The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some
kind of driveway. Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like
it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on
him. (NB: do not know him.) Is there a reason in terms of me
protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could
outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.

"woger151" wrote in message
...
The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some
kind of driveway. Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like
it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on
him. (NB: do not know him.) Is there a reason in terms of me
protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could
outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.


Why don't you read up on the regs for your neighbor's project, and if it
looks like he's doing it right, then mind your own business?

On Jun 16, 8:26*am, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:
"woger151" wrote in message

...





The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some
kind of driveway. *Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like
it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on
him. *(NB: *do not know him.) *Is there a reason in terms of me
protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could
outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. *I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. *Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.

Why don't you read up on the regs for your neighbor's project, and if it
looks like he's doing it right, then mind your own business?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Hard to do. The publicly available info clearly states they need a
permit, but that's more because of legal issues. (Driveways intersect
the county right-of-way; the county wants to keep tabs on significant
improvements for property value tracking; etc.)

In terms of "substance" (engineering, etc), looks like the main code
is ICC or whatever, which isn't online for free.

"woger151" wrote in message
...
On Jun 16, 8:26 am, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:
"woger151" wrote in message

...





The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some
kind of driveway. Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like
it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on
him. (NB: do not know him.) Is there a reason in terms of me
protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could
outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.

Why don't you read up on the regs for your neighbor's project, and if it
looks like he's doing it right, then mind your own business?- Hide quoted
text -

- Show quoted text -

Hard to do. The publicly available info clearly states they need a
permit, but that's more because of legal issues. (Driveways intersect
the county right-of-way; the county wants to keep tabs on significant
improvements for property value tracking; etc.)

In terms of "substance" (engineering, etc), looks like the main code
is ICC or whatever, which isn't online for free.
============

Well, it was OK for you to install your shed without a permit. Seems to me
your neighbor should be allowed to break the law juse like you did, you
hypocrite.

You sound like an old fart who spends his days peeking through the blinds at
what other people are doing. Get a hobby. Get a life.

In article , "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

Well, it was OK for you to install your shed without a permit. Seems to me
your neighbor should be allowed to break the law juse like you did, you
hypocrite.

That's a big ASSumption on your part there, Kanter. He may not have *needed* a
permit for his shed. For example, here in Indianapolis, no permit is required
for a structure of any type not exceeding 120 square feet and not having a
permanent foundation.

On Jun 16, 8:57*am, (Doug Miller) wrote:
In article , "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
Well, it was OK for you to install your shed without a permit. Seems to me
your neighbor should be allowed to break the law juse like you did, you
hypocrite.

That's a big ASSumption on your part there, Kanter. He may not have *needed* a
permit for his shed. For example, here in Indianapolis, no permit is required
for a structure of any type not exceeding 120 square feet and not having a
permanent foundation.

I think in principle I needed a permit for the shed.

But I also think installing a rather tiny shed (it's definitely less
than 100 sq feet and has no permanent foundation) in accordance with
setback requirements yet having no permit is a much smaller deal than
putting in a new driveway.

I'm pretty sure the new driveway violates setback requirements, but I
can't find the setback requirements themselves. Seems like in most
localities the side setback for a driveway is 5 ft. In this case, the
setback is 0 feet.

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article , "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:

Well, it was OK for you to install your shed without a permit. Seems to me
your neighbor should be allowed to break the law juse like you did, you
hypocrite.

That's a big ASSumption on your part there, Kanter. He may not have
*needed* a
permit for his shed. For example, here in Indianapolis, no permit is
required
for a structure of any type not exceeding 120 square feet and not having a
permanent foundation.


The OP's original message SUGGESTED that a permit was needed. You and I are
both guessing about this, and our guesses are of equal validity.

Have a nice day.

In article ,
(Doug Miller) wrote:

In article , "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:

Well, it was OK for you to install your shed without a permit. Seems to me
your neighbor should be allowed to break the law juse like you did, you
hypocrite.

That's a big ASSumption on your part there, Kanter. He may not have *needed*
a
permit for his shed. For example, here in Indianapolis, no permit is required
for a structure of any type not exceeding 120 square feet and not having a
permanent foundation.

Actually the OP stated it specifically:
I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.
He may have not needed a permit, but he definitely thought he
did.

