STURGIS, S.D. – If you’ve noticed the rally-related tents going up in downtown Sturgis and wondered if it was a little early for that to be happening, you would be right.
Sturgis Director of Planning and Permitting Dave Smith tells KBHB News there is an ordinance that states once a tent goes up, it must be open and operational within 7 days.
However, because of a conflict and some confusion, the tent company arrived early and started setting tents up. Some of those tents that went up are on the corner of Main and Junction and in the Lynn’s Dakota Mart Parking Lot.
Smith says instead of making them take the one down at the corner of Main and Junction, the city required them to obtain a temporary structure permit and they are not allowed to open until the first day of allowed vendor permits – which, by ordinance, is July 19th.
Smith says part of the confusion is the tent that was set up at the Prairie Emporium where a section of the ordinance that allows for the permanent business to have a temporary structure in conjunction with that business from May to October. He says the owner obtained the necessary temporary structure permit and is using the tent to sell shirts and other merchandise that he sells in his store year-round.
