Web posted
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Mozitti's to get awning
City to lease sidewalk space to bypass regulations
By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer
The City Commission on Wednesday voted to lease the sidewalk in front of Mozitti's Restaurant so the Italian eatery could put up an awning, a city commissioner said today.
The commission approved the lease 5-0 at a meeting last night, said Commissioner Patrick McDonald.
The lease is for 20 years, renewable each year for $50.
City Attorney Tamara Niles said if Mozitti's were to move, the restaurant would be required to remove the canopy.
Restaurant owner Doreen Ryan was surprised last August to find out that the city's Board of Zoning Appeals rejected her plan to put up an awning, saying it would present a hazard to pedestrians.
Ryan said she proposed the awning to make the restaurant more attractive to customers. She said it would protect people from the weather as they left their cars at curbside to enter the restaurant. It would also block sunlight from streaming into the front door, and result in an energy savings.
Despite the zoning board's ruling, the issue wasn't dead because at least one commissioner, Mell Kuhn, publicly criticized the decision.
On Sept. 7, Rick Rush, chairman of the zoning appeals board, said the ruling against the awning would be looked at again.
Commissioner Mell Kuhn said today, "how dare us ever stifle a business in town for only a code that applies to main thoroughfares."
A woman at Mozitti's said today that the restaurant planned to erect the awning after last night's decision.
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