Council, business in code flap
Olney business owners and citizens crowded into City Council chambers on March 10 to discuss the City’s plans to conduct yearly code inspections of all commercial buildings.
The discussion centered on a recent experience by business owner Jackie and Freddie Voyles, who said they were surprised to learn that they had to install a vent hood with fire suppression in their new restaurant, Old Time Cafe, after a fire inspection.
The Voyles and Jackie’s father, Ronnie Griffith, opened the cafe at 111 W. Main Street a week earlier but Jackie said she was unsure whether she could continue operating if the City required the new vent hood, which cost $15,000.
She said she asked the Council to include a discussion item about code enforcement requirements for new businesses after she learned that Old Time Cafe and her other business, Olney Auto Tire & Truck Service, would be required to have yearly fire inspections.
Olney has not conducted yearly inspections, as intended, because of a lack of staff, Mayor Rue Rogers said. Former Olney Police Detective Dustin Hudson, who now operates Hometown Cafe and Hudson’s on Main, used to conduct those inspections.
With Mr. Hudson’s departure from the Olney Police Department, the City has been struggling to keep up with fire and safety inspections and turned to Jacksboro fire marshall Kurt Harris, Mayor Rogers said.
Mr. Harris told Mrs. Voyles that she has 30 days to comply with the requirement for the new vent hood, she said, adding that the City Council could help businesses by putting together an information packet with the requirements.
“If I had known that, I would not have bought this building,” she said. “Being blindsided like that, we don’t want other businesses to go through that.”
Mr. Harris said he could waive the requirement for six months “if she keeps it sparkling clean” to avoid a fire hazard from the fryer.
Other business owners wanted to know how much notice they would receive before the inspections.
“Most businesses know what’s in the code - it’s pretty vague,” Mr. Harris said, adding that most businesses submit blueprints ahead of the inspection. “I could have given you an advance warning before you spent a penny,” he said.
In 2022, the City Council brought the city fire code in line with the international fire code, and at the time said most of these changes would not affect current business owners unless they modify the interior, disturb the structure or change the occupancy type of their buildings.
Under the new code, Olney eventually will have to reinforce city streets to double their weight capacity to 85,000 pounds from the current 44,000 pounds to accommodate larger water and fire trucks.
Businesses that operate spray booths will have to have sprinkler systems, fireworks will remain banned in the city, new buildings of more than five stories tall or with two or more stories below grade or with a total of more than 500,000 square feet must have a post for firefighters to refill oxygen tanks and more fire extinguishers than under current rules, Detective Hudson said at the time.
The new code also requires yearly inspections but the City has “leeway to amend the code,” Mayor Rogers said. The Council asked some of the business owners in attendance if they could lend their expertise to help fellow building owners troubleshoot potential code problems.