Planning Board & the annoying neighbors UPDATE 5/26/2011 Happy Ending!

[Rozzie]

Quote:
Might not be legal. Cities can have so many rules about residential structures these days that it is nearly impossible to meet them all without getting contractors involved! No telling what rules they have about a residential space attached to a barn...

Heck, in my city there are laws saying what the minimum temperature in your home is required to be during the day and during the night, and laws stating that you cannot have ANY habitable room of the house at a lower temperature at any time. (Uh, okay....do they want to pay my heating bill?) They are regulating every aspect of our lives...

 

[PineappleMama]

^Seriously?!!? That's eerie... and how would they know?

Do they get a call from *insert elec or gas company* when your bill is lower than they like?

Nope, don't like that one bit.

I doubt it's legal, or that it'd be easy. But if I had the funds and it WAS legal I don't doubt I'd at least throw that out there just to annoy them... minimum... if I had the funds and a clear path I'd probably go ahead and do it, but at minimum I'd throw out that I was thinking about it... actually, could do that just to ruffle feathers.

 

[denim deb]

Ok, so the neighbors are afraid of rats. Have they ever been to the city or a junkyard? Talk about rats! As for the flies, I couldn't figure out why there were so few flies at my friend's farm this year when there were a ton of them at the barn I work at. There's more animals on my friend's farm than at the barn, and it's about the same amount of property. The barn got fly predators, my friend didn't. But, she has ducks and chickens, so I'm assuming they're eating a bunch of the flies.

 

[Drk_Wlf]

Quote:
That is actually a really good idea

I know there are ordinances that restrict have living quarters over a garage in the town, but if we built it off the side then maybe that might work. We were thinking of just building a tiny cabin on the property with running water, electricity and heat so it would be considered a year round residence and then letting my sister live in it. We would still need a variance because the barn would be over half the size of the house, but the town doesn’t seem to have problems issuing those forms of variances (they actually issued one at the meeting we were at for a man trying to expand his garage so he could store his antique cars). We would like to just build a house on the property, but we just can't afford to right now.

 

[Drk_Wlf]

Quote:
One of the people that complained at the meeting used to own one of the most disgusting rat infested junkyard in the town, one of my neighbors that supports us said it was really hypocritical of him. I believe he was even fined and made to clean it up because there where so many complaints.

 

[Drk_Wlf]

Loop Hole I see you! We can put a dwelling over the barn and it would then be a primary building and not need a variance the only stipulation is that we would need a Certificate of Occupancy before we could move the animals in, so we could not build the barn portion first and then the living quarters. We are still going for the variance so we can put the animals in the barn as soon as the lower level is complete, BUT we will submit building plans for a barn with a living quarters up stairs, which should convince the board that we have every intentions of moving over there within the next few years

 

[Rozzie]

Quote:
I would imagine its mostly used when CPS is called in or when there are custody or elder care issues.

As for gas/electric companies...

Well, they almost COULD do that. Our gas and water companies here have some sort of radio tag devices on the meters. They report your usage several times a DAY to the gas and water companies. Yes, several times DAILY. I can look online and see my water usage in six hour intervals. I'm not aware of them using it for that purpose YET though...

 

[LizaBlue]

I hope I didn't sound critical (comment about arguing) - I meant it more to remind you not to get exasperated with the idjits

you sound like a pretty good egg, and I'm glad it looks like there is a light at the end of this tunnel

 

[Rozzie]

Quote:
If you do this, furnish it lightly (thrift shops?) and stay over once in a while. You'd have to for insurance anyway, most likely. Some insurance policies consider a residence as empty if not stayed in for a certain period of time (mine is 30 days). If no one is home for 30 days, then I have to buy supplemental insurance or they will not cover the house or contents if something happens during that period!

By staying over once in a while you could call it a second residence.

 

[moonlyghtegirl]

Quote:
If you do this, furnish it lightly (thrift shops?) and stay over once in a while. You'd have to for insurance anyway, most likely. Some insurance policies consider a residence as empty if not stayed in for a certain period of time (mine is 30 days). If no one is home for 30 days, then I have to buy supplemental insurance or they will not cover the house or contents if something happens during that period!

By staying over once in a while you could call it a second residence.

Your insurance company may also have some issues with the plan. You should also look at the laws and talk to your insurance agent about what constitues "attractive nuisance." A good umbrella liablity policy would also help. If you plan on selling any livestock/agricultural products from your farmette, it could also change your liability. Talk to your insurance agent...