Daniel Maurer

A judge fined the owners of IHOP $2,000 for soil on the roof of the restaurant and garbage bags and boxes obstructing an exit, court documents filed earlier this month show.

The ruling from the Environmental Control Board — a court that adjudicates violations to the building code — notes that the issues have been resolved. The soil on the roof, which may have come from a neglected rooftop garden, even resulted in a stop work order that has been lifted.

Meanwhile, Borough President Scott Stringer and Councilwoman Rosie Mendez sent a letter to the owner of the IHOP on 14th Street last month asking him to remedy issues regarding odors and noise from the restaurant’s rooftop equipment before going before a judge as “a good faith gesture to the community.”

Residents voiced their frustration at an overwhelming odor of bacon from IHOP last month. “There can be times at three or four in the morning when you feel like you’re in the kitchen with them,” said Mary Ann Powers, who lives on 15th Street behind the restaurant. “There is no relief.”

Sandy Berger, another neighbor of IHOP, told The Local in an e-mail, “To the best of my knowledge the boxes of soil that are on the ‘so-called roof’ were the planters that have been there for years and were moved to another part of the ‘roof’ to make room for all the a.c. & kitchen ventilation equipment! There [has] been no progress on the odor issues.”

A representative of IHOP did not respond to a request for comment. Last month, Ed Scabbaoueci, the director of operations of the franchise that owns the IHOP told The Local, “We have hired an engineering firm to assist us in resolving issues around odor and noise…In addition, we are looking at solutions that will allow for waste to be stored so that it is not seen by neighbors until placed on the street for collection.”