27 Comments
I’m so sorry you feel
that way. I do comply with the law and I am not asking for a concession or
variance as I already have been authorized and approved, according to the law,
for the operation of my business.
I’m afraid we must
just agree to disagree. I wish you the best in all of your endeavors.
Sincerely, Mary
Ms Mead,
Your answers are
convoluted, however, clearly you do not intend to “follow the law” that every
business owner is held to in the City.
What you called
“made-up interpretations” are clearly within the regulations “written in the
development/building code” that is publicly published.
What you want is the
City to make a concession or variance for YOU because you refuse to follow the
regulations.
Accordingly, this is
why NO ONE has taken your argument as “real” because clearly, you have facts
wrong and are stubbornly clinging to “YOUR story” that frankly doesn’t line-up
with the facts … not the facts as YOU perceive them.
I don’t think you are
right nor just in your position that “you shouldn’t have to abide by the
regulations.”
Unfortunately, your
stubborness and blatant refusal to comply is the ONLY reason you do not have a
business operation and it is NOT some alleged “illegal actions” by city
officials that are enforcing the regulations that you think DON’t APPLY to you.
YOU are the reason you don’t have a business …
Just because you
I have repeatedly
answered the two questions you ask:
REPEATING THE ANSWER
TO QUESTION ONE AS FOUND IN MY PREVIOUS COMMENT TO THIS POST:
“MARY MEADMarch 4,
2016 at 3:42 pm
My situation is very simple. My property is officially authorized to operate as an art gallery, antiques, crafts and functions. I want to use my property to operate as an art gallery, antiques, crafts and functions. City Officials illegally closed my business, without due process, on March 19, 2005, and refuse to lift the illegal closing. I want the illegal prohibition City Officials placed on operating my legally authorized business lifted. I want City Officials to stop harassing me and stay out of my business since I have not violated any laws.” Of course, I want what I am allowed by law.
My situation is very simple. My property is officially authorized to operate as an art gallery, antiques, crafts and functions. I want to use my property to operate as an art gallery, antiques, crafts and functions. City Officials illegally closed my business, without due process, on March 19, 2005, and refuse to lift the illegal closing. I want the illegal prohibition City Officials placed on operating my legally authorized business lifted. I want City Officials to stop harassing me and stay out of my business since I have not violated any laws.” Of course, I want what I am allowed by law.
THE ANSWER TO QUESTION
TWO:
I have always obeyed the law as recorded in Florida Statutes, city and county ordinances and the United States Constitution and will continue to do so. I will refuse to submit City Officials’ made up “interpretations” designed to harm me and my historic property.
I have always obeyed the law as recorded in Florida Statutes, city and county ordinances and the United States Constitution and will continue to do so. I will refuse to submit City Officials’ made up “interpretations” designed to harm me and my historic property.
Ms. Mead
You always avoid the 2
direct questions I asked that are the “fundamental obstacles” to you opening
YOUR business that you refuse to address.
Will you do the
inexpensive fire/safety upgrades to the property that are required for an
arts/antique business and operate that retail business?
Do you expect to open
your business without following the licensing and fire/safety codes that are
current NOT from 2001?
There seems to be some
misunderstandings.
The Office Building
misunderstanding was started, after City Officials illegally closed our
business, by Ms. Sherry Morris when she answered Melanie Nichols inquiry by
falsely stating that our property was an office building and that we had some
kind of consulting business license. The facts were that our property was
approved for use and actually used as an art gallery, antiques, crafts and
functions and our business license was for retail and was issued by the City
and the County as appropriate for the situation. After quoting Ms. Morris in my
post, I was sure to state, “All of Ms. Morris’s statements are false and
apparently intended to keep us illegally closed down.” This was a big red flag
to show that Ms. Morris’ statements were false – just more harassment to deny
us the legal use of our authorized business. Mr. Hawthorne mistakenly quoted
Ms. Morris’ statement as true when it was not.
It would be wrong for
me to “petition for conditional use as an antique/art store” since I already
have legal authorization for art gallery, antiques, crafts and already have the
appropriate occupancy classification for the situation. I can operate my
business now if the illegal closure were lifted.
I agree with Mr.
Hawthorne’s public position that Mayor Hayward and City Hall are dysfunctional
or even, in my opinion, corrupt and willing to commit apparent sadistic
illegal/criminal actions to harm individuals and the City population as a
whole. I will continue to follow Mr. Hawthorne’s posts with interest.
