During the January 22 Farr West City Council meeting, members unanimously voted to revoke the business license for WISCO, Inc for failure to comply with required upgrades to the property in accordance with the site plan created by the City Planning Commission, including erecting a fence to divide the business property from private land and constructing an asphalt driveway.
WISCO first applied for a business license to operate in Farr West in January 2013, but the request was put on hold until Wilkes could work with the City Planning Commission to create and have approved a site plan that included several requirements that would ensure the property met City codes for a business location.
Last year, owner Cory Wilkes was granted a conditional-use permit that allowed him to open WISCO, a seasonal business providing ornamental stone, water features and custom design services during the warmer spring and summer months while working on bringing the property into compliance.
According to Wilkes, he was able to work with State officials to receive an extension and have the asphalt drive completed in June. However, erecting the fence proved challenging.
The property WISCO sits on is not owned by Wilkes. The owner of the property, who lives in a private residence adjoining the property, refuses to give his permission for the fence to be placed. Without it, Wilkes says, he can’t do anything about the fence. He is also running out of money.
“I’m on the verge of bankruptcy as it is,” Wilkes said, describing the nearly $300,000 already invested in the property in order to open his business in the first place. “If they would just leave me alone and work with me, I can run my business, get the money and update the property as I can. Instead they take away my license all because of a fence.”
A follow-up meeting on February 19 re-confirmed the City’s stance on the issue. Wilkes had hoped explaining, again, his tough position of not being able to be open for the last several months and without income coming in, the Council would grant a temporary license so he could continue to operate and raise the money for the last remaining items.
Now Wilkes must sell off is inventory and equipment in an effort to avoid bankruptcy.
“I understand why there are ordinances,” Wilkes told the Sentinel News during an interview last year. “The City wants to make sure everyone is safe and there isn’t an eyesore in the community. But they sure do make it difficult for someone to start a business and make an honest living.”