--
I want to find a voracious, small-minded predator
and name it after the IRS.
Robert Bakker, paleontologist

Doug Miller wrote:
In article , "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

Well, it was OK for you to install your shed without a permit. Seems to me
your neighbor should be allowed to break the law juse like you did, you
hypocrite.

That's a big ASSumption on your part there, Kanter. He may not have *needed* a
permit for his shed. For example, here in Indianapolis, no permit is required
for a structure of any type not exceeding 120 square feet and not having a
permanent foundation.

Need permits for everything where I live, but they aren't enforced. My
condo put in an enclosure for dumpster but not for recycling bins.
Higher than code, but got permission. Looks like a toilet stall with
recycling bins standing next to it. Supposed to match the structure,
but it doesn't.

As for the OP, if a neighbor across the street was putting in a
carport/crapport, I'd be inclined to complain. No mention of size,
property lines, views, etc. All can impact the neighbors. A shed is a
heck of a lot easier to move or remove that a double driveway with extra
cars, mowers, trash cans, etc.

On Jun 16, 8:44 am, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:
"woger151" wrote in message

...
On Jun 16, 8:26 am, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:



"woger151" wrote in message

...

The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some
kind of driveway. Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like
it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on
him. (NB: do not know him.) Is there a reason in terms of me
protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could
outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.

Why don't you read up on the regs for your neighbor's project, and if it
looks like he's doing it right, then mind your own business?- Hide quoted
text -

- Show quoted text -

Hard to do. The publicly available info clearly states they need a
permit, but that's more because of legal issues. (Driveways intersect
the county right-of-way; the county wants to keep tabs on significant
improvements for property value tracking; etc.)

In terms of "substance" (engineering, etc), looks like the main code
is ICC or whatever, which isn't online for free.
============

Well, it was OK for you to install your shed without a permit. Seems to me
your neighbor should be allowed to break the law juse like you did, you
hypocrite.

You sound like an old fart who spends his days peeking through the blinds at
what other people are doing. Get a hobby. Get a life.

Yeah, there is definitely some hypocrisy involved here. However, he
still has a vaild concern. Putting up a shed that's in a backyard,
hidden from view, conforming to all codes, etc is different than
someone putting up a carport/garage/driveway that is visible from the
street. And it could have an impact on his property value.

I also don't think it's incumbent upon him to go figure out what the
neighbor is doing and IF it conforms to code. First, he doesn't know
what the guy is building. Should he wait until it's all up, complete
with roof, then the ultimate result is the neighbor has to tear it
down? That's worse for everyone. Second, without being a code
professional and having inspected it, he can't tell how it's built,
whether it conforms to codes, etc.

If it were me, I'd send an anonymous letter to the code officials.
When you undertake doing something like this you know going in the
risk you run is getting caught one way or another. And you do it
because you want to save a few bucks, cut corners, or you don't think
it will be approved and that is more important than the neighbors.

On 6/16/2010 8:44 AM, JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Jun 16, 8:26 am,
wrote:
wrote in message

...





The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some
kind of driveway. Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like
it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on
him. (NB: do not know him.) Is there a reason in terms of me
protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could
outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.

Why don't you read up on the regs for your neighbor's project, and if it
looks like he's doing it right, then mind your own business?- Hide quoted
text -

- Show quoted text -

Hard to do. The publicly available info clearly states they need a
permit, but that's more because of legal issues. (Driveways intersect
the county right-of-way; the county wants to keep tabs on significant
improvements for property value tracking; etc.)

In terms of "substance" (engineering, etc), looks like the main code
is ICC or whatever, which isn't online for free.
============

Well, it was OK for you to install your shed without a permit. Seems to me
your neighbor should be allowed to break the law juse like you did, you
hypocrite.

If he lived in my area it is OK to install a shed up to 120 square feet
without a permit and that isn't unusual. You just need to observe
setbacks as the OP noted he did.


You sound like an old fart who spends his days peeking through the blinds at
what other people are doing. Get a hobby. Get a life.


You sound like you jump to conclusions very easily without interpreting
the facts...

"George" wrote in message
...
On 6/16/2010 8:44 AM, JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Jun 16, 8:26 am,
wrote:
wrote in message

...





The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some
kind of driveway. Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like
it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on
him. (NB: do not know him.) Is there a reason in terms of me
protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could
outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.

