By Eric Shrode, Sedona Resident
(December 17, 2015)
Ron Eland’s story of November 25th in the Red Rock News, Council says ‘no’ to Chocola Tree advised of the action taken by the City to enforce the correction of outstanding building code violations and for continuing to operate the Garden Sanctuary after receiving their ‘Notice of violation’.
The City is also trying to enforce the several Notices of Violation served on Son Silver West Gallery, Inc. located at 1476 SR 179. However, Son Silver West had failed to correct all the outstanding issues going back as far as 1989. Though they too have been warned that their business licensee could be revoked and that they could be fined up to $2,500 per day; the fact is they have not become compliant but instead have added additional violations of City Code over the years. They have built many structures without permits or inspections. Built across lot lines, built structures without observing setback requirements, expanded their business illegally in a residential area, violated fence requirements, violated signing requirements, violated lighting requirements, conducted illegal manufacturing in a residential zone, conducted illegal selling of foodstuffs, violated parking requirements and the list goes on. I am also told they are in arrears on their sales tax.
Now instead of being good community citizens and correcting the many violations, they have hired a law firm out of Phoenix who wrote a 250 page document as to why they should be able to continue to operate in violation of the Deed Restrictions that run with the property and the City Codes. They have asked for an appeal hearing before the Sedona Board of Adjustment at 9-12 a.m. on Dec 29th in the City Council Chambers seeking relief from having to comply with the same rules that other businesses have to comply with. This seems unfair to the other businesses who play by the rules and to the ones who have had enforcement action taken against them, like Chocola Tree. Please let Audree Juhlin (AJuhlin@sedonaaz.gov) Director of Community Development know that you support the action the City has taken requiring them to comply with ALL the conditions of the 1992 Conditional Use Permit under which they operate. After all, they City has unsuccessfully tried to get them to voluntarily comply for the past 26 years.
Attend the Dec 29th hearing if you can.
Walter ‘Eric’ Shrode
Sedona AZ