Richard
Panama City,#2Author of original report
Wed, March 10, 2004
The Grocery Outlet has, and still is receiving preferential treatment from Panama City's local government, code enforecment, and the police department. I have some proof of this, but not enough to take to court; however, I do have substantial proof (evidence) regarding the violations occuring adjacent to our property. I will send this info to Rip-off Report to post or I will submit this below. The store owner's also operate another grocery store on the other side of town where residents who live nearby also complained of noise from the stores refrigeration equipment. I investigated this complaint, and was told by a code officer by the name of Rebecca Dallas that she was the officer who investigated the noise complaint. She also told me that she took sound measurements on the plaintiffs property, and even admitted that the noise could be heard indoors, but she did not feel the stores noise was in violation of Panama City codes. The same occured when I called the code e. regarding the noise where we reside, but received the same answer from another code officer who had taken only two measurements on our property. Not being satisfied with these findings, I called the commissioner for our ward who had the code e. return to our property for more measurements, but the conclusions were the same, so I called on the police dept. for help. They sent an officer Randy Squire to our property who arrived at 1:30 am January 24th, 2001, and his report concluded that the grocery store was in noncompliance of city codes. This is when the code e was forced to cite the store for said violations, and this is when enclosures began being erected by the son-in-law of one of the owners. These enclosures remained for one year before they were removed; even if the enclosures did little to solve the problem. As I have mentioned, I have received no help from this city's local government, office of the governor, Florida's dept. of environmental protection, the agriculture department, our local health dept., the epa, and other entities involved. All of Florida's laws, this city's municipal codes and more violations of noise, vibration and substantial diminution being forced upon ourselves, and our property, but nothing has been accomplished regarding this issue; Laws like Florida's Constitution, Article 2, Section 7 which states, "Excessive noise will not be tolerated, or Florida Statutes, Chapter 403-031-7, Definition of Noise, 403-161, 381 General health provisions, U S Code, Title 42, Chapter 65, Section 49, Panama City municipal codes, Chapter 18 Nuisances, 18-83 Performance standards, and much more. So far we, the owner's of said property located at 1505 Chestnut Ave. have paid out approximately $6,000 dollars in property taxes, and have received no real reprensentation for these funds, let alone the cost of an expert noise consultant, and many hours of time and resources expended, yet still no relief for our troubles. The conditions we are forced too live under are at best, intolerable, and is an egregious violation of this city's codes.