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SAWHORSE
Standoff continues between downtown property owner and Ann Arbor fire inspectors
The standoff between downtown property owner Ed Shaffran and the Ann Arbor Fire Department has lasted roughly a year now.
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/02/ann_arbor_fire_inspections.html
Shaffran is refusing to let the city's fire safety inspectors into his buildings until they can legally justify the inspections and the fees they charge.
Ed Shaffran stands in the entrance of 306 S. Main St., one of multiple downtown Ann Arbor buildings he owns and isn't letting the city's fire safety inspectors inside to inspect.
Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
"Arrest me. Take me to jail," says Shaffran, owner of the Ann Arbor-based real estate firm The Shaffran Companies Ltd.
The Ann Arbor News learned of the dispute between Shaffran and the city from emails uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The emails show Shaffran has been at odds with city officials over the city's ramped-up fire inspection program since last February when inspectors made contact with him to schedule fire safety inspections of his buildings for the first time in many years.
A year later, city officials still are discussing strategies for getting the reluctant property owner to comply with the city ordinance that requires fire safety inspections for commercial properties. Emails show fire department leaders and the police chief have gotten the city attorney's office involved, but there's been no resolution yet.
Shaffran said he questions what authority the city has to hold him to new fire codes when he's not renovating his building.
"All I keep asking, and I've been asking this question for over a year now, is just show me the state law," he said. "Show me the law and I'll bug off."
'Get a warrant!'
City records indicate fire safety inspectors Andrew Box and Ira Harrison made initial contact with Shaffran last February. When Box later emailed Shaffran in July to schedule inspections at three of his properties — 306 S. Main, 120 E. Washington and 114 E. Washington — Shaffran replied: "Get a warrant!"
Shaffran inspects the lobby of his building at 306 S. Main St. on a recent afternoon. He won't let fire safety inspectors inside, though.
Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
Shaffran said regrettably the inspectors went and conducted inspections of some of his tenants' spaces without informing them of the fees.
He said he finally had it when the inspectors came with a warrant in hand and a police escort to inspect the common areas of his building at 306 S. Main.
"This is where the big confrontation took place," he said, standing in the main lobby on a recent afternoon. "I introduced myself to the police officer and they said, 'You know, we have a warrant here,' and I just turned to him and said, 'Are you going to arrest me if I don't allow them in?' He said, 'No, I'm not going to arrest you.' "
Shaffran said he then turned to Box and told him to leave.
Before the fire inspectors came knocking last year, the last time Shaffran's building at 306 S. Main had a fire safety inspection was in October 2004.
That inspection turned up several code violations, including exit lights missing bulbs, emergency lights that weren't functioning, improper propane cylinders being used, items obstructing a basement exit, other combustable items too close to a basement furnace, a sprinkler head covered with tape, and multi-plug adaptors that needed to be replaced with fused power strips, among other issues cited.
Shaffran purchased and renovated the building at 306 S. Main St. in 1995. He said his building complied with fire codes at the time and he shouldn't be held to new ones if they change unless he's going to renovate his building again.
Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
According to fire department records, the property was scheduled for a re-inspection in December 2004, but there's nothing to indicate that happened.
Shaffran said he's proud of the fire suppression system in the 306 S. Main building, including overhead sprinklers and a sophisticated alarm system. He said it's inspected every year by a private company, and that information is shared with his insurance company.
Shaffran said the fire department is right to be concerned about safety. But he doesn't think the city should be able to hold him to new rules when his building met all of the codes in place when he purchased and renovated it in 1995.
"If you want to inspect my building, fine," he said. "But don't bring a 2009 book when my building was sufficiently certified in 1995."
Senior Assistant City Attorney Kristen Larcom sent Shaffran a letter on Oct. 25, responding to his concerns about the city inspection program.
Larcom referred to the 2009 International Fire Code. She said the Home Rule Cities Act authorizes the city to adopt and enforce the code.
Shaffran wrote back on Dec. 20, accusing Larcom of dodging his question about what authority the city has to retroactively apply new codes to old buildings that have not been modified since last receiving a certificate of occupancy.
