John and Linda Douglas, owners of Home Field Sports Bar and Grill in Fultondale, are working to get the business reopened after it was destroyed by a tornado on April 27.

On Aug. 20, Home Field had a booth at Fultondale Founders Day, where 371 people signed a petition stating they wanted the business to open back up. John Douglas said about half of the people who signed were from Fultondale, based on ZIP codes listed next to signatures.

Home Field was also selling T-shirts for $5 each that stated “Fultondale is friendlier with Home Field.”

Douglas is at odds with the city due to apparent disputes over building code requirements.

Douglas said he has submitted various plans to the city three times: on July 20, Aug. 10 and Aug. 12. He said the plans included preliminary plans and drawings, demolition, and multiple life safety plans, floor plans and site plans.

However, Douglas has not applied for a building permit, saying the city keeps changing the requirements to apply for the permit.

Fultondale officials have not returned calls. City building inspectors have said, however, that they are trying to work with the business.

“We’re not treating him any different than we are the motels and the apartments,” said city inspector Ed Hawkins for a story in August. “We have businesses all over (U.S. Hwy.) 31 that have issues. Public safety and welfare are our primary function. We’re going to see that people are protected.”

Hawkins said on Aug. 15 that the plans Douglas have submitted were “unacceptable because they circumvent the code for life safety. We will not bend for life safety or structural safety.”

Douglas has accepted a bid on having a sprinkler system installed, which he said would cost about $40,000, and which he said the state fire marshall recommended.

He is also having his property surveyed to see if existing parking spaces are on the state right-of-way off of U.S. Hwy. 31, which is another issue the city has questioned.