Island Grill Forced To Get Rid Of The Tiki Bar
Island Grill in Islamorada is losing its tiki hut after a three-year battle with the Islamorada Village Council. Apparently the tiki bar and adjacent tent, which provide seating for almost 100 people, didn't have the necessary permits.
Former Building Director Catherine Harding initially declared the structure legal, company representatives have long said. But after Harding stepped down in fall 2005, current Building Director Gerry Albertson took the opposite position.Given the number of extra seats that the tent provides, perhaps that $275,000 doesn't look so silly. The article mentions that the restaurant will still set up seating on the beach area that used to belong to the tiki hut.In September 2007, after several hearings before the Village Council, council members granted the Island Grill property a series of exceptions, known as variances, to city land-use laws. Island Grill management had sought the variances in order to be eligible to apply for belated building permits for the tent and tiki hut.
But even the variances didn't solve their problems. Still necessary before permits could be issued: a ruling by FEMA that the hut and tent wouldn't sit in a flood zone, as maps currently show.
"Every time we accomplished one hurdle the village would give us five more. We are in over $275,000 for a bamboo tiki hut," McCormick said, referencing fees for consultants and attorneys.
Island Grill to shut down tiki bar [The Citizen]
Island Grill [MenuPages]
Island Grill [Official Site]
Photo: crume/flickr