The standoff between downtown property owner Ed Shaffran and the Ann Arbor Fire Department has lasted roughly a year now.
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/02/ann_arbor_fire_inspections.html
Shaffran is refusing to let the city's fire safety inspectors into his buildings until they can legally justify the inspections and the fees they charge.
Ed Shaffran stands in the entrance of 306 S. Main St., one of multiple downtown Ann Arbor buildings he owns and isn't letting the city's fire safety inspectors inside to inspect.
Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
"Arrest me. Take me to jail," says Shaffran, owner of the Ann Arbor-based real estate firm The Shaffran Companies Ltd.
The Ann Arbor News learned of the dispute between Shaffran and the city from emails uncovered through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The emails show Shaffran has been at odds with city officials over the city's ramped-up fire inspection program since last February when inspectors made contact with him to schedule fire safety inspections of his buildings for the first time in many years.
A year later, city officials still are discussing strategies for getting the reluctant property owner to comply with the city ordinance that requires fire safety inspections for commercial properties. Emails show fire department leaders and the police chief have gotten the city attorney's office involved, but there's been no resolution yet.
Shaffran said he questions what authority the city has to hold him to new fire codes when he's not renovating his building.
"All I keep asking, and I've been asking this question for over a year now, is just show me the state law," he said. "Show me the law and I'll bug off."
'Get a warrant!'
City records indicate fire safety inspectors Andrew Box and Ira Harrison made initial contact with Shaffran last February. When Box later emailed Shaffran in July to schedule inspections at three of his properties — 306 S. Main, 120 E. Washington and 114 E. Washington — Shaffran replied: "Get a warrant!"
Shaffran inspects the lobby of his building at 306 S. Main St. on a recent afternoon. He won't let fire safety inspectors inside, though.
Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
Shaffran said regrettably the inspectors went and conducted inspections of some of his tenants' spaces without informing them of the fees.
He said he finally had it when the inspectors came with a warrant in hand and a police escort to inspect the common areas of his building at 306 S. Main.
"This is where the big confrontation took place," he said, standing in the main lobby on a recent afternoon. "I introduced myself to the police officer and they said, 'You know, we have a warrant here,' and I just turned to him and said, 'Are you going to arrest me if I don't allow them in?' He said, 'No, I'm not going to arrest you.' "
Shaffran said he then turned to Box and told him to leave.
Before the fire inspectors came knocking last year, the last time Shaffran's building at 306 S. Main had a fire safety inspection was in October 2004.
That inspection turned up several code violations, including exit lights missing bulbs, emergency lights that weren't functioning, improper propane cylinders being used, items obstructing a basement exit, other combustable items too close to a basement furnace, a sprinkler head covered with tape, and multi-plug adaptors that needed to be replaced with fused power strips, among other issues cited.
Shaffran purchased and renovated the building at 306 S. Main St. in 1995. He said his building complied with fire codes at the time and he shouldn't be held to new ones if they change unless he's going to renovate his building again.
Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
According to fire department records, the property was scheduled for a re-inspection in December 2004, but there's nothing to indicate that happened.
Shaffran said he's proud of the fire suppression system in the 306 S. Main building, including overhead sprinklers and a sophisticated alarm system. He said it's inspected every year by a private company, and that information is shared with his insurance company.
Shaffran said the fire department is right to be concerned about safety. But he doesn't think the city should be able to hold him to new rules when his building met all of the codes in place when he purchased and renovated it in 1995.
"If you want to inspect my building, fine," he said. "But don't bring a 2009 book when my building was sufficiently certified in 1995."
Senior Assistant City Attorney Kristen Larcom sent Shaffran a letter on Oct. 25, responding to his concerns about the city inspection program.
Larcom referred to the 2009 International Fire Code. She said the Home Rule Cities Act authorizes the city to adopt and enforce the code.
Shaffran wrote back on Dec. 20, accusing Larcom of dodging his question about what authority the city has to retroactively apply new codes to old buildings that have not been modified since last receiving a certificate of occupancy.
