One of the older neighborhoods here has 15' setbacks. Huge lots. Yuppies buy
the houses thinking to build mega homes on the lots only to find out the
city won't budge on the set backs. Hence the reason why the neighborhood
looks just the same way it did in the 50s. Just impossible to improve the
house. I think many of them still have swamp coolers and wall heaters
instead of forced air, *G*. Nevertheless they sell for close to $400,000.
Get down on your knees and thank God everyday that you do not live in
California.

Another restriction that *may* rear its ugly head is how much of your lot
will the city (or whoever) allow to be covered? IIRC here its 30%. Add up
the square footage of your house, patio, sheds, and GH and if it exceeds the
30% rule the city gets unhappy. I was lucky in that I took down an aluminum
awning covering my patio that was larger in area than the GH I erected,
hence I had less covered area on my lot. I had enough left over that I was
able to build a small deck. I think the reason for this rule goes back to
handling runoff and also to prevention of mega home construction. (ie
preserving some sort of green belt in the burbs.)

One other thing the county does (here anyway) is every few years they take
aerial photos of the county. If they ever want to check to see if you
bootlegged new construction they can refer to their photo history. Not that
anyone does, because that would mean they had to move away from the water
cooler. But they can if they want to. Aren'tcha glad you don't live in
California?

Regarding zoning requirements and bad information. You will get different
information everytime you go in there. I tried to work with the same people
everytime, so I could at least point to the person and say 'he told me so'
and let the chips fall where they may after that. Luckily I also had
questions that the person behind the counter couldn't answer (wasn't on the
FAQ, I suppose) so they always had to pull someone from the back office to
come out and talk to me. I noticed it was always the same gent, so I soon
learned to just ask for him.

K Barrett

"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
Bob Walsh wrote:

Rob,

Seems harsh for a Township requirement, though maybe not for the primary
structure on a property.



Not the primary structure, and I have a pole barn that is already
impinging on that 50' 'barrier' (at 45' from the property line). If I
have to keep 50 feet from the back line, and 55 feet from the front line
(road easement), that doesn't leave much buildable land on a wide lot.
Basically takes away 25% of my property.


Wouldn't surprise me for a restrictive covenant though,but the twp.
shouldn't be enforcing those.


Not where I live. Residential agricultural, no covenants. I'd
really hate to spoil the view that the 30 horses in my back neighbor's
property have of my barn... I have to get an actual copy of the zoning
requirements to see if I'm just getting fed bad information. I wouldn't
doubt it. I've heard a different story every time I go in there.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit

When working to get my 'wayside stand' permit that would allow me to sell
the stuff I produce in my greenhouse from my greenhouse it was very
aggravating.

At the same time I was trying to get this permit, the country was revamping
their zoning laws so the official rules on the website changed every time I
went there. On occasion, I was send more current versions of the applicable
zoning regulations to sign and return. Every few weeks a different person
from Zoning would call me and give me additional chores to complete in order
to comply with rules that seemed to material and dematerialized out of thin
air. I was told I would get my permit but I would need parking for x amount
of cars, i would need to resurvey the property and submit it with additional
checks for various things. Finally I told the last lady who called that
they needed to make a list of everything that was going to be required of me
to complete the permit and put it in writing and mail it to me. They
stopped calling. There are actually a few checks to the county left
outstanding from year ago that have not been cashed yet. Last November the
current 'no-growth' government was thrown out of office and a new pro-growth
government was installed. Then all the rules that were made last spring
started changing again.

My county, Loudoun in Virginia, is the fasted growing county in the country
for three years in a row. It used to be mostly agricultural and my "wayside
stand" is left over from these rural times. I do not know where this will
end.

Where did this thread come from? I just saw this post. Setbacks are a
nightmare here too.


"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:eITfc.4026$0b4.12593@attbi_s51...
One of the older neighborhoods here has 15' setbacks. Huge lots. Yuppies
buy
the houses thinking to build mega homes on the lots only to find out the
city won't budge on the set backs. Hence the reason why the neighborhood
looks just the same way it did in the 50s. Just impossible to improve the
house. I think many of them still have swamp coolers and wall heaters
instead of forced air, *G*. Nevertheless they sell for close to
$400,000.
Get down on your knees and thank God everyday that you do not live in
California.

Another restriction that *may* rear its ugly head is how much of your lot
will the city (or whoever) allow to be covered? IIRC here its 30%. Add
up
the square footage of your house, patio, sheds, and GH and if it exceeds
the
30% rule the city gets unhappy. I was lucky in that I took down an
aluminum
awning covering my patio that was larger in area than the GH I erected,
hence I had less covered area on my lot. I had enough left over that I
was
able to build a small deck. I think the reason for this rule goes back to
handling runoff and also to prevention of mega home construction. (ie
preserving some sort of green belt in the burbs.)

One other thing the county does (here anyway) is every few years they take
aerial photos of the county. If they ever want to check to see if you
bootlegged new construction they can refer to their photo history. Not
that
anyone does, because that would mean they had to move away from the water
cooler. But they can if they want to. Aren'tcha glad you don't live in
California?

Regarding zoning requirements and bad information. You will get different
information everytime you go in there. I tried to work with the same
people
everytime, so I could at least point to the person and say 'he told me so'
and let the chips fall where they may after that. Luckily I also had
questions that the person behind the counter couldn't answer (wasn't on
the
FAQ, I suppose) so they always had to pull someone from the back office to
come out and talk to me. I noticed it was always the same gent, so I soon
learned to just ask for him.

K Barrett

"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
Bob Walsh wrote:

Rob,

Seems harsh for a Township requirement, though maybe not for the
primary
structure on a property.



