Phenix City Council votes on whether to shut down this business. Here’s the result
A business accused of being a public nuisance for violations of building, zoning and fire codes was shut down when the Phenix City Council unanimously approved a resolution during its meeting Tuesday.
The council conducted an administrative hearing and vote on whether to revoke or refuse to renew Interstate National’s business license until the code violations are corrected and verified by the city’s building and fire departments.
Interstate National is a diesel engine, truck and trailer repair service at 406 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway.
The building department compiled a four-year timeline of city ordinance violations against Interstate National, including littering, care of premises, burning debris, and living or sleeping in a business and an RV where zoning doesn’t permit it.
The incidents culminated April 12, when Phenix City Municipal Court Judge Patrick Loftin assessed Interstate National owner Kenneth Anderson a $2,025 fine — $25 per day for 81 days of not complying with the order to clean up the business, according to the timeline.
Anderson also was fined $200, plus court costs, after pleading guilty to operating a business without a license, but he pleaded not guilty to the charge of violating zoning and fire codes.
Hearing testimony
A city official who inspected the property testified that it smelled of petroleum and the soil near the creek behind the property was saturated with a black substance. He also said he saw urine flowing out of the property’s RV, where two people were sleeping with a space heater and candles but no fire extinguisher.
Fire Chief Kris Kennedy testified that her department responded in April to what was thought to be a fire at the adjacent Eagle Landing Apartments but ended up being Interstate National’s outdoor burning without a permit.
“It’s very much a hazard,” she said.
Mayor Eddie Lowe said, “The council don’t take that lightly when it comes to safety of people in this community.”
Anderson replied, “I agree we need to do exactly what they’re saying, but this takes money, and I went through every dollar I had to keep this company alive during COVID.”
Lowe: “We hear you, but, again, the process has not been followed by you. We have the fiduciary responsibility to get to this point and take our action, whatever those actions are. Going back to 2018, you just have not been in compliance.”
City manager Wallace Hunter told Anderson, “It’s greater than that at this point in time. I understand what you’re talking about financially. … The life of someone down there, your money can’t compare to that and these taxpayers.”
This story was originally published May 2, 2022 at 9:56 AM.
