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Green Fork Kitchen owner tells Live Oak council building department, CRA are blocking opening
Summary
Shanice Brown, owner of Green Fork Kitchen, told the City of Live Oak council that the building department and the Community Redevelopment Agency have held a CRA payment and issued a violation before a building inspection, leaving her unable to open and saying she is incurring costs and lost wages.
Shanice Brown, owner of Green Fork Kitchen, told the City of Live Oak council that she has been blocked from opening her restaurant because the city’s building department and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) have not provided inspection guidance and have held a CRA payment.
"I'm trying to do everything out of good faith, but I'm being blocked by the building department and the CRA department," Brown said during the public-comment period. "I've been issued a violation for my building that I cannot comply with until I get directions and information from the building department and the CRA department...they're holding my CRA money until I comply with unknown things."
Brown described delays in communication and inconsistent dates. She said her CRA check was "ready on October 3," but she did not receive a violation until the seventh. She also said the notice warned of penalties of about "$250 a day" until corrections are made, and that lack of staff response has prevented her from addressing the cited deficiencies.
Brown told the council she had not yet had a building inspection; she said only a fire inspector had visited and that the inspector had been "significantly rude." She identified city staff she said were involved in the matter: Tim Williams, George Curtis, Christian Dixon, Nicholas Figola and Jamie Fisher.
Why it matters: Brown said she already has nine employees on the payroll and said delays are costing the business daily revenue and wages. Her comments raise procedural questions about inspection scheduling, CRA disbursement timing and the city's communications with applicants.
What the council record shows: Brown made the allegations during the public-comment period. Council members acknowledged the comment and proceeded to the next speakers; the transcript does not record an immediate staff response or formal council action on Brown's request during the meeting.
Clarifying details from the comment: Brown said the CRA check was available Oct. 3 and she received a violation Oct. 7 (dates as stated by Brown); she said she was told the city assessed penalties at roughly $250 per day until corrections were made.
Follow-up: The council did not provide a response on the record at the time Brown spoke; council staff or the city manager did not provide an on-the-record clarification during the meeting transcript provided.
