Windshield Repair Forum

Clarity Glass wrote:I have been working out of a tent for 3 years now and have recently been shut down by the deputy fire marshal. My advice is DON'T make this your focus of doing business. The city and county officials will not cooperate with you "the little guy." I've recently invested in a HUGE bottle of migraine medication as we are going through the formal processes to be truly legal. Our case is unique because my property owner contributes roughly 20% percent of the tax revenue to our city and they have been flexing their corporate muscle. Still, we will have to abide by STRICT regulations of traffic flow, fire-resistant tent canopies, and signage. In the meantime we will do business the way we should have started by pounding the pavement and building contacts. Steve.

Wow, sorry to here about your changing situation Steve. I hope all goes well for you down there!! Scott

GlassStarz wrote:Hey some places dont like to see beside the road merchants and make it difficult for them so work elsewhere. Here in Vermont roadside signs are illegal keeps the place beautiful for the touristas some have tried to bypass it by painting the side of a semi trailer and parking it a field by the hiway it took a few weeks to come up with a law that you cant do that either.
my point is if the community doesnt allow beside the road or temp location vendors dont bump heads with them just set up elsewhere you dont have some devine right to set up just anywhere.

The Declaration of Independence states "We are endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights...." We DO have a DEVINE right to pursue our interests by setting up anywhere we can get premission from the land owner or manager. It is the government entities that violate our rights by restricting us using regulations that are illegal under the Constitution because they are prior restraint. There is no such thing as permission to exercise a right.

Clarity Glass wrote:I have been working out of a tent for 3 years now and have recently been shut down by the deputy fire marshal. My advice is DON'T make this your focus of doing business. The city and county officials will not cooperate with you "the little guy." I've recently invested in a HUGE bottle of migraine medication as we are going through the formal processes to be truly legal. Our case is unique because my property owner contributes roughly 20% percent of the tax revenue to our city and they have been flexing their corporate muscle. Still, we will have to abide by STRICT regulations of traffic flow, fire-resistant tent canopies, and signage. In the meantime we will do business the way we should have started by pounding the pavement and building contacts. Steve.

Have you found a fire resistant canopy? If so, what's the link?

Clarity Glass wrote:I have been working out of a tent for 3 years now and have recently been shut down by the deputy fire marshal. My advice is DON'T make this your focus of doing business. The city and county officials will not cooperate with you "the little guy." I've recently invested in a HUGE bottle of migraine medication as we are going through the formal processes to be truly legal. Our case is unique because my property owner contributes roughly 20% percent of the tax revenue to our city and they have been flexing their corporate muscle. Still, we will have to abide by STRICT regulations of traffic flow, fire-resistant tent canopies, and signage. In the meantime we will do business the way we should have started by pounding the pavement and building contacts. Steve.

Have you found a fire resistant tent? If so, what's the link?

I contacted EZ-Up and Champion and they have been tested under the CPAI index rating for fire resistance which now is not the most current. I ended up going downtown because the deputy fire marshall was not returning my calls after a week. I was referred to the fire marshall who stated the 10' X 10' canopy does not fall under the umbrella of needing a fire resistant coating. In our town anything bigger than 200 sq. ft. has to have a coating. If my tent were set up in line with multiple tents then I'd have to have a special coating, but I'm out along a roadway going around the local mall parking lot.
I need to have 75% of the space between the canopy and parking lot surface unobstructed. The 25% of obstruction is equivalent to one full sidewall. I won't disclose any more information about this subject on this board due to a local competitor who is like a nasty,dirty vulcher trying to steal my location.

Sounds like you got busted for something you didn't even need, if I am reading it correctly. Just like I said. The city people don't even know the codes! This is why I say calling the cops on competitors is complete stupidity. It only ends with EVERYONE run off. Once tent locations become suspect to the powers that be in any given location, everybody is out.

Scratchy, exactly!! The city will benefit $689 so we can jump through all their hoops and be subject to inspections. Inspections? As long as I set up the same way everyday who cares, just another opportunity to sell and gain a customer in my eyes. Positive side to this though is I never advertised where I was located knowing that something like this could happpen. Once I have the expensive piece of paper in my hands I will let everybody know.

Steve, What is the 689.$ piece of paper you refer to? Don't you already have the licensing and such? Any way I am glad your workin it out, I always appreciated your arrangement and advise.