The Pearl DARTed by COJ / JSO

[apvbguy]

And "The Lighthouse" seems to be shining farther into Springfield every day....

both sides on this issue are right, the violations were rightly noted and the business closed until they complied by bringing the place up to code and it was a massive misuse of resources used to issue the violations, it could have been handled by one inspector. However how do you know what triggered the response, were they responding to complaints? none of us know. so to recap, the violations and closure were warranted but the way the "raid" was done was absurd.

[David]

MayorsOffice@metrojacksonville.com

jpeyton@coj.net

citycouncil@metrojacksonville.com

Thanks for posting those email addresses Stephen. Things like this make me want to go beyond writing a lone email, but hey, it's a start. I also want to know more about the DART process and other variables which I included in my email to the city. I know this isn't about the Jaguars, a Kenney Chesney concert, Jesus or McCain coming to town, so I hope more people really do take an interest in this.

The only valid concern I can see from the raid is occupancy level issues. It can get crowded in there, but wouldn't being over capacity just warrant a one night shutdown? Also the local news sites list the capacity @ 150, but with the back patio open as it usually is on their busy nights, wouldn't that increase the occupancy to handle several hundred more? Either way, I don't see how even that would warrant shutting down a business.

[obie1]

There is something else going on here and I don't wanna get all tinfoilhatty but yes the inspections for fire code etc. should happen during daytime hours in a relaxed atmosphere where the inspectors can take their time with a walk thru and write up detailed citations with a time limit for adherence with the owner of the property by their side  rather than at night with flashlights and riot gear. which makes more sense? I know stupid question. The extension cords etc. sound like OOps CYA crap when they can't find anything of substance to peg on the clubs. This is disgraceful and I hope somebody's head ends up on a platter regarding the BS that has been going down. Any investigative journalists want to dive into this mess?

[RiversideGator]

And "The Lighthouse" seems to be shining farther into Springfield every day....

Any proof that FBC was behind this or is this just a conspiracy theory among those who already hate FBC?

[jbm32206]

If the violations noted in this article from CBS47 are indeed true, then it was a matter of safety violations that would indeed, validate the closing of the property until those violations have been corrected. To have that many people in that small of a building, which is way over the legal occupancy limits, then that in of itself is a major safety issue.

The City of Jacksonville has shut down a popular Springfield night spot. The Pearl on North Main Street was cleared of all its customers early Friday morning by the Drug Abatement Response Team, or DART. The name of the agency implies drugs were the reason for the raid. But that was not the case. DART was called in to investigate reports of underage drinking, then discovered a lot more.

Jason Teal of D.A.R.T. says, "Our building inspection department found 30 major violations." Teal says the building was way over capacity, "When we got there, there was nearly 400 people in the location, which the fire marshall's office has estimated the occupancy should have only been 150."

D.A.R.T. says The Pearl had faulty wiring inside, and only one exit. Both are code violations. Teal says, "There's only one way out of the location for nearly 400 people. And had there been an emergency, it would have really been a bad situation. People would have been trampled trying to get out."

Two things D.A.R.T. didn't find were any serious drug offenses or a major problem with underage drinking. The team says there were only a couple of arrests.

The owner of The Pearl says D.A.R.T.'s raid was all wrong. Christy Frazier-Dailey says, "They took my business away from me. And I'm losing how many night, over permitting, over small violations. Now, I'll just be another business shut down in Springfield."

The City says The Pearl can reopen as soon as everything inside is fixed. Frazier-Dailey says she's not sure when, or if, that will happen.

http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=5b52cb45-5d1e-4361-ba7c-df10c37b6b76

[CrysG]

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Pearl. I wanted to go out to the club before I found out it closed. I've gone there many times and I've never seen anything suspicious and I've felt safer there then anyplace else downtown.

I know that there are laws to protect us, but with this city being the murder capital of the state, I think JSO needs to worry about other area's.

Think on this. With all the murders that happened this and last year, how many of them happened at the Pearl?

[jbm32206]

So I gather that you don't feel that fire safety violations are important? Perhaps the families of those killed in over crowded bars in other cities, where they died as a result of not only the fire, but being trampled because of panic and too many people with not enough exits...could offer some insight to how important it is.

Yes, there's plenty of crime out there to be handled, but DART involves more than JSO...and they're a separate entity within JSO. All the owner has to do is rectify the violations and reopen. It's a shame she's losing revenue while this takes place, but she has a good business and should be able to bounce back.

[CrysG]

So I gather that you don't feel that fire safety violations are important? Perhaps the families of those killed in over crowded bars in other cities, where they died as a result of not only the fire, but being trampled because of panic and too many people with not enough exits...could offer some insight to how important it is.

Yes, there's plenty of crime out there to be handled, but DART involves more than JSO...and they're a separate entity within JSO. All the owner has to do is rectify the violations and reopen. It's a shame she's losing revenue while this takes place, but she has a good business and should be able to bounce back.

If Christmas lights and extention cords are enough to to make the Dart shut a place down then I would NOT recommend a trip to Burbon St or my balcony. How long has that place been open? How many fires have they had? I'm going to take that you've never been to the Pearl. Yes they have one "exit" but if tthere is a fire my first instict wouldn't be to run back into the build when I could just jump over the waist high fence that they have in the outside deck area.

Are they still within JSO? Can they still arrest someone for murder? If I'm speeding can they give me a ticket? Yes? Then do something else that is more important for for the city.  Besides doesn't this city have something called a Fire Marshall or is that just for city's with common sense?

[Chaz1969]

And "The Lighthouse" seems to be shining farther into Springfield every day....

Any proof that FBC was behind this or is this just a conspiracy theory among those who already hate FBC?

