The city of Brighton probably feels like Home Depot hit it with a two-by-four. According to an account in the Ann Arbor News, the city of Brighton has taken Home Depot to court to try and get the retail giant to comply with local safety and fire codes. This has been a recurrent theme among communities already hosting a Home Depot. Brighton officials warned that they might try to shut the store down if they didn’t shape up soon. “It’s not the intent of the city (to shut down the store,” said Brighton Mayor Kate Lawrence. “The intent is to have a safe business for people to come in to. If all else fails, (closing the store) has to be done for safety, but we hope to resolve the issues.” Last July the cityi was forced to file a lawsuit against Home Depot store located at 8053 Challis Road. The city charged Depot withi repeated violations of city fire and safety codes. Months after the first violations were recorded, the city fire inspector found 16 new violations, including blocked fire lanes, permanently parked unlicenses trailers outside the store, skids and shopping carts left in the parking lot, storage of items to block store exits, and merchandise sold outside. “We filed suit because we believe there are safety issues,” said one city council member. “Our intent is to gain compliance or shut them down. We have an obligation to take steps to protect the people who are going in there.” And what is Home Depot’s reaction to all the fuss from the city? The Assistant store manager disavowed any problems. “I don’t know of any problems,” the asst. store manager told reporters. “We’ve done everything we’ve been asked.” But Brighton Fire Chief Larry Lane says the store poses a real and imminent safety hazard. “They have total disregard for the rules,” the Chief said. “They built a storage room inside the store without a sprinkler system, and they didn’t bother getting a building permit for it. This is their total attitude in Brighton, and its the same problem in Northville. Our citizens abide by the rules, and they (Depot) come in and think they can do whatever they want to do.”
Do you suppose Fire Chief Lane even knows about the two multi-million dollar fires that have taken place at Home Depots in Tempe, AZ and Quincy, MA? Last person out shut off the lights…
