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+--- Thread: Officials want $200 K from Farmers Market owner (/showthread.php?tid=20373)
Officials want $200 K from Farmers Market owner - MarkD - 11-11-2018
Excerpts, T-H story:
"The county’s Public Works Building Division chief sent a letter last month to the owner-operator of Hilo Farmers Market notifying him that fines for noncompliance with building, zoning and fire codes have surpassed $200,000.
The letter from David Yamamoto to Keith De La Cruz dated Oct. 10 said inspectors “have documented daily violations are still occurring on your properties, involving non-compliant tents being erected and obstruction” of sidewalks."
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2018/11/11/hawaii-news/hilo-farmers-market-fines-exceed-200k/
Probably won't be too hard for the county to force the guy out of business. He might not have $200 K in the bank. He put in a new temporary tent. He is also paying for "design and drawing" plans for the new structure. And then he will have to pay for the new structure.
Excerpt: “We’re working with the county as best we can,” De La Cruz said..."We are following the protocols of what we were told to do as far as processing. We’ve done a lot in the past six months. I think we’ve got about three-quarters of it done.”
How's he supposed to do all that after paying a $200 K fine? But maybe he's rich and can afford all that.
Meanwhile, according to the county, the daily fines continue: "$1,000 a day on each parcel inspectors find noncompliance with code requirements."
Everyone can see that he forced all vendors to set back some 10 feet from the building wall. Apparently every time a vendor sets down a bucket of fruit over the 10-foot line, another fine accrues.
How much more than $1000 a day is De La Cruz earning from all his vendors combined?
Maybe De La Cruz should shut everything down, clear the whole lot, and demand a negotiation on the $200 K fine. And put up a sign: Closed by Hawaii County until further notice.
Then county officials can proceed with their crackpot idea to relocate all the vendors out to the muddy field next to the Bayfront fence. We'll see how that will work out when our winter rains come....
RE: Officials want $200 K from Farmers Market owner - Chunkster - 11-11-2018
The "right people" aren't making money off the current Farmers Market arrangement, so suddenly code enforcement becomes important. Never mind all the other, more dangerous, violations we can see just about anywhere. Another example of your good old boy county government at work.
RE: Officials want $200 K from Farmers Market owner - glinda - 11-11-2018
How much more than $1000 a day is De La Cruz earning from all his vendors combined?
I would think enough to afford to build an open sided permanent roof structure along with all the appropriate infrastructure to accommodate it's vendors. The owner of the property is obviously thumbing their nose at county. I don't know right or wrong of all the details of the humbug between those guys but gee that market place has been a cash cow for a long time. It sure would be nice if it wasn't such a dump.
RE: Officials want $200 K from Farmers Market owner - kalakoa - 11-11-2018
Never mind all the other, more dangerous, violations we can see just about anywhere.
There were at least 15 cars parked along the highway to avoid the $2 fee at Makuu.
I didn't see HPD writing parking tickets.
enough to afford to build an open sided permanent roof structure along with all the appropriate infrastructure
Assume that De La Cruz can afford to negotiate the permitting process and build a structure. How much will he have to charge vendors to recoup the cost of the structure and the increased property taxes? Now figure lots of extra time/expense in the permitting process (property is in an SMA, tsunami inundation zone, etc) and loss of income because the market is shut down during construction.
How much more than $1000 a day is De La Cruz earning from all his vendors combined?
Enough that he hasn't had to shut down the market.
How's he supposed to do all that after paying a $200 K fine?
I believe the fine is tax-deductible, maybe it's a convenient loss against his portfolio?
RE: Officials want $200 K from Farmers Market owner - Durian Fiend - 11-12-2018
Sounds like poor planning on De La Cruz' part. He says they've done a lot in the past 6 months.
Well, obviously not enough! He should have got started before the permit expired.
A permanent structure for the market should be nice, so I hope it really happens.