Readers wanted to know the status of the Gulfport Family Restaurant. Patrick Heinzen
This week, readers want to know the status of the Gulfport Family Restaurant.
Question: “What’s happening with Gulfport Diner [Gulfport Family Restaurant] on 49th Street South?” —multiple phone calls and emails
Answer: The Gabber Newspaper received multiple inquiries. We had no luck contacting anyone at the business, so we ran an ad in our classified section looking for anyone with more information. That only prompted more people calling and asking if we’d learned anything.
Finally, we turned to the City of Gulfport and asked if anyone had applied for permits. We spoke with Michael Taylor from the city’s community development department, who provided us with a more concrete understanding of what is going on with the local diner.
“There has not been any recent permit activity for (the diner),” said Taylor. “A business tax receipt (BTR) has been submitted to our department and is in the review process. It passed through the zoning review and is currently with the building department.”
Code Violations
Although the BTR is still under review, the Gulfport Family Restaurant still faces some issues.
“It has been discovered that the owner has installed a gas water heater without permits,” said Taylor.
Unfortunately for the Gulfport Family Restaurant, this is a code violation and therefore is under review by the city’s code enforcement office. The City gave the owner a compliance date and must resolve the issue, or face being brought to a special magistrate.
Since the new changes are building-related, the City allows the owner to apply for special, after-the-fact permits. This would allow them to keep their improvements the way they are.
While the future of the Gulfport Family Restaurant remains unclear, it sure isn’t over. A new “coming soon” sign hanging on the front of the diner provides residents and tourists alike with a reason to be excited.
We’d love to hear more about what locals can expect — if you’re reading this and you own the diner, please call us at 727-321-6965.
Your City Questions, Answered
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A recent City Whys asked about beach smoking ban in Gulfport.
