So I meet with the town planner and officals today

[Mike Goff]

Stockholm syndrome

It's amazing how far we have come. Not just the haunt industry, but every small business in America. We now plead our case as to why we should have the privilage to be self-employed. They have so convinced us that we can only conduct business while being in their good graces, that we now take the new guys under our wings and show them how to be a good inmate.
I'm not busting anyones balls, Zombie Toxin is 100% right. Diplomacy will be your most valuable tool in getting through this. I agree that we must be safe, we must get along with our officials, but I would like to remind everyone of where we came from, and where we are going. The fact is, that the code is not all about safety, anyone with an ounce of sense will immediately recognize that their are ridiculous flaws, and that it is more about big business, than keeping us safe. Also remember that safety and liberty are inversely proportional. It's great that their are so many here that champion safety, once in a while it would be great for someone to champion our right to do what we love to do, and to earn a living while doing it.

Just once in a while.

Good luck with your endeavor, and don't risk more than you can afford to lose.

[scottylmt]

Great thread!

Thank you Haunted Paws for posting this I am learning a ton.

For what its worth, I went through some of the same stuff when starting my massage therapy clinic. The haunt industry has so many more facets tho, and you're dealing with many more people. I do agree some of those are a bit outlandish tho; esp the one about unsupervised teenagers... what the hell do they think happens at a movie theater or outside a school dance?

I agree with the above advice, keep making friends by being polite and ASK for solutions. I did that with my clinic and easily got through a few snags.

I also agree there's more to it than safety, its about keeping their grip on us business owners. I call it the back door tax system... all these "licenses" and inspection fees is just state and city taxes in disguise, with a small splash of safety concern thrown in...

[HauntedPaws]

Today after all the "questions" I called about what I need for a building permit and the guy knew who I was already apparently he was at the meeting and I just don't have enough parking. I sugegstions on remedying the parking were met with "I doubt it" He suggested a 2ndary site which was about 3x as expensive as the one I was planning to use. I think those of you with indoor haunts must be millionaires already because these warehouses don't run cheap least up here.

[HauntedPaws]

So I had thought I would be approved by the town by June. However today's round of info puts it at July 12th. That seems like a heck of small window to try to go from zero to ready in unless I can afford an army of carpenters. One hiccup and I'd probably be sunk too.

[BrotherMysterio]

So I had thought I would be approved by the town by June. However today's round of info puts it at July 12th. That seems like a heck of small window to try to go from zero to ready in unless I can afford an army of carpenters. One hiccup and I'd probably be sunk too.

And after you've run that gauntlet, you still get to have the Fire Marshall and Building Inspector sign off on everything post-build, or you don't open for the season.

C.