Illegal construction by illegals prevented a market from opening this morning. The owner doesn't want to understand why. I know they city lawyer and planning director and they have been and will be busy with this case.


South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Hundreds disappointed when Hollywood farmer's market opening delayed
City refuses to issue permit
Mike Clary and Joe Cavaretta

2:38 PM EST, November 8, 2009

Hollywood

They arrived in droves, beginning before 7 a.m. expecting organic squash, fresh bakery goods and pony ride for the kids, all in a onetime steel manufacturing warehouse turned into South Florida newest farmer's market.

"We were planning on getting all of our greens here," said Jaime Herman, 38, who came from Parkland with her husband Lee and their two young children.

But what Herman and hundreds of others got Sunday at the Yellow Green Farmer's Market was a hand-out notice that the opening was delayed – perhaps forever – due to the city's refusal to issue an occupancy permit to owner Abraham Lalo.

And Lalo, who said he has invested nearly $5 million in getting ready for the opening, was furious. "Something good has turned into something sour," said Lalo, 59, who with his family, runs Invicta Watch group, next door to the market property on North 30 th Road. "Now I don't want to open."

After weeks of wrangling with Hollywood officials over permitting and inspections, Lalo said he learned Friday that he would not be permitted to open.

"I can't be any clearer than this," wrote city planning director Jaye Epstein in an e-mail to Lalo. "Yellow Green Farmer's Market will not be opening on Sunday, November 8, 2009. The reason continues to be all work has been done without permits, inadequate plans has [sic] been submitted, inspections can not be made, approvals can not be granted.

"We are dealing with major life safety issue, not minor technicalities."

Lalo admits that improvements to an existing bathroom, and some electrical work, may not have been properly permitted. But he also suggests that city officials have been less than cooperative in assisting the venture he said would create 700 new jobs and that his family would operate at a loss.

"Why isn't the city helping instead of hurting," said Lalo's daughter Gany Lalo, 36.

Eyal Lalo, 35, Gany's brother, speculated that the some city officials may fear the Farmer's Market could morph into a flea market. But he said vendors, working from 350 booths, would sell only produce, flowers, baked goods and art. Not welcome, he said, were sellers of radios, used clothing or tattoos.

"We assumed that they intended to work with us to make this a success," he said.

Epstein, in an e-mail sent early Friday morning, insisted the city would welcome a farmer's market. "The idea of a Farmer's Market is an interesting concept, one which the city would likely embrace," he wrote to Lalo. "However, this is not about a Farmer's Market, this is about protecting the health, safety and welfare of the public."

Gany Lalo said the family began to run radio spots Saturday in an effort to pull back from a wide advertising campaign touting the grand opening. But the constant stream of traffic into the site Sunday morning attested to the fact that many had not heard the opening was cancelled.

Adriana Ruiz, along with Dexter Roberson and their son Emilio, 6, drove up from their home in South Miami. "I can't wait for this to open," said Ruiz as she and her family walked through the cavernous space, decorated with hay bales, wooden farm wagons and ceramic Holstein cows.

While Abraham Lalo said he might explore moving the market to Hallandale, Gany and Eyal Lalo said they still hoped to open on the Hollywood site.

Copyright © 2009, South Florida Sun-Sentinel


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