Why don't you read up on the regs for your neighbor's project, and if it
looks like he's doing it right, then mind your own business?- Hide
quoted
text -

- Show quoted text -

Hard to do. The publicly available info clearly states they need a
permit, but that's more because of legal issues. (Driveways intersect
the county right-of-way; the county wants to keep tabs on significant
improvements for property value tracking; etc.)

In terms of "substance" (engineering, etc), looks like the main code
is ICC or whatever, which isn't online for free.
============

Well, it was OK for you to install your shed without a permit. Seems to
me
your neighbor should be allowed to break the law juse like you did, you
hypocrite.

If he lived in my area it is OK to install a shed up to 120 square feet
without a permit and that isn't unusual. You just need to observe setbacks
as the OP noted he did.


What's legal in your area is irrelevant.


You sound like an old fart who spends his days peeking through the blinds
at
what other people are doing. Get a hobby. Get a life.


You sound like you jump to conclusions very easily without interpreting
the facts...


You've obviously never lived with neighbors who have nothing better to do
than play zoning cop. They're easy to spot.

On 6/16/10 8:23 AM, woger151 wrote:
The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some
kind of driveway. Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like
it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on
him. (NB: do not know him.) Is there a reason in terms of me
protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could
outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.

Guys like you got the snot beat out of them on the school playground...

What comes around, goes around...

As a rule I don't call the city on any of my neighbors for anything. Even
those I despise.

I would like to call the city on a couple of people, but I figure if I start
doing that stuff, then they will return the favor...

Then that would tick me off and I would find something else to call about to
"get even". Then before you know it, all out war! I think I have better
things to do.

Same thing goes for my "nosy" lady neighbor and her wanting to tell me
gossip about the other neighbors. I call her "Gladys Kravitz". I don't want
to hear it and I have better things to do...

"Bill" wrote in message
...

stuff snipped

Same thing goes for my "nosy" lady neighbor and her wanting to tell me
gossip about the other neighbors. I call her "Gladys Kravitz". I don't
want
to hear it and I have better things to do...

You're showing your (our!) age with a Bewitched reference. Even older: Let
he who is without sin make the first zoning complaint.

--
Bobby G.

In article
,
woger151 wrote:

The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some
kind of driveway. Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like
it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on
him. (NB: do not know him.) Is there a reason in terms of me
protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could
outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.

You're walking a fine line, and I feel your pain. But way back in junior
high, we learned that "your rights end where the other guy's nose
begins." The laws, whether you agree with them or not, are there for a
reason. Your neighbor made a choice to live in an area with zoning and
permitting laws, and he is not above those laws, period. I'd make the
call.

Smitty Two wrote:

You're walking a fine line, and I feel your pain. But way back in
junior high, we learned that "your rights end where the other guy's
nose begins." The laws, whether you agree with them or not, are there
for a reason. Your neighbor made a choice to live in an area with
zoning and permitting laws, and he is not above those laws, period.
I'd make the call.

Your points are well taken.

It's possible, however, that the neighbor lived there BEFORE annexation
and/or zoning and/or permitting.

That said, I live in a city in excess of 5.5 million people. We don't have
zoning or a permitting process that much interests the city. (I think they
check on building permits for buildings taller than eight stories.)

My attitude is decidedly different toward zoning and permit compliance. In
our part of the country, we tend to deal with miscreants directly.

It may be that the construction actually ENHANCES the neighborhood.

You have several options:
1. Do nothing. The legal principle involved is called "acquiescence by
silence." If you don't like the project, you are obligated to speak up at
the first opportunity. After that, your silence implies agreement.
2. Visit the neighbor. Tell him if his project ends up looking like the
entrance to a trailer park, you and your neighbors will come beat the snot
out of him.
3. Snitch the neighbor out to the nannies. You can attempt to do so
"anonymously" but you WILL be discovered (nine times out of ten for one
determined on vengence).
3. Anything other than #1 invites retaliation. Sometimes retaliation out of
all proportion. Like scorched earth.

On Jun 16, 11:19*am, Smitty Two wrote:
In article
,



*woger151 wrote:
The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some
kind of driveway. *Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like
it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on
him. *(NB: *do not know him.) *Is there a reason in terms of me
protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could
outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. *I put in a shed (HD
Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the
regs about offsets. *Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger
deal.

