My son runs a McDonalds and they are in the process, nearly complete of tearing down and rebuilding the restaurant. So when we were out yesterday we stopped by to check out the progress. Charlie was there so we got the in side the store preview tour. There have been many headaches but they are scheduled to reopen on Thursday only a month late. It sure doesn't look at this point like they will make it without very long days by construction and clean up crews.
So where am I going with all this? While walking around the store and hearing about all the little hang ups something he said really set me off. McDonalds has templates for interior and exterior design, you get a design catalog and pick features you like. Turns out the mayor in Middleburg Hts. decided that he should pick all the design elements for the outside of the building. I'm not just talking zoning requirements like distances to the street and adjoining properties. This mayor feels he should decide brick colors and styles,and detailing on the overhangs, and what style lights should run across the front of the property. Now this is a 2.5 million dollar project and if I was spending the money I would be royally pissed to have somebody come in and dictate in such a heavy handed way how to spend my money. The mayor's lighting demand alone is adding around 50 grand.
This is power at it's worst. I told my wife on the way home it makes me want to move to Middleburg hts. so I could run for mayor. People that are that heavy handed in wielding power need to be deposed.
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how did he get away with this? mayors don't have this power, do they? at least not around here. there are some towns in our area that have bizarre regulations about building that make sure those towns lack diversity and are dull and uninteresting to my eye, but the mayor? on his own? because of his private design whim? i don't think so. i can imagine how maddeningly frustrating that process has been.
ReplyDeleteSounds crazy. Was any kind of a reason given? I mean, was it in exchange for a tax break, anything at all? Around here, a couple of suburbs had issues like that come up. Basically, they were towns that didn't want chain places coming in at all, but they compromised as long as the stores built in a way to blend in with the other businesses, keep it classy, whatever. But it wasn't just a mayor throwing weight around, it was zoning, community groups, etc.
ReplyDeleteIt was an existing franchise and a long term mayor and as far as I know he was just throwing his weight around. Since the mayor appoints the zoning board and the building inspectors there isn't a lot of ovoversight of what each branch does.
ReplyDeleteBob,
ReplyDeleteIf ya run, you've got my vote. However, I'd have to move to Middleburg Hts which likely isn't going to happen.
Separately, and more to the point, this kind of nonsense is the crap that government does that hinders the ability of business to succeed. When politicians complain about excessive regulations Dem's like Obama say they don't care about clean air or clean water. Ah, BS! There are millions of government regulations that do nothing for anyone and were put in place so politicians can claim they did something. A good example are the statements you get from financial institutions letting you know their privacy rules regarding your accounts. People think "Oh goodie, Congress is sticking to the banks and looking out for us." Nope, Congress ain't looking out for us and they aren't sticking it to the banks. Guess what morons, banks pass the cost of sending those stupid statements on to the customer (yeah, customer means you). Don't blame Bank of America when they charge a fee for using an ATM, blame the politicians you thought was looking out for you
Bill, that's why the Occupy Wall Street group is so misplaced they belong in Washington.
ReplyDeletemaybe they're not in washington because they think the strings in washington are being pulled by the money on wall street.
ReplyDeleteThis doesn't sound like "regulation" or a liberal agenda... it sounds like a crazy politician with a massively inflated ego who should be voted out quickly (and maybe charged with some sort of criminal conduct?).
ReplyDelete