Businesses on South Park property ordered to cease operations

Marshall de Hutton | Editor

Several businesses operating at 3030 Grape St. — the future site of South Park’s TargetExpress — were recently issued a civil penalty by the city of San Diego citing several city code violations on site.

The violations pertained to the three small businesses that operate on the property: Captain Kirk’s Coffee Kiosk, Mariscos food truck, and a recycling center owned by 1st Arrow, LLC. The largest building on the property is Gala Foods, an independent grocery store that closed in mid-October.

A civil penalty issued by the city on Oct. 17 cites 14 city code violations. Captain Kirk’s was cited for operating a drive-thru, which is prohibited in that area of Golden Hill, along with operating without necessary permits. Mariscos was cited for not obtaining proper permitting to operate on the property, and for placing tables and chairs in the parking lot for customers. The recycling center is twice as large as its permit allows, according to the civil penalty. The paid parking lot was also cited as a violation.

The city ordered the recycling facility, Captain Kirk’s and the paid parking lot to immediately cease operations. The document states that fines may be assessed for a daily rate of up to $2,500 per violation, with a total maximum of up to $250,000.

Since 1988, Saad Hirmez and his family have operated Gala Foods at 3030 Grape St. Hirmez recently announced that the grocery store would close down and reopen as a TargetExpress, a miniature version of the discount goods store, in 2015. Hirmez will retain ownership of the property.

Hirmez said he and the city’s Development Services staff will soon meet to discuss the corrective actions that need to be taken in order for the businesses to remain in operation.

While Hirmez stressed his commitment to fixing the code violations, he said he hopes the city will realize the great benefit these businesses provide to the community. He cited Captain Kirk’s surrounding landscaping, one of the code violations, as one example of a community asset he would regret abandoning for the sake of strict compliance with city code.

“We have a moral obligation to follow the law, but the city should also have some leeway with us if the need should arise,” Hirmez said.

When plans for the TargetExpress were first announced, Council President Todd Gloria, who represents South Park on the City Council, stated that his office supported these three businesses remaining open alongside the TargetExpress. On Wednesday afternoon, Gloria released another statement in light of the code complaints.

“The property owner and business owners involved have indicated they are willing to obtain the necessary permits and go through the process to ensure that they are in compliance and can operate legally moving forward,” Gloria stated in a Facebook post. “I have asked my staff to work closely to help facilitate this work with the City’s Development Services Department. It is my hope that all of the current violations can be corrected and the businesses can continue to serve the residents of South Park.”

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