Zach Draper stands near the see-through plastic igloos that sheltered diners at “Charli’s on I-5.”
On rainy days last winter, customers of “Charli’s on I-5,” the food-trailer pod on Airport Road in Albany, were able to stay warm and dry inside igloo-like shelters. The city says the structures are not approved and will have to go.
I wrote about Charli’s a couple of times last year. The pod had erected a big tent to shelter its outdoor picnic tables, but that was allowed for only six months. The allowed period had expired in June, when the owner and a business partner asked the city council for a code change to allow the tent to stay. City officials cited the state fire code, which the city could not change or ignore.
In July, when a bike ride took me past the place again, the tent had been replaced with umbrellas providing welcome shade from the mid-day sun.
On Sunday, I stopped there on another ride. This was after the lunch crowd had gone, and I ran into Zach Draper, the proprietor, as he was going around emptying trash cans and tidying up.
Draper told me the igloos were a temporary solution to outdoor dining in inclement weather, and in any case the city had told him the shelters had to be gone by May 1.
Later I inquired at City Hall why the igloos could not be used. Community Development Director Matthew Ruettgers explained:
“It is not that the ‘igloos’ could not be used. The issue lies with their placement was not shown as part of the approved land use application, nor were they erected with the opportunity to review and determine if a building permit would be required. Keep in mind, building permits are a requirement of the State of Oregon’s building codes, which the city has a requirement to enforce through its delegation by the state. As you are aware the city must have a consistent approach in the application of all of our codes, including those we enforce through the State of Oregon.
“Additionally, commercial uses, which Charli’s is, have different requirements than simply putting something like this up for your own private use in your back yard. With these types of facilities being open to the public/employees, in most cases they will require permitting through the requirements in the State of Oregon’s commercial code.”
Now that warm weather is back, the issue is probably moot anyway. I stepped inside one of the plastic huts and sat down for a bit. The structure had ventilation but still it quickly got hot inside on that sunny Sunday afternoon.
When I asked, Draper said the business has been doing pretty well. A few nights before, he told me, a hundred or more people had been there, having a good time and and enjoying live music with their food.
By this coming fall, he said, Charli’s hopes to be able to afford to build a permanent cover that meets the approval of the city and whatever codes are involved.
The food pod is at 325 Airport Road, just off freeway exit 234A. Check it out next chance you get. (hh)
Nothing says “Welcome to Oregon” like warming up under a plastic igloo with your taco… until the fire code shows up and tells you your shelter didn’t file the proper paperwork. At this rate, we’ll need a permit just to open an umbrella during a drizzle. God forbid someone enjoys lunch without first submitting blueprints.
More harassment of business innovators by bureaucrats. Albany not a friendly place.
This is why businesses in Albany are failing. Zach’s creativity is great for the weather here in Oregon and so cool! Progressive ideas are what Albany needs. Albany will die off due to the lack of welcoming these super positive businesses. My kiddos want to go eat there before they are gone. Ventilation is an easy fix. The city needs to work with people like Zach instead of harassing people that work so hard to be successful. Hopefully, common sense will prevail and he is allowed to be successful as he deserves. We love the igloos and want them to be there every winter. Make more permanent ones to put up every year. That would be awesome!
Makes me wonder how land use rules and building permits would work in a free society.
The igloos remind me of Get Smart’s cone of silence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxmEtJ31Ldw
The City Councilors suck big time… they are not for helping the small business person. Remember this when you vote next time. 40 years ago, this would not happen… but in today’s world… rules and regulations have taken over this state (unless it appeals to Kotek)… People need to really need to start voting for councilors that are for the people.. not the ones that want to keep taxing people…
The City of Albany just wants to fill their pockets yet again!
What a ridiculous statement, and a total disgrace… people are truly trying to get by, and the “igloos” was a fantastic innovation!
Shame on our city council!
Instead of promoting businesses that create good jobs, the city makes ordinances that support building so called “affordable” housing. This is a good city to live in if you don’t want to work. It’s better than living in your mom’s basement. You can just hang around “smokin and drinkin” all day at the expense of the people who do work. Apparently laziness is a disability worthy of the city’s efforts. It is healthy people getting Helping Handsout.
Meanwhile it takes 9 months to clean up abandoned homeless encampments.
It’s the staff, yes the staff which City Manager does not restrain
Did any of you read the article?! It’s only a few words. Are you functionally illiterate or merely lazy? Is it that you are desperate to parrot the talking points that have disembrained you? The city is FORCED to follow state law. The city is just doing what it’s supposed to do. This is not the fault of the council or any other city officials.
I haven’t seen any testimony here from experts who know WHY such regulations are in place or any rational and specific arguments for why such regulations should be repealed. I only read the whining of the ill-informed. This forum is basically just regurgitated twattle like Facebook and Twitter.
Twattle is King in the Hering Alternative Universe. Reading the Comments ranging from Faux-anger to sophomoric, most are simply the daft musings one finds on X (formerly Twitter). The conspiracists, with no evidence, condemn an entire group of elected representatives, all the while adding to the veracity to that old Mark Twain bromide: “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” On the topic of this screed, the votes are in.
I am not ill-informed. Laws a written docs. We all know certain gov’t agencies that ignore/or look for options. Then there are variances that allow for common sense to prevail. Article indicates staff does not look for ways to accommodate reality in real time. Common practice for bureaucrats.