Naked Pigs Causing Stir In Snohomish

Naked Pigs Causing Stir In Snohomish

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Story Published: Sep 22, 2005 at 3:02 PM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 2:05 AM PDT

By April Zepeda

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SNOHOMISH - Naked pigs are causing a stir once more.

Business owners insist the swine mural on their restaurant wall is the root of harassment from the city of Snohomish.

The city made the owners of the BBQ Shack cover the outside mural before they could open the restaurant. Steve and Jenelle Carpenter insist the city didn't like the pigs for one reason -- the pigs had no clothes.

"What started all of it is the city said, '(If) we authorize your pigs on your wall and the next business (puts) naked women on their wall... we're going to have to authorize that,' " said Steve Carpenter.

The city contends the mural did not meet design or permit codes in the historical district and being naked had nothing to do with it.

The pigs were eventually unveiled, but the Carpenters say it came with a price: the wrath of City Hall.

"We didn't come in here to have people put us down and try and shut us down and make us fight to keep open," said Janelle Carpenter. "We just wanted to have a business."

The Carpenters have filed a $250,000 damage claim against the city. They insist ever since the pig mural went public, the city has been harassing them.

They say they have been given 30 days to enclose their dumpster or they will be shut down, although near by restaurants don't have enclosures.

The Carpenters also say they were ordered to close their drive-through window for safety reasons. And to keep open, they had to replace a cracked sidewalk and improve deck siding. And they have been denied a permit to paint their business name on the side of the building.

"It does not look for us to make a lawsuit," said Janelle Carpenter. "That doesn't get us points for business. But we cannot keep our doors open with the way that this is."

The City of Snohomish has 60 days to respond to the claim.

The city manager would not comment for this story and the mayor did not return calls, but she did give a local newspaper a reaction to the Carpenters' claim. She called it 'hogwash.'

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