# Eliot Ness Here



## righter101 (Jul 28, 2011)

Just discovered and posted Stop Work Orders on 2 illegal beer breweries.

Builings permitted as "private garage, accessory to SFR", have been illegally converted.

I am going to really increase my popularity with this one.

Here is my question though, as it relates to the following IMC section:

IMC 105.5 Material, equipment and appliance reuse. Materials,

equipment, appliances and devices shall not be reused unless

such elements have been reconditioned, tested and placed in

good and proper working condition and approved.

I haven't dealt much with brewing equipment.  There are 2 side by side micro (or "nano") breweries and one of them has a very home made looking setup, the other one purchased the brewing equipment from a resturant/brewery that closed last year.

What sort of "testing" is reasonable?  Some of this equipment is high temp/high pressure and I am unsure of the age, possibly or likely unlisted, etc...

Looking for some input, jokes, criticism for busting the local brewers, etc...

Thanks to all.


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## righter101 (Jul 28, 2011)

Maybe I am being too picky....

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## rshuey (Jul 28, 2011)

Home breweries are everywhere. Why are you checking the inside of a SFR garage? PM code? What was the violation?


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## Frank (Jul 28, 2011)

Looks like normal likely legal home brewing to me.

Federal limit without permits or taxation is 100 gal per adult up to 200 gal per household per year.

Not to be sold.

State laws vary.

Do you inspect pressure canners as well?

I would not think they come under the building code.


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## mark handler (Jul 28, 2011)

I agree Frank.

Loss of personal rights......


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## cda (Jul 28, 2011)

you alcohol abuser!!!!!!!!!

is it at a person's house???

does it taste good???????   does he do dark beers??????


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## righter101 (Jul 28, 2011)

The 2 breweries are side by side.

The property owner permitted the construction of 5 "private garages".

They have since turned them in to rental/lease units for storage and brewing.

The breweries mfg. and sell to pubs.

The occupants are not the property owners, they are tenants.


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## righter101 (Jul 28, 2011)

rshuey said:
			
		

> Home breweries are everywhere. Why are you checking the inside of a SFR garage? PM code? What was the violation?


That is the problem here.  These are not private garages.  When they were constructed originally, our plans examiner had serious questions about the use.  Questions such as "why do you need 5 private garages", or "these look like they intend to be used for "live work units".", etc...

The owner insisted, and the permits reflect their stated intent that these are private storage garages.  They have since leased or rented them and the tenants have started a mfg. process without proper permits.

We were responding to a report of an illegal LPG hook up.


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## righter101 (Jul 28, 2011)

A good analogy would be if I came in and applied for a permit for a 3000 square foot accessory structure, accessory to my primary residence.  Picture the building having 10 internal dividing walls, individual units with roll up doors, and a hallway connecting them all.  The building department says, "this looks like a mini storage".  I tell them it is not.  It is my private garage and I like individual areas for paint, bikes, ski equipment, etc...

They permit it, I build it, get it finaled.

2 years later, I advertise space for rent, someone sets up a welding shop, some one sets up a brewery, someone sets up a cabinet shop, someone rents it to store paint, etc...

This, to me, is no longer a single family accessory use.


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## TimNY (Jul 29, 2011)

righter101 said:
			
		

> What sort of "testing" is reasonable?


I think it goes without saying that taste testing will be the first step in getting it approved.   

Can't wait to hear about the other 3 garages.. Sounds like administrative search warrant territory.


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## righter101 (Jul 29, 2011)

TimNY said:
			
		

> Can't wait to hear about the other 3 garages.. /QUOTE]Here is a look at one of the other units....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Frank (Jul 29, 2011)

righter101 said:
			
		

> The 2 breweries are side by side.The property owner permitted the construction of 5 "private garages".
> 
> They have since turned them in to rental/lease units for storage and brewing.
> 
> ...


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## TJacobs (Jul 30, 2011)

Good catch and good luck!


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## Architect1281 (Aug 1, 2011)

Sounds like a Live Work unit with 5 employees??


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