The Sandy Valley Citizens Advisory Council met last evening in the community center on Quartz Avenue. The standing-room only crowd of seventy plus people was there to hear from the Clark County Fire Department about building codes for new and existing businesses.

A great deal of concern has been raised by the holding up of the business license for Trails End. The store on Quartz has been open since June when its new operators took over the lease. The previous incarnation of a store in the same location closed in October 2003 and the building was vacant for seven months. When the new owners applied for a business license they were informed they'd have to put a sprinkler system in the building in order to bring it up to current code.

Deputy Fire Marshal Joe Noble spoke at the meeting and committed to the residents of the town that he would get responses to them on several issues brought up at the meeting concerning present and past applications. Noble also explained that the uniform fire protection code requires a fire hydrant with fire-flow or alternatives that provide the same protection. Since Sandy Valley does not have a water purveyor and the cost of the system necessary to meet the fire-flow standard would require a 180,000 gallon water tank it is deemed impractical. Instead new construction for general commercial occupancy will likely be accepted with sprinklers and a sufficient water tank to supply them (closer to a 20,000 tank).

Residents brought up frustration that there was a similar business in the building with a gaming permit, business licenses and all necessary permit for years. Noble said this was new information he was not aware of before. Given the new information he agreed to review the application and providing the facts bear out thinks there will be a favorable outcome.