While my blog posts
may not get anywhere with these people, perhaps the continued revelation of how
bad they are, and sometimes even felonious, may help get rid of them and get in
a new crew who will be willing to obey the law, willing to stop preferential
treatment to their friends, and willing to stop ******** the rest of us by
victimizing us to get all they can from us.
I expose not only the
sadistic actions injurious to me but apparent violations of local, state and
federal law which harm us as a whole i.e. illegal members on Pensacola Advisory
Boards who break the law in their decisions whenever they want.
I will continue to
expose as much corruption as I can, and will continue to seek the lifting of
the illegal prohibition on us operating our business as legally authorized.
Thank you for letting
me know that “someone” has apparently messed up regarding the use
code/description of my property. In 2012 my property was listed as multi use,
code 1200 store/office/single residence which reflected the true use. Without
my knowledge, the use code and description was changed to 1800
OFFICE/MULTISTORY. I called Mr. Chris Jones, the Escambia County Property
Appraiser’s Office, and spoke with Anthony about the apparent change. He is
changing it back to store which is appropriate as my property is not and has
never been an office building. He said he can be contacted if there are any
questions.
Mr. Hawthorne stated
that it is my responsibility to get the use code changed. Well, it is changed.
Actually the use code on line at the Appraiser’s office means nothing
(according to them) and has no relevance to opening or not. It is the official
authorization passed by the Pensacola City Council that matters and that
authorization is for an art gallery, etc.
Ms. Sherry Morris incorrectly reported that our property was an office building. Apparently they do not keep their files in line with reality. On July 27, 2005, Ms. Morris responded to Melanie Nichols’ request for information regarding the illegal closing of my authorized business:
Ms. Sherry Morris incorrectly reported that our property was an office building. Apparently they do not keep their files in line with reality. On July 27, 2005, Ms. Morris responded to Melanie Nichols’ request for information regarding the illegal closing of my authorized business:
“Hi Melanie, according
to City records, the Meads have a business license for an office use (a
consulting business). This is a general employee license which would cover most
office uses with the exception of medical offices and things of that nature.
According to Inspections Services, hosting wedding and other special events
would change the occupancy of the building . . . .”
All of Ms. Morris’s
statements are false and apparently intended to keep us illegally closed down.
Our property is not and has never been an office building, we have had a
license for a retail shop since 1998, we classify for assemblies of less than
100 people, etc.
It is apparent that
City Officials are giving Mr. Hawthorne a lot of false information as reasons
we are not allowed to open: wrong use code (not my doing), neighbor complaints
(didn’t happen, etc.) The facts are that we are illegally closed for
persecution and punishment reasons. It appears that City Officials plan to
stall and keep me illegally closed down until I die. March 19, 2016, will fall
on a Saturday again and will mark eleven (11) years that we have been illegally
kept closed down without due process and without any valid reason because I
have consistently been in compliance with laws.
Ms.
Mead,
For
the record, I have NOT talked to the City nor am I taking their side or
direction. Furthermore, given my very public position on the dysfunction at
City Hall and the Mayor’s administration, I don’t think I can be confused as
some “city hall parrot” trying to conspire with them against YOU.
However,
I have seen your blog posts, in every forum, for 10 years and I see you are
getting nowhere and spinning your wheels and I truly want to help give you good
advice. I don’t want your property,
I
don’t want you to hire me for ANYTHING and frankly given my relationship with
the Mayor and his administration, I wouldn’t be the best person to advocate for
you at the City.
I
am giving you my expertise as a RE Developer and Business operator and based
upon my experience with Pensacola specifically on my business that was
subjected to the same conditions and I was also shut down for
“events/functions.”
This
is real simple, if you do the life/safety upgrades (shouldn’t cost more than
$2,000) and petition for conditional use as an antique/art store (a retail
use/retail license NOT office/business consultant) you could operate your
business NOW.
However,
if you think you can open without upgrades and proper license you are mistaken.
If you think that a continued blog post assaults and inflammatory allegations
AGAINST the people you need to get approval is going to help you … I
respectfully must remind you that it hasn’t worked to date and to continue to
take the same actions expecting a different reaction, I would say you are
mistaken.
I
wish you well and hope you truly get understanding, because I would like to
someday come and buy some art and antiques from you.
All
the Best!
Your
own posts regarding a communication with the City said, “According to
Inspections Services, hosting wedding and other special events would change the
occupancy of the building” … that is the issue you have a consulting business
license, NOT a retail license, NOT an event center license.
To
change the USE from office to retail requires different building codes for
different uses.
