Dixie Lee restaurant in Summerside slapped with stop-work order
Owner and city hope for only short delay before construction can resume
Summerside-area residents will have to wait just a little longer to get an order of Dixie Lee fried chicken — construction of the franchise has been temporarily shut down as the city issued a stop-work order June 2, two weeks ago, for failure to obtain a building permit.
Dixie Lee had operated in both Charlottetown and Summerside, P.E.I., in the past, and owner-operator Major Stewart is planning to soon re-open the franchise in a new, stand-alone property in Summerside. The building itself is owned by the Summerside Port Corporation — Stewart is leasing it.
"I don't consider it a holdup," said Stewart, anticipating only a short delay. "There's a million things that have to get done by the time I open the doors."
'Open for business'
The business plans to use electric pressure cookers rather than propane fryers, so specialized industrial equipment needs to be approved, Stewart said.
"Now we need the electrical drawings prepared. We're using some electrical equipment that have to be stamped and approved by engineers in order to get those papers finalized for the permits to continue," said Stewart.
Summerside's chief administrative officer Bob Ashley issued a written statement to CBC via email Monday, noting that when construction on any project progresses past the scope of work allowed under existing permits, the city issues stop-work orders.
"We are open for business and want to work hand in hand with business but also have the responsibility to ensuring that every building in the City of Summerside is safe for public use under the National Building Code of Canada," Ashley said.
Work can continue on the outside of the building, said Stewart, adding he's been spending time choosing flooring and interior fixtures and interviewing potential employees.
"There's a lot of details in starting a small business," Stewart said, noting, "This is a new ballgame for me. It's a tremendous learning experience."
Stewart anticipated the business will be able to open within a month.
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With files from Tom Steepe