California City Exempts Celeb Chef’s Restaurant From Local Gas Ban
Despite having adopted a blanket ban on gas lines in new buildings last year, the City of Palo Alto will grant an exemption to celebrity chef José Andrés, who threatened city officials with legal action if his new restaurant’s requirements were not accommodated. The city said Wednesday it had reached a settlement with the property group that owns Stanford Mall, the upscale mall where Andrés’ Turkish-Mediterranean restaurant, Zaytinya, is expected to be installed. “Except for this one-off situation, Palo Alto’s all-electric requirement is being implemented for all new projects and substantial remodels,” the city said in a statement. “Building electrification is critical to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.” Attorneys for the property group, SPG Center LLC, previously warned that Andrés could abandon plans for the restaurant if his staff were made to work without gas stoves. “Without a gas connection and appliances, Zaytinya would be forced to alter its signature five-star menu, which it is unwilling to do,” an attorney wrote to the city last month.
Read it at Palo Alto Online
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