Not the primary structure, and I have a pole barn that is already
impinging on that 50' 'barrier' (at 45' from the property line). If I
have to keep 50 feet from the back line, and 55 feet from the front line
(road easement), that doesn't leave much buildable land on a wide lot.
Basically takes away 25% of my property.


Wouldn't surprise me for a restrictive covenant though,but the twp.
shouldn't be enforcing those.


Not where I live. Residential agricultural, no covenants. I'd
really hate to spoil the view that the 30 horses in my back neighbor's
property have of my barn... I have to get an actual copy of the zoning
requirements to see if I'm just getting fed bad information. I wouldn't
doubt it. I've heard a different story every time I go in there.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit

It was originally part of PHYSAN
K

"Al" wrote in message
...
When working to get my 'wayside stand' permit that would allow me to sell
the stuff I produce in my greenhouse from my greenhouse it was very
aggravating.

At the same time I was trying to get this permit, the country was
revamping
their zoning laws so the official rules on the website changed every time
I
went there. On occasion, I was send more current versions of the
applicable
zoning regulations to sign and return. Every few weeks a different person
from Zoning would call me and give me additional chores to complete in
order
to comply with rules that seemed to material and dematerialized out of
thin
air. I was told I would get my permit but I would need parking for x
amount
of cars, i would need to resurvey the property and submit it with
additional
checks for various things. Finally I told the last lady who called that
they needed to make a list of everything that was going to be required of
me
to complete the permit and put it in writing and mail it to me. They
stopped calling. There are actually a few checks to the county left
outstanding from year ago that have not been cashed yet. Last November
the
current 'no-growth' government was thrown out of office and a new
pro-growth
government was installed. Then all the rules that were made last spring
started changing again.

My county, Loudoun in Virginia, is the fasted growing county in the
country
for three years in a row. It used to be mostly agricultural and my
"wayside
stand" is left over from these rural times. I do not know where this will
end.

Where did this thread come from? I just saw this post. Setbacks are a
nightmare here too.


"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:eITfc.4026$0b4.12593@attbi_s51...
One of the older neighborhoods here has 15' setbacks. Huge lots. Yuppies
buy
the houses thinking to build mega homes on the lots only to find out the
city won't budge on the set backs. Hence the reason why the
neighborhood
looks just the same way it did in the 50s. Just impossible to improve
the
house. I think many of them still have swamp coolers and wall heaters
instead of forced air, *G*. Nevertheless they sell for close to
$400,000.
Get down on your knees and thank God everyday that you do not live in
California.

Another restriction that *may* rear its ugly head is how much of your
lot
will the city (or whoever) allow to be covered? IIRC here its 30%. Add
up
the square footage of your house, patio, sheds, and GH and if it exceeds
the
30% rule the city gets unhappy. I was lucky in that I took down an
aluminum
awning covering my patio that was larger in area than the GH I erected,
hence I had less covered area on my lot. I had enough left over that I
was
able to build a small deck. I think the reason for this rule goes back
to
handling runoff and also to prevention of mega home construction. (ie
preserving some sort of green belt in the burbs.)

One other thing the county does (here anyway) is every few years they
take
aerial photos of the county. If they ever want to check to see if you
bootlegged new construction they can refer to their photo history. Not
that
anyone does, because that would mean they had to move away from the
water
cooler. But they can if they want to. Aren'tcha glad you don't live in
California?

Regarding zoning requirements and bad information. You will get
different
information everytime you go in there. I tried to work with the same
people
everytime, so I could at least point to the person and say 'he told me
so'
and let the chips fall where they may after that. Luckily I also had
questions that the person behind the counter couldn't answer (wasn't on
the
FAQ, I suppose) so they always had to pull someone from the back office
to
come out and talk to me. I noticed it was always the same gent, so I
soon
learned to just ask for him.

K Barrett

"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
Bob Walsh wrote:

Rob,

Seems harsh for a Township requirement, though maybe not for the
primary
structure on a property.



Not the primary structure, and I have a pole barn that is already
impinging on that 50' 'barrier' (at 45' from the property line). If I
have to keep 50 feet from the back line, and 55 feet from the front
line
(road easement), that doesn't leave much buildable land on a wide lot.
Basically takes away 25% of my property.


Wouldn't surprise me for a restrictive covenant though,but the twp.
shouldn't be enforcing those.


Not where I live. Residential agricultural, no covenants. I'd
really hate to spoil the view that the 30 horses in my back neighbor's
property have of my barn... I have to get an actual copy of the
zoning
requirements to see if I'm just getting fed bad information. I
wouldn't
doubt it. I've heard a different story every time I go in there.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit

K Barrett ) wrote:
: Another restriction that *may* rear its ugly head is how much of your lot
: will the city (or whoever) allow to be covered? IIRC here its 30%. Add up
: the square footage of your house, patio, sheds, and GH and if it exceeds the
: 30% rule the city gets unhappy. I was lucky in that I took down an aluminum
: awning covering my patio that was larger in area than the GH I erected,
: hence I had less covered area on my lot. I had enough left over that I was
: able to build a small deck. I think the reason for this rule goes back to
: handling runoff and also to prevention of mega home construction. (ie
: preserving some sort of green belt in the burbs.)

I had a very dramatic run in (pun intended) with the runoff issue. A few
years ago my wife and I were visiting a friend of hers who lives in the
Dallas area (Arlington IIRC). We were at the grocery store when it began to
rain. Our friend exclaimed "We're in a low spot we've got to get out of
here now!". We hurried back to the car and started driving back to her
home. A few minutes later point we were driving up a steep hill and the
water was so deep it was seeping into the bottom of the car and my feet
were getting wet! The situation is so bad it's illegal to have any kind
of solid patio in your yard.

Dave