The potential closure of the Enchanted Forest has caused a monumental outpouring of emotion from pretty much everyone who has ever been there. One target of the ire is the city’s Public Assembly Code Enforcement (PACE) team.
Battalion Chief Don Smith of the Prevention Divisions, who is also assistant fire marshal and PACE spokesman, just called Newsdesk to say that his unit is not some secret cabal trying to shut the place down. What they have done, he said, is tell owner/operator Albert DeLoach, in advance of the regular six-monthly renewal of the site’s temporary usage permit, that there were some serious permit and health and safety issues that need to be dealt with. “There wasn’t anything scheming,” he said.
“It’s pretty nice,” Smith said about the forest. “I hope they are able to do what they want to do, but they need to pass inspection.”
The fire department have worked with DeLoach in the past and Smith added, “Captain [Jeff] Solomon went out there on the 17th and he was very upset that he had to tell him this.” Now, before anyone calls this city spin, DeLoach spoke with Newsdesk earlier today and he said the same thing about Solomon. “I’ve never really had anyone apologize for writing a ticket,” he said, “but he basically did.”
While he can’t give DeLoach specific advice about what paperwork he should be filling, Smith said, “I don’t know what he needs to do, but he needs to get with the city, and with his neighbors,” said Smith. He’s already told DeLoach that he should contact the Development Assistance Center, to help get the right zoning and permit approval.
This article appears in July 18 • 2008.