The Cleveland Board of Zoning Appeals today granted approval for Loren Naji’s occupancy permit application, which was one of the obstacles that prompted the Cleveland Fire Department to shut his art gallery down.
The vote was unanimous, but it comes only after weeks upon weeks of struggle. Naji had to prove this morning that he had adequate parking – 53 spots. A quick look around at other Ohio City businesses and their parking situations reveals the Board of Zoning Appeals’ weird selective approach.
Anyway, Naji is one step closer back to normalcy, it would seem. Artists and their friends are continuing to sound the call for a reasonable and coherent set of policies or laws in this city that might facilitate neighborhood growth through unbound creativity. So far, the city of Cleveland has stumbled around drunkenly as its usurious relationship with local artists has been thrown into the spotlight.
City Councilman Joe Cimperman, however, says today’s vote will “allow creative life force2continue.” So there’s that.
This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2014.
“Weird, selective approach”? Anyone who files for a permit has to comply with current code. Existing permits are grandfathered in.
Creativity is great, but if you want to run a business, you might want to understand what laws apply.
Cleveland’s creative-types are not supposed to follow the rules. They’re different. At least Steve Litt and Eric Sandy would like you to believe.
It’s total bullshit. This guy has a target on his back…somebody up there doesn’t like him…somebody with clout (drag, pull, connections).
As a native Chicagoan who was born there and lived there for 36 years, and who saw countless “targets” shut down and run out of town on a rail (it is the choo-choo capital of the country, after all)…this is how things get done in cities.
New York…Cleveland…Chicago…size doesn’t matter…bottom line is always the same. The buck stops here…and here…and also over here. As in…moolah.
Did he grease the way to removing the target from his back…with a little WD-40 (payoffs) judiciously applied to the squeaky wheels? Pictures of dead presidents can make a lot of problems suddenly STFU and go away.
That (the old payola…AKA bribery) is how things get done…and undone…too.
Chuckles the Clown
Once again, the best way to avoid getting in trouble for not having permits, is to have said permits. I mean, there’s no new law that says you didn’t need permits before, but now all of a sudden you do. This is something that you’ve needed for the longest time. Everyone else has a permit, this should be a heads up to anyone that doesn’t have one that they should make a phone call and get one.