor in 2010 wages may have been actual wage increases agreed to in prior contracts. Hope there aren't any more of those coming through. So many unanswered questions about city wages and all those "cuts".
This isn't the first rodeo for the guys at Gorilla or their landlord. The city has rules about food prep and service and the county health department has rules. All of them to protect public health and safety. It's a cost of doing business, not an area to cut corners.
Wages for firefighters called out to fires in other areas get re-imbursed? Where's the money? To what fund does that money go? Trails? Guess we have a real money-maker there and who knew? Or not.
It's not like Rich hasn't worked in the restaurant business all his life and doesn't understand the rules.
So what did our wonderful planning commission rule about Gorilla BBQ? Did the owners speak?
The shortest planning commission meeting in history. 22 minutes.
We are making these clowns work way too hard.
The Staff Communication Memo indicated Gorilla BBQ withdrew its request. Turns-out not to be an appeal.
The Planning Commission decision could only be in compliance with city/county health protection rules. (See comment by Anon 1/17, 8:44pm).
Of course. Find another bone to pick with the PC. There are plenty but this one had no meat to it.
So now, instead of eating at picnic tables, people eat in the parking lot.
Blame it on the county or the city, but ultimately, nothing positive came out of the final result.
It's a business decision. Make the improvements to meet the code and recover the costs, or don't. It
was always a business decision and those sometimes get re-visited. Maybe for summer? Great food.
I know Steve, it doesn't make much sense. Plenty of businesses in plenty of cities commit small infractions that are allowed to happen. The bureaucrats don't have to jump on every little thing a business does. I mean, it's only a picnic table jeez.
Plate of free Gorilla-Q for anon. He'll have it in his car.
I love their food and eat way too much of it but I don't want them or any other restaurant or landlord making up their own health rules. That's a surefire way to ruin your reputation and great business.
Is it about Gorilla and the reasonable health codes or is it about bashing the Planning Commish? I bet if they blocked a clubhouse for convicted child molesters going in next to a daycare you'd have people complaining on here that the Pacifica Planning Commission is anti-growth, anti-business. I mean other than the guys without the clubhouse, of course.
"It's a business decision."
In this case, Gorilla is a victim of a regulation that's too broadly applied.
It reminds me of the occasional stories I read about kids' driveway lemonade stands being shut down because they don't have a business permit.
Why is it ok to eat in the parking lot without a restroom, but not at a picnic table?
Young lemonade tycoon left with sour taste relives a childhood trauma?
Again, for Crist's sake, just get some port-o-potties. Done.
Maybe they don't want to. Maybe it's not worth the expense to Gorilla guys or the landlord.
Great. Don't do it. Just don't also whine about it like a little baby when well-known rules are enforced.
Post a Comment