The future of HellBent Custom Motorcycles in San Juan Bautista will come down to a city council vote on Nov. 18.
The council will be voting on whether to grant a conditional use permit to keep the shop open. Originally, HellBent was issued a business license for motorcycle sales and service in June. After three months of being open, HellBent's owner Ray Shott received complaints from residents about bikes blocking the sidewalk and excessive noise. Shott denies these claims.
"Code enforcement came out and did their investigation and found out we weren't making excessive noise," he said. "What the people were complaining about was motorcycles in the street on a public highway."
He added that his shop is under regulations that prohibit him from making loud noises for more than one hour per day.
As for blocking the sidewalk, Shott said that a sheriff's deputy came out to his shop and saw no blocking of the sidewalk.
Shott has also been accused of drawing a "bad element" into the community, which he adamantly denies.
"The guys that ride our bikes are good people."
He noted how his shop has also done charitable for San Juan and beyond.
"We do stuff for charities ... we assist in that stuff. We've done lots of benefits to help out the community, to help out other communities. We're actually more welcomed in other communities than here."
Shortly after receiving these complaints, the city came requested that he apply for a conditional use permit. The rationale behind him having to apply for the permit is because he was in a mixed-use zone rather than industrial. At the last planning commission meeting, his application was denied. His last course of action is bringing it before the city council.
Currently, Shott has a petition in his shop to show interest in keeping his shop open.
Colin McConville Colin McConville is a reporter with the Hollister Free Lance. You can reach him by email or at (831) 637-5566.
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