A wise man once said, "those that forget the past are condemened to repeat it."  Has everyone forgotten the various problems that The Art Bar (and the short-lived Heaven) had with nearby businesses and churches?  I bet FBC remembers even if you don't.

[jbm32206]

People are going off half cocked and moaning about issues which are minuet compared to what the place was closed for. The over crowding is a major safety issue, and it wasn't a matter of just a few people more than the limit, if there were as many as reported (aprox 400) and only one exit, that's totally unacceptable. The law requires a certain amount of exits and an occupancy limit, these were the violations also cited, and what resulted in the place being closed until the owner can bring them under compliance.

It doesn't matter if there's not been a fire there...and God willing, there never will be. However, that argument is without reason...all it takes is one. Do you not recall the horrific fires in New England (The Station) or in New York, where people died as a result of not only the fire, but being trampled by those trying to get out? When people are in that kind of situation, reason goes out and panic sets in...and people die or are seriously injured as a result.

Yes, there's such a thing as the Fire Marshal, and I believe the report says they were part of the DART team, which also consists of ATF, code enforcement and other agencies...and there were only a few JSO officers involved. The DART program is a department within the JSO, and they have a specific cause. They're not the ones patrolling the streets, and they're not the detectives that investigate murders, which are also individual departments. Keep in mind, they were acting upon complaints made to the DART office, so it's not like they simply decided to harass the bar owner.

[jbm32206]

jbm

there are actually multiple exits from the Pearl.  Not one.

The DART program was conceived as a Drug Abatement Response Team.

Not a jackbooted code enforcement team on steroids.

Also consider the effect that having a closed business will have on Main Street?

Now there are NO nighttime businesses on Main Street from the Main street Bridge until you get to MLK.

So when the drug trade, the shootings and the rapes start again, who will stand up for code enforecement then?

I understand how DART was started, but it does involve code enforcement and other agencies. As for the Pearl, I can only go by what the violations state, and one of them is insufficient exits, which is a fire safety code violation, as well as the over crowding.

Just because I feel these are indeed issues that need to be rectified, doesn't mean that I'm happy to see the placed closed until the owner can get the place into compliance. I feel badly for her, knowing that she's losing revenue while this takes place.

As for jackbooted code enforcement, I don't know what they looked like, but I doubt they looked or acted like anything other than professional. Even statements from those who were there stated that JSO, etc weren't pushy, they weren't out of line and didn't come in like commandos...and that there were only a few cops there. The additives only enhance the feeling of everyone being ticked off, and exaggerating the truth as it happened.

Being a resident of Springfield, I certainly don't like hearing of any business closing, and hope that the owner will bring the building into compliance or fight the violations...whatever she has to do, and then reopen. I know it's a popular bar, and people will return to it once it has reopened. I want to see continued growth, I want to see other businesses open and for Main street to come back to life...which right now, is in serious need of CPR!

As for the drug trade, shootings, etc....there's where part of our problem are...in that the officers that patrol need to handle. Comparing that to the DART program, well they're two different entities.

[jbm32206]

Jbm.

The open businesses at night are exactly what put a stop to the crime, which incidentally the police alone strategy was unable to do for the previous thirty years.

The DART program was conceived as an emergency response to drug dealing and related activities.

By their own admission, they didnt catch anyone with drugs at all.

Doesnt that occur to you as odd?

So the idea of squads of cops and closing the business for electrical cords and non serious violations is way out of bounds.

The whole reason that one has to go through permitting and inspections in the first place is to take care of all of supposed safety issues.

SPAR cooperated in the opening of the Pearl didnt they?

So the idea that a place with no drug activity, with none observed prior to the closedown on the Pearl's busiest night (Thursday) is going to be subject to a "Public Safety" closure is a bit ridiculous.

Every single one of the code enforcement agencies that were there had to sign off on the building.  Are you suggesting that they didn't do their job in the first place?   Meaning that one or all of them allowed a "serious' public safety issue to open for business?

Having been through the process many times I would tend to doubt it.

Most of the 'issues' could have been fixed on the spot.

I agree and even stated that in a much earlier post, that I felt the violations could've been handled much differently...that code enforcement/fire marshall, whomever...could easily have inspected the place during the day, and then cited the owner for the violations. Basically, I feel it was a bit much, and that DART has to prove their worth, you know, justify the existence of that unit.

However, if there really is fire safety issues, and over crowding, then I totally disagree and feel they're very important...think New England (The Station) and New York, where lots of people died at a fire in a bar that was over crowded and not sufficient exits...many of whom were trampled by the panic to get out. So I feel that's a very important issue. The extension cords...that violation could've been handled as just a citation.

Also, from what all I've heard, there weren't complaints about drugs there...which tells me that the DART office should just have forwarded the other complaints of underage patrons and over crowding to the appropriate authorities to handle...which I've also said before....so in a sense, yes, we agree.

It also makes one wonder about the point you've raised...were these issues not addressed when the business first opened up for business...for the most part, yes, they certainly should have been...otherwise, I feel that the business license shouldn't be issued until those inspections have been completed.

[Ricky]

You are working off bad information about the occupancy  the pearl has an occupancy of 338 and there where 390 people there   there are 3 exits from the building

[jbm32206]

(btw, you know that I love you.  This issue just has me a little hot under the collar.  It has the power to set back Springfield by 10 years or so)

I understand the frustration, and agree...that things could certainly have been handled better. I also hope that she can get it all rectified and open back up quickly. I saw workers there yesterday, so it seems like she's on top of it.

Hey, just because we may disagree on some aspects, doesn't impact us getting along....so hugs back at ya!

[jbm32206]

You are working off bad information about the occupancy  the pearl has an occupancy of 338 and there where 390 people there   there are 3 exits from the building

I'm 'working' off information that was cited and what was reported on the news, just like most of us...unless of course, someone is privy to the final report