You're walking a fine line, and I feel your pain. But way back in junior
high, we learned that "your rights end where the other guy's nose
begins." The laws, whether you agree with them or not, are there for a
reason. Your neighbor made a choice to live in an area with zoning and
permitting laws, and he is not above those laws, period. I'd make the
call.

I agree. When my neighbor fenced his yard, I was vaguely aware that
there were some rules about sight lines from driveways but I didn't
pursue it. His non-conforming fence basically runs all along my
driveway to the sidewalk. By code, it should have stopped 15 feet
short of the sidewalk. And now I see why: as I'm backing up out of
the driveway, I'm scared to death one of his kids will shoot out from
behind that fence on a tricycle or something. In retrospect there was
a darn good reason for the rule and I wish I'd spoken up earlier. -- H

Heathcliff wrote:
snip
I agree. When my neighbor fenced his yard, I was vaguely aware that
there were some rules about sight lines from driveways but I didn't
pursue it. His non-conforming fence basically runs all along my
driveway to the sidewalk. By code, it should have stopped 15 feet
short of the sidewalk. And now I see why: as I'm backing up out of
the driveway, I'm scared to death one of his kids will shoot out from
behind that fence on a tricycle or something. In retrospect there was
a darn good reason for the rule and I wish I'd spoken up earlier. --
H

there's nothing preventing you from doing so now. the city would make him
remove the fence if it doesn't meet code.

"Heathcliff" wrote in message
news:e4ecab94-7622-4e5b-b681-

stuff snipped

I agree. When my neighbor fenced his yard, I was vaguely aware that
there were some rules about sight lines from driveways but I didn't
pursue it. His non-conforming fence basically runs all along my
driveway to the sidewalk. By code, it should have stopped 15 feet
short of the sidewalk. And now I see why: as I'm backing up out of
the driveway, I'm scared to death one of his kids will shoot out from
behind that fence on a tricycle or something. In retrospect there was
a darn good reason for the rule and I wish I'd spoken up earlier. -- H

As a guy whom the very hand of God stopped me from backing over a little
girl on a pink a tricycle under very similar circumstances, I would consider
sending in an anonymous letter. Your issue is clearly a case of public
safety because as you've said, you've got to be able to see to be sure. In
my case - something - I can't say what, made me suddenly brake only to see
the image of a little girl appearing from behind my car. She was never
visible to me until that moment. Since then I've cut down all the shrubs in
the front right of way and try to back in the driveway whenever possible so
I don't have to back into the street butt first.

It's a very weird feeling to know you've just gotten a pass on what could
have been the worst thing in quite a few people's lives. Drop the dime.
You've got a much better reason than the the OP to see a change made. There
isn't a time I back down the driveway without seeing her in my mind and
thinking about how my life would have changed had I not decided to suddenly
stop.

Cyclists under age 16 accounted for 24% of all cyclists killed in 2002.
(Insurance Institute for Highway Saftey)

--
Bobby G.

On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:23:53 -0700 (PDT), woger151
wrote:

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

Walk across the street and ask the guy. No biggy.

On 6/16/2010 6:15 PM, Oren wrote:
On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:23:53 -0700 (PDT), woger151
wrote:

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

Walk across the street and ask the guy. No biggy.



Why not just butt out? What business is it of the OP?



Jay

Jay Hanig wrote in
:

On 6/16/2010 6:15 PM, Oren wrote:
On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:23:53 -0700 (PDT), woger151
wrote:

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

Walk across the street and ask the guy. No biggy.



Why not just butt out? What business is it of the OP?



Jay



I figure that if the project doesn't affect the "complainer",and the guy
doing the project hasn't done something negative to the "complainer" in the
past,then the "complainer" should MYOB.

Instead of trying to be a busybody or "junior lawman".

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

That way he'll know who ratted?

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Oren" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:23:53 -0700 (PDT), woger151
wrote:

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

Walk across the street and ask the guy. No biggy.

On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:27:44 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

That way he'll know who ratted?


No he learns from the one person, that talks to him directly.

Sometimes in a situation, one needs to explain things in simple terms.

What I mean? Talk to the neighbor!


"Oren" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:23:53 -0700 (PDT), woger151
wrote:

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

Walk across the street and ask the guy. No biggy.