After being sued by the city over its patio canopy, a local restaurant has taken the structure down.
The wooden canopy was constructed about two years ago on the north side of Dempsey’s building, spanning the width of an open area between Dempsey’s and the adjacent building.
Last month, the Lawrence City Commission directed the city’s legal staff to bring a lawsuit against the owner and occupant of 623 Vermont St., which is the location of Dempsey’s Burger Pub. The city alleges that Dempsey’s constructed a canopy structure for its patio without first getting a permit from the city and that the canopy violated the city’s building and fire codes.
Director of Planning and Development Scott McCullough said in an email to the Journal-World that the city found that the building materials used in the canopy were not compliant with code and presented a fire hazard. McCullough said the lawsuit was needed to address the code violations and potential hazards.
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