The owner of a longtime Eustis barbecue hangout just won a battle with the city over barbed wire.
His choice of protection around Kings Taste BBQ along Palmetto Street was costing business owner Wilts Alexander hundreds in code enforcement fines, so he took his case to city commissioners.
"When a policy or code affects the safety and happiness, you have the right to challenge or change that," Alexander said.
He said safety is the issue for his historic establishment, which has been in the same location for six decades.
"None of my preferred customers come down after dark. They're scared," he said.
Alexander said he added three strands of barbed wire to his
City commissioners agreed with Alexander and, despite staff recommendation otherwise, said he can keep the strands of barbed wire on his 5-foot fence.
Around the corner from Alexander's restaurant, Gail Isaac Thomas has a fence around her property. She said she was celebrating the city's decision to allow Alexander to keep his fence.
Alexander blames the problems on cutbacks in police bike and foot patrols, and what he called the city's failure to follow its own safety initiatives, like failing to install promised street lights.
"This was part of their plan and we're still waiting," said Thomas.
Recognizing bigger issues
"I've got to give business owners and property owners the right to defend their property," Eustis Vice Mayor Michael Holland said.
Commissioners said they plan to address the $750 in fines that were levied against the restauran
His choice of protection around Kings Taste BBQ along Palmetto Street was costing business owner Wilts Alexander hundreds in code enforcement fines, so he took his case to city commissioners.
"When a policy or code affects the safety and happiness, you have the right to challenge or change that," Alexander said.
He said safety is the issue for his historic establishment, which has been in the same location for six decades.
"None of my preferred customers come down after dark. They're scared," he said.
Alexander said he added three strands of barbed wire to his
City commissioners agreed with Alexander and, despite staff recommendation otherwise, said he can keep the strands of barbed wire on his 5-foot fence.
Around the corner from Alexander's restaurant, Gail Isaac Thomas has a fence around her property. She said she was celebrating the city's decision to allow Alexander to keep his fence.
Alexander blames the problems on cutbacks in police bike and foot patrols, and what he called the city's failure to follow its own safety initiatives, like failing to install promised street lights.
"This was part of their plan and we're still waiting," said Thomas.
Recognizing bigger issues
"I've got to give business owners and property owners the right to defend their property," Eustis Vice Mayor Michael Holland said.
Commissioners said they plan to address the $750 in fines that were levied against the restauran
WFTV
